Norwich bulletin., 1910-06-27
THE BROTHERHOOD OF MAN.
Rev. c. H. Ricketts Breaches to Odd Fellows at Congregational Church Sunday Morning.

The members of Loyal Hugh H. Os- good lodge, No. 6920, I. O. O. F., Man chester Unity, with about a dozen members of Loyal Samaritan lodge of Baltic attended divine service in a body at the Greeneville Congregational church on Sunday morning and an especially large congregation was present. The pastor, Rev Charles H. Ricketts preached to the Odd Fellows on the Evolution of Mans Conception of the Brotherhood, taking for his text. Matt. 23:S. and all ye are brethren His inspiring words struck a reSpon- sive chord in the hearts of his hear CTS for his discourse was followed with deep interest and highly commended at the close
 The first part of the sermon was de- voted to an historical survey of sthe growth of the human brotherhood. It was logical consequence of the farni- ly relation and among the Jews was strong. The speaker showed there were weak brotherly relations among pagan nations whose religious were tainted with selfishness- If in the monarch there is no sense of father hood among the subjects there can be no clear conception of brotherhood. The speaker showed that the cruelties of organism made a sense Of brother hood impossible
 In the Middle Ages in which the church had dominion for ten centuries, the poor man received a degree of protection. The great church Of Rome recognized the brotherhood of man and while she was severe in dealing with heretics, she protected her sub jects from the robber barons. When man was pursued by the cruel min ions of the state, the doors of the church were opened as the last asylum of refuge for the hunted Bold was the man who dared to take human life before an altar dedicated to the worship of Christ. A blood-stained altar made even the Middle Ages shudder.
 As modern times emerge out of the Dark Ages, the transition was marked by the rise of dogmatism. Activity was bent along two strangely unlike lines: scientific invention and discov- cry and theological duscussion. Pro- fitless controversy over abstruse ques- tions marked the close of the 18th cen tury. The Revolutionary war gave inn petus to the fact that all men 'are born free and equal" With the dawn rumble of the French Revolution was dying in the distance, the three things which that social upheaval stood for, liberty, equality and fraternity among men received an impetus seen in the fraterna1 organizations of today.
 The last seventy-five years have marked a great change in the social order as seen in the rise of industrial ism in which the masses of men have been enga ged. This great material progress is not the work of military ca ptains but shows what the rank and file can do under free institutions. 1t shows what the average man can do when he gets the chance.
 The speaker showed how the masses ought to regard the brotherhood They ought to assert that any one man has the same claim to life and it's privi- leges as another man. It is another matter where a mans bad habits de- bar him from the blessings and sue cesses of life. Let there be no special legislation to favored classes. Let the war cry of the brotherhood be: a fair chance to every man. or as Roosevelt puts it "a square deal.'' A
 Our conception of the brotherhood should be universal. Don't call the Italian laborer a Dago! Give him the