Year: 1859

We have reverence for that blessed league of
Friendship, Love and Truth, exempifed in the
lives and practice of citizens who delight TO be
called Odd Fellows" Is it not funny appel
lation, suggestive of eccentricity? They are odd
from other people unlike the world, these oddly
conducting fellows do not abandon each other to
congealing death-damps and pauper graves
How very oddly they act !--hastening with night
to the sick chamber, lifting cup of cold water
TO the lips Of fever, tending the slowly sinking
taper, consoling Despair, confronting Death in
his domain OF all but abandoned poverty lifting
the fainting widow from the cold arms of soul
less clay-Great Heaven ! these fellows are odd
they act so strangely


There is bridge over a silent valley clouds
roll under its arches and rainbow gds its lofty
piers in pari colors. The structure rises as ii ex
tends underneath is the river Of life, and high
on its upper walls and equi-distant are Watchers
looking away down the Valley of Sin for signals
Of distress. They interrogate every passing
breeze whether it has let fall a sorrowlul sigh or
dying groan they sound every drifting cloud to
know whether cry of distress has stranged in
its damp folds they probe each bubble on the
stream TO see whether it contains the last life Of
q sunken swimmer, and send hourly messengers
through the deserted lanes where affection is
pressing her last kiss on the pald lips of starva-
tion (; il is a wonderful causeway of Mercy, lead
ing from the tabernacles of men up to the eter-
nal palaces Of Heaven and over which the halt
ing Lazarus bounds like the playful roc


I'm hn civ nd won tipfh 1av of fbo urth
month the Odd Fellows of this nation will cee-
brate the Fortieth Anniversary of the first Lodge
founding on the continent in city and village,
on mountain and plain, they will gather together
and be glad that from little company uplifting
the sacred standard Of brotherhood in the New
World, their multiplying has been manifold, I'M
Ill the advance guard of their legions have bourne
the AK Of the Covenant to land end


Let them be glad on that day counting the
multitude of widows benedictions looking
down the gallery of inlant faces made playful
and jubilant by pcnttude of bread enumera-
ting the hands-full of evergreens strewed on the
graves Of the friendless and homeless measur
ing the acres consccrated to the repose of the
world forsaken listening to the solemn response
iuul, III lHe fuCItu DdileS Oh IIleuuhHpi Love
and Truth" proclaims Brotherhood throughout
the land. The brethren in this village will then
be glad. Now, they are looking abroad and dis
covering every here and there other brethren
who forget to come up to the sacrifice, and they
say to them, :" Why stand ye i'd, all the day 2"
They would have them come up to the place of
union and join in full fellowship with those who
have preserved the sacred fire among the soi-
tudes and SHOWS of the wilderness, and have them
20 out before the world in The uniform of frater-
nifty, so that men will say Where have dwelt
all these brethren p


We are told that North Star" Lodge is pros
porous and blessed by union of good purpose;
its traternal league is strengthening and extend
ing; its hall is becoming populous with brethren
who from quiet places have come knocking at
the door. And now, men Of the world, look you
upon the company Of brethren whose command |
is to visit the SICK comfort the heart-breaking |
and bury the dead. and tell us whether in all
their works they do not silently proclaim to the
poor, TO the oppressed, 10 the world forsaken who |
still held fast to their integrity. Behold the |
way, a ready help in time OF trouble. Once |
within the hospital of mercy, misfortune, nor
persecution, nor plague, nor death can break
from the fingers of the fugitive the indestruetibe
links OF Friendship, Love and Truth"