The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1893-04-27
IRE oddfellows, Anniversary.

The Oddfellows' Anniversary
The oddfellows, anniversary exe,.
cises on Wednesday afternoon and eve
ming was one ofthe most successful il
the history of the order in this city. Al
most every train which arrived broughi
members from other towns and by th,
time the exercises of the occasion werets
commence. large and brilliant assem-
blage was present. The exercises of the
afternoon were held In the opera house,
and consisted OF music by the male quar-
tette and addresses by the members OF
the order. The degree work in the Re.
bekak lodge followed. being exemplihed
by the degree staff Of the Valparaiso
lodge. No. SO. This was OF peculiar in.
terest to every member present. The
services, OF the occasion, however. were
those held in Memorial hall IN the eye
ming, when Past Grand Master w. G..
Nye delivered stirring and eloquent adj
dress, well fitted to the occasion. The
anniversary ceremony. at this time, EN-
blematic of the founding of Oddfellow-
ship. were Of great interest to those pres
emit. At the close of the ceremonies a
banquet was spread. and the evenings
enjoyment terminated with social hop
which was participated in by the young
oeople- The event will be marked as q
feature in the annals OF the society. The
following 10 substantially the text OF
Mr.. Nye's speech on this occasion:
"SIsrER REBEKAHs, BROTHER 0DD-FEL-
LOWS, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN.
"All nations have some anniversary
which they delight to keep green in their
memory by celebrating, and 30 we find
men and women uniting together in as
sociations and celebrate their nativity,
So year by year, members of this frater-
nifty are assembling together to celebrate
the anniversary of the order which they
love-to become more acquainted with
its benefcent purposes and noble de
signs. Oddfellows need not search the
records of antiquity for traces Of theil
origin. 1t is true that some have en-
deayored to trace the ancestry of the or
der to the times OF Pharaoh and Caesar
whose theories of fife they would show
were contained in its principles. but Thu
research into remote ages for the Origin
of oddfellowship was discouraged. Tn
propagators of the order saw create
| virtue in the practical good which tn
! order was doing than in antiquity ofor
igin, and felt that 1t ought to meet af
probation on this ground rather than OF
the fact that Caesar or Pharaoh, o
some other hero of antiquity had prae
ticed its doctrines. So long as the tru
principles of nobility and worth exist, n
research for an ancient origin was ne-es
sary. We prefer to look upon the r.
suits of the work of this century, tn
happy hearts and pleasant fresides
where less than hundred years ag
wild animals and wilder men roved ST
preme. Across the continent, fror
ocean to ocean, now stretches the gil
tering steel and the ponderous railroa
train carries it's burden of souls fror
ocean to ocean. Under the sea, fror
continent to continent, the cable carrie
the news of nations, the telegraph tran.
mits our thoughts and the product
minds throughout the land. These al
. tue products of this century, and odt
. fellows would much rather trace a hi
tory co-existent with this progressiv
! age than to reach back into thecenturis
or the caesars or rharaohs. our urus
does not pride itself upon ancestry, lii
other organizations who have base
their claims on age. Like all organic,
lions whose aim was the good of il
!. fellow men, our origin was humble. tt
first society Of oddfellows was organize
"a years ago today, in Baltimore, and
has grown from that time until its men
bership has grown to S75, 900 soul
From ITS birthplace on the Atlantic
has followed the course OF empire unit
now America is ours from ocean t
ocean. And not only is such the cas-
/ but the doctrines OF Friendship, Low
/ and Truth" have crossed the ocean an
/ found root in England, France, Der
) mark, Sweden, until its teachings al
heard around the globe. No advans
; agents have been sent out to herald I'll
: coming Of oddfellowship. but it's route
, have been enlarged by the earnest, vo
untary efforts of its members who hay
: travelled from settlement to settlement
in all kinds of weather, with no remul
: Grafton, to help and spread the ords
, which they love. Now, as a result I
) this labor, they see their fraternal fee
: ing spread throughout the world. In I'll
: early days of the order prejudice agains
, it was great. In 1881, when the fir.
r public parade was held in honor OF tt
dedication Of new temple in an easter
city, the exercises were held in disuse
. building in the suburbs of Baltimore, t
!. prevent disturbance from those who OF
! posed it. The greatest opposition we
E found to be due from the fact that it we
!, styled a secret society, but the worl
has since found that this is not so.
is true that its forms and ceremonies al
E secret as means of protection from in
truders who have no afhliation wit
!. the order. For this reason oddfellou
have .dopted the password and tt
various forms in use among its member
The active. living principles of Oddfe
: lowship were FIRST planted IN Baltimo,
! in 1919. In less than three-quarters
century it has grown from a sma
band to mighty army. Its mission /
extend relief and carry out heneficer
J purposes has drawnto IT'S ranks the be.