THE INDEPENDENCE OF ODD FELLOWSHIP. BY ALFRED SMITH, P. G. Surgeon to the Earl of Ripon, St. Wilfred, and St. Lawrence Lodges, Ripon District. If a man were to become unexpectedly possessed of a jewel of great brilliancy and immense value, he would not bestow upon it merely a few hasty glances, and then, placing it carelessly aside among "unconsidered trifles," dismiss the subject from his mind. The probability is that his conduct would be very different. He would frequently look at it in every possible aspect; he would place it in the best light, and examine it on every side. Every time he viewed it he would discover new beauties, and prize it more and more. Precisely thus should Odd Fellows endeavour to study and to prize the admirable Order to which it is their privilege to belong. They should not, when they have entered it, regard it carelessly, as a mere benefit society, or as a desirable investment of some portion of their earnings, from which they hope at some future period of sickness, or distress, to derive certain advantages, and then think but little more about the matter, further than to keep themselves "good upon the books." No! they should study its principles, objects, and advantages; they should attentively examine the machinery, the extent, and the results of its operations. They should mark and practice the morality of its teaching-the scope and tendency of its laws and government, and the sense and aim of its mysteries. They should attentively consider, as from time to time they pass under their notice, its practical working and bearing upon the world within and the world without-they should contemplate it in the Lodge, in the cottage, in the city, in the village; at home and abroad; at the deliberative assembly; at the festive board; by the side of the sick bed, and the grave. In all its aspects they should view it; as a secret society, as a moral institution, as a benevolent association, and last, not least, as an Independent Order. If they pursue, as they have opportunity, this line of conduct, and thus make themselves proficient in "the business of Odd Fellowship," they will not fail to discover in it new beauties as they proceed; they will find it to be an Institution infinitely more important and excellent than they at first imagined it; they will admire and respect it more and more; and value, as they ought to do, their privilege in belonging to it. This just appreciation of its worth, and of its peculiar and perfect adaptation to the condition and requirements of all men, will induce them to advocate its cause with temperate but unwavering firmness; to promote its interests and extend its boundaries, from the best of all motives, namely, a thorough conviction that they are thereby doing good in their day and generation. What, let me ask, but such a conviction as this can possibly account for the vast increase and spread of the Order, and the continued exertion requisite for carrying it on, in almost every town and village in this kingdom, and in many abroad? How many thousands of men have been and are engaged, at even a sacrifice of time, money, and labour, in carrying on its operations in town and country? What scorching suns and wintry blasts, on heath and hill, in the smoky city, and on the distant shore, have been cheerfully encountered in its service! Whence spring the enthusiasm that, in its behalf, animates alike the divine in his pulpit, the scholar in his study, the mechanic in his workshop, the agriculturist at his plough, and the sailor on the bosom or the sands of his ever restless home? It is, it can be, nothing but a heartfelt persuasion of the value of the Institution, based upon continued study, observation, and experience of its conduct, its results, and its benefits. Thus, indeed, have the favour of heaven, and the applause of good men, accompanied the widow's gratitude, the orphan's prayer, and "the blessings of such as were ready to perish." To widen and deepen and strengthen this sound principle of action is the especial aim and object of this Magazine, and is at once my motive and apology for claiming a little of its space for considering the Order in another aspect. Its "Benevolence" and "Morality" I have already treated of; we will now bestow a little thought upon its "Independence." Independence and loyalty have always been, not only the characteristics, but the public designations of Odd Fellowship. Every Lodge bears on its Dispensation, "The Loyal- - Lodge," and the Order itself is entitled "The Independent Order of Odd Fellows of the Manchester Unity." Every one of our members, then, ought fully to comprehend and appreciate the title of the community with which he is connected, and in what sense the word Independent is used. Independence and equality must always exist together, or cease to exist at all. There are, however, no two words in our language which have been more misunderstood, nor the misunderstanding of which has led to more mischievous results. That "all men are equal in the sight of God" is an unquestionable proposition; but it is very certain that they are not so, when viewed in reference to each other. One man is placed by providence in a humble, another in an exalted sphere of life. One man wields a sceptre-another must labour with the spade. Even supposing, for a moment, that this difference in outward position and circumstances could be abolished, and