Philosophy of Odd Fellowship; Its vital and sanitary statistics arranged, illustrated and explained

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1855 Excerpt: ...of the cases that arise from time to time. Then again, calamities often fall upon brethren. They are made poor by fire, or flood, or misfortune. Sickness comes upon their families, or death takes away their wives and children, and they faint under the burden thus imposed. The stranger is overtaken by misfortune, when far from home, and he has none to help him, and his case comes not under the specific provisions of our regular laws. In any and all these instances.A there is a call for charity, and the ear of the Order should be quick to hear the cry of distress, and its hand open and prompt to relieve. For these purposes, every Lodge should have a separate fund. It should be made up of all fees for degrees, all dues relinquished, fines collected, donations given, and such regular annual or quarterly payments as the Lodge may determine. Enough of this fund should be kept constantly in hand to enable the Lodge to extend relief, not only where but when it is needed. The balance should be invested. But a failure in this last regard will not be as disastrous as in the other case, because here no fixed amount is promised, and no express contract will be violated by such failure. The only penalty will be, that the Lodge will have less to expend in Charity than she would have if her funds were kept accumulating at interest. On this fund, the Order must depend to justify its claim to the title of a charitable institution; for we repeat again, a Lodge has no moral right to appropriate to these purpose, the funds which are pledged to the Sick and Funeral Benefits in specific sums, and tints to incur the fearful hazard of a breach of contract, and the violation of plighted faith. In the course of a long and intimate connection with the Order, the author of this little ...