Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-11-25
20. Q. s plsraIcr MEETINc.
Very Successful Gathering Of the
Order at Bethel Last Week.


Order at Bethel Last Week
1t was a red letter day in the history OF
I the local Odd Fellows society last week
/ Wednesday when the annual meeting OF
District No. was held with Bethel
lodge, No. 35. This district embraces in
addition to the Bethel lodge the following
I lodges Myrtle, No. "a, Crystal Lake,
No. 81, Quechee River, No. 46. Windsor,
No. IS, White River, No. So, Felchyille,
No. 81, Rochester, No. So, and Royaiton,
No. "a.
The reception committee was composed
OF o. c. Boyce, p. g., o. p. Northrup, p.
g., and j. A. Chedel, P. @.
The ladies OF the Congregational
church served banquet IN Gushing hall
OF p. m. to the members and about
twenty invited guests. About $50 sat
down to beautifully laden tables, served
By sttired walters. There were so many
in attendance that all could not sit at the
first table. During the banquet music
was furnished by Wyman's orchestra.
post-prandial exercises were held in
the Town hall, presided over by Hon. q.
A. Davis, p. q. Upon opening the exer-
cises Mr.. Davis made the following re-
marks
1T gives me great pleasure to greet my
brothers OF the l. o. o. F. II ia a most
honorable distinction to be a member OF
this order. You are selected wheat-in
commercial terms, Al, all wool and
yard wide, dyed in the wool and war
ranted to wash-the cream of the land.
ut is well sometimes to take an ac-
count OF stock, and ascertain the yearly
balance and determine whether we are on
the high tide to prosperity or on the re-
treating pillows OF the tide OF events.
"During the year ending Dec. 81, 1908,
there was q net gain in membership of
SO, l13, and now Odd Fellowship stands
in numerical strength far ahead OF any
other fraternal order with a total mem
bership Of 1,765, 1856. Is not that wonder
full
"In these years Of advancement in avia-
ton, electrical propulsion, telephoning,
wireless telegraphy, steam navigation,
progress in the arts and sciences, in edu-
cation, liberalized Christianity, anaesthet
les and antiseptic surgery, in these days
when private fortunes are gathered up to
the millions, Odd Fellowship being found
ed upon the great fundamental principles
OF F. L. and T., has gone forward con-
quering and to conquer, has forged ahead
and outstripped in the race other frater
nal organizations.
"Its charities are prodigious, unostenta-
tious and dispensed with the quletness of
the evening dews.
sit has whispered words of comfort
with a still small voice, not to be seen OF
men. No worthy Odd Fellow is allowed
to go to the poor house.
"During the year ending Dec. 81, 1908,
it dispensed in charitable relief the mag
ni6cent sum Of over five and half mil
lion dollars.
"In a quiet way it has comforted the
sick brother, buried the dead with our
beautiful ritual, relieved the widow and
educated the orphan.
This great organization, the sound of
whose gavel eneircles the earth and on
whose lodges the sun never sets, has in
vested funds nearly 45 million dollars-a
grand guarantee that all list pledges shall
be religiously carried out.
cit has lodges in every state aud terri |
tory Of the United States including its |
distant maritime provinces. 1t has lodges |
in South America, Cuba, Mexico, British |
America, Sweden, Switzerland, Japan,
Polynesia and in numerous other coun-
tries
"Of whatever race or tongue, profess |
sion or calling, creed or confession,
whether rich or poor, we all meet on one |
level in the lodge ROOM"
The following toasts were then re-
sponded to:-'The Grand Lodge" F. <. |
Perry, G M. "The Patriarchs Militant |
e. A. seaver, P. q. NJ; "The Eneamp-
mem" 0. II. Henderson, Grand Sec.
THE Sovereign Grand Lodge" s. A. /
Reed, p. @. Rep; tMr. Reed spoke es-
pecially Of the Gill Odd Fellows Home at /
Ludlow; GAS Others See U.s." W. N.
Batchelder of Bethel; "Odd Fellowship
M. $. Stone, State 5upt. OF Education;
As Things Ought to Be- E. L. Ingalls,,
Grand Cond.; "Friendship," Rev. Mr..
5eaver OF Windsor; "Lose," Rev. @. K.
OF Bethel; "Truth," Rev. sher-
man Goodwin OF Royalton; "Bethel
Lodge" w. Il. Briggs, N. g.; s'Fraterni-
~" Rev. Mr.. Leonard OF Woodstock.
Then followed the secret work of the
meeting at which the initiatory degree
was exemplified by Windsor lodge and
the second degree by Quechee lodge.
The exercises closed about 1880 in the