Year: 1866

tutes but tithe of its intrinsic virtues. Jts oh
iects look not only to the allevaton, but also tn
the prevention of suffering. With view to This
end each Brother is cautioned against the fasan-
atoms of vice in all its forms, and instruc cted in
the unerring law by which he should be govern
ed He is taught that virtue should be the great
end of life, that it gives joy which vice with
all her Elusive promises never pretends to he
stow that it is the guardian of youth. the pIo-
ry of manhood and the crown of age Further
we recognize man as the constituent of a com
mon brotherhood, and strive to impress the mind
of each Brother with due sense of the obl;oa- :
tions which fraternity impose. We labor to ele
vate his character, to imbue him with proper
conception of his capabilities, to improve his
mind, to enlarge his sympathies and affections
in word to lead him to cultivation of those
fraternal relations designed by the great Author
of his being. We claim the right to watch over
him, not only in the Lodge room, but also in his
intercourse with the world at large If unheed
ing of his instructions, or forgetful of his obli
cations, he stray from the path of recttude, he
must atone to the offended laws. If with crimi
nal intent he offend against the laws of the land
none interpose to shield him from their penalty
On the contrary. he is subjected to a double tri-
al, and though he escape at the bar of your
Courts, at our tribunal the investigation pro-
ceeds, and if the evidence sustain the CHARGE
his sentence is pronounced and his turpitude
proclaimed throughout our wide jurisdiction-
Growing out of the relation of brotherhood to
which | have adverted is the sacred principle of
liberation, the practice of which our rules most
strictly inculcate. From our Lodge rooms we
Danish the classiications of society. With sects
and creeds, parties and rank caste condition,
and the antagonism they occasion, the bitterness
they engender, the strife, alienation and dstrust
they create, as Odd Fellows we have nothing to
do All who come among us meet in the spirit
of unity, fellow men, as brethren Yet while
our doors closed against all distinctions aris-
ing from creed, country or condition, we ask no
surrender of opinions sacrifice OF principle,
no loosening of the ties to church or obligations
to State for each Brother is instructed that he
cannot be AN Odd Fellow in spirit and in truth
if he neglect any of the duties he owes to him
self, to his family, to society, to his country or
his God We thus present a broad platform up
on which all may unite in the bonds OF traterni-
ty to discipline the mind, to expand the sympa-
thies, to inculcate virtue, to promote Friend
ship, Love and Truth, and to cultivate and prac-
tice towards each other and the world Charity
which suffereth long and is kind that enveth
not that vaunteth not itself; is not puffed up ;
doth not behave itself unseemly seeketh not her
own is not easily provoked thinketh evil !;
rejoiceth not in niquity, but rejoiceth in the
truth, that Charity the quality of which, like
Mercy, "is not strained"


1t droppsth the gentle rain from heaven


Upon the place beneath. 1t is twice blessed:


1t besseth him that gives and him that takes-


'Tis mghtiest in the mghtiest. 1t becomes


The throaed monarch better than his crown


But as time will not permit further consider
alton of this branch of the subject, pass. to no
tice some of the objections which have OCCASION
ally been urged against Odd Fellowship, for it
cannot be denied that it, like all human institu-
tons, has had and still may have opponents.


First-The chief objection that has been raised
is, that ours is secret society. Properly speak
ing, secret society is that coaceals its times
and places of meeting, the names of its mem
bers the rules by which the society is governed,
and everything pertaining to its business and
purposes. The institution of Old Fellowship
is not one of this character. The times Of our
meetings and the locality of Lodges
well known as the hours and places of pn5lic
worship Oar members and officers are known
as such in every community Our objects are
declared without reservation in oar Text Books
and Manuals in our magazines and papers.
which are scattered throughout the land. The
Bylaws and Constitutions of our Lodges may
be found in the workshop and dwelling, in the
office and library, open for the inspection of all.
In what then, do you ask, does its secrecy con-
sst? | answer in our initiation and the manner
of our instruction, for we would not lessen Their
impressiveness by deprvng them of their novel
tv. Second-Inour signs, tokens and passwords
by which we know each other at home or abroad.
This is necessary to protect us against the impo-
siion and deception of unworthy and designing
men. Lastly. if assistance is rendered to a
Brother or his family we keep it within oar own
breasts, for we would not wound the feelings of
the needy by procaimng their dependence or
by seeking the worlds approval, for Charity is
its own reward. Our secrecy hath this extent,
no more.


But, SAYS an objector, secrecy is dangerous.
Crime turks in the shelter of darkness. Yes,
but it also haunts beneath the meridian sun.
Many of the legitimate transactions of every day
life are yelled from the scrutinizing eye of the
public, and no one is so foolish as to declaim
against their conceament. The physician is
made the confident of his patients, and the
lawyer of his clients. The man of business very
properly refrains from disclosing all his plans
and operations and there are but few famllies
opine that would choose to blazen before the
world all that transpires around the domestic
hearth. Generals, too, conceal their designs
from the enemy, and armies are protected not
only by the strength and discipline of their bat
tallions, but also by their words and counter
signs Our National Senate sits at times with
closed doors, and not unfrequently, 1t may be,
the destnies of our nation depends on the
secrecy of Cabinet meeting. Further, l re-
mark that secrecy is in divers places poSld'e'y
commanded in Holy Writ. "When thou prayeSt
enter thy closet and pray In secret anu "aen
thou doest aims let not thy left hand know what
thy right hand doeth, thatthy Father who hearetn
and seeth in secret may reward thee openly.


From all of which | infer that secrecy is not OF
itself intrinsicaly evil. The richest blessings
of heaven NAV be perverted for wicked purposes,
and so secrecy may be employed to conceal evii
designs, or to keep hidden that, the revelation
of which would be promotive of good. Whetner
such is the use Odd Fellowship makes OF secrecy
we are content to have you decide from our ac-
tions satisfied that if you judge the tree oy It's
fruits, you will Judge righteous judgment


Others have urged in objection that we have
those among us who do not exemplity IN their
conduct the precepts we pretend to incalca'e
This will not attempt TO refute. But none OF
you will deny the invigorating and fract'lyihg
Influence of the sue's rays because the eye OF OF
science has detected dark spots on the Iace oi
the great orb of day. Nor will you oecry re-
ligion because its sacred atars erected lor 'he
worship of the living God there may oe those :
who bow the knee who never felt the power o'
sanctifying grace. Nor will yon denounce NOR
ality because of the hypocrisy OF those wno as.
| sumo it as a mark, while their inmost heafts al
contaminated with the foul leprosy OF cri'ne
And in all fairness would say, Odd fe'lo"shlp
cannot be charged with the SHORTCOMINGS VI
l r fnrrn r.