The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1914-04-30
REV. CARTER As SPEAKER
Well Known Minister Traces History of
Order and Pays High Tribute to the
Work it Has Accomplished in Nearly
a Century of Life in United States.

LIZ UOuu w eSI0y IdIt6I OIL the I1tul y
M. Simmons church paid tribute to Odd
Fellowship on Sunday evening when he
held a special service in commemora-
ton of the ninety fifth anniversary of
Odd Fellowship. The church was filed
to capacity, members of the various
lodges affiliated with Odd Fellowship
attending in q body. Special music
was rendered by the choir of the church
and in his address DR.. Carter gave to
the large audience the story of what
Odd Fellows have done and are doing.
He traced the history of secret organ
ization through the early ages. Speak
ing of Odd Fellowship in the United
States, he said:
In the winter of 1918, Thomas
Wildey and John Welch, Englishmen
lately arrived from England, discovered
that each was an Odd Fellow. On
February Is, 1919, they inserted in the
Baltimore American the following no
tice: A few members of the Society
of Odd Fellows will be glad to meet
their brethren for consultation upon
the subject Of forming a lodge. The
meeting will be held on Friday evening
the End of March This meeting call
ed together four Odd Fellows, but one
was still lacking to make the five ac-.
eording to ancient usage. Another
meeting on April 18th brought the
fifth member, and on April Goth, 1919,
they met at the Seven Stars and
constituted Washington Lodge, No. l,
OF Odd Fellows.
In this humble way 90 years ago to-
day, Odd Fellowship in America was
born, weak infant Of FIVE members.
But it is now a grown giant astonishing
it's own members and the world. The
small and family glinmering star
which was barely visible at first began
to ascend and grow nearer, developing
a radiance and power of glorious brill
liancy upon millions of our race who,
rapidly enlisting, stretched our ranks
across the continent as westward the
course of empire took its way 1t
arose from poverty and insignifcance
to the present munifcent proportion of
more than million dollars annual ben
efcence and its present high rank among
the honored faternities of the world.
Through Odd Fellowship, Thomas
Wildey has multiplied himself these
many time and his memory will outlast
many of the empires of the world and
the changing opinions of their times.
His epitaph is not written in marble,
nor his acts of charity in massive
tones, but in the history Of Odd Eel
lowship which is spoken in the seclu-
sion of the sorrowing home, by the
desolate hearth stone, and in the abode
of sickness and want, where the care
worn, weary sufferer welcomes the
brother who comes bearing in his
hands the corn and wine
For ninety-fve years Odd Fellowship
has lived in the broad sunlight Of
America. 1t has been tested by prac-
teal people, and has become the hand
maid of an intelligent race. It has won
a place in the world s work and his
tory. It was at first an experiment
founded by men Of toll and from the
lowly walks of life. But it has been
a success because it has elements that
appeal to the popular heart It is the
union of common brotherhood unit
ing in tho social interest of life.
Again, this order is not a political
institution. Yet in its discipline are
found the noblest political principles of
true and free democracy Men can
not be good Odd Fellows without being
good citizens. 1t is a fraternity that
teaches not only fidelity to the laws
and obligations of the order, but to the
laws of God, the laws of the land, and
the duties of citizenship. It seeks to
improve and elevate the character of
man, Undue him with proper concep-
ton of his capabilities for doing good,
enlighten his mind, enlarge the sphere
of his affections, and lead him to a
cultivation of those fraternal relations
designed by the author of his being.
ouu 10 d temple OIL SOTN-
ice as well as of socialibility. In the
many lodge rooms its members meet
weekly to listen to the parable of the
Good Samaritan and are taught to be
modern Samaritans in a world of need.
From this magnificent temple of Odd
Fellowship has been distributed, in
ninety live years, more than hundred
and twenty-five million dollars, and in
these later years Eve million dollars
annually are expended for the relief of
distress among its members, or their
widows and orphans. Palatial homes
are provided in many states for those
who have no other home on earth In
time every state in our union viii have
its Odd Fellows Home.
The three-linked fraternity has
place In the world 1t is a great fra
ternity. A man should be proud to