, 1896-07-18
CORNER STONE LAID.
IMPRESSIVE CEREMONIES BY THE
GRAND LODGE OF WYOMING.
|. o. o. F.
Past Grand Master Richard A. Proctor
Delivers an Eloquent Address.
Many Members From Abroad
Come to the Gem City to Witness
the Beautiful Rites.

July Is. 1896, will pass into history
as an important day in the history Of
Odd Fellowship in Wyoming. This aft
ernoon Grand Master David McCui-
lagh. assisted by the officers of the
Grand Lodge of Wyoming. |. 0. o. F.,
ing on Third street which is to be the
home of the local lodges. The cere-
monies We're interesting and impress
sive and were witnessed by a large CON
course of people.
Numerous Odd Fellows from other
towns in the state were present to
take part in the proceedings.
The line of march was formed on
Second street in the following order:
Laramie Cornet band, Laramie Division
No. >, L. r. X. P. Cantons of the Pa
triarchs Militant from Cheyenne and
Laramie. under command of r. a.
Proctor, p. G. NJ. Rebekahs. Ladies' of
the Woman's Relief Corps, etc. Grand
Secretary Louis Miller had charged of
'It pdldut.
After the opening ceremonies con
Quoted by the Grand Ladge officers, and
Sage. Past Grand Master Richard A.
Proctor of Cheyenne spoke as follows:
PROCTOR'S ADDRESS.
Mr.. President. Past Grand Represen-
tatives and Brethren: To attempt to
detail the past achievements and his
tory of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows. would be too great a task for
me to perform and one impossible in
the limited time which 1 am advised by
| the committee in charge that | am ex-
pected to consume. besides which,
am addressing. to a very great extent
my brother Odd Fellows and co-work-
ers. who are all familiar with our pas,
history and its grand record of deeds
done for humanity.
Odd Fellowship exists as a fact, and
has existed in this broad land of our
for more thar three-quarters of a cen
tury. Is it such an organization as
men should enter? Is 1t worthy OF the
warmest heart. universal appreciation
and support. or is it damaging to our
humanity? Is it an Organization for
good or evil-for veal or woe? These
questions we propose to answer in a
brief way by showing what Odd Fellow
ship is. and by directing attention to
the requirements of the individual Odd
Fellow.
To become an Odd Fellow these five
qualifications are indispensable: First
A belief in n Supreme Being, the
creator, preserver and governor Of the
universe. Second-A good moral char.
acter. Third-A legal age of majority
Fourth-Some known reputable means
Of support. Fifth-Freedom from in.
trinity and disease. so far at least al
to be incapacitated from obtaining
livelihood. Without these qualifica.
lions, II we are true to ourselves, VIZ
dare not admit anyone to membership
in that organization known as the In
dependent Order of Odd Fellows.
To us it is wholly immaterial wheth.
er the applicant be rich or poor, In
high place or in low. in public or in pri.
vate life. Neither do we ask after the
faith or UNCONVENTIONAL creed Of oul
membership. With the classifications
and distinctions of human society ouI
order has nothing to do. Men who
cherish the utmost contrariety Of sen.
timent in politics and ~religion-men Of
all parties and creeds-stand side by
side or the broad platform Of Odd Eel.
lowship and unitedly engage in offices
Of human b~enefaction. And in tina,
very jealousy Of the differences of par.
ty and creed which must obtain amid
such a group, hold We not the surest
pledge. this highest guarantee, that
Odd Fellowship can never be diverted
from those high and holy duties. those
comprehensive purposes for which II