The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1909-04-29
LAID THE CORNERSTONE
Mitchell odd Fellows Laid the Cor
ners,one OF Their New Structure
Monday Afternoon.

With impressive ceremonies Mon
day at 3 O'Clock the corner
stone OF the Odd Fellows new build
ing was laid, the scene being Witness
ed by a large crowd of people, who
assembled at the site a half block
west of the Main street on Fourth
Avenue.
Promptly at the hour the uniform
ea Canton headed the march from
the hall, and was followed by the
Odd Fellows and Daughters of Re-
bekah in regalia. The cornerstone
was laid by the following officers of
the lodge: A. e. Porteous, district
deputy Grand Master; H. H. Collard,
noble grand; S. B. Sphinx, chaplain;
Nels Jensen, past grand; O. G.
Thompson, secretary; f. l.. Logan,
treasurer; Fred Sedestren, warden;
Louis Kjelmyr, conductor.
The stone is granite with polish
ed surface, bearing the inscription of
"Chanka Lodge, No. 81, 1. o. o. F.,
instituted April &c, 1880" The box
deposited in the corner stone contain
ed copies of the semi-annual reports
of Chanka Lodge and the Mitchell
Encampment; list of names of the
members of Chanka Lodge, Encamp-
ment, Patriarch Militant n Rebek-
ah lodges; copies of the Mitchell
Daily Republican, Mitchell Gazette,
Mitchell Clarion, the Progressive
Poultry Journal and the Sovereign
Odd Fellow; INT of the speakers;
names of the singers; anne of the
present officers of the lodge; the
names of the building committees; a
bunch of keys; several coins; several
emblems of the order; one ring.
Following the laying of the stone by
Past Grand Jensen occurred the eXer-
cises. The music was furnished by
Mrs. Jos. Swift, Mrs. S. H. Scallin, M.
r. Tournier, and L.. d. Milne, with
Mrs. J.. n. Crow at the organ. Noble
Grand Collard presided during the
exercises. The opening address of
the afternoon was delivered by DR..
T. j.. Macmurray, pastor of the Pres
byterian church, who spoke as fol
lows:
Mr.. Chairman, Members of the In
dependent Order of Oddfellows and
FelloW-Citizens:
1t gives me very great pleasure to
be present on this suspicious occas-
ion and to take a humble part in the
ceremonies connected with the lay
ing OF the corner stone of an institu-
ton whose right to exist none will
question and whose practical and
praiseworthy services in behalf OF
humanity entitle it t. the respect OF
all classes, irrespective of social, po-
litical or religious affiliations. Nc
traternal order ranks higher as re-
CARDS the practice of ~benevolence and
charity than the one represented here
today; and our fair city of Mitchell
is ~assuredly to be warmly congratu-
lated on having in its midst an insti-
tuition which means SO much to it as
the Independent Order of Oddfellows
signifies. Since the day of the in
ception of that noble order, the world
has grown better II society has be
come happier, and congratulate the
officers and members OF the Order of
Oddfellows in this city upon the pro-
gross they have thus far achieved and
upon the splendid building which is
now rising and which is soon to
shelter them and to afford them bet
ter facilities for carrying out their
great benevolent and charitable pur-
poses in this growing community.
On it's institution in Manchester,
England. i'll 1912, the main purpose
of Oddfellowship was declared by its
laws to be: TO render assistance 10
every brother who MAJ apply through
sickness, distress or otherwise, if he
be we'll attached to the Queen anl
government and faithful to the or
der n this continues to be the
basis of its operations. 1t is consider
ed to be one of the most extensive,
self governed, proviGent institutions
in the world. Not only does it dis
seminate the principles of benevolence
and charity, but it exerts over its
members an influence which works
for the Improvement and elevation of
character. The teachings of the order
must make its members better and
nobler if they give good heed to them.
These principles of Oddfellowship are
pure and Interchangeable as God him
self; and thousands of distressed bro
! theirs, widows and orphans have been
relieved and g%ladlened owing to
these principles. Time cannot reveal
all the good that has been done by
the order. Only eternity itself will re
veal the grand results Of it's benevol-
ence and charity. From the time that
it lent sympathy and financial aid
to great debtors in England, Oddfel-
lcwship has been untiring in it's phil
anthropic labors, and today thous-
ands upon thousands of grateful peo-
pie, both in this country and n Eu-
rope, testify to it's self-sacrificing de-
votion to the cause of humanity.
And, after all, is it not to this
spirit of %benevolence that the world
is indebted for much of the good that
has been wrought. 1t was this love
of man which prompted missionaries
to go into the heather lands, and,
facing dangers and privations, preach
the unsearchable riches Of Christ's
uOcra1 ne r1oo1 o,l oooJ will - ,,a-