Evening capital. [volume] (Annapolis, Md.) 1922-1981, 1922-10-20
AMERICAN ODD-FELLOWSHIP

posterity, how will cur bosoms swell.
not with vain exultation. but with
generous pride. at the spledid con-
summation OF our hopes.
Such has been the origin, such the
growth. and such are the future pros
poets of Odd Fellowship in America:
and while the exposition raises the
curiosity to know the principles of the
Order, 1t powerfully excites the be-
lief in the minds of the initiated, that
an institution which could in a free
md virtuous land in the short space
IL twelve years, from the smallest
beginning, plant its base so deep and
broad in the nation. and tower so
softily as this, must have salutary
principles for its government, the
public veal for it's object and the
great patron of all that is excellent
on earth for its protector and reward.
Like FreemasOnry, the great object
which Odd Fellowship has in view ia
The practice and promotion of the
practice of charity. Not that charity
that begins at home and stops there,
but that charity which first circum-
scribing home, expands itself abroad,
spreading and spreading until il en- .
"ompasses the vast family of man.
'und. The preservation OF individual
wealth and the promotion of individ-
~Ial credit are not more the essential
objects OF banking institution. the
-xercise of benevolence Is not more
he object of humane society, the
advancement of religion is not more
he object of a church corporation,
than is charity the all-absorbing OBJ
ect OF Odd Fellowship, and IL charity.
then all the virtues, for charity is the
crowning virtue, the diadem; it is tho
apex of the pyramid, the keystone of
the arch of virtue. Without 1t, vain
are the speculations of the moralist,
without il vain are all the professions
Of the religionist, vain the honeyed
phrases OF the patriot, aye the patriot
the great champion of the cause of
freedom, and avenger of the peoples
wrongs. / pronounce his bosom mar
row il charity be not there; he loves
only his country; he loves but a part
Of mankind he loves not man, for
/ patriotism is but one OF the virtues,
and charity is the highest virtue. IL
is the great affiliation bond of univer-
sal man, confined in its embracings to
no country, to no quarter of the earth.
/ 10 no hemisphere, TO nothing short OF
/ the whole round Of human existence,
wherever there is human suffering to
alleviate or human wrongs to avenge.
The advancement OF the empire OF
/ this universal charity is the great OBJ
! iect of Odd Fellowship throughout
he Globe. / say universal charity,
and l say it in the teeth OF those who,
admitting that charity is the great OBJ
iect of our institution and that it is
not confined to any quarter Of the
/ globe, yet slander us by saying that
We confine it's promotion within the
pale of our own Order. We are
bound they say, to be charitable to
one another at the expense of charity
20 others. True it is, that Odd Fell
lows are bound to each other by
fraternal bond, but it is the same fra
ternal bond by which they are bound
20 all mankind, and the great glory Of
the former is that it keeps alive and
) nourishes the latter.
Vast has been the influence OF this
; institution in the promition Of this its
, favorite object, multitudinous the
blessings which it has scattered over
the world. Could all the participants
Of its charities be brought to lay their
testimonials. at the foot of this altar.
the last document would crown high
pyramid of glory in honor of Odd Fell
lowship. Faint would be the evidence
which these would furnish of the
( reality; they might point out the
+ numbers who had been relieved, but
+ they could not depict the distress
: which had been prevented, or the
: moral agonies which had been al
d leviated. They could give no idea oil
S the tears of sorrow which attracted
] the eye of pity, much less could they
q estimate the tears of joy which fol.
v lowed in the channels which grief had
fretted, or pain the ecstatic emotions
e of gratitude in the instance Of deliver
# ance. "a