Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1909-06-24
Odd Fellow MemorlaI Day.

was taken IN. The band cleared about
$3.50 from both entertainments.
Odd Fellow Memorial Day.
Randolph lodge, No. as, /. o. o. f..
observed Memorial day Sunday by a serv-
ice held in Bethany church at 3 O'Clock
in the afternoon. A congregation Of
about 40 assembled, besides rs of the
Odd Fellows and 10 members Of Fern Re
beksh lodge, wearing the distinctive re-
gala OF their orders.
Excellent music for the service was
sung BY a quartet composed Of Elwin
Martin, Miss Blanche Sparhawk. Miss
Kate Howard and A.. II. Beedle with Miss
Edith Marcott at the organ. The story
OF David and Jonathan as told in the 10th
chapter OF ] Samuel was read by District
Deputy o. r. Greene, and PRAYER was
offered by Rev. Fraser Metzger.
The sermon was by Rev. George K.
Goodwin, pastor Of the Cong'l church in
Bethel, who took for his theme the
covenant OF friendship as IT existed be-
tween David and Jonathan in their fra
ternal relationship, which is the ideal of
modern Odd Fellowship.
The church, the speaker said, is built
largely upon the covenant Of friendship.
as are also all Masonic bodies and every
secret order, and il fills a large place in
the life of each. In order for man to ac-
complish what there is for him to do in
the world he must at some time enter
into a covenant of friendship with his
fellowmen. he cannot stand alone and
do his rightful work alone. In the peril
Gus days of colonial struggle for nation
al existence, our fathers recognized their
mutual dependence and the necessity for
keeping faith one with another and
voiced that recognition in the words Of
one of them, eve must hang together or
we hang separately"
What did this covenant mean to David.
OF humble parentage, a follower of the
herd, and to Jonathan, the son OF a king.
a successful leader, destined to rule over
the chosen people Of God ? They became
as one in their friendship; humble birth
and pride of station were forgotten and
their souls we're knit together. Jonathan
was willing TO forego position and torsur-
render everything for David, whom be
loved. Are we so in love with humanity
as to drop ourselves into a second place
for the sake of furthering the purposes Of
God Are we willing to forego our own
ambition that some great principle may
abide through all ages ? That was what
the covenant Of friendship meant to jon
athan, who, in taking the second place,
really took the first place in the estima-
ton OF posterity.
What does the covenant of friendship
mean to US ? II means to live n work
together. Il means that shoulder to
shoulder we shall win and not fail. Ii
means q oneness in life. When the veil
that hangs between soul and soul is
rnAuaa oaEAa - - -
others hearts as well as into each others
faces, we realize that the purpose OF one
heart and soul is not so different from the
purpose of some ether heart and soul.
Odd Fellowship is doing q work today
that the church cannot do, that the
church has no business to do, that ii is
not organized to do. Here in our own
state there is an Odd Fellows Home, not
an institution, giving the privileges Of a
home to the homeless and minislering to
their needs. The church stands upon a
higher plane, just above relieving the
material suffering of the world. which is
the secret society's work. Odd Fellow
ship may be a stepping stone to the
church; it may be the handmaiden Of the
church, but it can never take the place Of
the church; it was never designed to take
her place.
The covenant relation has been an in
strument of progress, Of civilization. 1t
is the foundation Of family life, OF the
tribal fidelity that grew into love of state
and nation and is growing into the wider
love Of humanity, making Of one kindred
all the earth.
A million and q quarter of men linked
together in the three-fold bonds Of Odd
Fellowship are standing against the in
roads Of selhshness and for the upIift Of
men. Never has there been a time when
the covenant relation needed to be ex-
tended rs today; never a time when it
was doing more than it does today. Let
us remember that it is not to be placed
on a commercial basis. You cannot buy
love or friendship with dollars or cents.
Love is bought by love, friendship by
friendship. 1t is Odd Fellowship indeed;
it shows itself friendly; it binds men to-
gether.
Randolph lodge omitted this year the
decoration of the graves of deceased
members, as only one brother, Dana G..
Torrey, was removed by death in the last
twelve months, and his resting place is