River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1904-09-22
OUR FRATE2NAL SOCIETIES
How the Rapid Increase of Such Or
CARNATIONS Is Accounted
For

For.
One of the most remarkable facts that
presents itself to the student of modern
American life is the growth OF frater-
nalism. The deep-rooted and wide
spread hold fraternal teaching and prac-
tice has taken upon the American mind
is one of the most remarkable facts in
connection with the country's develop
ment, says the Los Angeles Herald.
Within the last 20 years scores of soci-
cites have sprung into existence and so
lar as | am aware there is no record OF
any of them having failed. On the con-
trary all have enjoyed great prosperity.
The same is true of the more ancient So
cieties. They have steadily added to
their membership and wealth.
Fraternities have existed since the
dawn of history Not in the precise form
of the present, it is true, but they never
theless inculcated the doctrines upon
which the modern societies depend for
stability and perpetuity. 1t is. we'll
known that Masonry, the oldest recog-
nized secret society, claims that its first
lodge was composed of the builders Of
Solomon's temple.
The modern growth of fraternal ideas
in America is undoubtedly due in a large
measure to the national idea of liberty.
Secret societies have never fiouriShed in
countries that were governed by des-
pots. Even in the more liberal and en-
lightened monarchies of modern Europe
they are regarded with suspicion as the
idea is ever prevalent that their pur-
poses may be of political nature. In
the United States conditions have been
peculiarly favorable to the development
OF these societies. The constitution has
guaranteed to the citizen the right to be-
long to any organization he pleases, pro-
vided only, that that organization is not
prejudicial to the true conception of the
duties of American citizenship.
Another element of growth has been
the liberality of the societies themselves.
The doctrines of all Of them are much the
same and all are organized along broad
lines. There is no such thing as creed
in the sense understood by the church.
Such religious teaching as is given is
confined to faith in the existence Of a SUI
preme Being and belief in the immor-
tally of the soul of man. This liberality
has attracted to fraternal orders large
class of persons who refuse to be gov
erned by the more explicit teachings of
the church, and at the same time it is suf-
ficiently in harmony with the tenets of
religion that those who were members
of the church were not deferred from af
filiating with the societies
One of the great developments of the
fraternal idea that is purely modern is
that called fraternal insurance. 1t was
found that persons could form them
selves into society for the purpose of
mutual protection in case of death and
the insurance be given to the member at
absolute cost. The elimination of large
fees and premiums made these societies
especially popular with people of mod
crate incomes, and the result has been a
phenomenal growth along these lines.
Another source of popularity is the
tact that all of the societies are patri-
otto in their teachings. So far as have
been able to ascertain, after fairly COM
prehensive examination, all of them
teach reverence for the Stars and Stripes
and hold elevated ideas of the duties of
citizenship. AS an instance of the liber-
ality of the societies the recent change
made in the qualifications of candidates
for admission to one of them may be
mentioned.
All, or nearly all, of the societies had
interdicted dealers in spirituOus liquors.
This was not merely on the ground that
these men were socially unfit but rather
on the account that they were regarded
as very hazardous risks. In order to OBJ
viate their difficulty the saloon men
formed an order among themselves. The
order fiourished and grew strong and it
was then proposed to broaden its scope
in order to admit all classes of citizens.
This was done and it is said that the sa-
loon men are now in the minority in the
order they originated for themselves.
One of the universal tenets of the So
cieties is charity. Without exception
this great virtue is installed by all of
them and the result has been that the
scope of operations of many of the or
CARNATIONS has become world wide
This charity includes not merely the
frailties common to all humanity, but it
has induced more kindly feeling to-
ward those jewellers in benighted parts
of the world where the blessings Of fra
ternity were heretofore unknown, and
the result is that to-day the banners of
many societies are floating in remote
parts of the earth
Snake Spring in Western Ohio.
A South slider who returned from his