The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1906-04-18
THE LODGE.
THE LODGE.
1t Is Development OF the Old.
Time Guild Idea and IL Proving
PowerfulAgency in Modern
Development.
(Ry a Special Contributor. J

(Ry Special Contributor.)
From the president of the nation
down to the humblest citizen the fas-
cination of grip and password en-
thralls. 1t Is not that the lodge is a
secret organization, though that is
part; 1t is not that its membership is
chosen with caution, though such ex-
clusiveness undoubtedly makes it more
eagerly sought; it is not that it gives
direct benefits or that it offers protec-
ton to the family when the bread
Garner has departed,-nOt these things
alone make the lodge popular. Greater
than they is the desire for social COM
partnership, the love of fellowship, the
power of community of interest. Not
a substitute for club or church, yet
filling place in mems lives that neith-
er occupies, the lodge has developed
the old-time guild idea and fitted it
to modern conditions, and is an insti-
tuition that eXerts tremendous power
IN business, in politics, and in society.
So rapidly does it increase in populari-
ty that it shows little indication OF
ever welding less, power over mems
destinies than it does today"
Those are the words with which c.
M. Harger concludes an able article in
the April Atlantic upon lodges. Mr..
Harger takes the position, not that the
lodge is a substitute for the church, or
even the club, but that as an institu-
ton it partakes to a limited extent of
the features and influences of both
church and club and is immensely eff
fective in all the conditions
and all the great lines of endeavor that
mark mems lives. Its refining and
humanizing influence, he maintains,
is especially noticeable in the middle
west and the west. There the farmers
drive into the nearest town once a
week or every fortnight, to mingle
with the village residents in society's
hall. Thus the rough edges, the in
timation is plain, are >smoothed off and
the solitude of life on the farm is re-
Viewed and the natural herding and con-
vivial instinct of the human race is
satisfied.
Mr.. Harger, however, makes no eff
fort to urge the qualifications of the
lodge as against the church, though he
does call attention to the confusion
that appears to exist in the minds of
some regarding what is accomplished
by one and the other. He related an
incident which is repeated without re-
course" and which yet may serve as
gentle reminder to those of the min
isterial profession; who are wont to
look askance at the development of the
lodge idea, never realizing that that de-
velopment Is due to some extent to the
dereliction of the church and its fol-
lowers:
A ia .mer living on rather lonely
road became i'll, and after some weeks
died, Waving his family with a mort
gagged bit of land, many debts, barely
furniture enough for the needs of life,
and life insurance benefit due from
one of the fraternal orders. An evan
gelist holding meetings in the neigh
boring schOOlhOuse, accompanied by
two of his elders, come to the window.
1T Is unfortunate that your husband
did not belong to the church instead
of to the LODGE said the preacher
The widow, loyal to her husband, and
remembering the bitterness of long
days of suffering and poverty, resented
the insinuation, mo, 1t is not" she
declared. we have lived in this neigh
\ borhood two years, but not member
of the church came to help us when he
was sick on offered me help when he
was gone. The members of the lodge
came out two at a time and stayed
with him every night; they brought
me and the children things we needed,
and they have. paid me q, 900, every
cent I have In the world, and which
will give me q little start to make %
home for the children. am glad he
belonged to the lodge"