Dear Dedicated Members for Change,
As we journey through the holiday season and travel through the new year, it is appropriate to reflect for a moment on why we became members of this ancient fraternal Order that we call “Odd Fellowship.”
In this endeavor, I wish to commend to you a couple of videos that were forwarded to me by Richard Perri. Some of you may have seen them before, but they are well worth seeing again. Many of you may never have viewed them, and I urge you to do so. They are short. One is about 6 minutes in length and the other is about 4 minutes long. They remind us of who we are and where we came from. Most poignant, to me, is the name “Odd Fellows” – a sobriquet that was hung on our members a couple of centuries ago – at the time probably meant to demean or belittle. But in the long view of history, the term “Odd Fellows” is an honorable one, deserving of respect and emulation. It seems that we were called “Odd Fellows” way back when because we helped each other and we helped other people who needed help. And that was “odd” in those days.
In the reflection of history, however, it was the right thing to do then, and it is the right thing to do now. Members who endeavor to help others in their Lodge, in their community and in the larger world, are worthy human beings and derive great satisfaction in the task. Lodges that engage in good community and charitable works are Lodges that will survive and, indeed, thrive in the coming years. This aspect of the history of our Order is the key to the success of our fraternity going forward.
Happy Holidays.
Here are the videos:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=o5Y8qxhNqmo
F – L – T
Dave Rosenberg
Grand Master
Jurisdiction of California