The Washington times., 1902-10-19
THE STORY OF THE |. o. o. F.

Amid the deplorable and crushing
conditions of Christendom about the
middle of the eighteenth century. lowly
| humanity upon English soil. in it's des-
peration. hopefully sought such relief as
| might come from mutual association
| And then arose in crude way the Odd
Fellow lodge, with its password and
sign. Its immediate objects were relief
/ in sickness, distress and death, and to
assist brothers ION tramp for work,
and incidentally such measure of ra-
tional life as might obtain from the fra
| ternal relations. Well remembering the
| suppression Of other and more preten-
tious associations or guilds, because of
| outspoken criticism of the government
for prevailing conditions. as also 'cr
| love of liberty, no doubt, the new asso-
citation declared itself loyal to the gov
ernment and was tolerated.
Such was primitive Odd Fellowship. It
proved itself great benefaction and
success, and arose, came to be organ
lied under several independent grand
lodges or Committees" and became
numerous. Subsequently, and early in
the present century many Of these bod
les united and became merged into the
Manchester Unity, the parent of Amer
ican or modern Odd Fellowship.
Here. in free and tolerating Amer
lea, was found the opportunity of mod
ern Odd Fellowship. The scope Of the
order was formally extended from
mere beneficial and fraternal association
to that of a great philanthropic society,
including in its breadth not only primi-
tive Odd Fellowship. but, likewise, the
elevation and betterment of man, with
federation the golden rule, and Justice
as the first rule of action, ever mind
full of the widow and orphan, withal,
warning against vice in all its forms,
and its field the earth. And its first
condition Of admission to membership
being to subscribe to belief in a SUI
preme and intelligent Being, the Ruler
and Governor of the Universe.
The American order grew slowly at
first. but was soon organized under State
grand lodges, and these in turn under a
supreme grand lodge with constitu-
tfon, democratic in form, modelled after
that of the United States; Father Wildey
continuing at the head of each stage of
development as grand sire, retiring in
1893, and then only under constitutional
limitations of his own making.
Altogether the gratifying truth is
manifest that American Odd Fellowship
finds in the polity of the great Republic
an exalted humanity corresponding with
its own polity of mans duty to man. AS
also signally beneficent and all-pow-
erful influence in warning against evil,
and in its central and essential princi-
pies Of humanity and Justice and the
betterment of man.
The relations of the republic to hu-
manity and to the world were notably
and comprehensively stated in recent
speech in Congress by Senator Bever.
idge. He had only few months pre-
viously made an extended tour of obser-
vation in the Philippine archipelago.
We quote briefly the words of the Sena-
tor: "God has made the United States
the master organizer of the world to
establish system where chaos reigns.
and chosen her to finally lead
In the regeneration of the world"
In the magnificent progress of the
century we have attempted to epito-
mize. there is most assuredly grandeur
and sublimity in that grateful fact, for
which every Odd Fellow. every lover
of liberty. will reverently bow in hum
BILE thanks to the Prince of Peace, that
the rights of humanity. justice, and
fraternal good will stand upon an i'm
mensly higher plane and upon an in
fnitely ffrmer basis at the dawning of
the twentieth century than ever before.
Let each and all confidently hope and
pray and work for comprehensive de-
and for continuance with ac-
celebrating progression of these noble
w. G.. RITCH,
Past Grand Master.