Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-04-27

Last evening, Monday, April Goth
Wausau Lodge. No. 215. l. o. Q. F.
very appropriately observed the 9Otf
anniversary of American Odd Fellow
ship at its lodge hail. The attendance
was large being confined to Odd Eel
lows and their familie,.
Past Grand E. G.. Zimmerman acted
as master of ceremonies and the pro
gram of the evening was opened with
a special ritual service in which the
various officers of the lodge took part
1t consisted in questions and answers
relative to the order and its works
This was followed by an address by the
lion. John Ringle, which the PILo1
publishes in part, as follows
AMERICAN ODD FELLOWSHIP.
1t would appear much less difficult
on an occasion like this, to speak to in.
vited guests. A reference to the virtues
OF Odd Fellowship and the benefits OF
its membership would give ample scope
But speaking to Odd Fellows on this
Goth anniversary of our order, reminds
me of the boy who told his mother he
had SET the old brindle hen on two
dozen eggs. Why" said his mother,
you do not expect that hen to hatch
all those eggs ?'' NO" said the boy,
'but | did want to see the old thing
spread herself"
Odd Fellowship, as it is at the present
time, is product of evolution, and
owes American institutions for much of
the spirit from which has grown the
greatest humanitarian order of this or
any other age
When Thomas Wildey and his asso-
ciates organized Washington Lodge No.
l, on the Goth of April, 1919, American
Odd Fellowship of today was but a
dream with the possible exception of
its name, and the cosmopolitan nature
of its membership.
1t was modelled alter the Manchester
Unity of Odd Fellows, whose subor-
dinates were primarily of a social ma
ture with incidental relief foe its mem
berS.
Among the features of the early work,
however, which have been retained, is
the secret or what we call the unwrit-
ten work of our order. This is practic-
ally the only portion of Odd Fellowship
which is yet being criticised. And it is
true, it appears no longer essential.
But while these features were more nee
essary in other ages, they have no doubt
been retained, because of a certain awe
inherent in mankind for the mysterious.
AS distance lends enchantment to the
view, anything which becomes cause
for imagination is attractive. Aud all
institutions Tor the amelioration of con-
ditions and even the salvation of man
kind, have found it advisable to adapt
their measures to man as he is. So
christianity has retained usages of
Pagan origin for holiday attraction. be-
cause they appeal to the human family
1t sometimes occurs to the critical,
why there are some 200 christian de-
nominations deriving their inspiration
and hope of salvation from the same
source, but that is not so difficult.
Two friends walking down the street
passed brick house. No. one asked,
What keeps those brick together?"
The other answered, 1.-THE mortar, .of
course" No. one responded, You are
way off, it keeps them apart" And
there was difference of opinion, but
an honest difference of opinion is no
The poet says, speaking of
the crossing of the stream:
Side by side for the way was one,
The toilsome journey Of life was dolle;
And all who in the Lord our Savior iied,
Come out alike on the other side.
Odd Fellowship avoids sectarianism
of every nature. 1t teaches liberation,
advocates the golden rule and rests upon
a basis of fraternity.
The history of the order in America
does not record Washington Lodge as
the one first organized, but it became
recognized as the mother
lodge.
The Grand lodge of the l. o. . +.
was organized in 1925 OF the auxiliary
branches, the Encampment was insti-
tuted in lS41, the Rebecca degree lodge
in 1851 and the Patriarchs Militant in
1885.
In 1912, American Odd Fellowship
separated from the English body, and
in 1879 assumed the name Sovereign
Grand Lodge. The institution of the
Rebecca degree lodge was an event in
the worlds history 1t was the. pioneer
reepUuifinn of women and their talents