Odd fellows' journal., 1900-01-11
PHILADEL HIA, Pa, THURSDAY, JAN. il. 1900

'Looking Backward" to the time
and place and the circumstances
which surrounded it, do not know
but that it has since proven to the
best interest of the Negro that the
American Odd Fellows refused to
receive him for by their refusal to
grant dispensation to the Negro,
he was made to see the necessity of
being man although his skin was
black, his hair kinky he immedi-
ately realized the necessity of or
ganizatiOn and set to work as best
he could to obtain the information
essential to that end. Undaunted
by his rebuff, he set to work and
by his indomitable will and courage,
we have the pleasing spectacle of
from one lodge in 1843, to more
than two thousand lodges in 1898
according to the B. M. c. Report
and membership of nearly one
hundred thousand. What marve-
lous and gigantic strides in fifty
five years 1t is the wonder of the
century. A people who were sold
like so many cattle, to-day have
cash and property valued at more
than 81, 900, 10000; teaching men
and women reverence to God and
duty to themselves, their families,
their country and their fellowmen.
Looking Backward" a candi,
date no sooner enters the door of
one of our lodges. that his ears are
greeted with precept of strictest
morality. If a man or woman is
not made better by reason of the
fact that he or she is connected with
United Order of Odd Eel
lows, it is because such individual
neglects or forgets the admonitions
received, the example to which
he or she is directed and the VOWS
taken at the sacred altar.
Although the FIRST 3ispensation
was granted to colored men to open
a lodge in 1843, the growth Of the
Order in America was slow until
1858, only sixty-one lodges having
been established up to that time.
The growth an progress of the Order
therefore really dates from the is
suance of the Emancipation Prcola-
nation. The Negro was reckoned
in those days as a newer of wood
and a drawer of water, and was
made to follow the dictates and be-
hests of other men, without regard
as to whether it was right or wrong;
he was taught first, last and all the
time, "Servant, obey your master !;
for the fear of your master is the
beginning of wisdom. "
To look back and recall the hard
ships which James Fields, James
Needham, J. McCru nmell, Freder-
ick A. Hinton and others of our
race had to undergo to establish the
principles of Odd Fellowship among
colored men and women, it seems
to me that we of today do not fully
their heroic effort. Il
hope that we learn to more
their efforts.
In view of what Mr.. H. B. Frissell,
Principal of Hampton Normal and
Industrial Institute, if he he is cor
rectly quoted in his testimony be-
foI the Industrial Commission,
in which he stated that the Negro
in many portions of the South is
no better than when in slavery.
Wages are small, he aid, and the
colored farmers are unable to break
away from the lien system On crops.
Slavery was good in some things
in that it taught the Negro the En-
ylish language, habits of industry
and some religion. He further
stated that since the war, one third
Of the Negroes of the South had re-
one-third are where thev
we're when the Civil war closed and
one-third had advanced.
"Looking Backward" " does the
of Prof. Frissell hold
good according to facts? What good
was there in slavery for the Negro?
Car the learned gentleman point to
an instance during the long years of
slavery and oppression where the
slave master pointed the Negro to
the Lamb of God that taketh away
away the sins of the world? or did
the slave master in every instance
teach his slaves the religious lesson,
Servants obey your masters. p
No one denies the nitiahle oond !