When we visit a lodge in a place other than our homelodge, we immediately feel at home in the foreign hall because it has so much in common with our own.
Not all lodges have the privilege of working in premises intended only for Odd Fellows. In several locations, premises are shared with other religious societies or associations. It may also be the case that the lodge rents premises that are not intended for order work at all. The conditions thus differ markedly from place to place. The wealth of invention is great and our siblings have put in dedicated work to solve the local problems. This means that the Halls of the Order vary greatly in appearance – but we still feel at home when we visit another Hall of the Order.
Some decorations in the Halls of the Order, especially in those that have existed for many years, have been created when different rules applied than those valid today, or for other reasons. What should be in the Order’s hall has historical roots far back and each object has its symbolic meaning and is summarized in scriptures.The hall is said to be oriented according to the cardinal points, which does not necessarily correspond to the actual geographical orientation. The location of the podiums, the colors and symbols of the hall are the same, although details of the preparation may differ. The colors scarlet, blue, light red and white are always present in the interior, on podiums and around the hall. We also always find in the hall the four commandments of the order, The all-seeing eye, The three links, which all symbolize different things for an Odd Fellow.
Describing the symbolism, symbols and signs in Odd Fellow cannot be done without in some way connecting to the ancient and medieval symbols and ways of thinking. The symbols of the Odd Fellows, with their hidden, cryptic or visible messages, form in one way or another the whole background of The Unwritten Work, which our founder of the Order once prepared – and still conveys – to us through the ages. But why are there so few, or sometimes no, explanations for the Odd Fellows’ symbols? An explanation could be that when the Order’s world of symbols was created, symbols, and by that I mean number and geometry symbols as well as color symbolism and signs, were something self-evident and “every man’s property” and somewhere along the way to our time, these skills “disappeared”.
One thing is certain however, the founder of our order has drawn influences from, among other things, the Egyptian mystery orders and from later appearing religious communities. These influences have then been built upon by future generations of Odd Fellows, to expand the world of symbols, its teachings and further develop the orders, the teachings of the orders and the brothers of the order.
The decor and design of the Order’s hall have been developed over hundreds of years to reinforce and deepen the content of our teaching. When we enter the Order’s hall, we should feel that we leave the stress and pace of everyday life and come to peace of mind. We will experience celebration and atmosphere. We become receptive to listening and learning during lodge meetings and receptions and develop further in our Odd Fellow walk. So, the next time you step into an Odd Fellow lodge, do as I do, look around in wonder and let the teachings sink in.
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