Year: 1867

Rev. DR.. Baird delivered the thanksgiving
sermon. It was appropriate, be/said, that
this institution (the Order ofodd Fellows)
should be represented in the house Of God.
Every jewell that glitters on your robes
are unequivoca1 assertions of faith. They
carry along with you on the streets all the
volume of Gods Holy Word. 1t is no
wonder that this association should be dis
posed to bring its altars to this cOnsecrated
temple aud offer its sacrifices and thanks
giving to the Christian God.


/ What is this institution ? From whence
does it come It is not the Curch, nor
does it aspire to be the Church. The
Church IS the fountain, and this is the rip
ping stream that gushes tberefrom-it is
the cluster upon the great tree. This is
the relation between it and the Church.
and no man need mistake the two.


Your motto is Friendship. Whence
comes it? It is the olive branch of Christ
to the suffering world, The workings of
this association are broad and extended
exhibition Of the holy passion Of love, and
your crowning attribute is truth 81 am
the way, the truth aud the life


/ This is no infdel order. Itis no associa-
/ ton that wise eeclesiastios should censure !;
it is the very opposite of that It shows
the power of truth, as exhibited by Gods
holy volume. 'sThou shalt love the Lord,
thy God, with all thy heart, Thou shalt
love thy neighbor as thyself." This is the
platform upon which this institution was
built, and itOpens up the way for the in
PRODUCTION of the whole truth. If the
Golden Rule. which guides you, was car
ried out by all the world, this would be the
last assembly Of this kind. This is the
rule that will beat the sword into powder
and transform the spear into pruning
hook.


Through the wreck and storm, and des
olaton of war, this brotherhood has been
Joined in bonds of blood, and it is right
that its unity should now be celebrated.


There is especial reason why this inst-
tuition should be thankful to God. The
angel of change has spread his wings o'er
the world, and things that were once i'm
movable are now as chaf before the wind
principles of former days are turned into
contradictions. Through all this transfor-
nation and revolution God has favored US,
and we did right to come into His presence
this day and thank Him that this institu-
tion remains intact.


This institution is not national, not sec
tional No broad ocean restricts its career,
Wherever human foot presses the soil there
it is destined to be. This is religious in
stitution, religious in its principles and its
practice. If there be one among you who
believes not in the sacred Book, it were
better for him to strip himself of that mag
ni6cent regalia.


God fosters and brings up such institu-
tions. The world looks upon them in their
gay glitter, and sometimes frowns upon
them but it is because they do not under
stand them. The design of the institu-
tions is to hold the human heart to its
moorings, and well they fulfill their object.


We find this institution at the close of
the war just where it was at the beginning,
and to-day it forms one of those strong
bonds that are the building up of better
times among men.


1t is good for us that there are such in
stitutions. The sea over which we have
been sailing for the past six years is full of
wrecks, and many gallant bark has sunk
forever. But of our ship not single tim
Der has been shivered or a piece displaced d.
Thrice ten thousand times has this assO-
citation extended it blessings amid the
broad plains Of destruction, and succored
the helpless. When death stalks abroad,
and friendship forsakes, tits then that it
sends forth It's charities to sooth the sor-
rowing heart.


Thank God, there are institutions which
aspire no higher than charity and the OBJ
servanee of the commandments of the
Bible. Never has there been such field
spead before any institution as thatnOw be-
fore you. God has blessed you with the
opportunity of unfolding your banner and
spreading this truth at such time as we
! viii probably never seen again. Never
e was there time in the history of this ol
any country where such a society was more
: needed. From one end oS the land to th,
}, other, the suffering are calling for assis
. tanee. There is much to do, much to &C,
complish. The world may not understand
: you. but you are not living for the prais,
Of the world, or for its smiles. There vii
be One who will understand your Ian
guage.


3 Let the future Of this institution be a


the past has been. the Bible the great sea


of Won commission, and may the Lord b


with YOU. and save every trembling trust