The Jericho Road | Page 7

few of their well kept secrets. He that pencils the lily
and paints the rose and gives to every blade of grass its own bright drop
of dew, has been pleased to say: "Hitherto shalt thou come and no
further." And there is great unwisdom in setting up factious opposition
to the fiat of Omnipotence. Possess your souls in patience, O friends!
wait, as we must wait, before knowing all, or even knowing much. If
you can not be Odd-Fellows, you can at least be men, with an effort.

WHAT IS ODD-FELLOWSHIP?
"But, sir," you demand, "can you tell us something more about
Odd-Fellowship, its purposes and its Work?" I can, a little. Come with
me, then, and we will look into the lodge. Ah! In the most conspicuous
place there stands an altar--upon it the open Bible, the world's great
word of Life and Light. Upon the principles enunciated by that Book,
largely rests the great superstructure of Odd-Fellowship. The Bible is to
the order what the sun is to the material universe--its illuminator and
vivifier, even as it also is the, guide to faith and practice. A man may
neglect his closet, his church, his Bible, but when he enters the lodge he
is bound to listen to the voice of his Maker, as it thunders from His
word; and while the lodge does by no means lay claim to the
possession of religious attributes, yet has it been the means, by the
constant use of the Bible, of turning many from the ways of
wrong-doing and sin, into paths of pleasantness and peace; and by a
unique system of symbolism and a comprehensive and practical
application of its sublime truths, the faith of the believer has been
strengthened, enlarged and rendered usefully active.
Odd-Fellowship's plan of benefaction addresses itself to the physical as
well as the moral nature, and, reaching out from its immediate subjects,
permeates by natural affinity every sphere in which active sympathy
may be invoked. Its mission and its results are not only active and
substantial, but often so effective by its consequential or indirect
influence as to penetrate entire communities. In this connection I will
say Odd-Fellowship is not a religious organization. Our work pertains
particularly to this life, educating the heart of man to practical
beneficence, alleviating the sufferings of humanity and elevating the
character of man. Odd-Fellowship was not organized for the purpose of
ridding the world of all its sorrows, but to ameliorate and to soften the
suffering to which the human family is heir. It is an association of men
who have united themselves for the purpose of smoothing the ragged
edge of want, and extending to those who are bound down by the iron
bands of misfortune a helping hand. Odd-Fellowship holds no affinity
with the classifications or distinctions of society, but dispenses charity
to all alike. It does not array itself against the church, nor presume to
arrogate its functions, or to supervise its teachings. Its lodges are not
the council rooms of enmity to religious, civil, moral or social

organizations. Far otherwise; all its oracles and instructions in relation
to these grave subjects find their warrant and authority in the divine law,
under the inspiration of which it proclaims the Golden Rule as the
sublimest illustration of the law of love. Odd-Fellowship keeps a close
watch over its subjects, and constantly impresses upon their minds the
fact that their hearts must not foster evil, the progenitor of crime, or
hatred and vice, whose evil consequences must continue to afflict
mankind until the coming of that time to which hope looks forward
with ardent joy, when one law shall bind all nations, tongues and
kindred of the earth, and that law will be the law of "Universal
Brotherhood." Odd-Fellowship also teaches us that we are never to
judge a man by his outward appearance. A man's form may be clothed
with rags, his hands may be rough and hard, his cheeks may be
browned by the rays of summer's sun; yet underneath all this there may
be an honest heart. If so, we take him by the hand and call him brother.
Odd-Fellowship teaches equality; we must meet upon one common
level. The brother who lives in the rough log cabin enjoys the same
right and privileges as the monarch on his throne. We live, we move
and have our being, and are indebted for all things to the One Great
Ruler of the Universe--God. All persons are desirous of being happy,
and happiness is sought for in various ways. Odd-Fellowship teaches
that man is responsible for his own misery. I believe that no mere
misfortune can ever call for exceeding bitter sorrow. As long as man
preserves himself from contamination of that which is evil and foul, he