Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1912-05-02
ODD FELLOWS ANNIVERSARY
Burlington Lodges Celebrate the
Founding Of the Order.
Addresses by President BcntOu and
Others. with Music, in Masonic
Temple Hail-visitors Present
from Other Lodges.

The Odd Fellows OF this city and their
invited friends, to the number of 600,
observed the 9h anniversary of the found
Ing OF the order with n program of music
and speaking in the Masonic Temple hall
Thursday evening. The principal address
was delivered by President Guy p. Benton
of the University of Vermont, who said
In part:
II became an Odd Fellow for certain
reasons, of which one grew out of my
desire to know better the fathers Of the
pupils In my classes and so be OF more
service to the children. The order OF
Odd Fellowship seemed to be the most
democratic, and the one in which coul'
best come in contact with the men Of all
walks of life.
THE members of many lodges seem
to think that If they live up to the prn-
ciples Of their order they have earned a
free passport to glory. But no lodge, no
human institution can take the place of
the church of God. The church. the home
and the lodge may supplement one an
other. but the church and home should
certainly have precedence. Aside from
the home. the church is the greatest in
fluence in our civilization. 1t is the earth
~ meetlng-pace of Gods disciples, and
for it there can be no substituton--let
none attempt one
He touched upon the advantages and
the dangers of associations of men.
pointing out the need of secrecy in a
lodge. especially as applying to the means
by which members make themselves
known to one another, and to their bene-
violent acts. and he drew a parallel from
the secrecy called for In business life.
He drew a lesson from the recent disas-
ter to the Titanic.
"Our possibilities" said he. "consttue
the measure of our responsibilities. HUI
mainly always behaves we'll in a crisis
the truth of that assertion was demon
strated in the catastrophe Of last week.
"In that hour when the Titanic crum-
pied like pasteboard against a giant Ice
berg born of the king of all the ages.
men showed themselves worthy of
manhood made In the image of God.
1.-THE valiant knighthood which said to
the jewelbedecked social queen and to
the ill-clad woman OF Southern Europe
alike, You go first will never die
These were men who realized that their
possibilities constituted the measure of
their responsibilities.
The exercises opened promptly at eight
o'clock with Past Grand Master Oliver
E. Chilson of Green Mountain Lodge in
the chair. The first number on the pro-
gram was music by an orchestra of six
pieces composed of members Of the
order. Following the reading OF the proc
lamation by the presiding officer. prayer
was offered by the chaplain OF the even
ing, the Rev. c. V. Grismer. An l. o. o.
F. chorus OF 16 voices rendered selec-
ton, and the address of welcome was
delivered by Past Grand Hamilton 8. Peck
Of Hamilton Lodge.
After another selection by the chorus,
Deputy Grand Master +. G. Nichols OF
Richmond responded for the grand lodge
OF Vermont. in the absence of Grand
Master E. +. Sargent Of st. Johnsbury,
who was unable to be present. Miss
Mamie L. Holmes rendered vocal solo,
which drew forth enthusiastic applause.
The address of President Benton fol-
lowed, and the program closed with the
singing of a stanza of America by
the entire gathering and the benedicdon
by DIR. Grismer.
The lodges taking part in the ceie-
bration were Green Mountain Lodge. No.
!, Hamilton Lodge, No. a. Antonio Re-
bakah Lodge. No. II, Beatrice Rebekah
Lodge, No GO. and Canton Lafayette.
No. l. A number of visitors from lodges
In Richmond and other towns in this
district were present, as we'll as individual
representatives of more distant bodies
who were in the city. The joint committee
in charge OF the preparations, consisted
Of Charles Deal. r. G. Smith and George
p. Cole of Green Mountain Lodge and O.
w. Edwards, Charles G. McGaffey and
r. w. Dunsmoor of Hamilton Lodge, of
which Mr. Smith was chairman.