The Anaconda standard., 1896-04-27
ODD FELLOWS ORDER.
The 77Ih Anniversary VIII Be Cele-
brated Tomorrow. o-
OPERA HOUSE PROGRAMME
Addresses and Music-A Brief His
tory of the Organization-Car
for the Moral and Physical
Welfare of Mankind.

Missoula, April 26-On Tuesday even
ing, April 2S, the odd Fellows of this
city will hold in the opera house the
annual anniversary exercises of their
order. The programme will be an in
teresting one and 1t is hoped that all
will avail themselves of the opportuni-
ty of learning something of the order
and its work. The exercises will be
free and all are invited. Following the
exercises at the opera house there will
be ball in X. of Il. hall, to which the
usual admission will be charged. The
programme for the opera house is as
follows:
Address of welcome. ....J. M. Hamilton
Anniversary services..L o. o. f. lodge
Selection. ..... .... Mandolin club
Address-"Odd Fellowship. rs
49,. ...... ...... ......J. >. Kemp
Song. ........ MISS Stephens
Banjo duet. IF. G. and G. c. Higgins
Address-"The Degree of Rebek- ara
ah".... REV. r. H. Sawyer
Either solo,. ..... Karl Greenhood
Recitation. Miss Honsinger
Selection, Ladies' quartet-Mrs. .r
Conkrite and Misses Bolles. ,t.
Harding and Morton
This is the 77th anniversary of the
order and will be observed in a similar
manner by the local lodges all over the
world wherever odd Fellowship exists.
canoe to all members of the order and
they are anxious that the public learn
more of the order of which they are
so proud. The order is essentially an
American one, as the present order was
founded in this country and has had
it's phenomenal growth in this side of
the world. 1t is now spreading to Eu-
ropean countries and to the islands of
the Pacific ocean. The following sketch
of the order was given to a Standard
reporter to-day by City Treasurer
Kemp. who is a prominent member of
the order here, and who has done much
to bring the Missoula lodge to. its pres
ent excellent condition:
The American order, the Independent
Order of odd Fellows, as II is gener-
ally known, was founded in Baltimore
April 26, 1919 Before that, the order
had existed in England in a somewhat
similar form, as the Manchester Trim
ity, and there are now in that country
some lodges of the old form. The in
dependent order is entirely distinct
from the English order, and is essen
TALLY American. The first lodge was
known as Washington lodge, No. l.
For several years the progress of the
order was slow, and for nearly 10 years
there was not much advancement, but
since 1880 there has been a rapid
growth, and the order now numbers
in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Nor
way, and the islands of Australasia.
Its extent is increasing every year, and
ii is becoming one of the most import
ant orders of the world.
The purposes of the order are fra
ternal and the main object is mutual
relief. The order cares for the physical
and moral welfare of it's members and
looks out for the widows and orphans
of members. It's charity is not confined
to it's membership, but is administered
wherever il Is thought that il is de-
served Many a man who had no claim
upon the order has had occasion to
bless ii for the ministrations of true
charity by its members. 1t is an exem-
plification of true charity and is mod
ell order in this respect. Its charity Is
ministered in an unostentatious man
ner and there is nothing about the re-
ceipt of such charity that is humiliat-
ing. No man need ever fear that he is
compromising himself by accepting II.
1t is freely and quietly given and is so
done that IL is the carrying out of the
Scriptural injunction to care for our
neighbors. -
In Missoula, the order is a strong one
and owns the valuable property known
as Odd Fellows hall. The Rebekah
lodge is a valuable auxiliary In the
charitable work of the order and CO.
operates with the senior body in its as
sistance that is rendered tosgsfhe
needy. The order is poorly understood
in many places and it is hoped that
there will be a good attendance at the
exercises, where much of the work and
purposes of the order will be explained.
4