The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-06-14


each other. There were no claims of
race and creed as in the previous IN
stances. There was just one claim
and that was the claim Of suffering
humanity. In response to that claim
the Samaritan ministered to him,
binding up his wounds, and placing
him upon his own breast conveyed
him to neighboring inn and made
provision for his care and entertain
ment. By ministering to that stran-
gers needs the Samaritan proved him.
self to be a neighbor.
Truth Which Is Taught.
The third and last link in the mys-
tic chain of Odd Fellowship is truth.
There are certain truths which Odd
Fellowship definitely accepts or spe-
officially teaches. The first Of these
is the fact that this world of ours is
governed by supreme intelligence.
Odd Fellowship offers no encourage
ment to atheism or infidelity. In fact
no man can become an Odd Fellow
who is an atheist or an infiidel. No
man is eligible to membership in this
order who cannot answer in the af-
firmative the question, do you be-
l.eve in a Supreme Being?" Such a
requirement is both logical and reas-
enable. We study the world about us
and we discover that this world has
not always existed There was time
when things as they now are began to
be, We look within and study our
selves. 1t does not require profound
reflection to convince ourselves that
we have not always existed. Neither
ourselves nor the word about us were
seIf-originating. That would be utter
w illogical and unreasonable The
work of creation presupposes Gre
ator. AS the Psalmist says. "The
heavens declare the glIy Of God;
and the armament showetR, his handi-
work. Day unto day uttereth speech,
and night unto night showeth know
ledge. There is no speech nor Ian
euage, where their voice is not heard.
Their line is gone out through all the
earth, and their words to the end of
the world"
A second truth which Odd Fellow
ship teaches is that the Bible is the
fountain and source of truth. indeed
all of the principles of Odd Fellow
ship are based upon the teachings OF
this Book of Books which is called the
Holy Bible. 1t should be our purpose.
therefore, to govern ourselves accord
ing to its teachings, for If we order
our footsteps in accordance with its
precepts we shall find, as 1t teaches.
that '.the path of the just is as the
shining light, that shineth more and
more unto the perfect day.
The third truth which Odd Fellow
ship accepts is the Immortality OF the
soul We believe instinctively In I'm
mortality. AS someone has said, eve
are much better believers in immor-
tally than we can give reasons for
Even when we can give no satisfac-
tory reason for our belief, we believe
that somehow the soul of man will
survive the shock of death.
Scripture Supports Belief.
Our instructive belief in Immortality
finds support in the teachings OF the
Scripture Everywhe-r throughout its
pages. the age-long question "if a man
die. shall he live again. is answered
in the affirmative. 1t would be I'M
possible at this time to cite you to
the many passages in support Of this
statement, suff1cie it to say that the
doc trine of Immortality is emphatical-
Nv taught both in the Old and New
Our instructive belief in immortal.
ity, together with the teachings of
Scripture which support it, are con-
firmed by reason. Science holds to
the indestructibility of matter, that
matter cannot be destroyed. The ele-
ments of matter may enter into new
com binations, and matter itself may
undergo certain changes. II may be
transformed from solid into fluid
and from a fluid into gas, but
science teaches that not one atom OF
matter ever is or ever can be destroy.
ed. If matter mute and inanimate Il
indestructible, can spirit be less so?
The three golden links which con.
stitute the mystic chain of Odd Eel.
lowship are Friendship. Love and
Truth. As true Odd Fellows these
principles or teachings should enter
into our daily lives, for no matter how
beautiful may be the teachings of our
order. nor how exalted it's purposes,
We shall best commend the principles
and purposes of Odd Fellowship by
living in accordance Herewith day by
day.