Year: 1871

OF Aprll, oa tie occasion OF celebrating the IN


stitution of the Order in the United States ; and
also that copy of the same be respectfully re-
quested from you for publication in the local
papers, Yours, very truly,


JSo S. SNITHIEs, Secy


Right Worthy Distrid Deputy Grand Master,


Noble Grand, Ladies and Gentlemen:


We meet here this evening to commemorate,
in modest manner, the Fifty-second Anniver-
sary of the introduction of the l. o. of o. F.
into the United States, and as we might say, the
foundation of the Order as it now exists On
the evening of the 26th of April 1919, in an
obscure building on back street in the City Of
Baltimore, met five hardy mechanics who, re-
membering the Brotherhood called tho Manches-
ter Unity of Odd Fellows in their mother coun-
try, and yearning to meet again in the Lodge as
brethren, as they had done in the land of their
nativity, instituted the first Lodge in the United
States.


From this Lodge, although it, as we'll as those
which Immediately followed it, worked under the
special rites of the Manchester Unity for a con-
siderable time, has sprung the powerful organiza-
tion of Odd Fellowship, as it now exists in
America.


Little did that devoted band dream At their
first effort that the Order would, in half cen
tury, assume such gigantic proportions as it has
assumed; that the seed that they were then
planting would spring up into gigantic tree
whose shade should overspread the land, invigor-
ating and blessing all who should take refuge
under its beneficent influence; that within this
time should spring membership from those FIVE,
which should be numbered by the hundred
thousand, whose protection of the sick, the op-
pressed, the widow and the orphan, should glad
den, yearly thousands Of homes which would
otherwise have been desolate from poverty and
suffering. The chill winds of winter have been
tempered to many by its influence; it has been
staff to the lame and eyes to the blind; it has
given consolation to the afflicted healing balms
to the sick food to the hungry, and they may
be counted by thousands who have been rescued
from lives Of sin and wretChedness by the timely
influence of those who have followed the less
than half dozen sturdy men who met on that
evening ffty-two years ago.


The Chief of that little band lived to see the
Order extend throughout the country, and still
extending its branches TO other lands-hmsef
the most revered and honored, of those revered
and bOnOred brethren, who had been called to
preside over the destnes of the United Broth
erhood.


1t is not necessary for me on this occasion to
trace the gradual innovations which finally led to
the entire independence Of the Order in America
In about twenty years after the first meeting in
Baltimore, the Order already become powerful
for good, declared its separation from the Man
chester Unity, and has since continued to extend
its influence as an independent organization. 1t
now embraces within its membership the good
and charitable of all classes. To him who holds
the second official position in the United States,
the ladies owe the possibility of becoming mem
bers, and participating in the benefits of the
Order as members of itA Schuyler Colfax Vice
President of the United States is the author of
the beautiful degree Of Rebecca. Those who
have received that degree, wherever they may be,
if there is to be found an Odd FelIow-and they
are to be found in every town and hamlet in the
United States and bere-w find an honorable
and faithful friend


Excelsior Lodge, now working under the juris-
diction of the Grand Lodge of California, may
boast herself as the pioneer of Odd Fellowship
west of the Rocky Mountains. This is the only
Lodge in the Pacific Ocean, and the oldest of
any of the Lodges in the jurisdiction, having
brethren who had seen the working of the Order
in the East, and who loved its principles, founded
the Lodge, and struggled for years to bring it
into that state of health and strength which
should insure its permahence aud prosperity.
That we meet here tonight in Hall owned by
the Lodge, is sufficient proof that the efforts of
those brethren have been crowned with sue
cess. Now, under the Jurisdiction of the Grand
Lodge of California, are more than l60 Lodges |
with membership of nearly 10000, property
distributed among the Lodges of nearly three |
quarters Of million of dollars, an income of |
over hundred and fifty thousand a year, of |
which over eighty thousand is yearly expended
for the relief Of the sick and destitute, the widow
and orphan. Certainly, Excelsior Lodge may be
proud of her position as the pioneer of this great
branch of the organization.


1t is sometimes the practice on occasions like
this to boast of the antiquity of this Order to
say that although changes may have been made,
itill the foundation of the Order was laid in the
ar ages of the past. Enthusiastic orators are
prone, darkly, to refer to the early days of the
of Egypt and Syria, and claim that
rom those early times are derived the rites Of
be Odd Fellowship of to-day. For my part, l
10 not feel disposed to claim any great antiquity
or the Order, but rather am inclined to look
Ipon it as the child of much later civilization
All the antiquity can claim for it is that en-
,odied in its teachings, and in the practice Of
very good Odd Fellow, are the wisdom, virtue,
nd honor which have been taught by the good
nd virtuous of all ages. have no doubt but
hat Joseph, for his honor aud faithfulness, his
forgiveness of the brethren who had so cruelty
Tronged him, his wise precautions in providing
Or the fearful drought which was about to make
Egypt as desert that Moses, for his care Of
is brethren of the children of Abraham that
osbn, TO- that conzfanov ,yb;ob ,,.--,;ffad h;n,