Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1906-05-18
CHARITY, HOPE AND PROTECTION.

III Sfrand forks Evening Times Il,
ss ne stipr RENE lodge of the Degree
8of Honor Ea Of the Jurisdiction Of North
4 Dakota % has been in session III this
city for two Gays. The members
came and went and attracted far less
attention than other rgani zations
which have assembled here. et3 it
is doubtful anyi Of them, have d,
I nobler purpo se Of A more illustrious
past. HIs
The organiz ton lis the i ladies'
I branch ,al Of the Ancient Order Of United
sWork II, and the principles Ii pom
which both are founded are pract teal
8ly the same. 4 3s15s
5s The Ancient Order Of United Work
men al was founded in . 1868 BY John Jor,.-
dan Upchurch att adyille. Pennsyl-
Svania, and has since that time s ex-
tended into every state ana territory
in the union. s,,553 si5 .55S
The history Of the first lodge ana the
organization viii; give al fair UNI Her.
standing Of the principles upon which
the two correlative orders are based.
Upchurch was "a mechanic employed
il il the machine shops Of the railroad
at the time the order was Instituted
He was noted for his charity and
bene olence Whenever any Of his:
fell w-wo rkmen died IT was his habit
to collect from each Of the living
comrades small donat ion which was
turned over to. the widow or orphans.
So strong did this habit become that
the people who knew him never for
"a moment questioned the idea Of Civ
ing, but whenever he appeared they
Inquired the amount Of their assess
ment and paid it as a matter of course.
Then came the idea Of extending the
plan and out Of this extension came
the present great h fraternal order
whose Ii emblem is the shield and
anchor. More than this. Upon the
principles Of this order have been
built the great system Of fraternal IN
$surance that is now one Of the
recognized Institutions Of the coun-3
try. n
1t has been said that Upchurch did
not und erstand the principles Of in
surance and could not have distin-l
Sguished a mortality table from that.
sof multipl ication. It is pointed out in
this particular that he did not even
think to require d medical examination
of the candidates for membe rship5
This Is true, but when the order as,
sumed the character Of a lodge this
was remedied. .stSs Il 3s}3 III I. N
The first lodge consisted OF fourteen.
members and was strictly Of a local.
character, and confined to the work
men with whom the founder labored.
They were united for their. mutual
protection, hence the name.
The principle which had prompted.
Upchurch to make his collie tions and
turn them over to relieve the distress
of the stricken home where the hand
*of death had been laid in an icy grasp,
we're that of charity, and he looked
not to the present for his reward but
to the untold future where the giver
of a cup Of cold wa ter will not be
unrec ognized or unforg gotten. In this
was the hope that when the silent
reaper should come for the gather
ing Of the harvest in his own home the
principle of the brother of man
would constrain those who were vet
it'd follow to extend to his loved ones
the same sideration he had SO un-
1selfshly given to others. S 1is hope
inspires the sinking mind, sustains
the fainting heart. I.
was upon this foundation that
the order was built. John Upchurch
may not have undo rstood the plan Of
Insurance, but he founded a religion
that has touched the sponsiye chords
of the heart Of a humane world.
M AS the order grew and 1t became nee
cessary to give its work something of
Epermanency the idea of protection was
properly added and the society went
forward under the three inspiring
principles Sof charity, hope and pro-
lection
Under these IT has entered the home
where death has left hts inpartiala'
.handiwork, and to those who have
had nothing but black clouds of
despair. II mas brought the suns shine
OF hope, No hand 50 ready 70 be ex-
tended III reji eve want and care. no.