that on a given day every man should be exactly equal in both, it would be only for a very short time. The careful and prudent would presently become rich, the heedless and improvident would as rapidly grow poor. Not only the moral, but the mental and physical qualities of men confute and destroy this theory of equality; for they vary, almost infinitely, in the possession of both. One man is born with a powerful body, of great stature, and vigourous constitution, another with a feeble and sickly frame; one possesses a commanding and vigorous intellect, another is a helpless idiot; and between the two extremes exist every imaginable degree of original bodily strength and mental endowment. Whether, under any different order of things this could be otherwise, it is no part of our duty to consider; our business is not with things as they might be, or as we, in our imaginary wisdom, think they ought to be-but with things as we know they are and ever have been. It is quite obvious, therefore, that all theories of actual equality among men in this world are mere empty conceits and idle dreams; for the strong man would, even in the case supposed, soon take precedence of the weak; and the superior mental qualification of some would enable them to procure and retain advantages over others. With the theory of abstract equality perishes the theory of abstract independence. Wheresoever superiority enters, dependance follows as a matter of course; therefore, in the sense we are considering, there is no such thing as independence in the world. Man is, in truth, the least independent of all the creatures upon earth. From the first feeble sob of the new-born babe, to the last faint sigh of expiring age, he has to rely upon others for sustenance, comfort, enjoyment, or direction; and is, in his turn, capable, more or less, of rendering them to others. He is, too, pre-eminently dependant upon the Great Author and Giver of all good things, for the breath in his nostrils, for the life of his body, and the food that sustains it. Rather, then, than haughty and absurd notions of solitary and self-supporting greatness, we should study the gentle and benevolent feelings of good-will and kind actions to our fellow-men. Considering how many are conspiring, directly and indirectly, to render our condition pleasurable, we should endeavour to recognize our duty to contribute something to the well-being and happiness of others. There is, however, an evil which has arisen in this country out of the excessive exercise of even this exalted benevolence, which has, in many instances, defeated its own objects, and injured its receivers. It is that it has generated, in numerous instances, a disposition to rely upon the aid of charity, rather than the exertion of labour. Of the numbers of mendicants that swarm in our streets, of the tenants of our workhouses, of the receivers of parish aid, of the criminals in our prisons, of the occupiers of our penal settlements, it is to be feared that thousands have begun their career by first having accidental recourse to, and subsequently relying upon, the assistance of charitable institutions or individuals for their livelihood. Finding in these a resource against poverty, honest industry is intermitted; self-respect is destroyed; idleness, imposture, and dishonesty follow; and thus is benevolence, the noblest of all virtutes, made, by the depravity of men, the parent of crime, degradation, and misery. It is this disgraceful, unmanly, and vicious dependance upon others that Odd Fellowship disowns and discountenances; and it is independence, in contradistinction and opposition to this, that she professes and inculcates. She teaches hundreds of thousands of working men, of all classes, in this and other countries, that, resigning, with prudent forethought, a small portion of their income in the days of health and prosperity, they should not be destitute and penniless in the time of sickness and distress. She tells them that in disease and in death they should not be dependant for necessary support, or decent interment, either upon public or private charity; she says to them, with the union workhouse, "the beggar's petition," and the pauper's funeral, you have nothing to do— she sends them to the ant to learn wisdom, and the lesson is a prospective provision made by present exertion and sacrifice. This is the noble, manly, and English feeling which should pervade the breast of every man,-this is the "Independence of Odd Fellowship." The inquiry very naturally occurs,- Is the machinery of the Order adequate to the attainment of this great object? The public press has, in some instances, done us the honour to discuss this important question. In private life we frequently meet with good-natured friends, who, seeing the undoubted prosperity of a thriving neighbour, sagely shake their heads, and predict his ultimate ruin. These kind people, who have not contributed one jot to his success, are marvellously acute in predicting his downfall. It is all very well, they say, while it lasts, but it won't last long; things will take a turn by and bye, and then he will go down faster than ever he rose. In like manner, many will acknowledge that our Order does well enough now, (though they have never aided it,) but they can foresee the day when its members will become sickly and old; when the young will not join it; when the