Whether Odd-Fellowship originated before or since the Christian erawhether Egypt, Greece or Rome, is entitled to the honor of its foundation -what immediate causes gave birth to it-how, (if as old as many believe,) it managed to survive the general wreck which had well nigh swept away every vestige of civilization, during the dark ages-whether Odd-Fellowship is a new name for an old society, modified in its principles and organization to suit the ever-varying tastes and conceits of our nature, are questions I shall not undertake to argue, conceiving them to be not at all material to the purposes of this discourse. To the inquisitive mind, it would be interesting to examine its claims to a very remote existence; but why labor to secure for it the veneration that would be accorded at best to a doubtful antiquity, when it presents so much to admire in its government, principles and objects? The age in which we live is decidedly utilitarian in its character; and in accordance with its spirit, I shall rest my defence of the Order on its capacity for good.

The Independent Order of Odd-Fellows, is an institution of modern times. Under its present title and organization, it scarcely numbers fifty years. If, however, it is not venerable because of the antiquity of its existence, nor singularly interesting because of the mysterious circumstances attending its establishment, it commends itself not the less strongly to our warmest regard, resting, as it does, on principles as old as the creation itself, and which have constituted the foundation of the many similar societies, maintaining similar ceremonies, and looking to similar ends, that have flourished in all ages, and under every variety of government with which history acquaints us. These principles, as embodied in our motto, are Friendship, Love and Truth, including, as understood and practiced by the Order, the indulgence of all the finer feelings of our nature-the faithful performance of our various relative duties towards each other, as fellow-creatures-in a word, the cultivation of all those virtues that adorn and dignify human character. By cherishing the better qualities of our nature-restraining our evil propensities-inculcating principles of morality-encouraging kind and brotherly feeling towards each other-recommending habits of industry, sobriety and economy-in short, by frowning upon vice of every description, and stimulating, by its rewards and honors, to acts of benevolence and charity,-Odd-Fellowship hopes to refine the feelings, control the impulses, temper the passions, and elevate the character of its members.

Its charity consists in befriending the stranger, relieving the distresses of the unfortunate-administering comfort to the needy-alleviating the sorrows of the afflicted-securing its members, in the midst of those trials and difficulties of life from which few are exempt, against dependence on the cold, calculating, reluctant charity of the world-providing for the destitute widow-protecting and educating the helpless orphan, and performing the last sad offices of humanity, when the curtains of darkness close over a brother. Its high aim is to diffuse the principles and inculcate the practice of a pure and holy charity, that gives without vaunting, and relieves without leaving the sting which worldly charity too often inflicts the charity of the heart, the charity of fraternal spirits-while mourning over misfortune, and weeping over misery, rejoices in the abil ity to succor and save, and throwing the mantle of protection over a destitute brother, warms his heart, revives his spirit, and encourages-cheers him on his pilgrimage along the rugged pathway of life.

Its means of effecting its charities are derived from certain fees which its laws impose. These constitute a common fund, upon which all, having contributed alike, are equally entitled to draw when overtaken by misfortune. Already, in some parts of our country, where its success has enabled it, schools have been established, where the destitute children of its deceased members are educated; and it is not less honorable to the society, than it must be gratifying to the philanthropist, to know that numbers have received and are enjoying the inestimable blessings of knowledge and light, who, if cast on the uncertain care of the world, might have lived and died in miserable ignorance.

Its government, in character, is purely democratic, selecting its members indiscriminately from all classes; recognizing none of those artificial and capricious divisions of society, which serve no other end than to excite disaffection, and acknowledging, in the bestowal of its honors, no passport but that founded on merit; the rich and the poor, the humble and the exalted, commingle within its temples, on terms of perfect equality, and are taught to feel, however widely adventitious circumstances may separate and estrange them, the mutual dependence of man on his

fellow-man.

