Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1892-04-29

pressively commends to man the
duties OF benevolent care of his fellow
man, closing with the words "Verily
| say unto you inasmuch as ye did
it not unto one of the least Of these,
ye did it not unto me-
The text for the occasion was found
in Romans: 10Th chapter and 10th
verse, "Be kindly affectioned one to
another with brotherly love, in hon
or preferring one another.
The speaker noticed first, the most
evident thoughts of the text, sympa-
thetic, loving brotherhood, and then
a certain natural, justifiable limiting
of the strongest impulse of the feel
ing among the mutual membership,
in the phrase ''in honor preferring
one another
! But before dwelling on the thoughts
of the text the reverend speaker no.
ticed the prominent, suggestive facts
of the occasion. The varied congre-
cation, members of the church and of
the lodge could alike find profitable
guidance in Gods word; and the
spirit OF this text is the soul, the life
of every fraternal, social and sacred
organization, that they be bound in
bonds of mutual love.
The Day of the Lord appealed to
men by it's sacred ard grand associa-
ton. The Sabbath is the oldest, and
one of the best institutions given to
the family of man. 1t antedates
mans own existence, being made and
blcst of God even at the very dawn
OF history. 1t is a day of rest from
weary toll, a day OF social greeting,
OF warm hand-clasps and kind inquiry
for mutual welfare. 1t is a day Of
high and grand communing between
man and his maker, God.
The day, too, had special sugges-
ton to the Odd Fellows. This is to
them a commemorative day, the am
niversary of the founding of the order
in the United States, by Thomas Will
dey, in the year 1919, when the order
was instituted in this country by the
organization at Baltimore Of the
Washington Lodge, No l. The order
was first definitely established in Eng
land in 1745, and grew out Of the evil
dent need of men for mutual help in
the things of daily life, for sociability
in intercourse, for mutual care and
help in travel, for help in sickness, for
sympathy in sorrow, and co-opera-
tion with survivors in death.
It's .prominent objects are mutual
help in sickness, care of the brother
hood, care of the family, burial OF the
dead, protection of the widow and
guidance OF the orphan, and such CO.
operation of the membership as will
develop and exercise an honorable
and manly benevolenc:. Already
over $1OO, 900, 900 has been spent to aid
in these benevolent purposes, over Il
million men have been led to a higher
plane of life; thousands Of orphans
have been trained and guided by the
fra ternity, and widows been blessed
by it's helpfulness.
The order now numbers over 1000
lodges in the United States and has u
membership of over 100000. 1t has
at present an annual income of more
than Sc, ,000, 900, and spends annually
over $4,000, 900 in exclusively benevo-
ent lines.
1t directs Gcnevolcncc by business
methods; and puts bepevolcnce into
business; and what ever helps individ-
ual men to higher lives of sobriety,
order, industry and mutual helpful
ness must be beneficial to them and
to society at large.
The Bible repeatedly commands
the spirit of brotherhood. When
Cain asks: "Am I my brothers s
keeper?' He negatively but strong
ly states human duty. This
mutual hclpfulness was a patriotic
passion among the Jews David
gives it sublime utterance in the
133rd Psalm, beginning "BehOld
how good and how pleasant it is for
brethren to dwell together in unity"
Christ anticipates the judgment scene
it's observance or neglect. Paul
says, "No man liveth to himself, -
and our text is q definite authority
for the exercise Of brotherhood
benevolence.
There is a certain degree of secrecy,
some object. SO there is in business
life, so there is in the family and
even in the church.
But from the er'sstand-point
members of these benevolent societies
make the mistake, in common with
others, Of too often letting an
earthly interest shut out the higher
and grander one OF the soul. In the
words Of the Book, ''Thfs We ought
to have done, but not let the other
be undone." 1t should be remember.
ed that nothing elsein the world com
pares for grandeur OF principle with
Christ's eternal truth ,and Christ's un.
bounded love. For what will II
profit a man to gain the world and
vet lose his own soul? whatshal
man take in exchange Tor his soul;
Why should men at large forget thu
immortal and eternal, the spiritua
/, and the Holy, the grandest elements
J of a high and noble manhood? And &c
: with an opening appeal tor Sabbath
of the great spiritual interests o
the audience, and the order, closed {
> deeply interesting and impressive oc
casion Of memorial.