demands upon it will be increased, and its resources diminished; and they prophecy the downfall and dissolution of the society. Nay, even among our own members, some are ready not only to entertain, but to publish, opinions and forebodings to the same effect. One of them, a correspondent of the Kendal Mercury, writes in this wise: * * * * Having frequently observed, in perusing the local intelligence of your paper, the advantages to be derived by joining the Odd Fellows, I was. about two years ago, induced to become a member thereof. The proffered advantages, however, I have found it will not be able to maintain. My assertions are perfectly correct, and therefore I hope they will be particularly noticed by all such as it does at present, or may in future, concern. In the first place, the monthly contribution is one shilling and fourpence only, while the allowance to members in time of sickness is ten shillings weekly; and on the death of any individual member, the funeral allowance is ten pounds. At the death of a member's wife also, eight pounds is allowed to defray the funeral expences. These, Sir, are glowing appearances, but it seems that, whoever has been the framer of these rules, he has been reckoning without his host. From the tables computed by Griffith Davies, Esq. F. R. S., Actuary of the Guardian Assurance Company, I find that it would require a contribution of one shilling and fourpence halfpenny per month, to assure ten shillings weekly to any member for life, provided he commenced payment at the age of eighteen years. Where, then, Mr. Editor, is the funeral money to come from, seeing that the members do not make any extra contributions for these occurrences? Again, on reference to the same tables. I find it would require a monthly contribution of threepence to assure any person ten pounds at his death, if he commenced payment at the age of eighteen years. This, you see, would make the contribution one shilling and sevenpence halfpenny to defray the expences which the society at present purports to do; and for the wife's funeral it would require twopence farthing per month additional. amounts to one shilling and ninepence three farthings monthly: yet the Odd Fellows purpose to do all these things with a contribution of one shilling and fourpence only. This There! the murder is out! There is a penny farthing a week wanting, and all is lost! A Westmoreland sage has found it all out-one who says "my assertions are perfectly correct!!" has, with big words, blown our fine system to atoms, upon the authority of a certain Mr. Davies, who, very probably, knows as much of Odd Fellowship as the celebrated gentleman resident in the moon. Read over the passage quoted again, and say, are they not "brave words, my masters!" "Here's a stay That shakes the rotten carcase of old death Out of his rags! Here's a large mouth indeed, That spits forth death, and mountains, rocks, and seas; Talks as familiarly of roaring lions As maids of thirteen do of puppy dogs! He speaks plain cannon fire, and smoke, and bounce; He gives the bastinado with his tongue, Our ears are cudgelled!" Here's a pretty business! Our good old ship, Odd Fellowship, the noblest ship (as the American said) that was ever launched upon the ocean of human life, has sprung a leak; she is on the breakers, and must inevitably sink into the abyss of poverty. Here is a man who looketh into the Guardian's tables, then he bloweth a trumpet, and crieth aloud," I have found"- -What? oh! that we are in a state of incurable insolvency! You need not smile, Mr. Editor,-like Othello, your occupation's gone! "The Magazine" is blown up. Oh! Mansfield, Richmond, Peiser, Powell, Whitehead, Lucas, and Shaw! and oh! ye thousand pillars and champions of the Order, how comes it that with all your acuteness, and prudence, and talent, and energy, you never found out this horrible fact, this astounding penny farthing before! But what is to be done in this alarming crisis? The Board Room must be closed-the members of the Board of Directors must fly the country,-the next A. M. C. cannot be held, but must be translated into "Any more Cash!"'-we must have a "monster meeting" upon Salisbury Plain, Babalist Grimes, Esq., must take the chair, and upon the motion of Wonderful VOL. 8-No. 1--E. Wiseacre, of Kendal, Esq., seconded by Ninny Numskull, A. S. S., the Independent Order of Odd Fellows of the Manchester Unity must be solemnly declared bankrupt, ruined, destroyed, and dissolved, for the want of one penny farthing! Before, however, we proceed to these dire extremities, let us be indulged with a few observations of our own. One thing, at all events, is quite plain, namely, that if there is in reality anything wrong with our pecuniary contributions, in reference to our engagements, this correspondent of the Kendal Mercury is not the Solomon who is to set us right. In the first place, he has totally overlooked the making money, or charge for initiation, which is three-and-twenty shillings and sixpence for each member. Secondly, he takes no notice of the fact that each individual must not only have paid this up, but must have been a subscribing member for six months before he is entitled to any benefits from his Lodge. Thirdly, it is not true, as assumed by Mr. Davies' tables, or at least as insinuated by him, that any considerable number of members require, or receive, ten shillings weekly