The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-14

children, must perpetuate this govern
ment. We prosper when the government
prospers, because you cannot separate
the American people from the American
government. All Americans are trying
to improve their condition and the
condition of their country Great
reforms always come from the
masses of men; Odd Fellowship is a
great reform. For long time men look
ed to the clouds for the coming of the
Saviour of mankind; but he came in a
Manager; there is no aristocracy in great
reforms; no degree of nobility in great
goodness. The whole world teaches us
to do. and to do right. All nature is a
democracy, and all political reforms are
but echoes from the popular heart, and
not the invention of men of genius. No
man has been wise enough to invent a.
nation-nations grow; they are not made
to order.
The battle of freedom among men was
not won alone by any one great effort;
our own freedom was not secured by the
Declaration of Independence; that Dec
laratioR united the people, but our lib
erty came because men We're prepared
for it; because they needed freedom and
it was slow of growth. Nor is a great
nation necessary to produce great men.
Lock at Switzerland, Ireland and Scot
land and observe the long list of illus
trious men who came into the world in
each of those countries. 1t is the spirit
the soul that makes the man; not the
largeness of the country.
Rev. Alexander Macintosh, P. G., of
Harmony Lodge, spoke briefly of the
lodges work since its inception and of
its achievements in rolling up its mem
bership. He was followed by ]. Alfred
Magoon, who spoke of the principles
of Oddfellowship, in part. as follows:
MIR MAGOON's ADDRESS.
The year 1876 was memorable IN more
ways than one. 1t was the one hun
dredth anniversary of the establishment
of the government of the United States
of America. On the 10th day of May Of
that year was formally opened at Phila-
delphia the Centennial Exhibition, with
the most imposing ceremonies in the
presence of an immense concourse of
citizens from all parts of the Union. and
CT the President of the United States
and the Emperor of Brazil. 1t is record
ed that it was one of the grandest and
most notable events of the century. 1t
was to commemorate the one hundredth
birthday of the adoption of the most
wonderful document that was ever in
spired by man, the Declaration of indie
pendence. In this document for the first
time was applied to political institu
lions the ennoblng doctrine of the equal
ity and brotherhood of man-then i n
theory, now, by the grace of God in fact
America the land of the free.
Those of us who have been born to
the glorious privileges of American citi-
ZenShip can little understand the mean
ing of these words to the downtrodden
and oppressed of the other nations of the
earth. The great American nation-one
vast brotherhood, without class distinct
ton, each working for the good of all
Odd Fellows all in the theory if not in
God. Let the monarchs of the earth and
the proud possessors of rank and title
created and existing by reason of govern
mentS founded on the doctrine of the in
equality and inhumanity of man, grow
pale at the handwriting on the wall. It