By Rev. Bro. W. J. Greenwood, of Thames Lodge, No. 9.—One of the oddest things in all creation, a true Odd-Fellow-in the eyes of ignorance, selfishness and bigotry.

By H. Stayna, N. G.-May the hospitalities of this occasion, the kindness and attention shown us be long remembered.

By A. G. Wightman, P. G.-Our Order in general may its march be onward.

By Rev. Bro. R. A. G. Thompson.-The principles of our Order, when faithfully investigated and fully understood are highly calculated to convince every honest man of its real worth and permanent utility, and that it is adapted fully to benefit Odd-Fellows and be made a blessing to mankind.

By G. W. Brown, V. G.-The Odd Fellows of Connecticut, with Devotion in their cause they are sure of prosperity.

By the same.-Uncas Lodge, No. 11.-An honor to her city; and to the Order, the favorite offspring of a fond mother.

After the volunteer toasts were delivered, a beautiful wreath of flowers was received by the President from a Lady, accompanied with a request that it be placed on the head of M. W. G. M. Pratt, Orator of the day, which was very handsomely done by Dr. B. F. Barker, who also made a very neat speech on the occasion. He closed with the following senti

ment:

The Ladies-Ever even with us in actively carrying out the principles of Odd-Fellowship.

At 4 o'clock the procession again formed, and the members of Thames Lodge and Unity Encampment were escorted to the Boat. The Orator of the day was then escorted to his lodgings, after which, the members of Uncas Lodge proceeded to their Hall and dismissed.

Altogether, the celebration of Uncas Lodge was the prettiest affair that ever came off in this city; and we doubt not that the very able and satis. factory address of Mr. Pratt will have a tendency to destroy much of that prejudice which has heretofore existed against it.

The following lines, written by a brother of the Order, has been handed us for publication.

LINES,

Suggested by the Celebration of Uncas Lodge, No. 11, I. O. of O. F., in this city, Sept. 3d, by a member of Uncas Lodge.

When first our Pilgrim Sires, a hardy few

This then primeval land were scattered through,

When where yon wide stretched Plains now greet our sight,

Bathed in a flood of yellow summer light

Where many a blooming spot and goodly dome

Points to where wealth and taste have made their home

When, where our city fair for years has smil'd,

There spread then but an umbrageous wild—
When yonder River, whose now echoing shore
Reverb'rates to the Locomotive's roar---
On whose broad shining bosom gaily borne
The snowy sails of many harbors swarm--
Our noble Thames! remote and nameless then,

Far from the homes and haunts of Christian men,
No statelier craft its lonely waters knew,
Than the Red hunter's tiny bark canoe.
Where now the husbandman rejoicing tills
In comfort and content, secure from ill,

His fruitful fields,-where sings the speckled lark,
The painted savage lurked in forests dark-
And where bright gardens bloom to the sunny day,
The gaunt wolf prowl'd, and glaring-marked his prey.

"Twas when those high soul'd exiles, harrass'd sore
By savage foes on this inclement shore-
When by the Indian's midnight torch, there fell
Full many a cherish'd home in forest dell-
And 'neath the bloody Pequot's slaught'ring knife,
Fell young and old,-fell grandsire, child, and wife-
Mohegan's forest chief their friend became,

And to their ranks was added his dread name

A name-at which the Pequot's dusky cheek

Paled, with the fear his tongue would never speak;

The name we cherish and our Father's lov'd,

Who still to them a faithful ally prov'd;

The name of Uncas, once a name of power,

We of this modern day now claim as ours.

But-changed the scene.-Through these now smiling groves,
No longer now the Indian warrior roves,
No more can rival tribes on Sachem's Plain,
Their scenes of horrid strife enact again.
But in their stead, we come,—a peaceful band
Of proven Brothers,-marching hand in hand.
No bloody trophies are by us displayed,

No shouts of triumph from our ranks are heard,
But to the sound of music soft and sweet,
Behold!-the measured tread of many feet-
And brightly glist'ning on each breast we see
The emblems of our lov'd Fraternity.

No warfare wage we with a kindred race,
But in the foremost rank we take our place—
Wherever aught of pain or woe we find,
Or any of the ills of human kind,

We 'tend the suff'rers couch-his pains allay

And send the needy joyful on their way.

Yon sick'ning wretch-exiled from home and friends

In the hot Lazar house his frame extends

In Fever's heat,-and rolls his glazing eye
Once more aloft,—then turns him round to die.

But no-low bending o'er his couch he sees
A kindly face, and hears the word of peace.
The mystic sign is passed,—his friends are near
To sooth his fever'd brain,-his heart to cheer-

Once more the suff'rer dreams of home and wife,
And Hope fresh springing-calls him back to life.

