Take Our Odd Fellow’s Quiz!

No cheating. See how well you do! In what century is it commonly believed that Odd Fellowship was founded? A) 19th, B) 16th, C) 17th, D) 18th Who was the Odd Fellow that was president during the Reconstruction period in the United States? A) Augustus Garland, B) US Grant, C) Abraham Lincoln, D) Thomas Jefferson Which […]

James Montgomery, Author of Friendship, Love, and Truth.

James Montgomery may be a poet that influenced some of our ritual. He may have written some of it as well, but he is absolutely the author of the Odd Fellow’s song “Friendship, Love, and Truth.” James Montgomery’s parents were Moravian missionaries, and from County Antrim, in what is now Northern Ireland. After James was […]

Ainslie Heilich talks ODD on Local News

“We found all this great, old regalia that was hidden up in the crawlspace … Almost like National Treasure, it’s like you start down a path of little bread crumbs and it just kinda ropes you in further and further … and here we are,” says Heilich.

Reflections on Being an LGBT+ Odd Fellow.

I would like to think that part of my personal growth through that transition could be attributed to the philosophical lessons our Order teaches and how they can be used as a member of the LGBT+ community. At the end of this piece you will find my interpretation of the Degrees through the lens of the LGBT+ experience.

I.O.O.F. YOUTH: IS THERE HOPE FOR GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF OUR YOUTH BRANCHES? By Louie Blake S. Sarmiento

Many of the dedicated leaders in the Odd Fellows and Rebekah Lodges today began as members of these youth branches. Regretfully, the youth groups under the I.O.O.F. failed to grow and develop into an international youth organization. There are many reasons. One is presumably because the I.O.O.F. in the continents of Europe, North America and Australia failed to coordinate with each other to form one cohesive international youth organization.

GUOOF: Looking back at 175 years of excellence, then looking forward… -by Bro. Supreme Page

I reflect on the fact that today marks our 175th anniversary of existence in this country !!!! Hmmm….. I am not even sure where to go with my thoughts on the subject matter being that we have done so much with so little light shined upon us that we have nearly secreted ourselves to death ! I am grateful for the brethren I meet as I travel this path carrying the torch of #Oddfellowship into the next 175 years.

Member Profile: Horace Bratcher of Waxa #80

Words by Roger Sitton http://www.waxa80.com/ Monday, February 19th, 2018 was Brother Horace Bratcher’s 92nd Birthday. Brother Horace is rumored to be Texas’ Oldest Active Odd Fellow. Joining Waxahachie Lodge No. 80 in 1949. He is still very active in the community. He tries to visit the hospital & local funeral homes on a regular basis. […]

Hoodwink How To -by Scott Robinson

Scott Robinson Lewisburg, PA Lodge No. 96 http://www.iooflewisburg.org scottr@iooflewisburg.org I have been looking for a source of hoodwinks for some time. Originals are too fragile and expensive, modern steam punks are way too expensive and need to be custom made. While I was at Harbor Freight, I bought a set of el-cheapo welding goggles…$4.99 for […]

Updates from the Carolina GUOOF “Doing the WORK”

Bro. Page NG Wayman lodge #1339 Grand United Order of Oddfellows in America and Jurisdiction of South Carolina I greet you Fellows in the bond of Friendship Love and Truth. Since last I wrote here many things like the seasons, have changed…..The majority of these changes have been for the good as South Carolina has now […]

Let’s Put Pride and “WOW” Back in Our Degree Ceremonies – by Scott Robinson

Scott Robinson Lewisburg, PA, No. 96 When I joined the Odd Fellows, I looked forward to my Initiation night! I was excited, and nervous. I looked forward to taking part in the same mysterious ceremony that my ancestors were in many years ago. I was thrilled to be a part of that tradition, mystery, and […]

The Warden’s Axe – our 100th post!

There is an old Odd Fellows tradition that has been lost, but we recently decided to bring it back in my lodge. It is the tradition of the Warden’s Axe.

In many lodges it is customary to collect donations for the needy and distressed on the Warden’s axe, which has painted on the side presented for the donation the expressive Heart in Hand -Grosh’s Manual p.104

CRAFTS GUILDS AND JOURNEYMEN ASSOCIATIONS: EARLY ROOTS OF ENGLISH FRATERNAL ORDERS

The origin of fraternity, as a principle, is as old as humankind. Humans always have that natural desire to associate with each other for a common purpose – either for social, philosophical, political, religious, charitable, mutual-benefit, or business purposes. Fraternities or so-called brotherhoods existed since the early civilizations – first among sworn kinsmen, Roman collegias, Orders of Knighthood, craft guilds, box clubs and fraternal lodges.