
W. BION ADKINS
DEDICATION - WORTHY AND GENTLE BROTHERS - I DEDICATE THIS LITTLE BOOK TO THEE, SINCERELY HOPING THAT IT WILL AFFORD YOU MUCH PLEASURE AND BE THE MEANS OF INCITING YOU TO GREATER EFFORT IN BEHALF OF OUR BELOVED ORDER. MAY THY YEARS BE MANY AND THEIR SEASONS ALL GOLDEN AUTUMNS, RICH IN PURPLE CLUSTERS AND GARNERED DELIGHTS. - PREFACE
W. BION ADKINS.
TODAY'S DEMAND
INTRODUCTORY
THE JERICHO ROAD
THE OBJECTS AND PURPOSES OF ODD-FELLOWSHIP
PITHY POINTS
THE BIBLE IN ODD-FELLOWSHIP
BROTHER UNDERWOOD'S DREAM.
A warm invitation opens this modest volume, urging members of a historic fraternal order to look beyond routine and discover richer, more compassionate possibilities. Blending heartfelt dedication, reflective essays, and excerpts from classic poets, the author sketches a roadmap for personal growth, integrity, and communal service. The prose reverberates with the rhythm of rivers and winds, reminding readers that the journey toward virtue is both constant and ever‑renewing. It feels less a textbook than a companion for anyone seeking to turn everyday duties into meaningful acts of kindness.
The narrative itself begins with a lone traveler on the Jericho road, his pack heavy with the hard‑earned savings of many laborious days and a looming mortgage weighing on his mind. As he moves forward, the road becomes a quiet stage for questions of trust, generosity, and the true cost of ambition. Early encounters hint at the subtle challenges that test his character, inviting listeners to contemplate how each step might echo the values cherished by his fellowship.
Language
en
Duration
~4 hours (262K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
Oct 20, 2004
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1858–1925
Best known for The Jericho Road, this early 20th-century writer explored the ideals of fellowship, charity, and moral purpose through the lens of the Independent Order of Odd Fellows. His surviving work has the tone of a guidebook and a heartfelt appeal, aimed at readers who believed communities could be strengthened by mutual care.
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