YELLOW FEVER IN MEMPHIS, AND THE DEATHS OF 100 ODD FELLOWS IN 1878

“…we are in the midst of a fearful epidemic, the end which no one can foresee. More than one hundred of our brethren including their families, have sickened and died. We need your sympathy, and God alone knows how soon your aid.” –Special Relief Committee, IOOF, Memphis, Tennessee Between late July and October of 1878, […]

YOU GOTTA WORK IT

Have you left the Order? Are you frustrated enough to think about leaving? Every week we have people come into this Order who are looking for something in their lives. Something that will transform their thinking, beliefs, outlooks on life, personal paradigms, friendships, and family lives. Some join to learn the secrets of the Illuminati […]

Reclaiming the Odes- COLUMBIA -by Todd Swanson

The goal of my personal project is to make the odes more accessible to the greater Odd Fellows community.

THE ENLIGHTENMENT, NATURE, AND REASON

The universe uses emblems or symbols to reveal itself to humanity. In ancient days, groups of philosophers and mystics used the symbols of the natural world to teach deep philosophical ideas to their initiates. The Rosicrucians, also originally known as Brothers of the Rose Cross, are an ancient Order supposedly connected to the Templars. The […]

Learn the Lodge Officer Jewels- new art by Ainslie Heilich

In order to help with the process of learning which piece of regalia goes where…and to answer the eternal question, “is this one for the Secretary or Financial Secretary?” I have designed this chart, using the same room layout image found in our charge books.

HOW WE “BURIED THE DEAD” IN 1880

Our fraternal order has traditionally buried the dead. Even though we don’t do this to the extent we used to, we still conduct funeral ceremonies for our recently departed. I’ve also heard of a lodge somewhere that used to supply pall bearers simply out of respect for a deceased person who may have died alone […]

TIPS ON CLEANING OLD CEMETERY HEADSTONES

I work at a museum and we frequently get calls about how to deal with working in old cemeteries and preserving and cleaning old headstones. And since our Order has cemeteries all over the country, an article about this topic may prove of interest. Before I go further, you should know I am not a […]

IOOF Ciphers designed by Ainslie Heilich

For a long time I have been a fan of Turbayne’s “Monograms and Ciphers” book so I was inspired to make some IOOF related ones. These are free for any Odd Fellow or Lodge to use for the Good of the Order so long as it is not for personal profit. If you are using these for a shirt I would love it if one was sent my way.

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 […]

Death and The Lady

Believed to be written during the Bubonic Plague or “Black Death” during the late 14th and early 15th century, this song reflects on some of the lessons in the Initiatory Degree. English Folk Singer Norma Waterson sets the song up and sings magnificently. The lyrics can be found below. Waterson:Carthy sings Death and the Lady As […]

Odd Fellows of Today: Our first VLOG!

Check out our first VLOG! If this goes well we would like to do more videos and vlogs to supplement our written content. Let us know what you think and subscribe to the channel for more!

Ainslie Heilich and Jenn Sereno sit down and chat about their experiences as active members of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. The conversation spans a big span of topics from getting new members, putting on events, community outreach, the value of learning from long time members, and the future of the IOOF.

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 […]