Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1912-05-22


BROTHERS, SISTERS AND FRIENDS
1t is with great pleasure that | greet
you, in the name of the Viroqua Rebek-
ali Lodge. this 18th day Of April, 1912,
the 93d anniversary Of Odd Fellowship.
Another year with its joys and sorrows,
another year with its successes and
failures, has passed by, and today finds
Odd Fellows and Rebekahs all over the
land again gathered together in the in
terests OF that great order to which we
all owe allegiance.
Various organizations have been in
stituted which have helped to make
history, some of which have been
menace to human progress, while
others have stood forth as a bright and
shining light in the fostering of all
things that tend to lift mankind to a
higher and nobler standard. Under the
last named head comes our world re-
nowned organization, the Independent
Order of Odd Fellows, which is founded
on Friendship, Love and Truth, the
three most exalted principles known to
man.
The Degree of Rebekah was institu-
ted in 1851. 1t is likely the author of
this degree gave it the name of Rebek-
an because the practical workings Of
the Order are so much like the tender
and considerable Rebekah's action when
at the Well of Major, where she first
looked upon Eleazer, the faithful SER
want of Abraham. Like other young
women of that day, she was accustom-
ed to carry water from the well. She
reached the well just after Eleazer had
arrived, and she saw the old traveller
waiting to quench his thirst and water
his wearied camels. He was covered
with the dust of travel and his camels
were jaded. She heard him say: LET
me, pray thee, drink little water of
thy pitcher, and water my camels. I"
She made no delay, but hurried to the
well and drew water from it, and with
her pitcher full, she said: Drink, my
lord, and also will draw water for thy
camels. She thus ministered to the
wants of the wearied stranger.
Our order teaches that no one has a
right to live simply for himself; that no
one has right TO enjoy the blessings
of the common Father alone; that sell
fishness, the great sin of humanity,
should be avoided, and benevolence, the
great principle of our fraternity, should
be practiced. Our order is increasing
in strength and influence; with this
comes added responsibility. We live
and move in the midst of fraternities.
| Organization has come to be recogni-
zed as the only logical and efficient way
in which anything of value can be ac-
complished. There are corporations and
| labor unions in the commercial and in
dustrial world. But the problem of
problems that now confronts the Amer
lean people is not question of dollars
and cents, out it is one much farther
reaching than anything of this charac-
ter and moves in realms to which mon
ey cannot ascend. This problem is the
question of moral character as applied
to every principle of life. History
shows that noble human character pre-
dominates over all other elements in
the world. 1t will do more towards the
worlds general advancement than any
thing else that could enter into the
work, and without it the best results
can never be attained in any line.
There are other strong factors in the
world but they do not compare with
this one. We must necessarily have
the great financial systems, the indus
try which makes the factory, the shop,
| the farm and all other business, but
they do not have the qualities of
strengthening the true manhood and
womanhood which are necessary to tine
highest development. Character is che
only aristocracy recognized by Odd Eel
lows and Rebekahs. Birth with
pedigree, wealth of estates, inherited
talents, nor acquired knowledge, be it
ever so profound, is not the passport in
our loved order, but a true character,
htasl1e6 ~. rrop6 laasJa IsxrsNn ,K~,n,al1oa
that lift up the fallen, minister to the
distressed, and relieve the unfortun-
ate. These are signs by which our
members should be known and honored
by all. Our order unites with Chris
tianity and both are bettered by the al
lance. Between them there is no an
tagonism, but side by side, in perfect
harmony, they work together for the
| helping of mankind
| The great general principle of our
order is care for others. In this busy
world we hurry along ostling one an
/ other sometimes and do not realize how
many in the busting throng have wea-
ry brains and aching hearts, to whom
the sight of cheerful face and kind
word would cause rift, be it ever so
little, in the cloud that overshadows
them. But we cannot always be
cheerful, our own burdens bear us down,
is the thought that springs up. Yes,
the heart knows its own bitterness, but
the best panacea for our own heart
aches is to heal those of others. All
about US there are those with hearts
that break in silence with a sorrow all
unknown. Let us not miss the OPP
portunity to observe the Golden Rule,
"Whatever ye would that men should
do to you do ye even so to them" Act
ing thus, according to the teachings of
our order, we shall win the golden
opinion of others and show that the
true Rebekah is an active, energetic,
and ever ready helper of Christianity.