The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1895-05-03
kHIENDSHIP, LOVE IND TRUTH.
Mesaba Lodge No. 2@2, L. o. D. r. at Secen
tv-sic +4hntrersdrU Services at
the M. IL. Church.

The members Of Mesaba Lodge
No. 222, [. O. O. F., together
with many visiting members, at.
tended divine anniversary ser.
vices in a body, in regalia. on
Sunday morning last at the M.
E Church, the services being
conducted by Rev. O. !. Gary.
The room was beautifully and
appropriately decorated with
plants and flowers, and after the
deliverance of the following
short address to the order Rev.
Gary preached an eloquent SER
mon, attentively listened to by all
'To the band of brotherhood, cloth
ed in regalia, assembled here today to
celebrate the 10th anniversary of the
800, 600 or million Independent Order
of Odd Fellows. Let the decorations
sacred nelodus and kind faces bear an
expression Of welcome.
"We welcome you in the name of
/ the United churches Of the City of
Virginia, in the name of the United
churches of America, in the name of
Him, who is the author and finisher
of every good and perfect gift and of
the spirit which is carrying forward
your work to its legitimate and ulti-
mate success.
1--WE welcome you because you bring
the branches of Eenevolencc, the Leaves
of truth and the flowers of friendship.
"Wc welcome you because you re-
present, in the words of a Grand Mas
ter Of the Grand Lodge Of Minnesota,
a cause which is worthy the noblest
aspirations of men-which unites them
everywhere, mot in a spirit of tolerance
only, but which makes them in truth.
friends, neighbors ano fellow citizens,
bound together by common evchts, by
common sympathies, by common in
terests and by common destiny,
thereby owing to each other common
mutual obligations. A cause which
breaks down fhe barriers of castle and
unites men of divergent views and per-
suits upon the bread basis of universal
brotherhood.
"a cause whose intrinsic excellence
has lifted it from obscurity to renown,
whose material and moral subsidies
have unabled it to strengthen the arm
government, vitalize patriotism, up
hold lawful authority, champion vir-
tue and denounce vice in all its forms.
"a cause which can justly claim
share in the advancement that has
been made in the triumphs of human
progress and has leen an active and
potent factor in the onward march of
civilization in the state.
1.-The Grand Lodge of Minnesota
was organized in 1858. This magnifi-
cient domain with its resources of
timber and iron was then an unculti-
waited forest and scarcely could sound
be heard above the fiendish warharp
Of the wild and untutOrted savage,
but the spirit of your Order has kept
pace with the times, until the banner
of Friendship, Love and Truth has
been planted in nearly all of the towns,
villages and cities of the state. You
now have over $1,000 loyal men united
ly engaged in elevating human char
acter to the high standard of UNIVERSAL
brotherhood. You have opened the
doors os relief and sympathy upon the
right hand and upon the left, scorning
destruction Of form or sect, either
political or religious, sowing the seeds
OF practical benevolence with liberal
hand, which have been springing up
and producing blossom Of fraternity,
blossoms that have been shedding
t.leir program everywhere represent
ing afflicted and distressed humanity"