Norwich bulletin., 1914-03-12

us l1St prosperous year on ueSudy and the event was noted Wednesday evening in the lodge room in odd Eel lows hall by a delightful gathering of the members and their >S'iendS. Ash ley T. Boon, who presided, called the gathering together about o'clock and a finely rendered programme was chen given. The opening number was a se- lection by the orchestra following which a double quartette rendered Gates Advice, and as an encore, Nira.
 Judge Nelson J. Ayling was then in- troduced by Mr. Boon as the speaker of the evening, He gave a very in- teresting address on A Resume of Odd Fellowship.
 Judge Ayling went on from here to explain many interesting details about the growth of the order and it's govern ment. showing the American Odd Eel lOwship was introduced outside the United States at the following dates: Canada. 1S43; Australia. 1868: Dem mark 1878; Germany. 1870: The Meth erlands. 1871; Sweden, 1884: Switzer- land, 1871. As early as 1S46 lodges were instituted in the Hawaiian Isl- ands; in Cuba in 1883; in Mexico in 1882, and the order has followed the flag into the Orient, having been es- tablished-including South America in 22 nationalities, provinces and terri tories-in IS of which grand lodges have been chartered. In 1902, how ever. of the entire lodge membership of 1,06S,732 only 37,333 were enrolled outside of North America.
 Other organizations of odd Fellows were mentioned, of which the largest is the Manchester Unity, numbering $50 600 members.
 The American order has not incor- porated into it's polity any features of health or life insurance; indeed, it has on the contrary refused to recognize voluntary associations of Odd Fellows the nl1ipct of which tn the benefit systems of regular relief Nevertheless the order has always in- sisted upon stated weekly and funeral benefits" distinct from voluntary char are i'll, or in aff1ictiOn, being of right not a donation. This charac- teristic is a distinguishing trait of the American Odd Fellow. On the great seal is emblazoned: We command you TO visit the sick, relieve the distressed, bury the dead and educate the or phan." Correlatively, the attention of the order was early attracted to the founding of institutions of learning, several of which have survived. The dual motive of fraternity and stated relief led to the establishment of homes for the aged, the indigent, the widow, and the orphan. Pennsylvania has of these homes, New York has 4, Illinois 2, California 2, and several other states possess ?, with more in prospect. E<hGIy SIdIS iOuSS III lIlc United States and Canada has one or more of these homes, or has taken measures to found such an institution. This beneficence has been fostered in foreign jurisdiction as well. and the order in Denmark has purchased the palace of the crown prince for this purpose, going into the home idea" on a scale that eclipses all previous efforts. Other nationalities are in no wise behind their fellows in this bene- ficence.
 Today the order numbers more than one and one-half million members and disburses nearly S5,0O0 900 annually among it's members and in the relief of suffering and distress. Since 1880 the order has disbursed more than 100 million dollars for the purposes of it's existence and has invested funds of more than 50 millions of dollars. For instance, our own snug little state of Connecticut has 93 subordinate lodges with a membership of more than 23,0O0 and has funds of SSS3. 900: 55 Rebekah lodges with a membership of more than 7.500 and a fund of $42.000. Our juris- diction hopes to have 30,000 members by April 26 1919. at which time the order will be 100 years old in this country, and the prospects are very bright for the realization of our hopes, concluded Judge Ayling.
 The Independene Order of Odd Eel lows and the general administration of its laws is designated by the generic term Odd Fellowship. The origin of the society and the source of it's peCu- liar name cannot be historically trac- ed. Until nearly the close of the 18th century it had been aSsented for years that Defoe the English novelist, men toned Odd Fellows as early at 1745, A. D., but modern research has rele- gated this, as well as many other all 1eged incidents of the orders early days to the realms of tradition. It is known. however, that a society grew up in England during the 18th century almost rivaling in numbers and influ ence the Masonic Fraternity, and that this Antient and Most Noble OrdS~ of Bucks began to decline about the year 1713, and passed out of existence A reasonable suppositiOn attains among antiquarieS that these lodges furnished the nucleus of the Odd Fellows, into one lodge of which George " of Eng land, while Prince of Wales, was quite unceremoniously admitted one night, and became a member thereof at date subsequent to 11S0 This is the first authentic reference to the society of Odd Fellows by name. The earliest ritual extant is dated in 1T97. and was used by the Patriotic Order It appears from English contemporary history that an Improved Order existed prior to this and the title, Most Noble Grand for the presiding officer of the "An- tlent," as well as the subsequent Order of Odd Fellows, would imply a com mon bond of succession. The Patriotic Order was followed by the Union, or United Orders, and the Loyal Order In 1913 various lodges of the Union Or der met and organized the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows, now the princi- pal Friendly society in Great Britain April 18th, 1S1e, the American Order was founded, and was afterward affil- lated with the Manchester Unity This continued until Sept 23, 1842, when the Odd Fellows of the United States re sumed their original independence. re- affirming the resolution in 1S43 and adopting a distinctively American rit- ual in 1S45.
 Rise of the American Order.
 The first lodge established on ihis