Or should the fate which all must meet, o'ertake
That pining Brother, he scarce dreads the blow,
He knows that those dear friends will ne'er forsake
His wife and little ones,--though he lies low;
That o'er them will be stretch'd a succoring arm,
To guard, provide for, and to shield from harm.
In mourning weeds we slowly then convey
His lov'd remains to meet with kindred clay-
Weep when we hear his virtues called to mind,
And to our hearts his memory enshrine.
These are our principles, these the acts that we
Meet to commemorate on this joyful day,
And while advancing-as advance we must,
Rememb'ring still that In God is our Trust!'
As each year brings again the joyful time,
Our Order shall with added lustre shine-
And beaming on our ranks from Heaven above,
Shall shine our motto,- Friendship, Truth, and Love.'

[Norwich, (Con.) News, Sept. 12, 1844.]

EDITOR'S TABLE.

The Covenant and Official Magazine.-This work after the present volume ceases to belong to the Grand Lodge of the United States. By a resolution of that body, passed without a dissenting vote, a Committee consisting of the M. W. Grand Sire, Rep's Wilson of New York, and Moore, of the District of Columbia, have been appointed to dispose of the same upon the following terms:

1st. They shall consult and advise with the G. Cor. Secretary.

2d. The Official Magazine shall be published on the sole responsibility of the purchaser.

3d. That all original or selected matter for the Official Magazine shall be submitted to the supervision and control of the G. Cor. Secretary.

It will be perceived that in so far as that distinguished body could express its sanctions of the Official Magazine, and manifest a strong desire for the continuance of its publication, the action of the G. Lodge of the United States has been emphatic. It has declared in the language of its Committee that "an institution of so much importance as that of the I. O. O. F., which is daily increasing in numbers, and whose conduct and doings are closely observed by the community, should have some official medium of extending its moral influences, of defending itself from unjust censure, and of promulgating its acts and principles amongst its members." The Covenant has therefore been recognized as having heretofore responded fully to its design, and as an evidence of the confidence of that body in its entire ability to protect, guard and advance the great interests of Odd-Fellowship, it has been voted with unanimity that the work shall be continued in all respects as heretofore in its official char acter, changing only its proprietorship.

The Committee appointed to receive proposals for the purchase of the Magazine have caused an advertisement to be placed on the cover of the present number, to which we invite the attention of all who feel an interest in the subject. It may be expected of us that we should say something of the probable value of the work, as we have enjoyed an opportunity from our association, of observing the cause of its difficulties and inability to sustain its publication. It is also our duty to disclose with frankness our opinions on this subject, not only that its present proprietor, whose pecuniary losses have been great in its efforts to sustain it, may have the full benefit of all that we can with propriety

say in its behalf, but also that our brethren who may feel disposed to bid for it may do so understandingly. We shall give our views on this subject with perfect sincerity. In the first place the Official Magazine from its establishment has never had the advantage of an efficient agency, and has been pretty much left to itself to find its way to patronage; every body who has had any experience in the business of periodical publication, knows very well that patronage rarely seeks any work, no matter how ably it may be conducted, but that the very best enterprize requires the active aid of patient and persevering toil to put it in successful motion. Secondly, it has had to contend with divided counsels in the Grand Lodge of the United States, and a spirit of opposition which has never ceased has been directed against its publication under its present proprietorship, for the reason which has been assigned, to wit: that the Grand Lodge of the United States ought not to engage in any pursuit which brought it in collision with private and individual enterprise. The force of this objection we never have been able, we confess, to see, yet it has had its weight in some sections of the country. We might add other reasons, but as they have been sufficiently declared in the official report of the Agent at the last session of the Grand Lodge, it is unnecessary to recur to them again. The experience of every man will not fail to teach him that the want of harmony of opinion, and the existence of distracted counsels in the proprietorship of any enterprise, would of itself enervate the strongest efforts for its success. Union, concentration of mind, and perfect concord, was as indispensable in the action of the Grand Lodge of the United States in reference to the Official Magazine, as it would be in any set of individuals associated to effect any single object, and just as division of feeling, disagreement and the absence of harmony would affect vitally the one, it would with equal certainty overpower the other. Such has unfortunately been the position of the Covenant, and the opposition to its publication under existing auspices by the Grand Lodges of Connecticut, Virginia and Pennsylvania, three among the strongest jurisdictions of our confederacy, could not therefore fail to exert the most injurious influence upon the patronage of the work. The extent of that influence may be readily imagined from the fact, that in the first of these States during the last year, there has been but a single subscriber, and the list in the two last has not reached a half-a-dozen,-yet there is a large constituency in each of enlightened and intelligent brethren, and from the unanimity of the vote in the Grand Lodge of the United States commendatory of the Editorial management of the Magazine, we infer that there has been no fault in those States with the conduct of the work. It is obvious therefore, in view of this state of facts, that the objection to the proprietorship of the Grand Lodge of the United States took a firm and abiding hold against the work in Connecticut, Virginia and Pennsylvania, and necessarily diffused itself to a considerable extent over other sections of the brotherhood. It is true that there was a strong attachment for the work in most of the other States, yet the very facts of the continuing opposition to it, and the uncertainty of its result, had the effect, if not of lessening the efforts of its friends, certainly of checking their endeavors in its behalf; for ourselves, we confess we partook largely of the latter feeling. To say nothing of the entire absence of an efficient agent during the three years of the existence of the Covenant, it