Freemasonry And Odd Fellowship.

upon the Worshi p ful Masters of St . John ' s and the John of Gaunt Lodges and myself , and letters were subsequently addressed by the Secretary ofthe district to the two Lodges , inviting the members , in most complimentary and respectful terms , to honour the annual banquet of the Moveable Committee of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows with their presence ; and setting forth the extensive operations of their society , and the large amount of good

done b y it among the working classes , but not in any way claiming connection or affinity with the Masonic Order . A similar invitation was given to the mayor and corporation of the borough , by whom it was accepted ; and the mayor , some of the magistrates , and the greater portion of the town council , were present at the banquet , which was attended by upwards of a thousand Odd Fellows .

Now , sir , if the Leicester Masons had been guilty ( to use your own words ) " of appearing in such capacity at any dinner , procession , or meeting of Odd Fellows , or in company or co-operation with them , or responding to any toast" of a Masonic character , clothed in the badges of the Order , the provincial authorities ancl the brethren generally would have been justly amenable to censure and punishment . But I conceive , and I think every candid and

unprejudiced person will admit , that it would have been an extremely ungracious act on the part of the local Masonic Lodges , and one quite contrary to the true spirit ancl princip les of Freemasonry , if , through a narrow spirit of exclusiveness , they had refused to accept a polite and most respectful invitation , which was extended to them as an important public body , in company , and in company solely , with the municipal authorities of the town ;

and simply because it was possible that some of the popular world might ignorantly suppose " that Masonry and Odd Fellowship are identical , or , at least , that the forms , ceremonies , and regalia of Odd Fellowship are of equal value with those of Freemasonry . " Surely , Masonry need not fear comparison with Odd Fellowship or any other benefit society ; but if so—I can only say—so much the worse for it and the practices of its members . I , for one , however , believe that the Order can afford to stand upon its own merits .

In accepting this invitation ( clothed in ordinary costume ) the Freemasons , as I conceive , were no more chargeable with debasing their Order to a level with Odd Fellowship or mock Masonry than could the mayor , ancl town council be chargeable with putting municipal institutions on a level with the institution of the Manchester Unity . It may , however , tend to allay the fears and satisfy the scruples of the writer of your " Architectural Chapter "

to be informed , that the gentleman who proposed the toast above alluded to ( Mr . Hardwick , the delegate from Preston , who stated that he ancl many others ofthe delegates were Freemasons ) , drew the distinction betiveen Masonry and Odd Fellowship ; stating , however , that Odd Fellowship might be termed the Freemasonry of the working classes . Ancl in the very few remarks which I addressed to the meeting in acknowledging the toast , I took

especial care to prevent any misunderstanding on the subject , by observing that the only similarity between Odd Fellowship and Freemasonry was , that both were founded on a philanthropic basis ; that there was no connection between them , but that the }' differed widely in constitution and practice . With these remarks I will take leave of the subject , ancl remain , Bear Sir and Brother , yours fraternally

, WILLIAM KELLY , Leicester , Jnne 23 rd , 1859 . 1 ) . Prov . G . M . for Leicestershire . P . S . —I may add that neither I , nor as far as I am aware , any member of either ofthe local Lodges , with the exception of Bro , the Earl Howe , Prov . G . M ., is an Odd Fellow .

The John Of Gaunt Lodge And The Odd Fellows.

THE JOHN OF GAUNT LODGE AND THE ODD FELLOWS .

