Year: 1859

OF heatheniSm, perhaDs thu


hna phase in the worlds existence. believe this indie
pendent Oorder of Odd Fellows to be one of the insr


ments in the hands of God to accomplish His purpose and
woTk OUT our destiny as race and that that destiny
nigh and happy one whose underlying foundation shall
De love to God and universal fraternity the family
man.


1t is true, my feowctizens that in the beginning 4C
years ago. the fathers of this Order did not project no,
could have anticipated the present condition of American
Odd Fellowship.


They knew not that their little room in the Seven
Stars, there going forth glorious mission to ali
the world minister of peace and love- whose abors would
ehd only when earth's history written. Little


hought they that in 40 years their brothers and their
chldren should be numbered not by and hundreds


ny thousands but by tens of thousands and hundreds
OF thousands Little thought they that from the simple
element Of their aaton there should spring up spen
1d supertrucure of love and charity so and
so comprehensive that every true and generous
ma responsive and aterna sentiments making
the very atmosphere of its shadow.


Little thought they that the requirements Of odd Fe1


owshp in this single city should in so short time de-
mand SO massive, extensive and elegant building as
@ S nan the completion oil which you this day celebrate
ana that, besides, similar buildings would adon every
popuous city, and almost every town and village from
the St Lawrence to the Gulf of Mexico from the Atlantic
20 the Misssslpp and still onward beyond the Rocky
Mountains, on the shores of the Pacific the worsbnnars
at he shrine of the Order should gather together in the
holy bonds of its fraternal spirit


what cause for congratulaton then nv brethran
tS occasion affords, evidencing the rapid
ana present prosperity of Order here at home and
wne IT demonstrates the truth and beauty of our
principles and that there something in them and abont
them peculiarly fitted for the condition and wants NJ I'M
gives earnest OF permanence and
ana an assurance to our brothers abroad
as We and in newer Jurisdictions encouraging them to
nobler and more persevering efforts in the great nj
friendship, Love, and Truth.


Eighteen years ago the first part of this building then


just erected was dedicated the cause of beneyoIenca
and human right with appropriate ceremonies and in
@ Tue mldst OF the proud rejoicing of the membership


twas building but 25 feet in 'front.' and was found for
some time sufficient for the purposes Order
AGAIN lnIo43, an addition built and appropriated to
the like purposes aferward the splendid branch of the


atrarchai order required further accommodation and
tIe rear puding was erected and aterward the north
wing was ADDED and still the Order grew in numbers and
III spirit Ihe strong current of prejudice which had for
many years been driven against the foundation wall
Of our fortress fell back broken and discomfted Tho
fierce storm of public opinion that rocked the verv
rets OF our tower has stled its angry spirit and now
sympathisng stream of public confidence flows gentI
py US, ana from many womans heart wells up the
grateful tear, eloquent with unutterable love-apd the
orphans whispered prayer rises like incense from holy
altar and the passing breeze goes m to the ot
Heaven. ~ eS vi


And again. another addition becomes necessary and s
now completed, and you have to devote it to its
nope purposes No words of deriso accosted yOur ro
cesson no scoes sat by the waysde and sneered
your passing ranks No, notha day is past my bretl-
rem glad welcome smiles were avished ON Won and
noble heart uttered God speed you in your enernris
Who indeed could do else but smile or indeed wean
Joyous tears as all these evidences of your goodness and
the thronged streets of our city2


brothers. let us live that may deserve our success
and manifest our thanks to Eternal Father not with
up service only but by faith in his ruling Provi-
dence and by continued good works in the cause of hu
man benefaction


At the close of Mr.. Young's remarks, Mr.. Esca-
vaille introduced John W. Dwinelle, delegate to
the Grand Lodge from Northern New York, who
spoke as follows: ~ "i'0


Mr.. DwINELL's SPEECH


Brethren do not wish to prelude nv remarts with
any apology for the scanty entertainment wh oh on,
about to afford you the brief have had for prepara
ration precludes any such necessity feel in
prepared to address you and yet not wholly prenared
have been an OddFellow for the past eighteen years
therelore know what the orderis have participated in
Its have learned its history and year after
year have partaken of the boundess hospitality of the
Grand Lodge of Maryland. lam therefore qualified to
speak of your Order am united to Won nv th snir and
bonds of brotherhood. l owe you deep Obligation of
gratitude and willing to render YOU any service in
my power ct do not know precisely what you desire
OF me at TINS tme and have hardly satisfied myself what
would be tasteful on the OCCASION acceptable to YOU


Many things which have heretofore been said on such
occasions have been said often and so we'll that Won
will not expect that should repeat them now Won are
already familiar with their expression in its highest
and my are therefore increased


seems proper that should avoid the very suggestions
and expressions which would naturally occur to me


In looking the history the world an obvious re
Election occurs to that mankind has hitherto moro
generally honored their greatest than their
est benefactors OF all the forms in which masses Of men
have assembled themselves probably more beaut
u and attractive than that of the array great army
ready for battle.


The long ranks of sered infantry the splendor of uni
forms, the flashing of arms the glitter of gold the clanp
'r OF the trumpet the neigh of the horse ready
battle, and the "big musc of the cannon attract


e senses and overpower the maginaon and we forget


hat all this proud array furnishes only tremendous in


rument Of death to be welded for the scourge and de-
trucon of our fellowmen When we read in history of
such displays, forget in1uire into their immediate
results We do not the field numbered with the man
sed the dying and the dead do not witness the CON


agraon OF burning cities; do not hear the groans of
he widow the wls OF the orphan the shrieks of the
outraged maiden.


