The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-26
Origin of The Order.

Now that there is httle news Of mo-
ment from cur lodges, the following
from an English Odd Fellow, in the
dS5rmingham Mercury, will be of in
ttrest.
Particulars of the origin of the
Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows were
supplied TO me- first by Mr.. Charles
Reeves, of Kings Heath, a past grand
master. The first society OF Odd Eel
lows appears to be shrouded in mys-
terry, like many other concerns of the
good old days when bookkeeping was
simpler than it is at present, and when
a newspaper which did not contain
news cost considerably more than its
successor of today.
Odd Fellows. as far back as can be
traced, have claimed Adam as the first
odd Fellow. We are not told whether
his unfortunate wife Eve ran female
dodge. As recently as 1884 the following
statement appeared in the initiation
charge of the Manchester Unity: 1.-The
foundation stone of our order was laid
b. Adam, and it still remains unsul-
he'd On this point Provincial c. s..
" G. Friction, the well-known arch
seologist Of Coventry says: odd Eel
9owship is an institution of mature
ne there can be no doubt
" There appears to be no relia BILE in
formation with regard to Odd Fellows
earlier than about the year 174S when
she directors Of the Odd Fellows Of
England published a statement to the
effect that Odd Fellowship had its
origin in Rome in the year of our Lord
20. and that its principles were intro
duced into England by the Romans
IN A D. so Mr.. Friction states further
that We read Of a recognized secret or
der of this name among the Romans;
ana our past grand master tells of an
order of Odd Fellows existing in Wales
in the first century.
The foundations of such an Odd Eel
lows friendly society during the first
days of the Christian era. is in further
evidence from the well-known fact
that in the time of Abrams reign, A.
ID, 1l7-l3S. an association existed with
a provision of funeral fund for its
members, etc.
Our earliest known reliable record is
that quoted from the rules of the Aris-
tSrchus lodge by Mr.. James Spry in his
text book, as follows: 1.-THE LOYAL
Aristarchus Lodge No. 9. of o. of Q. r.
SHAH meet at one Of the following
places: The Oakley Arms, borough of
Southwark, the Globe Tavern. Hatton
Garden, or the Bears Head. Smithfield.
according as the noble master may di-
rect by his summons" These rules
were QdIeQ If4c, anu three years before
the Odd Fellows were mentioned in the
GeatIeman's Magazine.
yfthing, however, is known of the
EafKgs of the lodges; but, as MIR Reeves
suggests. the first lodge originated
probacly al a village inn by number
of bosom friends wishing to become
exclusive. Probably at first no
contributions would be paid nor
any pecaniary assistance rem
dered; hut as time, and one
of their party falling into distress.
their. sympatbies would he aroused
and prompt them te render him finan-
cial aid. This would naturally suggest
the idea Of a permanent fund, from
which they might assist one another in
time of need. Then, when members
of the band separated. those that went
away would doubtless introduce the
the idea of similar lodge in the new
$lacel where they sojourned. Thus in
1@ T2babiIity, was Odd Fellowship