TO THE EDITOR OP THE FREEMASON'S' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAH Sin AND BROTHER , —In tbe " Architectural Chapter " of your valuable Magazine ofthe Sth dime , you say'" We cannot equally approve a resolution of that Loclge ( fche John of Gaunt ) , accepting an invitation for the Master and brethren to dine with the annual congress of the United Order of Odd Follows . This countenance of mock Masonry bthe constituted authorities of Masonryis

y , only calculated to confirm the public in the belief that there is no difference betiveen them . " Many of our Masonic friends at a distance from Leicesterreading the above observations—might be led to suppose that the

The John Of Gaunt Lodge And The Odd Fellows.

brethren here are not so watchful of the privileges ancl honour ot our antient Order as they ought to be . It is with the intention of removing any such unfavourable impression , that I venture to trouble you with some of the reasons that induced the Masonic Lodges here to accept the invitation of the members of tlie Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows . You are doubtless aware that the delegates of that Order hold

a meeting at some important place in the country once a year ; the delegates sit at this congress every day for a week , to receive reports from their various districts , and to settle their general and local business . At the same time they have their annual banquet . It is their usual custom to invite the corporation of the town where they meet , and . the members of other important societies . They invited the Masonic body here , not because they considered

themselves an offshoot from it , but because the objects of both societies , though differently carried out , arc identical . The invitation to the John of Gaunt Lodge distinctly states this . The secretary of the order here savs : —

"inlying upon your courtesy and your desire to countenance every object ivhich has for its aim the consolidation of brotherly love and the furtherance of the interests of cur fellows , it is with considerable confidence that I venture to address you as secretary of the Leicester District of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows . I am desired respectfully to inform your honourable Lodge that the great annual meeting of the delegates of our Unity is fixed for Tuesday in "Whitsun week . Our members number nearl 3000002000 of whom belong to

y ,, , this district ; and the order is admitted by those most competent to form an opinion , to be based upon principles' of stability ; and the amount of charity dispensed , and suffering ameliorated , is incalculable . Lord Howe , a member of the order , has reluctantly declined presiding at the banquet in consequence of indisposition , but his Lordship has considerately written to Lord Gurzoii , who we have every reason to believe will take tho chair . "

1 ou will see , from the above , also , that it would have been an act of discourtesy on the part of the brethren of the John of Gaunt Lodge , all other reasons apart , to have refused an invitation to dine at the banquet ot an order , of which their Prov . Grand Master is a member , ancl where he mi ght be expected to preside . Apart from personal considerations , the order has a strong claim for sympathy and countenance from every ivell regulated

society . We are told that it numbers 300 , 000 members , in above 3 , 000 Lodges ; ancl that the amount received and disbursed for purposes of charity every year is very considerable ; ancl that its members are amongst the best conducted and respectable of the working classes . The public , I have reason to believe , do not identify the Odd Fellows with the Freemasons . If any comparison is made bthe

y public between the two societies , I am afraid that it is at times somewhat to our disparagement , so far as public usefulness and active charity are concerned . It is ivell known , and generally understood b y intelligent persons , that Masonic Lodges arc composed of men of the middle ancl upper ranks of life , to whom benefit societies and burial clubs would be of no assistance ; whose traditions and ceremonies are of remote dates ; ancl whose

principles are those of brotherly love , relief , ancl truth . AVith those ceremonies unsullied , and those principles held stcdfastly . the Masonic body need fear no alarm , if the Odd Fellows or any other society occasionally display a slight imitation of the symbolism of their order . We can afford to smile at such innocent imitations and , at the same time , to sympathize with all such societieshaving for their rule of conduct the moral and

, charitable principles that we profess . I remain , dear Sir and Brother , Yours respectfully and fraternally , Leicester , June 17 th , 1859 , E . CLEPIIAX , W . M ., No . 7 CG .

Odd Fellowship.

ODD FELLOWSHIP .

TO THE EDITOR OP THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND MASONIC MIRROR . DEAR SIR AND BUOTUEI * , —I have read " Our Architectural Chapter" in your last number with much interest . I can assure you that I was not " angry" so much as pained , at the unqualified censure previously cast on such societies as the Odd Fellows ; and I feel certain that bad you seen me as I wrote the letter , you would rather have described meas Horatio docs the host of

, g Hamlet ' s father , as having " A countenance more in sorrow than in anger . " Believing , as a literary friend of mine well expresses it , that " Hate is a fearful thing—a deadly weapon to handle , " I would fain " bury it with the Indian tomahawk , and smoke the