The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-12-18
Mankato Odd Fellows
Honored Mayor Meyer
from thursdays Daily.

presented with the veteran JeWel,
emblematic OF faithful membership
in the order for twenty-five years or
more. Co.,.
Several prominent Odd Fellows
from out OF the city. were present
and took part in the ceremonies. 4,
Several musical selections by Miss
Mamie skuse. waldemar Scherer
and George w. Scherer. Jr., opened
the program Of the evening. and
John Anderson, noble grend OF lodge
No. Is, introduced Hon. ]. A. Flittie.
who acted as master OF ceremonies.
The first address of the evening
was given by Rev. w. r. Palmer OF
Vernon Center. who Is grand master
of the order In the state. Mr. Palmer
sketched the progress OF the lodge
since It's founding ninety-1ye years
ago and said that now there are
more than two million members I'm
the United States. He emphasized
the fact that the order makes II a
business TO extend help TO those
who need help. "In 1912" Mr.. Palm.
er stated. 1.-The order distributed
$4,000 COO in the United States for
relief work. and in the same year
distributed $4,000 for the same
cause i'm the state of Minnesota. The
organization has built and maintains
nfty-seven homes for the aged and
orphans who have been dependent
upon Odd Fellows. The children in
the orphan homes are educated and
Jared for that they may be we'll
able 10 fight the battles Of life.
Emphasize Moral Ideas.
we emphasize moral ideas TO the
members OF this fraternal body. but
we do not teach sectarian religion.
We have membership that is
clean and intelligent.
The three links suggest the three
principles of the order. The first
stands for friendship. We advocate
friendship which Is true, real, un.
selfish. sympathetic and tender We
believe as an organization i'm the
Fatherhood OF God and the Brother
hood OF man. The second link stands
for love. IL Is brotherly love that
prompts the men in a lodge to help
one another.
I'VE believe also in honor. integ-
rity and honesty. some have the
third link, Truth This chain OF
three links has been we'll called a
golden chain. for the principles for
which 1t stands are golden princ.-
pies"
One Of the speakers of the evening
was grand master of the state six.
teen years ago when the Odd Eel
lows hall OF No Is was dedicated.
lie was Wallace G. Nye. now mayer
of Minneapolis. Mr.. Nye spoke OF his
pleasant visit TO Mankato at the
time OF the dedication OF the hall
and said that he had not met with
the lodge since that time until last
night Mr.. Nye spoke of the general
progress which Is being made In
all lines OF business. He is an opti-
mist. and believes that the world is
growing better. Progress is being
made he said. " in city government,
i'm farming in manufacturing. and in
all lines of business. We have better
labor conditions now than we had a
few years ago" He spoke of a few
of the problems which confront the
mayor of such a city as Minneapolis.
and in closing his remarks said that
he believed that saloons exist not
because men want TO drink, but be-
cause they want companionship
Furnished the Companionship.
Membership in such an organiza-
ton as the Odd Fellows lodge, Mr..
Nye believes furnishes the compan-
ionship which tends to make men
better men. and which tends to
develope their character.
Past Grand Master r. II. Kastner
OF Minneapolis spoke along line
similar to that touched upon by
Mr. Palmer, the good influence Of
the lodge. and the accomplishments
OF the order. Mr.. Kastner said, 81
believe that the country has attained
its greatness through fraternal or
ganization. The fraternal organiza-
ton OF Odd Fellows teaches the les
son OF the Golden Rule"
Another speaker was Adam Boil
ton of St Paul. who Is grand secre-
tary of the order. and who formerly
resided i'm Mankatc. He spoke very
briefly in a strain which was interest
ing and entertaining and closed MS
remarks with the words, Men may
go. but Odd Fellowship and irater-
nifty go on forever"
To George w. Scherer also a past
grand master of the order. fell the
honor of presenting Mayor Mey-
er the Veteran Jewel. In speaking
Of this Mr.. Scherer said he did not
know just why he was chosen for
that honor unless II was because
both he and Mr. Meyer were Ger.
man. although he believed he was
more German than the mayor. the
latter having been born In Germany
and Mr.. Scherer having been born
i'm New Ulm.
After Mr.. Scherer,s brief talk the
mayor was decorated with his EN-.
blem OF faithful membership, and
made a feeling response. The mayor
expressed his gratefulness for the
honor conferred upon him and said
that he considered his entrance in
to the order of Odd Fellows one of
the wisest moves OF his life. He
spoke with much feeling OF the sym.
pathy. help and fellowship which
has been extended TO him by the
Odd Fellows a few weeks ago when
the death of his son occurred, and
said that he did not appreciate until
tl,~t stx.a r-Lot nlA E~tt-uLt-