Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-04-26

exefeaeee q The 0saaite chaecA -
eAsnns. eonnsasssstvs sf ~ IA auns
,sAy = odd 1sllsvship. vess iaer,s,
sssadsd aad vssy insessAiae {, thess o.
ssds ef H. order - veil q 70 IL usnhse,
q Ssptha Rneampaess and Asyiun Lode,
1nsss vass vesy.. tail attendance Of Is,
eass. Ths BODY Of the church ~ss =
asasd 70 ihea and hey alIed Tie sve ros,
% sssss vsu 20 Tbs back Of ~ church.
Tbs ss1g sesvies VS. fsndsssa b. II.
Wiathfe1 Snses quartet, Miss Jsiis Fol.
sam organise. The qaas.ss being assisted i,
us ~ number By Ma. 4. v. Cass.
Ihs programme ~ - follovs: OrRsr
voluntary, singing By tbs qsassssse, ia
Ne dsy Of rest dsclineth.n Prayer -,
thsn sssssd b. The Rev. J. 9. Witnesses.
Response By de qasstssse, Listen Re /,
mime Ths Scripture lesson Wa rssd by
Rev. nf. Willianson. II included p.,s-
ssss eoneefnips David and Jonsshsn sud
me ssmssissa. The qusrsstss { hen
sang "0uids Ne Thou Gfess 0 Jehovah y
The address Of the Rev. 3. W. Jenkiss
OF Gardiner vas very instructive and cslcu
iated to inpfess the listeners With the mag.
nfude OF the good work being done BY the
order throughout the world. In course Of
bis opsning The speaker said. I'VE meet
tonight not to celebrate the anniversary Of
distincfivsly religious society bat to con-
'idef some Of the principles of Q srsss
benevolent organisation. Il vss Q grsnd
privilege to look back over 70 years and
consider the Grand work that bad been done
and 10 being done as the present time BY an
order that 10 sill making such rapid pro
gPess.
The speaker dwels ct considerable length
on the history Of the order. The .arst
organization Of Odd Fellows in this country
vas In Baltimore, April II, 1919, With .
membership Of i've brethren. This organ
izasion had now grown to be the most
powerful outside the church to which il had
been good helper. Such an order could
NOT originate elsewhere than in Christian
land and among Christians. This order had
grown 20 that today there were now one
and ahslf millions enlisted under it, ban
NOR. The American branch expends near
y two millions every year for benevolent
purposes. Maine has done . noble work
for the order now having nearly 10000
membsfs. Asylum lodge ranks among the
foremost Of the lodges in honor and i'm
portsnce.
With regard to the benevolent features
OF the order the speaker called attention
to the fact that il was not charitable or
gsnizstion in the sense in which the word
charitable 10 commonly used. Each men,
Der 10 entitled to this benevoIence not % q
pittsnce doled out but a. to his just dues.
Our mission 10 to relieve distress, comfort
the widow and educate the orphan.
Mr.. jenkins then touched upon some
criticisms that have been made regarding
the order. These critics spoke from . half
or imperfect knowledge Of the organization.
As in the church, there are some who do
not live up to their faith. Did anyone ever
know Of : whole orchard bsing condemned
becsuse Of . few defective spples? This
order and every other suffered on account
Of some individuals in tho same manner ~
does the chnrch. While the records of the
order in England chow that Ut one time
convivial habits had been known in the
ledge room, in this country since the in
ception Of Odd Fsllo Eship, this had not
been the case. All convivisl habits h .d
been abolished
Neither. - had been said, had the work
of Odd Fellowship interfered with that Of
the church. IL was based on the principle
of friendship, love aud truth, and canno.
fail to be very helpful to ill who hear its
teachings. The teachings in the scripture
lesson lust read were then taken up. At
tention was called to the nature of the
friendship which existed between David and
Jonathan and which was such ~ could only
rest on the sure foundation of character.
The love that Jonathan bore David was not
that Of prince towards his subject but as
that Of brother towards his equal. Il was
rich in self denial, and in this true friend
ship consisted. The characteristics Of this
wonderful fellowship between David and
Jonathan WAS iikened to those existing be-
tween members Of the order Of Odd Eel
lowship, and the latter were exh,rted to
cherish these principles in their daily lives
The address was followed BY the singing
Of the quintette, Mrs. A. W. Case, soprano
obligato, Of "Oh World Thou Art Won
drous Fair )" after which the benediction
was pronounced by the Rev. Mr.. jenkins.