The Columbus weekly dispatch., 1908-07-23
Melbourne News.

Last Wednesday. the 18th instant,
it was the good pleasure of the
writer to attend the eighty ninth
anniversary celebration of the Inde-
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, held
at Bethlehem church, near Stacy,
by the members of Stacy Lodge No.
| 500. Brother J. L. Lofts acted as
marshal, Brother B. S. Falkner as
noble grand, and Brother NJ. G. Rec
| tor as vice-grand. The procession
was formed at 10 a. m, and the Odd
Fellows marched to the grove near
the church, where seats had been
nicely prepared for the comfort and
pleasure of the Odd Fellows, and
also for the large audience The
services were opened by a song very
appropriate to the occasion, led by
Past Grand l. G. Rector, of Vernon
Lodge No. 50, with the cultured and
refined Miss Bessie Gartman presid-
ing at the organ. Prayer was then
offered by Rev. T. A. Hancock, of
the Fernbank circuit. Brother j.
L. Stapp delivered the welcome ad-
dress, and in a very appropriate and
impressive manner he extended a
cordial welcome to one and all The
anniversary address was then deliv-
cred by Rev. E. L. Roy, an able di-
vine of Kennedy. Bro. Roy spoke
for one hour in very eloquent terms
of the origin of the institution of
Odd Fellowship and its mission in
the world. His address was made
spicy with eloquence and was ap-
propriate to the occasion, and a
great treat to all who heard him.
Rev. D. G. Hollis, of Bedford, spoke
briefly on the many charitable deeds
OF Odd Fellowship, after which din
less for the writer to say that the
hospitality of the good ladies in and
about Bethlehem had prepared
great feast for the occasion, for
after the large crowd, which con
sisted of fully one thousand or more
people, had been we'll fed, we no
ticed that fully as many more could
have been fed In the afternoon,
DR.. NJ. r. Seay, Rev. Joel F. Sanders |
and Rev. Walter Draper delivered |
brief addresses, and the large crowd |
was dismissed by prayer by Rev. E. |
l. Roy. This was a great day in |
the history of our Bethlehem friends |
and will long be remembered by all |
who were in attendance as quite a |
pleasant affair. Prof. 1. G. Rector
and Miss Bessie Gartman deserve |
special mention for furnishing such /
nice and appropriate music during
the services, and the committee, con-
sisting of Brothers j. L. Stapp, L.
T. McGee and A. J.. Wallace, deserve
special mention for so nicely per-
fecting every plan for the success
of the occasion. We noticed that
the very best of order prevailed dur
ing the day, which speaks well for
our Bethlehem friends and the large
crowd of visitors who were in at
tendance and who represented the
highest type of ladies and gentle
men.
Our visit among our Bethlehem
friends and brother Odd Fellows
last Wednesday was a great and
profound pleasure to us and will
long be remembered as a day well
spent Long may they live and en-
JOY the choicest blessings through
out life.
Last Thursday, the 18th inst, was
a great day in the history of Ebe-
nezer church, near Melbourne. The
members of Company K,
Alabama Regiment of
Confederate Veterans, of which the
late and lamented Capt. E. c. Leech
Of Steens was captain, met in a glad
By $50 o'clock a. N. fully
one thousand or more people had
gathered to meet with the old vets
md to make them feel happy and
1t home. The services were opened
~ a song led by J. c. Barksdale. /
With Miss Bessie Gartman presiding J
It the organ. Brother w. L. Nc 1
Reynolds, the permanent chaplain of ]
he company, offered most fervent i
,rayer, after which J. c. Barksdale
ang that good old song. The Glad