Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-07-01
ODD FELLOWS.
Orders Anniversary
Fittingly Celebrated.
The Bellows Falls Organizations and
and Their Officers.

The Odd Fellows of nearby towns join
ed Sunday in observing with Bellows Falls
lodge. No %, and Amity lodge, No :,
Daughtere of Rebekah. the annual Memoir
al day of the order. The lodge. at Spring
field, Charlestown and Saxtous River were
represented by goodly delegations. The
Springfield contingent all came on their
wheels and the others by teams. They met
at the hall in Centennial block at about 10
o'clock.
At 1880 the members of the order
marched to the Congregational church to
listen to the annual sermon preached by
bv Rev. j. H. Reid There were in the
procession 11j Odd Fellows and about -
or 30 ladies'. members of the Rebekah
lodge Seats had been reserved for them,
taking nearly the whole of the body of the
house. 4 double quartet furnished mu-
sic, and after a cordial welcome to
| both the Rebekahs aud the members of
| the order Mr.. Reid took for his text that
| portion of Genesis NNNlI which describes
| Jacob at the brook JabDok meditating upon
| the crisis of his life and wrestling. The
speaker said he was in full sympathy with
| the order, its aims and its power for good
among men. The church of Jesus Christ
has much t. learn of orders, but he would
speak to them today a. men, a. individuals
not as odd Fellows The text gave an IN
cident in the middle life of man, and he
! addressed them as neither young nor old,
but in the full vigor of middle life. Jacob
had a keen eye for making money, had met
many obstacles in life, had perhaps over
reached Just the exact bounds of what was
right in his dealings with the world and
with his father-in- law, Laban, and now at
the end of 20 years his chickens had come
home to roost - and he was brought to face
the results of errors of early life. He
stops and thinks at the brook. Men, have
YOU come to the brook Is our aim today
simply to get on in life Jacob came out a
cripple. Oh the scars OF life and of mem
ory' From Jacobs struggle came: lst,
change \ new aud better name, Israel:
ID power to uplft men, and 81, beatifc
vision; he saw God face to face Have
not each one Of US come to the brook Jao.
box. and with what result. The lesson /,
a personal one to each of US and we each
come to the brook early or late. How Is 1t
with YOU, my brother. oh. make the rea
son for scars small and may the result OF
stopping in lifes road and meditating be T.
each one of US the unfolding OF new and
better things as it was to Jacob.
After the sermon the procession returned
, to the hall and partook OF "a collation. fur
nished 10y Canton Nkltchawaug. About
1880 the line was reformed and under es
! cort of the canton the members marche,
! TO Oak Hill cemetery, where Il e ritual me
! mortal service of the order was carrieD
! out and the graves Of all deceased mem
{ hers decorated with flowers. Ernest IL
Ball, the noble grand of the lodge, and Capt
; | ". II. TAYLOR. chaplain. took the prumlnen
. parts, a. usual At the conclusion Of tn,
service the procession returned % the hall
. At 1870 teams were taken from the Aa.
. and about 30 members went to ~aNtpu
River. At G:3O the line was formed there
, | in front of the rooms of ~aNtons Rive
lodge 40. 3D. and the cemetery there Wis
tied and the decoration repeated.
p In the evening at ; o'clock sermon wa
preached to the order in odd Fellows hal
at Saxtons River 10y Rev. ". II. Smith %
T. Athens, who is a prominent member Of tina
lodge. The party returned to Bellows Fail
5 about 10 o'clock.
- Bellows Falls lodge was instituted Feb
h IS. 1852, and with the exception of few
a years has been active since that date. Tn
5 lodge has nearly POO members at the pres
t ent time. and it includes many of the mos
! prominent business men of the village
: The lodge rooms in the third story of tn
e bank building are model rooms, well ar
n ranged and furnished in a neat and tastl
manner,
The canton was instituted in 1891 an,
= includes about 35 uniforms The Rebekal
1 lodge was instituted in August, 1852, an,
t. has about - active members. Golden Rul
q encampment, No. 1j another branch o
= the order, was instituted in 1881 and has
- large membership.
q The order is in hourishing condition il
q all its branches, and its members have rea
o son for a just feeling of pride in its locu
p standing. The exercises of yesterda
5 were carried out in a manner reilectin
credit upon the membership and upon tn
order.
. j. H. Blakeley is the grand master O
!, the order for Vermont The principe
~ officers of the different organizations her
are
n Bellows Falls lodge-E. Il. Ball y. 6
0 +. Z. Gould, Y. G.: Scott Clark, sec; H
Il 5. Gray, treas.
e Golden Rule encampment-J. II. Blake
t ley, c. p; c. 5. Wilson, II. p; L.
e Royce, S. W; r. y. Stoodey, scribe an
IS NJ. II. Ray, treasurer.
IS Canton Skitchawang-W. f. Conway
II captain; f. L. Howard, lieutenant; F.
Tidd ensign.
Amity lodge, D. of R.-Bessie \. Tide
\ y. G.. Anna Goodspeed Y. g.; Ebert
9 Knight, R. S; Mary Blakely, treasurer.