The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-04-28

| Cohie one mas SAID secret SOcietie
are not or recent origin. For thousa nd
of years have they existed and thei
history has been known to all men. Th
traditional history of ancient nation
has always shown some secret. SOM
mysterious society In which were gath
ered earnest men. entering into secre
temples. to explore the mysteriou
groom which IL held, sometimes losin,
( their way. oftentimes baffied. but still
toiling on. forming ideals, which the,
put In their lives. and these have no
been without their influence on m,
world. Time in its onward flight ha,
not SHOWN. US we can dispense will
these secret societies; but, on the con
trary. millions of the best and trues
men IN every nation gather about the
altar ana listen to the lessons taught
In the lodge room. True It is thai
storms have howled and at times we
beheld the light glimmering like the
pale OF morning between light and
darkness on the horizons verge: vet
the storm has passed, and again ii has
| beauty.
Men have said that the beginning OF
Odd Fellowship was an accident, and
Its working but trifies; but IL was not
SO. Onward with the strides of science
and civilization, from nation to nation.
II has crossed the Atlantic, and found
on freedoms soil fostering hand and
genial cline. In the Divine, rule and
government are not accident and no
trifies. What men call accidents are
GODS own part, and He makes the most
microscopic points. pivots for mighty
wheels to revolve upon, revolutions
which change the aspect of the civilized
world; and. as has been beautifully
said, doubtless the sailing of a cloud
hath providence to it's pilot, and the
chaff from the hand of the winnower
Is turned as the great star in his
course With God nothing is trivial
and 1t Is only the littleness of man that
seeth no greatness in a trifie. All times
and events. all joys and sorrows are
embraced in the ubiquity of the divine
wisdom and are parts of His benificent
plans. We have an
illustration of this in the 1. o. o. F.
Go back with me to the year 1919. We
are In the city of Baltimore 1t is the
26th day of April. Imagination might
picture two men almost ostracised be-
cause of the intense hatred of our coun-
trymen. This resulted from the fact
that the war with England had Just
closed. in which the city had been at
tackled, and Washington, the capital, 80
miles distant, was captured and it's
buildings burned. To be an Englishman
was an offense to both pride and pa
triotism, and all such were considered
public and perfidious enemies. We can
little wonder then that these men,
aliens almost in this new country, were
loud in their regrets that a change of
residence had deprived them of their
social pleasures of the lodge room, and
the more they discussed their former
pleasures, the more intense became
their desire to again enjoy it's benefits,
and they then and there determined to
form a lodge of Odd Fellows. To-day
va md II nd h. I.,Ir 4
Fellows in the United States unite in
lauding and revering the names of
Thomas Widely and John WEIGH. What
mighty drama was in rehearsal be-
hind that tiny curtain, drama of
which our glorious country is the stage
and the intellect wealth, power and in
tegrity of it's men are the actors, and
whose deep denouement is still hidden
in the mists of the rolling yearsAand
what has resulted from this desire?
The question is answered in the his
tory of our order. So, is II answered?
Not yeti is answering, but cannot be
fully known until the last line of the
history of Odd Fellowship shall have
been written.
THE thought is pleasant one to me
that the three links that bind us so
closely together have been cemented to-
gether by adversely and repeated fail
ure, and to-day the splendid fabric of
our order that towers so majestically
above us is as that beacon light to wan
derers on life's ocean-is she growing
old? Does the mile of her n years be-
gin to tell upon her and check her zeal?
Let imaginations again come into play
and look upon her 2,012,S4S strong as
they march by, battalion after battal-
ion, in close rank and file, made up not
of the infirm and decrepit, but of young
manhood, in all its youthful energy and
buoyancy of hope, having upon it's BAN
ners, Fidelity led by our gallant
rather let us ask is she not in her in |
fancy. and are not still greater things
spoken of and in the future? No, she |
Is not. Years but added to her beauty.
and who can repress the thrill of Joy |
that wells up when he remembers that |
she is equalled but by one in numbers.
second to none in influence and excelled |
not in the purity of her workings. To- |
day, with her revenue of $1,000 900, ex- |
employing the truthfulness of friend |
ship, love and truth, no wonder she |
stands so proudly"
The speaker went on to show that |
there was no truth In the statement |
that the secret societies were hurtful |
and that they are productive of harm |
rather than good. Anything that has |
Tor its object the advancement of hui |
nan happiness or human intellect, any |
thing that lends TO the amelioration of |
the condition of mankind or to lessen /
the ills and miseries of human life, |
anything that draws closer the ties of |
human sympathy and strengthens the |
ponds of brotherhood between man l
md man cannot. under any circum- /
be a cause OF evil. and anyone |
who has examined the principles and |
operations of Odd Fellowship will at
est that the above are it's aims. Mr.. |
stull closed with words of congratula-
ions on the splendid work achieved |
md a deserved tribute TO the helpful
less of woman.
This closed the afternoon proceed
ngs and a grand ball at Renshaw hall
asst evening was the finishing touches 4
o the celebration.
Drink Centennial Book Beer; II Is
he best on the market