Based on those universal feelings of our nature which the educated admire, the ignorant respect, and whose generous impulses even the wicked cannot at all times resist,-humble in the character of its founders, and unaided by wealth, Odd-Fellowship, the offspring, as it were, but of yesterday, has already extended itself over all portions of the civilized world, and attained a degree of respectability and strength far exceeding the expectations of its most sanguine friends. It numbers in its ranks men of all religions, all pursuits, all conditions; and if the past be an earnest of the future, it seems destined to accomplish more towards the moral reformation of man, than any society that has ever been instituted. Generally, wherever it has erected its standard, its happy influence, as illustrated in the peaceable and upright deportment of its members, and their acts of benevolence and charity, has speedily silenced the voice of slander, and secured public esteem. The fears of the weak have been quieted, the prejudices of the ignorant removed, and the approbation of the good been won, in spite of the false suspicions industriously circulated against it. In some parts of our country, however, liberal and enlightened as she is, it has encountered an opposition no less fierce, an excitement no less furious, than were arrayed against Masonry, and which, for a season, in their wildness and extravagance, caused that respectable and time-honored institution to tremble for its existence. All that malice, falsehood and ridicule could invent, have been invoked to stay its onward progress. The authority even of the Popish Church has been interposed against it; her followers have been commanded not to join us, under the awful penalty of forfeiting heaven itself. But for the glorious spread of knowledge, which has long since disarmed that church of her dread influence; the terrors of excommunication, once appaling to the stoutest heart, might achieve our overthrow. Fortunately for our Order, it was established, and it prospers, in an age of reason. A blaze of light illumines the pathway to heaven; across it are to be seen no toll-gates, where tribute is exacted before the pilgrim can pass on. In Rome, the Pope still thunders, but the startling, terrifying, subduing glare of his lightning has been ex

tinguished by the boundless, endless, and sublime light of Truth, protecting, purifying and elevating man politically, socially and morally. Uncalled for, as we think the edict which has gone forth, and deeply as we should regret, (if such prove its effect,) the exclusion from our ranks, of an honest, true-hearted class of our fellow-citizens, still, brothers, if we are true to ourselves, the triumph of our cause is inevitable. To an OddFellow, it is a matter of surprise, that an institution so intimately connected with the moral and social well-being of man, should have encountered serious opposition from any quarter. He may triumphantly ask, against what interest of man does it militate? What rights of his does it infringe? What principles curtail? With what duties does it conflict? So far as man is concerned, considered simply as a member of the social circle, it holds up to him as the standard of action, the golden rule of doing unto others as he would be done by; persuades him to govern those violent and vindictive passions of his nature which disturb the harmony of society, and invites him to the practice of those virtues that shed around it its greatest lustre.

And though government and religion constitute no part of the business of Odd-Fellowship, both are alike deeply interested in its prosperity. To man, as a subject of State, it is true, it undertakes to prescribe no political creed, to advance the interest of no political party. Its simple injunction is, to obey the law and respect the constituted authority; but then, the general principles it inculcates, the obligations it imposes, and the duties it exacts, are admirably calculated to secure to government tranquillity, respectability and strength, if these evidences of national prosperity depend on the virtue, integrity and industry of its population. And without friendship, without love, without truth, religion loses all its comeliness, all its beauty, all its sublimity. While it properly excludes from its proceedings all interference with religion, as being, of all subjects on which the human mind has been brought to reflect, one that involves the greatest diversity of opinion, and on which it is vain to hope for uniformity of belief-while it admits to its communion-table men of all creeds, and administers its sacrament with equal favor to all, it still teaches the Mahometan and the Jew, the Infidel and the Christian, as they kneel around its common altar, to "look through nature, up to nature's God;" to honor Him as the author of their being, reverence Him as the source of all power, and adore Him as the fountain of all good. Though it holds not up to its disciples the book of Revelation, nor exacts of them a belief in its inspiration; yet the moral code it has established, has been drawn from that divine source. The more closely they conform to its principles, the more nearly do their characters approximate the meek, pure and holy character which the Saviour of mankind has described as befitting his followers, and the more deeply are their minds impressed with the important truth that religion is essential to the well-being of man. So far, then, as government and religion are affected by our Order, whilst its policy forbids it to inter. fere with either, its precepts and practices are in strict conformity with the best interests of both.

Against Odd-Fellowship, as indeed against all similar institutions, it is objected that it is a secret society, and therefore dangerous. Such an objection might have weight under an arbitrary and despotic government; where the great mass of the people only know a government by its exac

tions, where the ruler obtains power by accident or crime, and wields it in utter disregard of the interests of the governed, secret societies may become dangerous; for it is "in union men see and feel their strength. Hence it was that in England, her kings of old deemed it important to become Masons; and in despotic Spain, from fear her down-trodden subjects might burst their shackles, her tyrants declared and treated Masons as felons.

But, in a democratic government, where all power emanates from and resides in the people; where the governor of to-day becomes the citizen of to-morrow, and there is an entire identity of interests between the governor and the governed, how a secret society can be dangerous to public liberty, it is difficult to conceive. The doors of our lodges, if not thrown open to all, are closed only against the worthless; and unless Odd-Fellowship exercises some hidden magic influence, by which it has been enabled to stifle the promptings of that paramount allegiance to country all feel and obey, treasonable designs, dangerous plots, if any such lurked behind its mask, would have long since been exposed; Odd-Fellowship would have lived but in name, and been only remembered to excite our contempt at the shallowness of the artifice by which its founders sought to accomplish unholy purposes.

