The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-04-27

clothes is the peer of those who live
in luxury and ease; is the handiwork
of the great Creator after whose like
ness man was formed. 1t teaches a
veneration for religion and subordina-
ton to civil government, yet it avoids
all affinity with religious Sects and
political parties; avoids strife, and
teaches the lesson of peace on earth,
good will towards men" 1t teaches a
liberation for all religions, all faiths,
and all creeds. It accepts into its
membership Protestant and Catholic,
declining to recognize any difference
between them: yet, church utilization
is not a qualification for membership
in the Order. And, while this is true,
it is also true that no man can enter
the threshold of the Order without a
solemn declaration that he believes in
the existence of a great Eternal Being,
our Father in whom alone we i've
and move, and have our being. 1t is
not a church, is not the partisan of
any church or sect, yet it is teaching
the virtues; is serving humanity: Is
preaching and practising friendship,
love, truth, faith, hope, charity and a
universal fraternity. 1t is seeking to
elevate man, to lift him out of the
it's attending vices and prejudices, in
which he is wont to travel, and to i'm
bue him with a full realization of his
capabilities for good; it is seeking to
enlighten his mind, and to enlarge the
sphere Of his affections until they
reach out and embrace all mankind.
1t teaches the imperative duty of sue
coring the stranger in distressed Civ
ing him rest and food when he is
weary and hungry-without enquiring
his country or, creed, or seeking to
learn the misfortune by which he may
have fallen, or the destiny by which
he may be controlled. It teaches for
bearance and forgiveness and enjoins
upon it's members the duty of going
to brother who offends, and telling
him, in kindness and love of his fault
and extending to him forgiveness. It
impresses the beautiful lesson of the
good Samaritan relieving the distress
of the wounded traveller, and COM
mands that brotherly love so forcibIy
exemplified by the beautiful lesson of
Jonathan and David. 1t wipes the tear
of sorrow from the eye of the widowed
feeds, clothes and educates the orphan,
and makes it the imperative duty of
every one of its members to relieve
distress whenever it is possible to do
SO. In these matters it is doing a
large part of the work of the church.
Not church, but one of the best help
ers of the church. Yet, there is a mis-
taken idea among many people that
the leading fraterna1 orders are an
tagonistic to the churches, and that a
church member has no business in our
Order. No greater mistake could be
Personally T xxTiCI1 hn4
church member, and every minister of
the gospel of righteousness was a real
live Odd Fellow today. It would not
impair, but enhance their usefulness.
No churchman, whether he belongs to
the ministry or to the Iaiety, would
be a less potent factor in the great
field Of human endeavor by reason of
membership in our Order, but on the
other hand it would strengthen his
hands and equip him for more effective
work
I referred to the large number of the
members of our Order as it exists to-
day. Pardon me if I go farther and
say that only a portion of mankind
who believe and teach and practise the
principles of our Order are affiliated
with it as members. We can make this
acknowledgment without injustice to i
ourselves, and with gladness that it is
true. Look around you every day
you need not go to some distant land
in order to see our principles practised
by those who are not on the roll of
our membership; to find acts of broth
erly love, little sacrifices made to help
smooth the way for the sufferer, and
quick response to the cry of distress.
The other day while on my way to
my office I overlook a little maiden of
some ten summers; she was barefoot
ed, wore a calico dress and a cheap
straw hat. She carried in her hand a |
splendid bouquet of fragrant roses.
She seemed timid and shy, but I spoked
pleasantly, and asked if she was going |
to school, when she replied that she |
was. then said: 'tYou have some |
roses for teacher" and she said: Eyes" |
And while we walked some three
blocks together she gave me an insight /
into her home life. Her mother was
raising roses; she had good success
with them and could sell them all: /
poor, having the care of an |
aged grandmother and a paraIytic I
the goodness of this wo-
mans heart, aided and abetted by this
little uncrowned queen, was giving her
to the holy Sisters who are spending
their lives in teaching the poor who
are unable to pay for an education.
On separating, this little maiden said
in her broken English judged her to
be Portuguese-'Won't you have a
rose?" And gave me one Of her sweet
est ones which I thankfully accepted,
and pinned on the lapel of my coat, /
saying in my heart God bless you lit
tie one. you are practising the prin-
ciples of Odd Fellowship
few days after our arrival and
locating in a home on the side of
Hill, I started out with my
little son and daughter to find the l.
High School, and did not know the
way We had not proceeded far until
we came to where a number of streets
seemed to run into each other and then
reach out in divergent directions, and /
we Were at a loss to know which way i
to go. Just then young lass of about
seventeen years, a native maiden, on
her way to the Catholic school came /