Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-05-04
I. D. o. n iNNITERS4RY.
Celebration of the Seventy-fourth Brit
day of American Odd Fellowship.


The independent Order of odd Fellows
of this city celebrated its seventy fourth
anniversary in public observance ut the
Opera House last night week.
The big building was filled, and the All
dience was one that indicated the substau-
tial standing Of the order in Wilmington.
The platform was prcttily decorated with
palms and flowers. Some 200 or 800 odd
Fellows, decorated in the red. blue and
purple regala of the order, made the stage
effect still more attractive.
The sentiment ito relieve our fellows"
expressed i'll the opening prayer of the
chaplain, struck the keynote and the eX-
PLANTATION of such showingof benevolent,
kindly and substantial citizens seated
along the front line of the platform.
Among those on the stage were: James F.
Price, q. NJ; t. A. Potts, D. q. NJ; Robert
NJ Burns. G. W; Isaac w. llallam, q. s.:
A. g. Robinson. q. r.; L. w. Long. q. C.;
John A. Bennett, q. Marshal; William
Kcttlewood G. e.; IL. q. Clark, q. Con
ductor; W. II. German. G.. r.; John Col
Inns, G. S. w; Edwin lIirst, Ct. Scribe, y.
ii. Spencer, G.. I.
Grand Representatives. W. Cooper,
James Ill. Appleby and George G. Morton;
Grand ReFrGsentativeeect, i. +. Snakes.
pcare; Past Grand Representatives. Alex
nnder Guthrie, John 4. Jakes, Thomas q
Doud, David Downs.
John l.. Person. Joseph Pyle, w. III. Foulk,
g. G. Naylor, Enos II. Jefferson. John ].
Gallagher, +. C. Moore, John NJ. Whitford.
Past Grand Observation-Disclosures c. Fierce
and II. 4. Roop.
Chairman of Reception Committee-E
W. Pyle
In addition to the above were the gen
eral committee having the arrangements
in charge, consisting of three members
from each lodge and encampment, all the
members of the relief committee of all
subordinate lodges and encampments of
the city, with visitors from outside the city.
The grand master, James +. Price in a
few brief words welcomed the audience
and then introduced the grand chaplain,
the Rev. Il. W. Long
The programme opened with some en-
cellent vocal music by the Philadelphia
Quarlette. The song The Sea Hath Its
Charms" was sweety sung This was
followed by medley of exhilarating
comic melodies. Then followed a selection
from the Opera House orchestra.
The Rev. Thomas l.. Terry Past Grand
Chaplain, in a few very pleasant words
spoke of his subject and of the speaker of
the evening, Past Grand Sire John q.
Underwood ex-governor of Kentucky,
and now of Chicago, Ill, Mr.. Terry re.
ferred to several incidents in General
InderwondS career, paving special stress
to the fact that he, while presiding in the
Kentucky Senate gave mis- vote against the
continuance of the whipping post in that
State.
General Underwood expressed himself
delighted with Wilmington and what he
has experienced in his two or three days
visit here.
The subject the speaker took was that of
"American Odd Fellowship" This is the
seventy-fourth anniversary of the order III
this country. The Odd Fellowship of the
United States is very different from that
of the Old World. The tenets of the order
are of course similar everywhere The
friendship and love is the same. Truth is
the most valuable of all the cardinal vir.
tues Friendship and love are more per
sonal and individual. but charity belongs
to all. We have in odd Fellowship prin.
ciple called Universal Justice. The saving
"lll do this thing because it is Just. "
makes for its upholders universal and
perpetual monument. Those who practice
and carry out these precepts are in reality
Odd Fellows.
| am what | call a progressive Odd
Fellow. | claim that Odd Fellowship is
not alone for the lodge or for occasions rs
this. 1t must be practiced at home, ON the
street, in the church.
/ was driven over the city to-day and
through the best streets, through none oi
the worst ones. The point is to begin odd
Fellowship at home. lie seen the same
everywhere.
say that this institution, but "a years
old, is par excellence, the best organization
under tue sun.
The Odd Fellows organization of the
United States totals within 1000 of 1O0,O0C
members. In addition the Daughters ol
Rebekah number 100000. The revenues
during the past year tutaled over SS,uO0,OO0
of this over S3000,O0O was expended in
benefits for the distressed.
The speaker devoted the closing part oil
his address to q culogy of the advantage OF
woman in Odd Fellowship and The
strength it has impaired to the organla
ton.
The medley, "Chimes of Normandy,
given at the close of the speech, was a:
enjoyable piece of semi-professiona
work as has been listened to in the city
The highly pleasnrable evening was cluseC
with q most harmonious Good Night
ballad.