chgregory

My Brothers,

Today a friend asked me if the Odd Fellows were Masons. Well to tell you the truth, I had never even considered what they were and how they fit into such a question.

After looking at them, I don't beleive they have any relationship to Freemasons, but I think they have like beliefs. Read on please:

"ODD FELLOW VALEDICTION

I am an Odd Fellow

I believe in the Fatherhod of God and the
Brotherhood of man;
I belive in Friendship, Love and Truth as
the basic guides to the ultimate destiny of
all mankind;
I beleive, my home, my church or temple,
my lodge, and my community deserve my best
work, my modest pride my earnest faith, and
my deepest loyalty, as I perform my duty "to
visit the sick, relieved the distressed, bury the
dead, and educate the orphan", and as I work
with others to build a better world because, in
spirit and in truth, I am and must always be,
grateful to my Creator, faithful to my Country
and Fraternal to my fellow man;

I am an Odd Fellow!"

I found this on their national site and on their VA site, I think they might well be very good men indeed. But not masons, although, I did find some lodges that rent space to IOOF lodges and some IOOF lodges that rent space to Freemasons.

My first real hint wat that they admit men, women and children, but that is not conclusive. Does anyone know if a relationship exists between Freemasons and Odd Fellows (IOOF)?

It does not really matter at all, I am just interested.

S&F,

__________________
Cliff Gregory, 32