detection of their errors, although he who has advanced the discovery of truth in a matter of importance, has the satisfaction of reflecting that he has conferred a benefit on his fellow men, the probability is that instead of attracting sympathy and gratitude, he will meet with a considerable share of persecution in consequence of his perspicacity. A state of things in which the real interests and moral sentiments of the community are placed in strong opposition, cannot fail to be fruitful in evil, and he would perform no slight service who could hasten its termination. The likeliest means of doing this, is to show in a clear light what our duty, in relation to inquiry, really is; or, in other words, by what conduct in reference to the investigation of truth the general interests are best promoted. Tardy as mankind show themselves in all changes of moral sentiment, they cannot permanently continue to bestow their appprobation on qualities clearly proved to be pernicious, nor withold it from actions which are shown to be undeniably calculated for their welfare. In any given mind, the intellectual state most favorable for the attainment of truth, is obviously freedom from preconceived errors. The preoccupation of the understanding by erronoeus opinions, is one of the greatest impediments which offer themselves in the pursuit of accurate knowledge. No language can describe with sufficient firmness the tenacity with which early received notions are retained. In the words of an author "they seem to enter into the very essence of the soul, to weave themselves into the tissue of the understanding, till it transcends our power of conception to imagine them erroneous.' Mr. Buckingham, in his travels through Mesopotamia, relates that at Orfah, (the ancient Ur of the Chaldees,) the river and the fish contained in it are regarded as sacred to Abraham, and the inhabitants firmly believe that if any of the fish were caught, no process of cooking could make any impression on their bodies. Here is a notion which any one might at once put to the test by direct trial; yet so thoroughly preoccupied are the minds of the people, by the prejudice instilled in early infancy, such awe too, they feel in relation to it, that they have not the slightest suspicion of its absurdity, and would think it profane to attempt to submit it to the ordeal of actual experiment. Were men in general possessed with the genuine desire for truth, many errors might undoubtedly still prevail in the world from the limited power of the human intellect, but it is easy to see how much the progress of knowledge, would be accelerated, and how soon the traces of illiberality and intolerance would be swept from social intercourse. The mass of useful truths is eternal, and each individual carries to it his particular tribute, in the certainty that no power can retrench the smallest fraction from this imperishable treasure, and in the words of Constant, "He whose meditation discovers a single principle, whose hand traces a single truth, whose victorious eloquence founds one salutary institution, may without inquietude, risk his life in contest with tyrants, or a not less unjust populace! His existence will not have been in vain! His thoughts will remain impressed upon that eternal whole, from which no circumstance can annihilate his influence. SAMARITAN. Albany, May, 1845. Written for the Gavel. LIGHT IN DARKNESS. BY THOMAS L. HARRIS. When our visions of rapture fade darkly away And the hopes that illumined with beauty the day, When the hands that so oft have pressed warmly our own, And enstranged and soul-blighted we wander alone, That the heart, like the light of the morning, is pure, And when by the thunderbolt riven and scarred We fall to the desolate plain; And the soul like the face of "the loving" is marred Oh then, as the martyr springs up from the pyre, The prophecy rolls from the sorrow-swept lyre, For the heart as the light of the morning is pure, ODD-FELLOWSHIP AND THE CHURCH. THAT the Church does not and can not be made to answer the purposes of Odd-Fellowship, we endeavored to show in our last, and also promised something more upon that point in this number. We then showed that if the Church adopted the beneficial feature of Odd-Fellowship, it would be necessarily compelled to exclude from its membership the sick and infirm, and all that were not within a limited age, which would be, in direct violation of its principles. We further showed that multitudes would be denied the blessings of Odd-Fellowship were that Institution annihilated, and its distinguishing features adopted by the Church. In Odd-Fellowship men of all religious creeds are linked together as brethren; there, religious disputes are never suffered, and every man is allowed to think as he likes, and believe as he chooses, without fear of expulsion, or the danger of incurring the displeasure of any. But in the Church it is widely different. To gain its fellowship and to be admitted within its pale it is required that you shall believe in certain