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My breathern, it is good for us to be here.  The motives for which we meet, love for each other and beneficence to the afflicted, sanctify the time and make holy the peace of our assembling.  It is not in our power to slice the raging tempest when it blows in all its fury.  We cannot say to the ocean, embroiled by the force of the hurricane "Peace be still"; we have no power to say to the thunder, as it speaks terror to man, or to darken the lightning as it scathes the vission of its victims; but we can take the victim of the storms and assist him in distress.  We can take the ship-wrecked mariner from the wave that threatened to become his shroud and warm him into life.  We may not be able to stand at the door of the sepulchre and roll away the stone, and bid the death-stricken tenant to come forth, but we may take the bruised and chrushed and act the part of the good Samaritan, and pour oil into his wounds.  These things we have done in part, a least, and thereby carried out the great principle on which our order is based Friendship.  Let us then, brothers, above all things, live for some purpose in the world, that when we die we may leave behind us what gold cannot purchase an unsullied reputation

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Nobler objects than these never united men; and if we be worthy of the day in which we live, and of the station we are called to fill we must work for their attainment.  "We must work"; then is no provision in our laws for the idle and the worthless, neither did the Creator give him a portion among men.  The lover of pleasure can expect to find it elsewhere only in the consciousness of duty performed.  A word of caution is deemed proper.  It must always be borne in mind that our order is a paternity; its members are brethern, equal in rights and privileges, as well as duties. [begin deleted text] and in the desirt [end deleted text] fur order to be strong must have sturdy manhood to support it.  The investigating of character should be thorough and careful: quality more than quantity should be [begin deleted text] our [end deleted text] the motto.

Brother, be just and fear not, and 
When you see a worthy brother,
Buffeting the stormy main,
Lend a helping hand paternal,
Till he reach the shore again.
Don't desert the old and tried friend,
When misfortune comes in view,
For he does need friendship's comforts;
Cling to those who cling to you 

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