The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1904-09-25
THE SPIRITUAL SIDE
OF ODD FELLOWSHIP
By Rev. E. r. Ollie, d. D., Past Grand
Chaplain of the Grand Lodge
of California.

San Francisco Call; One Of the chiet
results Of the social revolution which
hhs made the spirit Of human brother
hood dominant In this age ls the de.
velopment Of the great fraternal or
gnnlzatlons. There are 2l2 fraternal
orders with 100000 members, In this
land aud the white banner Of odd Eel
lowshlp leads this vast army.
There are two classes Of these orders
the purely fraternal orders and the
life beneficiary orders. The former
represent n membership OF 100000, the
latter a membership OF 100000, total
Of 5000, 900. These various societies
paid out as benefits last year IN round
numbers $4,000, ,OtO. one hundred and
two OF these societies have paid in the
last 80 years $50, ,533.s5l.
Last year the fraternal societies OF
America paid In benefits 100000, 900
more than the Standard OH Company
pays TO all It's employes--and II pays
si5, 900. 900.
The influence and benefit Of this vast
amount can best be appreciated II we
divide 1t into two parts. Let us gay
that s5O,0OO.0OO was paid IN death BEN
eiita ana $25,00O000 as weekly benefits
The former at $4,000 policy would
means 10000 families placed for "A time
at least above the fear OF want; the
latter would mean 100000 families re-
ccivlng $40 week for 10 weeks OF the
year, and that means aid In tiding over
a crisis and the keeping OF actual want
from the door,
Take Odd Fellowship alone. II has
$4,000 subordinate lodges, with 100000
members; 1900 encampments, with 1856,
900 members; 6lOO ftebekah degree
lodges with $4,000 members; and 49,
900 patriarchs militant.
It has dIshursed In relief In It's nearly
Sc years OF life 100000 900. and 1t has
invested funds amounting to $4,000
900. and gives relief annually to the
extent OF sioOO0OO.
In our own California Jurisdiction We
have 362 subordinate lodges, with 35,.
1856 members; 90 encampments, 6iO(
members: 9s2 Rebekah degree lodges
with $4,000 members; and while Cal
ifornia has only one-twcnty- eighth Of
the membership OF American Odd Fell
lowship, It pays one-twelfth OF the re-
lief disbursed.
The chief objects OF odd Fellowship
then are to promote brotherhood and
fraternity among men; to establish
upon the mutual plan fund for the
relief in sickness and disability OF
members and their families and the
widows and orphans Of deceased MEM
bers; to assist the spirit of co-opera-
tion In all departments of labor and
commerce; to aid the unfortunate and
relieve the distressed. Could our
founder, widey revisit the earth, his
great heart as large as humanity
would throb with JOY to see the little
one become not 1000 merely but more
than n million in membership and tC
know that last year II disbursed foul
millions of dollars In relief and tc
know that that prineely sum is but q
1.-THE of its munificence,
But odd Fellowship is not cross
between life insurance company anC
an undertaking establishment. A mar
does not join 1t because he is going ,tC
die, but because he wants to live
longer and more happily, And it Is
an undeniable fact that a man viii
live happier and longer who has made
provision for sickness and disability
From the day an honest man takes the
first degree in odd Fellowship ant
gets his first receipt for dues, 1t gives
a new impulse to his arm, a new light
to his eye, a new hope to his heart, as
well as kindling lamp In his home
that viii tighten 1t when sickness in
vades It and that win even chase away
some Of the gloom when the little fam
lily comes back from the grave they
have bedewed with their tears.
The truth is this organization has
R0ETNEs0 0E QEkl aKiN