Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1896-05-01
ODD FELLOWS Anniversary.
MIR. Days Sermon Sunday Mornings
Exercises I'm Festival Hall Monday
Evening.

MIR. Days Sermon Sunday Mornings
Exercises In Festival Hall Monday
Evening.
The 18th anniversary of the establish
ment of the order of Odd Fellows in this
country was celebrated on Sunday and
Monday. Sunday morning about 1875 mem
bers of the local lodge and so or more
members of the Rebekah lodge attended
service at the Congregational church,
where through the striking and appropri-
ate decorations and the general spirit man
Tested they received a cordial welcome.
On the choir rail behind the pulpit was
the motto, Friendship, love and truth"
In the alcove was suspended the dove of
peace bringing down in its beak the en-
blematic three links. Over the pulpit was
the American flag encircled by three links
of evergreen, signifying the spirit of true
Americanship which characterizes the
order. At the close of the service the
members of the regular congregation re-
manned seated, while the visitors passed
out. As the Odd Fellows and Rebekahs
passed out of the church each individual
member was presented with a small bou-
quet of arbutus by little girls who held
baskets of the flowers.
Mr. Days sermon was from the text:
ENTER we in by the narrow gate" The
idea of the sermon was that entering into
life is entering into relationships with our
fellowmen; that these are of two kinds;
one, merely external, superficial or selfish,
for which the gate is wide, but by which
there is really no entering except in ap-
pearance; and the other inward, spiritual
and in the field of motive, for which there
is sternly set the narrow gate of moral de-
cision. He, however, who gets into his
brothers life by that gate, to make him
better man, enters life to some purpose,
for he gets into the very spirit and current
of it. This conception of relation between
man and man was declared to be the very
core of Odd Fellowship, as set forth in a
grand symbolism and ritual, in an absolute
ly manly independence in all mutual help,
in the noble motto, "Friendship, love,
truth" and in three-quarters of century
of history To this idea of life an earnest
age says amen; and its supreme example
is found in him who resisted every lure to
enter the world by the broad gate of easy
acquiescence, cheap applause, or selfish am
bition, and chose the gate so narrow that
it cut off his life, by which he entered the
worlds life to stay there, in supreme lead
ership, forever.
The anniversary exercises were contin
ued by meeting Monday evening in Fes-
tival hall, which was filled with the fam
lilies and friends of the members of the or
| der. In the rear of the stage, which was
| decorated with flowers and potted plants,
American flags and the canton and degree
banners were draped.
Lieut.. Frank Plat, the noble grand of
Wantastiquet lodge, presided. Music was
furnished by Leitsinger's orchestra. The
exercises, which were received with much
pleasure, included addresses by Rev. A. j.
Hough, who spoke of the principles and
work of the order, and by Rev. G. o. Day,
who brought fraternal greetings from those
outside the order. The other numbers on
the program were vocal solos by Miss En-
ma Gregg and L. F. Coxson, piano solos
by Mrs. Charles BraZer and Miss Belle
Tenney, and recitations by Miss Alice viii
| lard and Miss Helen Keyes