The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-02-24
their number who were out of employ.

t1Eil.
With the close of the last century
this Order had been established in all
the cities Of England, and proclaimed
its mission to be "mutual relief and
charity" Strong faith was establish
ed among its members, that the Order
was able and ever ready to respond to
the cry Of distress, and the whitening
hand Of death was not SO keenly felt,
and earth was not shadowed in
gloom to the dying husband and
father, the surviving widow and
orphan, like "Hagar" were enabled to
rise up and press on to duty, for
like the angel in the wilderness
comforting the woman, and giving re-
freshing water to the dying child SO
Oddfellowship had come to point out
we'll springs of love, where her needs
would be supplied, and her orphan
would receive support and education.
AS the seeds of Christianity and
civilization, spread from one continent
to another by emigration, SO the prin.
ciples of "Oddfellowship found their
way to America and in 1902 self in
stituted lodges were established in
Baltimore, and four years later in New
York. These were supplemented by
others in other cities until April 10th,
1919. Thos. Wildey from Englang,
a blacksmith by trade, whose strong
arm was moved to greater activity by
his great love to man together with four
other English Oddfellows organized
in Baltimore "Washington Lodge
No. H. which was but the beginning of
the massive proportions soon assumed.
To commemorate the establishment of
this Lodge, after varying scenes Of
nearly eighty years we have assembled
and may rejoice over the great good
accomplished and the success attain
ed. This and other Lodges were in
dependent, and maintained their al
legiance to the "Manchester Union"
which confirmed the charter of the
Grand Lodge of Maryland, with powe r
to grant other charters. Then follow
ed Grand Lodges in various sections of
the United States, which in 1926
came together on the 22nd day of
February and organized the first
Sovereign Grand Lodge of the United
States, and thus honored the great
Father and his Country, the founder of
liberty and friend of man. Thomas
Wildey who mad presided over the first
chartered Lodge, and later over the
first Grand Lodge became Grand Sire
of the first Sovereign Grand Lodge in
this country, and lived to see the "In-
dependent Order Of Odd Fellows
gather within its folds nearly half a
million of men whose souls were filled
with humanity, and who cheerfully
contributed $4,000, 900 from which
sacred fund So,ooo,ooo had been dis
bursed for the relief of the sick, the
burial of the dead and education Of
the orphan. Columns of granite and
tablets of brass may succumb to the
corroding tooth of time, but the name
of Wildey, and the humane deeds of
his life will live as long as humanity
shall dwell in the breast of man, and
shall not reach the zenith Of his
glory until millennial peace and
love shall reign in every soul.
The Order moved on in its sacred
mission, accomplishing even greater
things until 1871, when the Order in
the United States during the fiscal
year distributed s781461.97 to the
relief Of 2S,4o5 distressed brothers,
and to drive the wolf from the doors
of 4,61o widows; s17,213.15 to edu-
cate the orphans of dead brothers, and
s156,o9S.4o to bury its dead, max
ing grand total Of s969,932.66, a
benevolence that challenges the admi
ration of the Christian world. Dur
ing the fifteen years following, the
Order had made rapid strides in its
"God blessed work" until in 1894 it
expended for the relief of 93,517
brothers, 6,274 widows, education OF
orphans and burial of its dead the
magnificent sum of s3,452,424,55,
leading every other benevolent assocl-
alton in the country.
While the English Odd Fellows
worked mainly along financial lines
e. ~, ral;a( lf ;.e I;.troece5 man,
bers, the American Order has added
the fraternal relations Of friendship
and mutual protection and advance
ment, thus making them their "broth
er's keeper" and more readily fulfilling
the divine mission of man.
The Order has no connection with
the Church, yet it IS its hand maid
and the principles of Odd Fellowship
must needs train the human mind to q
true veneration Of the great "Fathel
of All" and to an emulation Of the
self-sacrihcing humanity Of the Saviour
Of the world. The evangelization o
the earth appears to be dependent
upon the Anglo Saxon tongue and the
broadening field Of the Orders int1n
ence, with its humane tenderness, viii
soften even the savage breast and, like
John the Baptist, must prove har
binger of peace and help prepare the
world for the full glory Of God.
This brief history of the rise anC
progress Of the Order, leads me TO ex
anime some Of its characteristics.
We are told BY inspiration that th'
Saviour in His brief sojourn on earth
'went about doing good" For other
he even died an ignominlous death.
How unlike our conception Of man
Such a mission for the "Prince o
Peace" the Heir and Son of the grea