The Lexington dispatch. [volume] (Lexington, South Carolina) 1870-1917, 1901-05-01
Odd Fellows Celebration.


letter day in The history CT Odd Eel,
lows il Tic L itei States. Ii nearly
every p!uce whe!e a lodge Of this no.
bic order is instituted thrcu3 tout
this broad land jubilee ceremonies
Of some description were held in COM
memoration of the 50 "a anniversary
of the birth of Odd Fellows as an
organization in this country.
Our Oad Fellow 81 2thren Of this
place gave a public meeting IN the
court house in the even
ing of that day which was largely
a tended by some of the best people
OF the place. Promptly at s o'clock
the local lodge made its appearance
in full rega!ia and other working
paraphernelis, about fifty strong and
marched up the aisle to the bar
where seats had been reserved for
them. The ceremonies consisted in
songs selected for the occasion by q
large chcir of male and female
voices, among them being some OF
Leyingtons sweetest singers and the
meeting was opened by the Chap
lain, Rev James T. Steele, who feel
ingly and earnestly eavoked the aid
and assistance of the Great God for
direction and couucel and for wisdom
and understanding in the perform
ance of duty de7olving upon every
true and faithful Odd Fellow. The
celebration ceremonies as laid down
in the ritual in a categorical form
were then read by the Noble Grand
Alfred j. Fox, and the responses
were made by the Vice Grand-Jas.
E. Rswl. This part Of the program
was both Impressive and instructive,
as it set before the audience an
array OF facts as to the work of re-
lief and charity accomplished by the
Order since its organization.
The feature OF the occasion, how
ever, was the mastery and thought
full address of DR.. B. X. II. Kreps,
of Columbia, who is q Representa-
tive to the Sovereign Lodge. The
eloquent lecturer carried his hearers
into the inviting fields of noble and
unselfsh charity and liz the untrod
den paths and By ways the work of
the Odd Fellow lay in the Aviation
of the pains of suffering humanity,
in binding up the wounds OF the IN
fortunate children Of this world and
in scattering the seeds of human kind
ness wherever etniction and distress
found lodgment To the widows
and the orphans it stretched forth
its helping hand securing TO them
assistance in their hour of need It's
objects and purposes were to elevate
man, to purify society, to be an aux
Hilary in the work of the church OF
God and to do good in everything to
it's members and to the community at
large. The principles of the order
appealed directly to the nobler and
purer part Of man and in carrying
ont its p:ecepts of brotherly love a1d
fellow feeling one f3c the other,
bind men closer to each other and
make them feel that to sect we'll their
psrt" in the drama OF life was duty
they owed to themselves, their God
and their country. The lecturer was
listened to with marked attention
and much good was accomplished By
the meeting.
Dixie Lodge, No. So is making
arrangements: to build a handsome
snd commodious lodge ball on the
1t in front of ST. Stephens
Lutheran church: which it has lately
purchased. and we understand that
money to do so is either in hand or
in sight and that preparations for
building will be made ss early as
possible. We are informed also that
the lodge is in healthy condition,
both numerically and financially and
since it's organization here some
thing over a year ego has been a
blessing to its members and benedic-
ton to the community.