The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-26

history OF secret societies in the Uni
ted States copyrighted by Albert
Clark Stevens, from a portion of the
manuscript Of which this article has
been drawn.
There are several different kinds OF
secret societies, the mother, of course,
being the fraternity of Ancient Free
and Accepted Masons. That stands
unique. Its benevolence and practical
charities are not based on pre-arranged
or agreed plan to assess its members
systematically, or to pay out sums for
relief as per statute in such case made
and provided. They are extended
when needed and no record knows
them save that CT him or her who
receives.
But there remains a wide field to be
filled-one in which the secret society
may well play part with the spirit of
fraternalism, supplemented by some
thing which approximateS closely to
the modern mutual assessment insur-
ance society. Here Odd Fellowship
steps in, and nobly has it done its
work, for it is in reality the mother of
latter-day mutual insurance. True, it
does not insure lives, but it provides
its members against the evil day
which is the result of sickness and
misfortune, and looks to the welfare
OF the widow and orphan.
What better testimony can be offered
irs work. the example it has set, than
the following in its footsteps, in this
respect by such societies as the
knights of Pythias. Ancient Order of
United Workmen, knights Of the Mac
ca bees, the Improved Order of Red
Men, Order of Foresters of America,
the Royal Arcanum, Knights of Honor,
and more than one hundred other nv
tual assessment, charitable and be-
uevolent secret societies which, with
one exception, are the children OF the
last half of the present century?
The organizations pay annually not
less than 10000, 900 in sick, death. fu-
neral. family relief and educational
benefits, and Of that sum the Independ-
ent Order of ODD Fellows eXpends one
third.
The question may properly be asked
whence came the society which can
and does pay out more than $3,000,00O
annually for such purposes? This takes
US back 157 years, to 1879. Fourteen
wears prior to that date Free Masonry
in England had been revived and re-
organized with a grand lodge as the
governing body. The next ten or TWEEN
Nv years were marked by an active
Dropaganda, and that ancient frater-
nifty became prominent, not only IN
London but throughout England. 1t
was taken into most of the continental
countries, to America and the British
colonies. It excited antagonlsms, was
<sexposed' ridiculed and suffered from
secession, though the highest socially
as well as those Of lowly estate were
enrolled among its members.
Tradition (Which lacks PROOF says
that a number OF Free Masons had
difference with their lodge and or
rapized another society with the title
Of Odd Fellows. The similarity OF some
III the titles of officials in Odd Fellows
hodges to those of officials in Masonic
hodges. of the signs, methods of SAUL
nation and particlarly of the symbols
Of the two societies leave no doubt in
the minds If those capable of judging
that Free Masons were engaged at the
qauilding OF the temple of the Odd Fell
eowship.
was Aristorcus, No. 9, London, 1745,
and there would appear to have been
edecessors for five or six years prior
10 that time. Until 1880 Odd Fellows
hodges were more or less independent
ore of the other, though holding frater
mai relations. Sometimes one lodge
would visit another in body and con-
rribute to the latter's treasury that
needed relief might be forthcoming. A
union of lodges naturally followed and
for twenty years the united body was
known as the Ancient and Honorable,
LOYAL Order of Odd Fellows. Convivi-
ality at and after lodge meetings dur
ing the eighteenth century, as in other
ORGANIZATIONS, was feature. Some de-
faohed lodges became united as the
Patriotic Order of Odd Fellows and in
the latter part of the century the two
organizations came together under the
title OF the Union or United Order Of
odd Fellows. Schism showed itself in
1900 Bit did not last long The bone
OF contention was the dominance of
the convivial over the charitable
There was another secession in 1872
which did not amount to much, but in
1913 there was a decided split, the
,seceeders taking the name of the In.
Gependent Order, Man chester Unity.
This body grew rapidly beyond com
parison in England. having more than
three-quarters of all the members of
tgse (today) swenty-six Odd Fell
losss societies in the United king
dom, and a sick, funeral and other
benefit fund of $35, 0o0. 900.
EzrEE Ia Shis century. among other