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 can not reach any very low depth of woe. By
his own act, by his own voluntary desertion of the true aim of life,
and by that alone, is it possible that a man should drink his cup of
misery to the dregs. The want of happiness, so prevalent, is thus the
natural consequence of the inherent blindness of men. By it they are
led to pursue eagerly the phantom of _wealth_, _rank_, power, etc.,
white neglecting that which alone can satisfy the wants of the soul.
If men could really know what is their chief good, we should no longer
hear on every hand prayers offered up for those idle accoutrements of
life, which may indeed be enjoyed, but often bring only
dissatisfaction, and can be dispensed with without inconvenience to
mankind.

Many persons say Odd-Fellowship is contrary to the teachings of the
Bible. The way such people read their Bible is just like the way that
the old monks thought hedgehogs ate grapes. They rolled themselves
over and over where the grapes lay on the ground. What fruit stuck to
their spines they carried off and ate. So your hedgehoggy readers roll
themselves over and over their Bibles and declare that whatever sticks
to their spines is Scri