be withheld from her clergy would at once strike down that long cherished and potential mean of preserving the supremacy of the priesthood, and thus take from her the commanding influence and control which she exerts over the laity: but with no other Christian denomination can this reason for opposition to secret societies obtain, and those who unite with the Roman Catholic Church in war against secret associations are, little as they may desire to contribute to that end, only lending the weight of their authority indirectly to strengthen and confirm the doctrines of the confessional. We do not wish to be understood in this place as expressing any opinion upon the subject of the Catholic Church or any of its points of faith; it is neither in place, nor is it any part of our business as the conductors of this periodical, to assail or defend any point of Christian belief or practice, and we have only referred on this occasion to the Catholic objection to Odd-Fellowship to illustrate what we consider the gross impropriety of the order adopted by the Methodist Episcopal Conference against Odd-Fellowship. Our Order, strictly speaking, is not a secret society in the well-known acceptation of that term; and it would not require a great deal of argument, if it were necessary, to show that upon the ground of secrecy Odd-Fellowship is not even obnoxious to the proscriptive rule of the Catholic Church, but as we are not at this time called upon to consider that opposition, nothing need be urged upon this point. It is truly painful to recur to this subject, because it is difficult to discuss it without being led into religious controversy, a position which every consideration of duty to our office and to our Order strictly forbids us for a moment to occupy and we may possibly, in our solicitude to relieve Odd-Fellowship from misrepresentation, be considered as seeking the favor of the religious community-in either point of view we may expose our institution to injustice, and we would therefore gladly avoid the subject if we could do so consistently with what we consider the clear counsels of duty. We promise our brethren that on no account shall we be seduced into a religious controversy, and we assure the clergy of all religious denominations that while Odd-Fellowship appreciates the force of public opinion and cherishes the good-will of mankind at large, she spurns to court and does not desire the estimation of the church, unless that reward is due to her own intrinsic, inherent and unvaunted virtues. Firm in the abiding love and confidence of her thousands and tens of thousands of subjects in America, and of her millions of votaries throughout the globe; blessed by the prayers and supplications of the multitude of widows whose afflictions she has soothed, and cheered by the sublime spectacle which she has spread before the world in the crowds of helpless orphans whom she has educated and trained to virtue and to honor-she is as anaffected by the ebulitions of prejudice, or the outpourings of malice, as the rock-girt shore under the peltings of the roaring sea-equally undisturbed is she by the frowns or favor of religious zealots, and irrespective of their assaults will continue her offices of benefaction to the human race, content and happy that while strife, and discord may distract and agitate the church, all is peace and love and harmony within the pale of her extended jurisdiction.

The Covenant.- Our editorial remarks made in the March number of this work, have been quoted with apparent exultation by some of our cotemporaries. We beg them to forbear awhile-it is full time to shout

when one is out of the woods-at present we have cause to felicitate the Grand Lodge of the United States that the prospects of the "official magazine" are beginning to brighten.

The Grand Lodge of the United States, be it known. never advanced or expended one dollar in the purchase of the old Covenant-the declaration of some friends to the contrary notwithstanding.

Tennessee-Extract of a letter from P. G. M. T. Kezer, dated Nashville, April 20, 1843.

Below please find a few resolutions which were introduced last night in the Grand Lodge of Tennessee, and which were passed without a dissenting vote. Our Secretary being absent for a few months, I was appointed Secretary pro tem.-it therefore becomes my duty to transmit you

a copy.

Resolved by the Grand Lodge of Tennessee, I. O. O. F., at its regular communication in April, 1843, that we entertain the most favorable consideration and regard for the Covenant and Official Magazine of the Grand Lodge of the United States, I. O. O. F. as a means of disseminating truth and true official documents throughout her wide extended jurisdiction.

Resolved, "That in a community like that of Odd-Fellowship-covering so vast a jurisdiction, and embracing so many essential and important interests, that the weal of the association requires the dissemination from time to time of valuable official information-that it is due to the elevated rank, and meritorious position of our Order among the benevolent institutions of the day-in view of the large amount of aid which it is continually affording in the great work of benefaction to man, which marks the philanthropic efforts of this enlightened age, that there should be an "official organ," to collate, condence and proclaim its principles, and their fruits." Resolved, That we cordially approve of the Covenant as such an official organ, and that the taste and eminent talents and poetical skill so happily blended in each number, justly entitle it to the support and fostering care

of the whole Order.

Resolved, That its discontinuance would be a calamity deeply to be deplored by the entire fraternity.

Resolved, That the assurance given by its enterprising and talented editor, James L. Ridgely, that for the present year, if necessary, it shall be sustained by individual responsibility, merits and receives our warmest thanks and admiration.

Resolved, That the Grand Secretary transmit a copy of the foregoing resolutions to each subordinate Lodge in Tennessee, in the hope that many of the brethren may find it convenient and consistent with their views to patronize so highly useful an official organ, at so important a crisis in the affairs of Odd-Fellowship.

*It is due to the Printer of the Official Magazine that it should be known that the work is now being conducted upon his own individual responsibility, having received no aid of any moment from the Grand Lodge of the United States.-ED.

Whose portrait accompanies this number, was born at Wolstanton, Staffordshire, England, on 19th March, 1804, and emigrated to the United States in 1825, when he had attained his majority. On his arrival here he sojourned in a number of the principal cities, as is the usual custom of young foreigners, until in 1831 he finally settled in the city of New York where he is now established as an operative dentist, and a distinguished manufacturer of incorruptible teeth. It was during his travels through the country, and while residing temporarily at Philadelphia, that he connected himself with the Order he was initiated in General Marion Lodge, No. 6, of that city, sometime in the year 1830, and was chosen to the office of Assistant Secretary-in the latter part of the same year, on his removal to Baltimore, he united himself with Gratitude Lodge, No. 5, in that city, which was then the junior Lodge in Maryland, and held there the humble office of L. H. S. S., but owing to a bad state of health he was induced to return to the city of New York in the following Spring, when he joined Columbia Lodge, No. 1, by card. The condition of the Order in New York at that time was not by any means flourishing. There were but two Lodges in the city, one of which was discreditable to the Order, and its character contributed much to the depression of the other; in the State at large there were but four Lodges in operation, viz: Nos. 1 and 4 in the city of New York; No. 6 at Columbiaville, Columbia County, and No. 8 at Albany-the remaining Nos., one-half of the whole, had already became extinct from the general want of energy on the part of the brethren, and the mistaken policy of those who had the control of the Grand Lodge power in the State. Under such extremely unfavorable auspices brother Alcock became united to the direct interests of the Order in the State of New York, and although his experience in the Order in other places had been very limited, yet he had learned sufficient to convince him of the necessity of great personal effort to save it from entire prostration. His first exertions were directed toward freeing it from the odium of bacchanalian disrepute, but they were met by the most decided oppo