The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1907-12-02
THREE-LINKS THANKSGIVING
Sermon By Pew. r. V. ktkisson to the
Odd Fellows and Rebekahs

! Sunday as Thanksgiving day by as
/ sembiing Al the lodge hall and march
/ ing III body 10 the Methodist church.
+ where they occupied the center tier
/ e seats 70 the number Of fifty and
listened TO d splendid sermon delivered
~ Rev r. Y. Atkisson. from the sub
! Ject. Love. Supreme and Abiding"
Dr. AtkissOn read the 18Th Chapter
/ 10y Paul 10 the Corinthians. in which
he points out that love OF God and our
1eilowmen should be the supreme and
ruling passion Of our lives
Before beginning his discourse. the
choir. composed OF Messrs. Moors and
Phillips. and Mrs. Johnson. Mrs. Har-
rison and Mrs Hampton. with Mrs
Atkisson at the organ. rendered some
/ fine music. Mrs. T. II. Johnson's solo
being especially impressive and pleas
ing. Rev. Atkisson then made a few
| introductory remarks about the origin
Of Odd Fellowship and the fruits it
had born in real benevOIence and
charity. He then instanced the char
acteTisticS Of those who had left their
names high on the roll OF fame as
benefactOrs TO the human race. in art
| in music. philosophy and literature
showing clearing that the most eXalt-
ed and noble efforts Of mankind spent
their lives and intellect in giving TO
/ the world the essence of their being in
! love for their Creator and their fellow
men. He then said Paurs message
as the greatest thing he ever wrote,
the essential Of spiritual love in our
daily acts towards our fellows and in
obedience To the commands OF the
Omnipotent and in these relations to
consummate a life of usefulness and
exalting him in the life 10 come. In
this connection he said the odd Fell
lows in living up to their motto OF
benevolence and charity were doing
grand and noble work, a work the
church did not do; all founded on that
tender and touching work, love;
breathing il, thinking it, living it in
the spirit of the Master.
That the /. O. o. +. was the first
real benevolent order instituted and
the largest in the United States. 1t
had it's origin in England where it was
/ founded in the eighteenth century. The
ancient Guilds had degenerated into
convivial clubs and were replaced by
working mems benevolent societies,
out of which grew odd Fellowship.
The Aristarchus Lodge No. 8 met in
| 174S in the Globe Tavern. London. At
| the beginning Of the 18th century
| 81 i,l Of
/ Nottingham Ancient a. of +. of Boil
| ton; Grand United Order of odd Fell
/ lows OF Sheffield; Economical Order of
| odd Fellows of Leeds. and the United
| Order Of Odd Fellows of London. Par
| lament did not look kindly on these
organizations of workingmen and leg
islated against them. These were not
secret organizations and were not
united. but stood alone. In 1903 the
/ London order was united by number
of societies and formed the grand
lodge From this period on the order
spread over England and the United
Kingdom. Their characteristics were
fraternity and practical benevolence.
Ii was not until 1919 that Odd Fellow
ship was organized in this country
and Thomas Wiley and another party
just in from England associated them
selves together in Baltimore for ben
evolent purposes. The first lodge con-
sisted of five persons and was known
as Washington Lodge No. l and Will
dey was elected noble grand. Frank
lin Lodge No. = followed in the same
city. They received their charter in
February. 1920. So Washington Lodge
No became the grand lodge of the
United States. II thus bore the char
acter of a subordinate grand lodge
This dual charter did not commend it
self to the order and in 1921 it was sur
rendered and Washington lodge be-
came a local lodge. The order grew
rapidly and spread all over the world
The order has now seventy grand
lodges and sixty grand encampments
with 1900 subordinate lodges and
p 500 encampments and more than a
million members in this country and
Canada. There are some 5000 Rebekah
lodges. with 2S0.0O0 members. The So
ciety has relieved 2,750.000 members
Has cared for over a quarter of mil
lion widows and their families. The
amount Of money expended for chart
table purposes exceeds $50 millions OF
dollars. a record for humanity that
speaks for itself
These hastily written remarks arr
but faint echo of the strong words
cheering notes and hopeful tone Of the
preacher who spoke most feelingly
t. impressively and at all times really
, eloquently Of the love of God that
passed the understanding of his
} creatures. but all for their benefit and
. happiness.
After the sermon many were the
J complimentary remarks paid Or. At
kiSson fer his splendid and inspiring
sermon and for which the odd Fellows
land Rebekahs Of Ocala are truly
thankful as we'll as many others who
composed his large and appreCie tive
audience
ElEC TRISAL WORK