The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-04-28


der of Odd Fellows. at a special cele-
bration arranged by Celestial lodge.
Among those to be seen were the
most prominent members of the organ
ization in this part of the state. The
members of Canton Scranton, Patri-
archs Militant, occupied positions Of
honor in the front seats in full uni
form, and behind and at either side Of
them We're hundreds of men wearing
the regalia of the order. The national
flag predominated i'll the decorations.
though n number of the banners of the
organization were displayed. Hung di-
| rectly over the stage was an electrical
device, bearing the inscription, "1Sl9-
I. o. o. F.-1902.''
Judge A. A. Vosburg, formerly dis
trict depty grand master, presided at
the meeting, and in the brief opening
address which he made, he took occa-
sion to remark that in his fifteen YEARS
of practice at the bar he had never
met with a single case at law in which
an Odd Fellow was arrayed against an
Odd Fellow. This fact is, to his mind,
the most forcible demonstration that
fraternity is considered by Odd Fell
low.: to be a fact as well as a name.
THE SPEAKERS.
After the inspiring rendition of n sa-
cred selection by the North End Glee
club. and a reading from the Scriptures
by Rev. Charles Lees, pastor of the
Primitive Methodist church, the first
address was made by Attorney Henry
Harding, who gave a forceful and ex-
tended presentation Of the general prin-
ciples of the order.
Odd Fellowship, he said, is practical
ly new thing, but its principles are as
old as the world itself 1t is based
upon the eternal principle that every
thing man does is watched by the all
seeing eye of God, and it recognizes
the Bible as the eXhaustless fountain of
truth and the storehouse of all that it
is best for man to know.
He then traced some of the lessons
which Odd Fellowship has learned
from the Bible stories and which have
been made part and parcel of the creed
of the order. The principles of Odd
Fellowship, he said, if acted upon and
practiced as they should be practiced,
would make all mankind better and
happier.
The men who first founded the order
introduced a convival spirit into the
meetings. which was the subject OF
much criticism at the time. IntoXicat-
ing liquors We're served in profusion
at the gatherings of the several lodges.
II is to the credit of these early Odd
Fellows, he said that they themselves
abolished the practice which they had
introduced and amended the organic
law of the organization so as to pro-
hibit the drinking of intoXicants at
meetings.
WAY IT IS RECOGNIZED.
The order is recognized by those out
side its fold, he said, as being primar-
lily a beneficial organization, but this is
not the fact The beneficial part of the
order is only an incidental feature, the
great aim and object being the spread
of the great principle of the brother
hood of man and of the fatherhood of
God.
The purpose of the order" said he.
in conclusion" is to go ON with its
noble work in this world of ours until
there are no wants to relieve and no
tears to dry: to go on eXemplifying In
the lives of its members the principles
of friendship love and truth, and TO
tighten the burdens of humanity
Rev Dr. Robert f, Y. Pierce. pas
tor of the Penn Avenue Baptist church,
was the second speaker, and delivered
a splendid address, in which he told
of the great effect the order had upon
his own life. He was brought up in n
Christian home, he said. but his coll
lege life had alienated him from the
Christian life and he was drifting when
he became an Odd Fellow, some twen.
ty-five years ago.
His membership in the order, he de.
clared, was Il very important factor
in leading him into the Christian
church and in inspiring him with de-
sire to become preacher of the Cos
pei. He said that he has made three
big investments in this life, namely
his investment in God, his investment
i'm q wife, and his investment in Odd
Fellowship.
HISTORY OF ORDER.
The history of Odd Fellowship has
been wonderful history, he declared,
and though still young organization
the results achieved by 1t are meal
culable. Throughout the dark days in
the nations life. 1t has lived and pros
pered and has had the ultimate effect
of cementing the citizens of the United
States into a fraternal bond with the
definite object of promoting broader
and a better civilization.
1.-The order has been purged of the
old things which were not in keeping