Indian chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1882-1902, 1894-05-03

Il DHURsDAY LAST. April goth, was
l. "Odd Fellow Day" and IL the
enthusiasm was proportionately as
great all over the United States as
manifested at Vinita, the order is GER
iainly in a hourishing condition. In
connection with this subject. and be-
fore describing the local celebration of
the seventy fifth anniversary of the
foundation Of the o,der, as 1t exists in
the United States, il may be interest
/ ing TO look into the traditions and
history of the order. Its origin is usu-
ally asc cribed to the Jewish legion in
the army Of the Roman Emperor Titus,
which is alleged TO have received its
charter engraved ON golden tablet
from the hands of the Imperator him
self. Other statements even more ro-
mantle and FAR more improbable are
also made. Odd Fellows themselves
do not pretend to discriminate be-
tween them, but set them all down as
traditions which may or may not have
truth for foundation. The members
do not pretend to trace the order with
any definiteness back of the first h alf
Of the eighteenth century. Mention
is made Of She order by DeFoe, but the
oldest lodge of which the name has
been handed down is the Loyal Aris.
tarcus No. 0, which met in l745 at the
Oakley Arms, Burough of Southwork
Globe tavern, Hatton Garden, or the
Boar's Head at Smithfield, "as the no.
BILE master might direct" The earlier
lodges were supported by each mem.
ber and visitor paying penny to the
secretary on entering,a and special suml
were voted to such members as might
be in need. When out of work the
brethren were given cards of recon-
mendatiou, and Travelled from lodge Il
lodge till employment was found. Al
first each lodge was perfectly inde
pendent, but eventually. the need o
more concerted action being apparent
all became confederated under thu
name of the Patriotic Order. Toward
the end of the century many of thu
lodges were broken up by State perse
cuuon as seditious gatherings, but thu
society, changing it's name, continued
TO exist IN a moribund way as tn
Union Order of Odd Fellows TIL 1909
In this year number of the more en-
thusias,ic brethren tried to gSlvaniz
the organization into its old vigor, bu
after four years work gave the attemp
up altogether, and calling a convention
at Manchester, formally seeded fror
, the union and formed an entirely pe'
association known as the Independen
, Order OF Odd Fellows, Manche este
Unity, which soon spread with remark
, able rapidity. From this Mancheste
. Unity, the 6rst lodge of Odd Fellow
J in the United States was chartered 1
! 1919. Little did the founder, job
r Wildey, aud his boon companion
{ think when they established thei
e congenial little society in Baltimorl
r seventy FIVE years ago. that from II
h. incipient start this society should on
day embrace membership OF owe
/ l 800, 900 individuals, divided int
, three mighty subdivisions. The pul
=. pose OF the order has changed consi'
4 erabiy, however, since its America
+. foundation. When John WiIdey an
n his convivial friends got together the
j. sole purpose was TO organize sociei
e for conviyial enjoyment. Finally
}. reform came and the organization pc
If fected solely for pleasure develope
q into one of the most magnihcei
charitable institutions Of the worli
The handful Of men Of seventy.fi,
years ago has grown to an organize
body which last year at the annu
census Of the order showed membe
: ship OF i,572,3 ,3s4, with a gain OF almo
m $1,000 members In one year alon
Of Three brancher constitute the orde
ss the subor dinate lodges with mel
a. bership OF over loco 600, the encam
70 ment numbering 10000 and the Patl
- - archs Militant, or uniform rank, 80, o
At strong.
10 As to the celebration at Vinita,
I'd was a success. The members, togeth
" with a'number OF visitors from Alto
4 met at the hall and marched TO n
or Presbyterian church, where Rev. ID.
Allen, Of Eureka Springs, delivered
ftting and eloquent address. Til
NJ then returned to the hall and spent 4
remainder Of the evening In diseussi
various topics for the good OF D
Fellowship.