The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-04-24


has stood like the adamantine pillar upon
the plain of Ezal. A rock Of refuge and
of blessed protection. While moral and
mental bondage has burned its letters
into the quiyering heart of love and
hope, Odd Fellowship has struck the
shackles of dispair with the diamond
blade of beneyolence, from the trembling
limbs Of toll and trouble, and bids the
slave go free. Our early brethren see a
mighty rock in mid-ocean, around which
the hurting waves of centuries have been
bowling, and that rock is truth. This
rock has been gathering around it's fet-
tered brow the accommodating fertiliza-
ton of all the centuries, until out OF
the soil thus enriched have sprung in
fragrant glory all the beautiful affinities
of Fife.
They discover that this mighty rock
is the conservator of morality, and the
is the PRONUNCIATION of this divine senti-
ment. Truth is the n. G.. virtue and
friendship is its right and left sup
porters. Truth is the foundation stone
of the grandest temple ever piled by
skill of art and power. Truth is the
sword and buckler against which error
opposes itself in vain. This glorious SEN
timent underlying the arc OF Odd Fell
lowship sends out it's tendrils CT light
and power into all elevating thought.
The soul Of things is examined. and the
true worth of every claim is established.
Thus ii becomes an educator. a civiliZer.
We thus become acquainted with the
divine by Analysing the divine within
and around us
when this work is comprehended there
is found no place for bigotry, no ma
chinery manipulated by the fingers of
fanaticism. no sickly sentimentalism.
Instead, the beautiful wand Of tnvestiga-
ton silently but persistently waves over
every blossoming field of thought Wher-
ever window is discovered in the tenn
pie of truth, there streams in the sun
light. And every spiritual, moral and in
tellectual force is strengthened by it's
enkindling warmth Let it be constantly
borne in mind that truth never skulks,
never seeks a dark corner. Friendship,
hope, love, faith, are each and all affini-
ties, and grow out of the fruitful soil of
truth. The strongest light flowing from
this prolific stem is charity. The
Scriptures commend many virtues. but
declare that this exceeds them all, as
star of the first magnitude excels all
others.
Love has written above the archways
of the world its sweetest story OF I'M
selfish devotion. In the presence of her
artless smile. deception, falsehood, fraud,
fee away abashed. Reposing in the pa
Yilion of truth, love touches into beauty
all human aspirations. In the light of
her respondent flame, trust and conf
dence have been begotten where, before,
they died. Let me impress upon you the
very significant fact that all suppiiants
for the favors bestowed by the gentle
hand Of love must cultivate this highest
Of virtues. This security once sought
and found, enables the seeker to develop
his manifest powers. When he once
learns the lesson, the integrity of human
nature assumes new and important
He gazes upon human misery
with new and intelligent interest He.
from this secure refuge. sees new and
more abhorent deformity IN deceit false
hood and wrong. Odd Fellowship stands
for the establishment of such rock of
refuge and defense. In its protection 1t
invites to and establishes a higher and
nobler order of society. 1t is properly
the province of the order TO educate So
ciety. Hence. il is true that Odd Fellow
ship has a mission high. noble and glo-
rious. | do not claim odd Fellowship is
a church. We may differ as to terms.
but it is possible that the church does
not possess a monopoly of sacrament and
joy. l may also crave your indulgence IL
assert that its office work is not be-
hind the chiefest. One of its admirable
features lies in the fact that it does not
assume to dogmatize upon any religious
thought. 1t simply states fact and
leaves its discussion to others. The ques-
ton of free grace, election, reprobation.
Unitarlapism, Socinian-
ism, justification by faith, spiritual re-
are left TO the consideration
Of those who think them essential. Indi-
viduals may hold any or all of these
views, but he never discusses them as
an Odd Fellow. Odd Fellowship is not
a political institution. 1t holds no alli
ance with a theoracy, democracy, ariS-
tOcracy or monarchy. 1t does not ques-
ton whether Plato first discoursed OF
virtue, whether Thalss was the author
of the Gpsmic theory among the Greeks.
or whether Orpheus first tuned his Tyre
in praise of the gods, or whether civil
Jurisprudence was first Graded in Rome.
odd Fellowship trusts TO no torchlight
of mythology. but it embazons upon its
banners and voices in its teachings virtue
and good will to men. Its principals are
calculated to touch into conscious sympa-
thy the better part of our nature. It's
voice is never heard harrangueing the
popular multitude. 1t never encroaches
upon the liberty Of any, nor interfercs
with the prerogatiyes of rulers. Society
may be in transition state, nations in
the birth pangs of liberty, connections
may be the order Of the day. diadems
may he removed, the exalted may become
abashed, the rich. poor and beggars
wealthy; the foundations OF the great
deep may be broken UP. both in church
and state. yet our order moves right on
in the even tenor of its way. Hence. Odd
Fellowship has a true mission, which can
be clearly understood by a careful in
vestigation.
IT You would thoroughly understand
Mob a m 1ai niSrN il
from the side Of sensuous qualification.
If you would catch the true spirit Of
judaism, you must do so from the
proud suggestion of national pre-emi-
hence. II you gather the full magnih-
cence of Roman Jurisprudence. you must
gaze at it from the sublime height of
political power and universal domination.
So, you can only understand the true
genius of our order by imbibing its spirit.
Thus odd Fellowship IS remedial in its
office and work. Every thought. every
fact. every ceremony, every symbol is
stamped with this idea, and In forming
our opinions of its merits we must con-
slider Its remedial agency. Odd Fellow
ship recognizes the miseries everywhere
prevalent, and aims TO alleviate them.
AS a remedial agency II labors TO pre-
vent some OF the calamities of life. Il
labors to inculeate sobriety. industry.
economy. justice and obedience 10 the
right. II you will observe.
you viii discover an army OF helpless
men. women and children. These are
approached by helping brothers. who lift
up and soothe: Yet almsgiving is not the
central idea in odd Fellowship.
Then. why should odd Fellowship
exist? The noble reply is this: To in
crease the sum Of human happiness. by
lessening its miseries. This is its central
idea this its rock OF refuge behind
which Il invites all 10 hide We need go
no farther. for this is the inality II our
search. The church has no higher aim;