doctrines, profess faith in a particular creed, and submit to certain ordinances. These requisitions are contrary to the first principles of Odd-Fellowship, and are points upon which men differ so widely, that they would necessarily exclude multitudes of useful and influential men from the privileges conferred by our Order, were they established as tests, or made necessary qualifications for membership. In Odd-Fellowship every brother is required to take his turn in watching with a sick brother when necessity requires; but in the Church this feature could not be carried out, because many are too young and some are too old, and other causes would operate to render the burden of providing for the sick wholly unequal. Again; if the Church undertook to carry out that feature of OddFellowship which requires it to relieve the distresses of travelling brothers from abroad, it would be necessarily compelled to have secrets, or be constantly liable to imposition. But the introduction of secrets into the Church, would subject it to the suspicions of the world; produce strife and discord among its members, and be in violation of the principles upon which it is established; the Church being free and open for all of every age, of every class, of every sex, and of every profession. But for females to be associated with men in a secret association, would subject both them and the institution to the taunts and jeers of a jealous and suspicious world. Hence, to make the Church a beneficial and secret institution would be highly injudicious and impolitic; and no doubt result in its utter prostration. Other objections, too numerous to mention, forbid the idea of supposing that the Church is capable of answering all the purposes of OddFellowship, without bringing ruin and certain destruction upon itself. The only alternative then is to suffer Odd-Fellowship to exist, as a distinct and separate institution, without attempting to encroach upon the Church, or suffering the Church to usurp its power or place. But it is objected by some, that although it may be well enough for worldly men to become Odd-Fellows, yet it is inexpedient for Christians to be associated with such institutions. But why should Christians be deprived of the benefits of Odd-Fellowship? Are they not as liable to poverty, disease and death as others? And if so, why should they be forbidden to guard against these evils in the most practicable way ? It is said that Christians are compelled to associate with worldly men by being connected with such societies. But is it wrong for them to associate with worldly men to do good? On the contrary, are they not encouraging the irreligious on to deeds of charity and virtue, by mixing with them and helping them in their work of benevolence? Did not Christ "eat with publicans and sinners?" and "is the servant greater than his master?" How then can it be wrong for his followers to associate with sinners "in visiting the sick, burying the dead and educating the orphan ?" But if it be wrong for Christians to mingle with worldly men in such institutions as that of Odd-Fellowship, is it not equally wrong to mingle with them in temperance meetings, political meetings, and meetings of every description, in which non-professors are allowed to participate? Most assuredly! There is, then, no good grounds why Odd-Fellowship should be abandoned, or why Christians should not be connected with it. It is out of the question to suppose that the Church can answer the purposes of Odd-Fellowship; if, therefore, this Institution be abolished the world will be deprived of one of its greatest blessings. But the time is not far distant, we trust, when our Order will be rightly understood, and its objects appreciated; when the world will rise up as one man, and call it blessed; and when multitudes, now pining in anguish, or groaning in agony, will find relief beneath the shadow of our rustling banner folds. Then, friends, brothers, Christians, all, lend us a helping hand, that in our war against the ills and woes of human life, we may eventually conquer and triumph!-Indep. Odd-Fellow. EDITOR'S TABLE. "UNFRUITFUL WORKS of DARKNESS!" WHEN innocent old Adam and Eve walked about Eden in all the happiness of conscious rectitude and unalloyed satisfaction, a serpent came among them and set them at issue with their own natures,-their interests, yea with their God. When Christ came and taught "good will to man," a Pilate ordered him crucified. And when the American colonies struck for civil and religious freedom, they were sorely pestered by tories and traitors. If it is not a law of nature-" a fixed constitutional fact "-it is at least a "remarkable coincidence that wherever man has so combined with his fellow man for good as to render each more happy, there has always been found some malcontent to go amongst them and cry treason, until distrust and suspicion stares at each other. 