Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1896-03-12
what a Renent Fund. Is


Suggestions having come to us from
number of honest Odd Fellows that
they fear the HERALD may harm their
order by using Ed Pollock name in
connection with it. we gladly make
clear to the minds of persons outside
that noble order what we meant by
calling their ''benefit fund.- ..pauper
fund" for there is a distinction or
difference between the two which un-
der the circumstances did not at that
time seem to us to call for full explana-
ton.
Every member of an l. o. o. +. lodge
is assessed Gf its charter from the
Grand lodge designates it as benefit
subordinate lodge certain sum of
money which is set aside as benefit
fund to be drawn upon by its need -
members; if a lodge is not organized
under the special benefit act-which
latter form relieves it from becoming
responsible under the law of the SUI
preme lodge for debts contracted by
member-its members usually re-
lieve sickness and distress bv private
contributions from their own pockets,
each one giving what he feels able to
give or the exigency of the case calls
for. The writer has in mind an in
stance where certain Odd Fellow
lodge in Grant county paid bills for
a paralytic member amounting in the
aggregate to about $4,000, and the
lodge was not organized under the
benefit act, either, which is cited to
show that while lodge may not be
legally responsible it certainly holds
itself morally responsible for the debts
of its INDECENT members. We do not
know whether mississippi Valley is
designated benefit lodge or not; and
it is immaterial to the subject now
under consideration. 1t is not con-
sidered disgrace or even humilia-
ton for needy member to draw upon
the benefit fund, nor is it allowable
for one member to exclaim against
another because of his asking for pri-
vate aid. tits his acknowledged right
to ask help from his brothers and no
disgrace whatever attaches to it. The
money so drawn from the benefit fund
or donated by members as individuals,
is to relieve sickness and distress and
to keep a brother from becoming a
public charge. 1t is especially intend
ed to prevent brother and his family
from going to the poorhouse or draw
ing upon the pauper fund of town.
village or city, which would brand
him as a pauper in the ewes of the
world. This is one of the noblest OBJ
jects of the fraternity; indeed. it is
The one object coming under three
heads-relieve the sick, bury the dead,
care for the widows and orphans.
Think, dear reader, how many sore
hearts are made glad every year by
the knowledge that their poverty will
not be paraded before more fortunate
neighbors. For it is a soul-withering
thing to be needy. Energy is sub
merged by want, and poverty makes
towards of men who are worthy to
lead armies We take off our hat to
the Odd Fellows order and say, Long
live their benefit fund.- Derived as
it is often from hard sacrifices on the
part of poor members with design
TO relieve the distress of a poorer
brother the act becomes Christ-like
and grand the shadow of great rock
in scorching desert--a resting place
in weary land.
What shall we say of the Odd Fell
low who, having thousands Of dollars
in the bank, draws upon the pockets
of his brothers, and then. by accepting
money from the city treasury, places
himself on level with and virtually
becomes ''town pauper9' Is there
but one man, rich or poor, in all Grant
county who would do such thing
rs that, Only one.