The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-04-27
Odd Fellowship recognizes the right

Odd Fellowship recognizes the right
of every one to hold to his own re-
ligious, or political preference. You
may belong to one political party,
to another, but we are not allowed to
discuss them in our lodge room. You
may be a Presbyterian Of the most or
thodox type,I may be singing, shout
ing Methodist, but you will not be
permitted to defend your DEGREES in
the lodge room, neither will be per-
mitted to break your pensive mood by
nv shouting. Here, thank God, is a
retreat "where names and sects. and
parties fall, " and the love of God and
man, is all in all.
It is the man not the sectarian who
becomes an Odd Fellow. The design
in receiving a man is not simply to
initiate him into the mysteries of the
order. This is only incidental 1t is
to make him a better man, a better
citizen, a better husband and father
better in every sense of the word. Nc
man can be a true Odd Fellow with.
out being better man. It may be
said of us that we fail to live up to the
tenets of our profession. No doubt
the slander is too true, while none OF
us can claim a perfect life, it is to be
feared that too many, by the careless
manner of their living bring re-
proach upon the order, and are very
poor representatives of our principles
1 offer it as no excuse for improper
conduct, that even members of Chris
tian churches not unfrequently fail
We must admit to err is human. But
my brethren, this we know, that if ou1
lives are not exemplary it Is, not the
teachings of the order that is at fault
but ourselves. 1t is not safe to judge
any society by renegade members
Some object to us on account of oul
name Odd Fellow. Well, what is
there in a name? They inimically
called Jesus a Nazarene; the holy club
at Oxford was DUBBED as Methodists
the followers of Christ were derisively
called Christians at Antioch. These
ar all respected names now. Why
Because of the lives of those thus rep
resented. We are not to blame fol
our name, it came to us from another
country. 1t was name attached tC
an institution which had distinguished
itself by loving deeds .s.ch as attend
ing the couch of the K and dying
burying the dead. comforting the
mourning, and relieving the widow
and fatherless, bearing upon its ban
ner the motto, Friendship, Love ant
Truth
4 IL we live according tothe teaching
| of our order, We shall BE- woFthy son,
Of our worthy sires, and De afnong ttlh
fellow men Odd Fellows truly, not on
ly in name, but in deed because we d.
to others as we would have them d.
by us. This is odd, tco odd in thi
world of ours. The name is universal
ly honored to-day because of the deed
of benevolence and philanthropy per
formed under it. The name loses it
singularity to us in the value ant
beauty of the great moral and re
ligious principals associated with il
Many condemn our order supposin,
that we are bound together by sucl
strong oaths, that we are obliged t
stand by a brother whether he is i
the right or the wrong. We are ae
cused of being more loyal to brothe
Odd Fellow than to justice and th
government. 1t is charged. that if al
Odd Fellow should be tried before
jury of Odd Fellows for crime, n
matter how grave the offense, or ho,
clear the evidence of guilt, he canno
be convicted. Let me say in the pres
ence of God to-day, such charge j
false as false can be. We are nc
bound together by oaths, but we ar
by sacred, solemn promises. No Od'
Fellow was ever asked to make an
promise that would shield the guilt
or in any way interfere with his dut
which he owes to his country, family
or his. God There is no where foun,
in the teachings of the order an int
nation that we are to defend a broth
er when he is in the wrong. He VIII
will do so is not worthy of the nam
of an Odd Fellow.
To be sure we have signs and tok
ems by which we know each other, il
the dark as well as in the light, W
have forms and ceremonies, etc, ,whicl
we do not publish to the world. Blu
not one of these secrets can in an,
way injure or interfere with the right
/, of any person in any manner in thi
world. All our principles are pub
lished for the world to study an,
should all read and observe them Go