'Tis like the clearest, quietest pools, they are greened and slimed ever by the croaking toad. In the beautiful village in Washington county in this state, incorporated as UNION VILLAGE, it seemed for years as if peace and good will had taken up their abode, and that social intercourse had there laid out its paths by the "golden rule." But a Culver came there, and it was soon discovered that it was not right to pray with those who held a different opinion upon some other subject than that of religion. That they could not worship at the same altars with those who devoted themselves one evening in a month to meet with other of their neighbors to talk about Hiram King of Tyre, trowels, square and compass and other foolish things as they (Culver & Co.) alleged. And hence the fountains were properly stirred up and the riled waters furnished an abundance of fat consolation to the croakers. Storms are not perpetual, and the sunshine of quiet again appeared,—and Culver went to Boston to war with Odd Fellowship. Now, it so happened that a Lodge of Odd Fellows was established in Union Village, with the avowed purpose of relieving such of their members, and others of the fraternity as might be found in distress. They also covenanted to "visit the sick and bury the dead," and further they recognized the obligation to comfort the widow and see that the orphans left by a brother were preserved from want, vice and infamy; and also recognized the broad principle that all men are brothers. Well, all this, dangerous and fearful as it was to the peace and welfare of their souls, was as nothing to the fact that these Odd Fellows had secret signs by which they knew each other! What wonder then that the following should appear as a part of the proceedings of the BOTTSKILL BAPTIST CHURCH. Dear reader get your vinegerette and peruse: [CHURCH PROCEEDINGS.] At a regular church meeting, held December 28, 1844, some brethren expressed themselves as being grieved with some of the members of this church who had united with a secret society, calling themselves an Independent Order of Odd Fellows, therefore, Resolved, that the following brethren be a committee to investigate the subject and report suitable resolutions at our next church meeting, to wit: Thomas Cottrell, Martin Rogers and J. G. Parker. February 1, 1845. Committee report the following resolutions, which were adopted: 1st. Resolved, That in as much [A.] as we are commanded to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, we are from principle opposed to secret societies or combinations of men of every name and description, and particularly to the society styling themselves Odd Fellows. (A.) "That in as much." How much? Why, to ALL secret societies, or combinations of men of every name and description!" Pretty broad that. No matter what the object, literary, scientific, political, charitable, humane or religious; all are here denounced as "unfruitful works of darkness," and particularly "the society styling themselves Odd Fellows." We will stake our reputation upon the assertion that the society styling themselves Odd Fellows, have visited the sick and distressed with more relief, pecuniary and otherwise, than have the society styling themselves Baptists, (the most numerous society, we believe, in this country,) during the last year; and in this we are saying nought against Baptists; as Odd Fellows we have nothing to do with them--we know no creeds-but when as Baptists they proscribe us as "unfruitful workers,' we challenge a comparison of our works with theirs in these particulars, where the commands TO EACH are alike! We hold it a fundamental and imperative command, alike to each Baptist and Odd Fellow, TO VISIT THE SICK AND RELIEVE THE DISTRESSED;' each Baptist and Odd Fellow acknowledging the authority of the command from the supreme head to which each owe their origin. Again, it is a notorious fact that the Baptists do not generally publish to the world their rules and by-laws governing their operations, as do the Odd Fellows; and it is equally notorious that they hold their church meetings IN SECRET! and on the trial of the Brothers here accused the Bottskill Baptist Church actually closed their doors, and turned out those who did not belong to them, whilst they deliberated,-AND ENJOINED SECRECY upon its members as to what was said and done therein! 2nd. Resolved, That it is with grief that we learn that some of the members of this body have allied themselves to such society, whose operations are principally conducted in the dark. [B.] (B.) "A society whose operations are principally conducted in the dark." Either those making this charge are mentally and hopelessly blind, stupidly ignorant, or wilful and reckless calumniators. The Odd Fellows have published to the world, in pamphlets, newspapers, and magazines, and republished in collected form, all of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge of the United States, the highest body of the Order in this country, their Constitutions, By-Laws, Rules, &c. The State Grand Lodges and Grand Encampments publish also theirs as well as those of their subordinates; and they also require all sub |