INTERESTING HISTORY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 9, Issue 99, 15 July 1946, Page 5

INTERESTING HISTORY

THE LOYAL ODDFELLOWS’ LODGE .•' • ORIGIN OF THE NAME ' A At the banquet held last Wednesday evening at .Awakeri, in honour of members of -the Loyal Oddfellows’ Lodge who served overseas in World War 11, a brief outline of the Lodge’s interesting history, and the origin of its name was obtained from the Grand Master of the Auckland Lodge. This "now vast organisation with members in every English speaking country in the world and quite a number of foreign countries apparently owes its origin to the actions 1 of the mates of a fellow worker who was in straightened circumstances due to sickness and bad luck. Their feelings after their day’s' work was over turned to their un--, fortunate fellow and they decided to each contribute a little to tide him over the hard times. Their generous action led to this splendid Society which now provides for its members, benefits, security and social goodfellowship. All was not plain sailing, for this, little band of Good Samaritans in the bad old days of 150 years ago. They were accused of conspiring against the Crown; of being a secret society; and were ridiculed by the majority of people. Its leaders were finally arrested and were to be beheaded. Eventually they were able to convince the King that their Society had no ulterior motives, and, they were encouraged in their good, work, the King finally becoming a. member of the Lodge. The word “Loyal” was then added! and the name of the Society: Manchester Unity Independant Order of Oddfellows,” has been carried on from that day. Thus the Societyarose in Manchester, England, 150 years ago, when a handfull of uneducated labourers gave a thought to the wellbeing of a friend in need.* The reason for the word “Oddfellow” cannot be accurately explained, as the actual origin of it is lost in antiquity,- but an explanation was given by a Minister at a Lodge Church Parade in Cambridge recently and can be generally accepted He likened the actions of those few men to the life that was led in Biblical times, by the handful of men who had accepted the teaching and beliefs of Christianity. They were the “odd few” who were endeavouring against all opposition to spread the feeling of goodfellowship and goodwill to all men. Likewise that handfull of working men in the City of Manchester centuribs later were the “odd few” who were endeavouring to carry on the good, work and general principals pf those ancient teachings. - . * •: M