Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-02-24
but in disposition quite angelic, | as

where he had agreed to lecture for a
1 struggling church. The. citizen who
made the Introductory speech, after a
4 few general remarks, said Ladies
i and gentlemen, take great pleasure
in Introducing to you Rev Mr..
/ whom never saw nor heard of before
tonight We are sure you have heard
o.. the P. MS before tonight. We
/ hope that as we come we shall bring
with us the atmosphere Of Odd Eel
/ lowship.
Let knowledge grow from more
to more
And more of reverence in US
dwell,
writes Lord Tennyson, and that, it
seems to me, is the true spirit of our
| order. We would be in the van in the
progress of our age, taking advantage
of all the wondrous opportunities for
improvement and enjoyment that of
| fer themselves on every side, and yet
keep always the true reverence for
that which is fitting and that which is
right We are as proud to belong TO
our order as was the old Irishman who
was talking with an Englishman and a
4 German. After the Englishman was
4 asked what he would be
if not an Englishman, he
thought next he would be a
German, and the German decided he
would next be an Englishman When
I the question was propounded TO the
/ lrishman he replied What would |
4 be if l was not an Irishman? Why,
/ faith, I'd be ashamed of myself So
I we feel that if we We're not Odd Eel
lows we would be ashamed of our
selves.
We believe that these gatherings
4 help us, as we might be genial fellow
ship enjoying one another getting
a long look at the brighter and the
4 better side of life.
Again we thank you for your cor
dial welcome"
Maj. Gen. Raney's Response.
"One is oft reminded that the time
/ of the greatest trials and tribulations
in America was during the Puritanic
I al days, and that the burden of the
Puritan was heavy one, but not SC
/ much is said of the Puritan mothers
who shared all the burdens and in
addition had to bear with the Puri-
tans The citizens Of 0ttulnwa are
4 making pleasant our stay in then
{! city, meeting every want and supply
ing all needs of the Patriarhcs Mill
tant, but now they have to bear with
the speakers.
I We came TO your beautiful city
have passed along your trails an6
4 were not afraid. We have gazed Will
= i'll concealed delight upon the maryels
of architecture that adorns youl
4 teDees and wigwams, have noted with
the warriors eye the skill OF your
Young men and listened with respect
TO the teachings of your Patriarchs
+ and have noted with pridesman' Is
/ pride that all is well on the reserya-.
ton
We are glad to have come and for
4 the privilege of resting for time be.
/ meath the shelter of your rooftres
y Amidst such a community, typical OF
{ the people who have builded this
commonwealth; as representatives OF
4 an order founded for human needs and
4 benefacticn, do we come. And what
can | say OF Odd Fellowship of that
/ spirit of fraternity, that has not al
ready been eloqueptIy and well ex--
pressed. No mystery surrounds Odd
< fellowship. Its birth, life and exist
/ ence are fully known TO everyone Ali
/ know its members, who they are, what
/ they do and OF their labors within the
! organization. We are not here, there
fore, to offer fulsome euIogies of what
I Odd Fellowship has achieved Moth,
4 ing can speak more eloquently than
the simple record which tells us the
I story Of the past, made glorious by
I the living, practical daily amplifica-
\ ton of the conquest by fraternity in
| it's efforts for good
The candid mind must recognize
the merits of an order whose princi
4 pies and records constitute factor
4 Of more or less Importance, in ouI
new world. Oddfellowship is one o.
4 the forces that cannot be ignored III
the study of American progress. We
4 may go further and assert that a study
of the whole widespread system of
4 modern beneyolence must take in view
4 the influence of this. perhaps the
\ largest purely benevolent institution
in the world The development OF
this order in our history was natural
i and necessary. The very laws of the
human mind, the legitimate needs oil
i life, have made benevolent orders pos
sible and inevitable, as they have the
family, the tribe, the municipality and
\ the state. One need not then look far
for the natural laws which have bios
somed into these noble and humane
benevolent organizations, nor need
we make an excuse for their existence
They need none. They are the beauti
full and legitimate offspring OF the holi
est aspirations of the human heart,
wherein is found genuine happiness
/ broadcast usefulness and the ideal man
hood The family, state and fraterni
4 ties are as essential to human pro
4 gress as ships are TO the navigation o
the seas, as pinions are to the upward
flight Of the eagle These institutions
are the means to the one grand end
the highest possible development o.
humanity in the scale of physical. NOR
al and intellectual well being.
"Oddfellowship is humanitarian, fill
ed with the true spirit of brotherly
love Though young as an institution
its principles are eternal 1t is ant
will not be claimed that this order is
all comprehensive in its operations
\ that it takes the place of any Other
factor Of our social life. But it is
helping in its way to make a part o
the worlds better history Its sphere
i is circumscribed, as is that of every