The indiscriminate selection of members from all classes and interests of society, renders it extremely difficult, if not impossible, for secret institutions to meddle with the ordinary politics of a country. The natural right, and the still more natural desire, to be free from lawless oppression, obliterating the common divisions and conflicting interests of society, have occasionally jostled benevolent institutions from their peaceful orbits; but when thus dragged into the vortex of political revolutions, they have been found battling in defence of popular rights. If ever mad ambition shall attempt their overthrow in our country, the same spirit that now binds us together in the cause of benevolence and charity, shall kindle on our altars the glorious fires of liberty; the song of peace that now softens, shall give place to the soul-stirring shouts of patriotism, and out of our temples every where, throughout this vast republic, shall go forth the same love of freedom, the same hatred of oppression, and the same indomitable courage, that guided, sustained and animated our fathers before us.

The assertion, then, that our society is dangerous, because of its secrecy, is contrary to reason, and unwarranted by any thing in the history of the many benevolent societies that have existed from time immemorial.

It is further objected,-if its purposes be good, why employ mystery in its aid? The love of mystery, if not an original passion of the mind, seems necessarily to grow out of its own mysterious organization. Nature is mystery-man is mystery from the crown of his head to the sole of his feet-God is mystery; and the imperishable monuments of his wisdom and goodness above, around, beneath us, are all covered over with mystery. In his revelation to man he has employed mystery, and his "High Priest, while on earth, labored in secret." Why then may we not call to our aid the same charm to promote our cause? Numbers, from a desire to penetrate that veil of mystery which its founders have wisely thrown over it, have been induced to join the Order. Having beheld its arcana and taken upon themselves its vows, they have caught the enthusiasm which it rarely fails to impart to its votaries, and abandoning old and vicious habits, have contracted new and better ones.

Approve, then, rather than condemn, the innocent device by which it seeks to turn frail man from the error of his ways, and persuade him to walk in the paths of peace and virtue.

After all, what do we conceal? Not our principles, not our objects, nor the means by which we hope to accomplish them; but our emblems, tokens and other signs, with which the uninitiated have no right to be acquainted. These enable the society to identify its members-to protect itself against imposition-in fact, are essential to its existence. Great pains have been taken to ridicule these harmless rites of the Order.When assaults on its principles and objects have failed, a sneer has been raised at our banners, regalia and symbols. These devices are but the "outward and visible signs of the inward and invisible principles" by which we are governed. Of the secrets of the Order, we are not permitted to speak. However idle, ridiculous and unmeaning they may seem to the world, among Odd-Fellows "they breathe a spirit that reaches their hearts, wherever they are to be met with throughout the globe." They speak a language that defies the confusion of tongues, and wield a power that obliterates all those divisions, and reconciles all those antipathies, which climate, government and religion engender.

Some have asserted that our Order is an old society with a new name— that it is Masonry in disguise, and have endeavored to transfer to it the odium and prejudice that pervade this country against Masonry. That the two societies are not the same, is apparent from the fact, that both maintain a separate existence. How nearly they resemble, or whether there is any similarity between them at all, I cannot say, not being a Mason: but this I will say-if the principles and objects of Masonry are the same as those of our Order, God grant that its labors in the cause of humanity may be crowned with success.

It has been asked, why assume additional obligations to cherish principles, and practice virtues, which as members of society, we are already under obligations to encourage. Why unite to perform acts of charity towards selected individuals, which as members of a common family, nature prompts us to perform towards all alike. In a word, why create artificial ties, when our natural ones are sufficiently numerous and powerful to engage all our affections and awaken all our energies. The answer to these and all similar objections, is simple and satisfactory. Our union, instead of weakening, strengthens the obligations which society imposes. While it teaches us to love each other more, it makes us love the world not the less. While it awakens within us a lively sensibility to the misfortunes of a brother, it causes us to feel no less commiseration for suffering humanity, wherever met with. While it devotes its means to the relief only of its members, it leaves them free as before they joined it, to do all that the most liberal benevolence-the most enlarged philanthropy may prompt.

To those who object to combinations for benevolent purposes, and would leave the unfortunate and distressed to the uncertain and capricious protection of individual charity, it is certainly not necessary at this enlightened day, that I should point out the superior advantages of associated, over individual action. Much as man singly, by means of mind, may do over matter, how inconsiderable does it seem, when contrasted with those vast and astounding achievements, which could only have resulted from