The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1903-05-07

organization Of Odd Fellowship
was duly observed by the var
ious lodges throughout this sec
tion last Wednesday at New Beth.
el church one mile east of Steens
on the line of the Southern Rail
way. The place was an ideal one
for such a celebration, the grove
surrounding the edifice being the
scene of the exercises. Here the
platform and seats had been
erected and here under the shade
of the trees, fragrant with the
breath of spring, the Odd Eel
lows united to do homage to their
order The day was beautiful
and serene, the crowd unusually
large, the department perfect,
the dinner ample and abundant
and the celebration thoroughly
enjoyable in every respect.
The lodges celebrating the 84th
anniversary were the lodges of
Lowndes county, notably Arte-
sia lodge, Buttahatchie lodge and
New Hope lodge, and Union
lodge of Columbus with visiting
brethen of the order from Nc
Bee, Ala, Millport, Kennedy,
Sunnyside and other lodges and
when the special train from Col
umbue carried out the party
from this city the crowd was es-
timated at thousand people.
At 1O:3O o'clock the grand pa
rade was formed at the old mill
under com mand of Mr.. r. A.
Stinson, marshal of the day.
The lodges were in full regalia
and they made a most formida-
able and impressive showing as
they marched to the grand stand
to the strains of inspiring music
furnished by the Columbus band.
First came the band, then the
New Hope lodge with the mem
bers from the McBee lodge, sup
porting their officers, followed
by the Buttahatchie lodge sup
porting their officers and then
the Union Lodge, with the mem
bers from Artesia, supporting
their officers.
At the stand the following was
the order of the exercises. The
entire assembly stood and sang
Praise God From Whom All
Blessings Flow after which a
short prayer was offered by Mr..
l.. w. Payne, P. G.. of New Hope
Lodge. Then came the reading
of the anniversary exercises by
Mr.. o. 2. Brown, Mr.. A. E. Love
and Mr.. II. M. Lanier, Noble
Grand, Vice Grand and Secre-
tary of Union Lodge after which
the hymn of Odd Fellowship was
sung and Mr.. w. H. CASTOR of
fered the invocation. Following
the seating of the assembly, Rev
T. w. Lewis, of this city, was in
troduced for the address of the
occasion. Mr.. Lewis is a mem
Der who esteems and reveres
the principles and teachings of
Odd Fellowship and his selection
as the orator of the day was most
appropriate. His address was a
masterful exposition of the theme
of Odd Fellowship, was clothed
in beautiful language and grace
ful flights of imagery and IL was
eloquently and fervently deliver
ed. We regret that we have not
room to present it in full. DR..
Lewis said in part
NOBLE GRAND BRErHRES OF THE ORDER La
DIES AND GENTLEMEN:
When I was invited to deliver
the address on this occasion
which celebrates the eighty
fourth anniversary of Odd Eel
lowship in the United States, /
asked myself two questions, first,
why should the Committee on
Arrangements invite me to speak
and second, what shall say? In
meditating upon the first ques-
tion-why | was invited to speak
IL came across this statement
from Artemus Ward: Show me
a place where there is not any
meetin' house and where preach
ers air never seen, and I'll show
you a place where old hats air
stuffed into broken windows,
where children air dirty, where