The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1908-04-27
ODD FELLOWS
ANNIVERSARY
CONTINUED from Page TwoJ

pendent Order OF Odd Fellows whose
introduction into America from the
old country took place more than 100
years ago but whose ultimate estab-
lishment did not occur until 1919 by
one sainted Brother, Thomas Wildey,
whose self-sacrificing unfinished toll
was so wisely and successfully prose-
cuted by Jas. M. Ridgely to whose sa-
cred memory a magnificent marble slab
beauties the city OF Baltimore in
Maryland.
Today is the seth anniversary of our
existence as an Order under the au-
thority of the Sovereign Grand Lodge
of the United States, having in all
these years exerted a salutary and
beneficent influence upon mankind
wherever the effects OF the Order have
been felt. To the end of more wide
| ly diffused good, the Grand Sire with
the cooperative assistance of the
Grand Masters has in more recent
years extended the field beyond the
limits of our own country so that the
standard of Oddfellowship has been
lifted up in many foreign lands, in
Guiding Excelsior Lodge, No l, OF Ho
nolulu, organized 62 years ago, in the
then-called Sandwich Islands, the first
lodge of the kind west of the Rocky
mountains. Today we have the proud
satisfaction OF knowing that great
good has been the result Many thou
sands of people beyond the seas hav-
ing been gathered beneath the folds OF
our banner of peace, and to worship at
these affairs upon which brightly burns
the lambert flame whose purpose is to
join all men into a purer and nobler
life. From the report of 1906 of the
Sovereign Grand Lodge we learn that
in America alone there are over $500
subordinate lodges with a total mem
bership, including the Sisters of the
Rebekah Order, of 1,109,533, and a to-
tai revenue of over $4,000 600. Hand
finland with it's numerical develop
ment, Oddfelowship has also grown in
it's benevolent operations, upwards OF
$4,000, 900 having been spent for the
relief of the sick and needy during the
past 70 years.
Indeed wherever fearful epidemic
has stalked the land and piled its mer-
CHESS havoc among the sons and
daughters of men; Wherever conhagra-
tions and earthquakes have spread
their woes in the busy hearts of trade:
wherever starvation and death have
Q a
women of toil-there Oddfellowship
with its yearly expenditure of over 3d..
00000 has fastened as an angel o.
light to alleviate and comfort anC
bless.
In connection with these statistics
let it be permitted me to say in pass
Ing that among the uninitiated a toe
common error prevails in reference tC
the object of this splendid Order repre-
sented here this evening-in supposing
it to be mere beneficial society hav'
ing for its single purpose the relief Of
its members in the struggles incident
to human life. Mutual relief, it /!
true, is a leading ONCE in our affilia
ton. To visit the sick, to relieve the
distressed, to bury the dead is the com
mand of our laws and an imperative
duty which Oddfellowship enjoins. Bu
these, although its frequent and daily
ministrations are but 1.-THE of the in
trinsic virtue of our beloved order"
"Oddfellowship is founded upon thai
eternal principle which recognizing
man as a constituent of one universal
brotherhood teaches him that as he
came from the hands of common par.
, ent, he is bound to cherish and protect
Z his fellow men. Under its comprehen.
4 sive influences, all the nations of the
2 earth may concentrate their energies
g for the good of the common race. Bias.
4 ed upon certain truths which are alike
axioms among all nations, tongues
} and creeds, it's sacred tolerance pre-,
= sents nucleus which by it's gentle in
( fiuence gathers within its orbit, anita,
gonistic natures, controls the elements
of discord, stills the storm and soothe'
, the spirit of passion and directs il
, harmony mans united efforts to fra,
. ! terniZe the world.
. This, then, Brethren and Friends, Is
the first great principle of our Fellow
ship which we designate Fraternity
q "A universal fraternity in the family
3 of man. Our forefathers very wisely
. made this principle the cornerstone Of
our Temple and upon such solid base
the whole superstructure heavily rest'
and is destined to repose until time
. shall be no more
Taught by this principle we all learI
to pray and to worship Jehovah, no
only as the God of abraham, Isaac anC
} O~%%%%%%+%ANSS-%
your best to remove the impression
that, because a man is out of work
I and therefore in condition of destitu
t ton, he is necessarily vicious, and be-
cause a man has been forced by cir
| cumstances into the Bowery that he il
r therefore a dangerous character.