From out of the darkness of the his toric past 'far
iashes the red fire Of the artillery battle and the clash
Of arms and the boom of the dreadful cannon h
rs with fearful reverberaons through the long vaulted
laS oil history but We listen in vain for the hum the
Mechanics lathe the ring of the FORGE cnk of the
rtisans hammer The greater the injury one has don
mankind the more llusrious has been in history


ne ruler VINO has perhaps deuged half continent with
'lood-the great king dies, ennobled by crime and an
lonted with blood and the protrature and stau
Try transmit to posery his form and features and even
he details of his dress We scrutnize his linpamen in
he colossal bronze and the mpershabe marble and we
,ay homage at his magnificent sepulchre but who
rented the revolving wheel who first applied
he sail to the boat who first smeed the rude iron ore


ho hrst thought out the mystery of the steam engne
And tins is but small part of the injustice which man


lind has practsed towards its greatest teachers and ben
factors They not appreciated in their own dav;
hey were Injured to toll and wrechedness they were ac
ustomed to hunger and privation they were familiar with
risOns and with the damp walls of dungeons thev su
cred the gbbet and pershed at the stake And vet
he world in its progress has been wholly unjust to
hese men, before whom, unknown, unnamed and unpor
rated as they are mankind bow with grateful rev
renee, looking up to them do to the namecss
tars which shine in dimless glory from the depths of


light


Inc world mas changed, and begins to he
reat warriors who win the victories of peace" The
nan who invented printing wears brighter halo of glory
han Julius Caesar Columbus ecpses the bigo king who
esated to be his patton but hastened TO became his
prosecutor; the of Watt will live as long as the
team engine performs its functions; and Fulton will be
emembered long after the existing of politicians shall
lave been forgotten.


Let us cast our eyes about for moment What
this splendid array these banners gancng in the
un, these gorgeous uniforms? Is this an army going
orth to battle2 Are these the implements and ecora
ions OF war; Yes, ny friends it is part of a great
army but its mission is not destructive it is of be-
levOence 1t has just returned from battle and is now
celebrating its victory vice and human suffering
For among the great trumphs of benevolence and hu
nanity which recorded in modern history what can
find greater glorious than those achieved by
'ur Order one OF which we.are assembled to cee.
orateF 10 measure its value and extent let glance
again for moment at the history of the past


The genius Of the ancient world one of benevo
and charity for the old forms of paganism were not
mbued with the spirit of love and truth In the early
ages and even within the range of authentic history the
walls of the old, left the mountains to perish were
mingled with the cries of newborn infants exposed by
heir parents to be devoured by wild beasts in the will
lerness Prisoners taken captive in war were sacrificed
thousands at the tombs of savage heroes while the
temples of idoatry damp with the streams of human
sacrifice. In later times, even the refined Romans con-
iemned their captve to the murderous sports of the am
where the brutal cheers of the mob were
shouted the agones of the dying gladiator or exu
I'd over the parting pangs Of the Christian MARTYR torn in
pieces by wild beasts Even under the Jewish spensa
ion the maniac often abandoned by his family and
he eper driven forth into the wilderness to die Such
the benevoence of the ancient world among whose
uns we seek in vain for the remains of edces devoted
% the alleviatOn of human suffering.


Search the whole land of Egypt from the Mediterranean
the cataracts of the Nile and you shall find no trace
If hospital for the sick the classic soil of Greece shall
furnish vestge of asylum for the poor the ruins of
Rome present with the remains her pagan temples
her dungeons her voupuous palaces and her amphthe
atres, but OF no orphan asylum for the aged
poor If pass down the ages and come TO the field oc
,uped by Order how different from the condition of
ancient times is that accomplished by Odd Fellowship


What is profession2 'We visit the sick we bury
the dead relieve the distressed we educate the Or
phan." Where do we find an echo of this declaration
rom the buried ages of antiquity How has our Order
fulfilled this profession? How the answer fills the air
with tones of hunder From the graves buried
)rethren from hearts of thousands of widows from
he lips of tens of thousands of orphan children. YEA
rom the mouths of millions of admiring countrymen
comes the response: proudly have we upheld your
banner faithfully have redeemed your pledges nobIy
lave ye done your work And it is so.


The great battle has been decided in our fayor-tbe
victory of peace already won. You assembled
to consummate this victory. You have completed
beautiful and enduring monument of the great work
hat has been commenced and you have now dedicated
to that benevolent Order whose auspices the great
work of good has been DONE But are some features
iced. NV


Great the honOrs which we freely bestow unon
he aged Patriarch who planted the Order in our country
low little did he appreciate the act in which he partic
)atedi How little could he know that from the seed
which he then planted should grow tree whose branches
should overspread whole continent, and in whose shade
whole nation should rejoice, and that from golden Cali


ornia and distant Oregon and from the far islands of
he Pacific, he should in his lifetime receive the
blessings of the same affiliated brotherhood see him
lere now and near him to whose refined taste and
good judgment at conservative and perfective opr
Order owes more than to the ocesof any other manhe
Grand Secretary of our National body


Here then, in this appropriate place complete vour
work. N this same city of Baltimore, where were inst
uted the first subordinate Lodge the first State Grand
Lodge and the first National Grand Ledge in our iur
iicton In this same Maryland, from whence as from
garden has flowed the great river of delightful waters


which have saked the thirst of thousands and have fer
ilized and beautfed the whole land And to those
principles to which they dedicated NAV thesa walls