Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-08
The Odd Fellows Observe
S6th Anniversary.
Listens to An Eloquent Sermon
by Rev. C. G. Mosher.
Delegations Present from Lodges at Hallowei
and wiathop--large Attendance.

An impressive and inspiring service
was held. Sunday morning at the State
stree; Free Baptist church, when the
members of the several branches Of
Odd Fellowship to the number of loJ
attended Divine Worship in a body at
the church. Asylum '.olga of Augusta
Canton Augusta. II. II. Capen Rebekah
Lodge, Sanborn Lodge of HallOwell. and
Crystal Lodge of Winthrop. were all
represented in the ranks. The members
of the Canton in uniform. and the men,
bers Of the Odd Fellows marched from
the hail To the church, where they were
met by the members of the Rebekah
Lodge. music for the march being fur
nished by the Augusta Cadet Band.
The interior of the church had been
tastefuliy and deliberately decorated by
the ladies' of the chnrcn. pOtted plants
evergrccns and flowers heing arranged
in profusiOn. A special musical program
was carried out by the choir, and the
sermon by the pastor. Rev. G. G. Mosh-
err. who is 4 member of. Indian Spring
Lodge at Madison. was an expression
of the noble ideals for which the order
Is living.
Mr.. Mosher's subject was the query
Who is My Neighbor " the text being
taken from the Gospel OF ST. Luke, x:29
and the substance of he sermon was as
follows:
In answer to this quas' ion the parable
of the Good Samaritan was spoken
The central teaching of this parable is
the main tenet Of Odd Fellowship: The
Brotherhood Of Man. The parable shows
how one mans need constitutes an op-
portunity for display Of brotherliness.
The Jew, wounded and bleeding by the
roadside on the Jerusalem-Jericho road.
had claims upon humanity which Priest
and Levite ignored. but which the
Good Samaritan recognized and hon.
orcd. The Jew. well and strong. had no
claims upon the Samaritan. but the
Jew wounded, bleeding, dying. did have
u claim UPON him.
My neighbOr. who is no: My neighbour
he who is in need AMI whom / have
opportunity to help. My neighbOr may
live my door or oceans may roll be-
tween. Odd Fellowship plays the part
of the Good Samaritan to many man
in the hour of need. When some brother
finds harm to befall MIN by the way.
and is left smitten and discouraged by
unfortunate circumstances. then does
our order seek to bring comfort and
practical help and never passes by on
the other side. Last year our order paid
to worthy cases needing help in the
United States alone. nearly four million
dollars. In the State of Maine. last year.
we paid from our funds almost one hum
bred thousand dollars for the relief OF
the distressed and the education of the
orphan.
But this is not the chief glory Of Odd
Fellowship Odd Fellowship is more to
be nonOrcd for what it is than for what
1t does. Being is more than doing, here
as elsewhere The teachings Of our
work and the sublime truths Illustrated
i'm our degrees are such that no man
can come under their sacred spell and
allow them fruitage in mis- life without
being better man, nobler soul. Let
Odd Fellowship have its perfect work
in heart and life. let 1t point out the
way to a higher and nObler lodge above.
80 that we may not Only wear with
honor the three links here below, but
come up at last having the mark Of the
lamb in our coreheads. the secret SYM
Dol of the ransomed soul.