for life. Fourthly, he takes no account of fines, &c.; and fifthly, he makes no allowance for honorary members, and hundreds who contribute for years to the funds of the Order, and never take one penny from their amount. So that when we come to examine it fairly, we perceive that this, like all other disparagements of our noble Order, is founded in ignorance or misapprehension, and it appears that we shall have no meeting upon Salisbury Plain after all. To illustrate the assertion of the gentleman who tells us "that he is perfectly correct," and who says that "the Odd Fellows purpose to do all these things with a contribution of one and fourpence only!" let us see how a new Lodge, opening with thirty members, would stand at the end of the first six months: £. s. D. 30 members initiated at £1 3s. 6d. each. . 35 5 0 £48 0 0 Giving a clear sum in hand of £48, without fines, presents, or honorary members. Every one who knows anything of Odd Fellowship, knows that it is in a most prosperous state. I have made inquiries of people from all parts of the country, and I hear of nothing but increasing numbers and flourishing finances. Its merits, as a wellconducted, orderly, and safe society, are becoming daily more known and appreciated in the upper classes; and numbers of wealthy and influential persons are constantly enrolling themselves in its ranks. Let us, therefore, be thankful for our prosperity, and enjoy it contentedly. If anything can be done to extend or perpetuate the benevolent objects of the Order, to a greater degree than has hitherto been done, no man living would be more eager to entertain and accomplish it than myself; but this spirit of grumbling anticipation I deprecate and detest. Suppose a man living frugally and comfortably upon a hundred and forty pounds a year, (it would be dangerous to say a hundred and fifty, on account of those income tax fellows,) if he can better his condition, he would be right in so doing; but, would he not be a fool if he fretted, and fumed, and grumbled, because he has not five hundred a year, or because at some future period he might possibly be worse off than he is at present? We have been told by the highest authority that "sufficient for the day is the evil thereof," and as we know that the wise regulations of our Order have always met, and meet now, all its requirements, and we have much to spare, why, in the name of common sense, are we to make ourselves wretched by inventing distant and imaginary evils? He was a shrewd, and I have little doubt, an odd fellow, who said, "How much misery has been caused by those misfortunes which never happened?" and I can assure the croaking friends, as well as the enemies of our Order, upon a long experience, and from extensive observation, that its foundation is sound, and its superstructure durable as any human institution can be. Its "Benevolence" is free and boundless; its "Morality" is pure and unimpeachable; and its "Independence," in spirit and in resources, is noble, rational, and permanent. Long may it prosper, and still more widely may it spreadthe refuge of the poor, the comforter of the widow, the support of the orphan, a blessing to the nation, favoured by heaven, and honoured and beloved by thousands of the wisest and most virtuous among men. North Street, Ripon, November 15th, 1843. BENEDICITE. TO BY ISABELLA CAULTON. (Authoress of the "Domestic Hearth, and other Poems.") ANGEL bands thy footsteps guiding, Weal or wo, thy path betiding, These be thine, these be thine. May the light of Holy Spirit God hath breathed his promise o'er it ; May that holy ray from Him, E'er be thine, e'er be thine. When the spectre Death is shading THE THUNDER STORM. It was a dreadful afternoon and night in the middle of November, 184-. I had travelled nearly thirty miles on a road in the highlands of Scotland, little frequented, except now and then by a solitary pilgrim, like myself, or some chance stray flock of cattle that broused on the rugged mountain sides. In travelling that distance, if I did see a hut where the "human face divine" might be found, that humble sheiling was situated in a locality almost inaccessible, and any attempt on my part to scale the flinty, unbeaten track that led to the height on which, like "an eagle of the sun," it was perched, I saw would be attended with imminent danger, and much physical labour. When I left my home in the morning, the sun shone forth with unwonted brilliancy; the lazy mists that had shrouded the turrets of the majestic hills were either scattered in the limitless fields of space, far beyond the perception of the eye, or had retreated from their pinnacled glory among the valleys and glens, as if loth to lose their dewy conformation by the absorbing influence of the centre of light. These at length disappeared, “leaving no trace behind." Not a speck now could be seen darkening the mighty azure The harbingers of change had hidden even their sable outlines behind the Alpine mountains, when the fulgent rays poured forth on the lesser hills and valleys; the very air seemed subdued, and awed by these, as not a breath was perceptible as "the sere and yellow leaves" dropped from the brushwood stems. I had often gazed on the expansive volume of nature with pleasure, but this morning lent a rapture to my contemplations that I never before had experienced-there was a solemn stillness in the concave. |