Odd Fellows' LITERARY CASKET. "FRIENDSHIP, LOVE AND TRUTH" VOL. I. APRIL, 1854. Love. "Love is, or ought to be, our greatest bliss, Gives way to that, and we leave all for love." RowE. NO. 4. The second term in the triad motto of Odd-Fellowship is Love. This, like the word Friendship, is descriptive of a cardinal virtue, and may be said to be the source of all the goodness that adorns the human character. It cannot therefore, and with strict propriety, be called a single isolated virtue, but is rather a disposition rising in the heart, from which all the virtues of benignity, generosity, compassion and liberality, flow as so many pure and native streams. And hence it is, that love is never to be considered as a general or speculative idea of benevolence, which floats merely through the brain without touching and warming the heart with a life which is peculiar to itself. Its native home is deep down in the soul, whence originates its generous desires, and benevolent impulses; and the head is but the machine to devise means and ways for its kind benefactions, and to execute its noble purposes. Love is not content with the mere indulgence of indolent good-nature which would make mankind rest satisfied with being free from malice and inveterate ill-will, without generously prompting us to be of service to any. It is an active principle; and from general good-will to all men, it extends its benign and cheering influences, more particularly, to those who are directly within the limits of its good offices. From the love of God, and the love of religion, and the love of country, it descends to the love of family relations, and to those smaller associations of men whose object is the relief of the suffering, and to individuals. But at the same time it was never intended to be so liberal and undistinguishing as to give every one an equal title to its benefactions; nor does it attempt to close our eyes against the marked distinction between good and bad men. vol. 1-13 |