Independent Order of Oddfellows

originally posted by: asabuvsobelow
Jesus Christ , you really think I'm lying don't you ?

You made a point of saying this and then kept changing your story:

originally posted by: asabuvsobelow
It's just a Circle with in the Masonic Circle , Not much I can say about them really .

For someone who has not much to say you sure said a lot. A lot of bull****.

originally posted by: Katatonik
a reply to: asabuvsobelow

I don't think you are lying. I think you were telling me info that you had at hand from your experience. I appreciate yours and everyone else's input. We only learn more by questioning things, and I also think by keeping an open mind.

Thank you , that is exactly right .

a reply to: Katatonik

I hope someone looks after that important piece of family history as the youth of today do not seem interested when it comes to things of the past ,if Facebook or Twitter tells them it is not cool then forget it ,most have little clue what WW2 or Ww1 was and good luck trying to attract new members to anything now or keep the youth interested in anything not computer related .

I have no children of my own and 3 male youths in my immediate family yet not one is interested in any medals etc that were won by our family members or historical items in my possession family bibles etc etc , it is really sad to see .

25 years ago I moved to another area of the UK and noticed a well faded sign of a Oddfellows lodge and looked at the architecture of the building then long forgotten about but the name was just so cool to me and I asked some locals of the history .

Long before the days of the average Joe having a social net if things turned bad the Oddfellows and Masons were the go to people to help you with the vast amounts of charity work that is carried out by both sets , the Oddfellows were mainly a catholic organisation I was told and were mainly in big population areas of the time but I think if you went outside to the countryside the religious aspect would not have mattered so much to the average Joe ,much like the area I grew up in where nobody gives a hoot at what foot you are kicking with .

It seems like one of your relatives did give a hoot about his fellow man and did his bit to help a brother out ,learn a few things and to social network before that was a thing , I am sad to say that the youth of today do not have that fighting spirit in them and a trip to the thrift stores and second hand shops shows the scroll you possess are dumped like useless paper ditto beautiful furniture etc because they are no longer cool ,they do not realise the great effort people would invest in them or the pride that was felt at owning or attaining things in this throw away society we now live in .

a reply to: stonerwilliam

The document is currently in my mom's possession, but she is leaving it to me to stay within the family and that's where it will remain. I agree with your sentiments!

a reply to: asabuvsobelow

You are welcome

a reply to: Katatonik

Pretty much.

Knights of Columbus was so Catholics could have a Mason like fraternity that didn’t upset Bishops, Cardinals and the Pope.

Eagles, Moose, Elks, and to a degree the Lions were meant for blue collar workers.

VFW, American Legion, AmVets, etc were more social club bars than fraternal organizations.

All groups have their own causes and some have several. Lions and glasses for example. Or Shriner’s and burned/crippled children. The Mason do so much community things you would be surprised. Like gathering boxes of food for elderly women in need. Although I’d say they would be just as likely to drop off at a widower if he was in need. Sometimes just little projects for the public good. Like I recall being a part of repairing bleachers three weekends in a row one year between Dad’s second and third degree studies.

But then again, I was part of many public projects growing up. Even before Dad joined and long afterward. Been asked to help on a few projects in my younger days too. One that got me was seeing that a bridge that I helped build had been replaced.