The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1871-08-24
Fraternity of Odd Fellows.

jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge Of the Or
der for the United States, embracing q
membership of 29S, ,637, Of which no less
than 46,3O9 we're initiated during the year
ending at that date. The losses of men,
bership during the same year we're 1851
by death, and SS7 by expulsion, making
3,4lSin in all. These figures show that the
Order is advancing in numbers OF about
the rate of II per cent. per annumn, SO
that at the close of June, 1871, the Order
must have numbered $50 1000 members in
good standing on its rolls. This is vast
array Of men for single beneficial society
as recent in its organization as the ODD
Fellows, which only two or three years
ago celebrated its golden anniversary. Its
elder brother Masonry, embraced o men,
bership in the United States, in 1870,
numbering 476,SO2.
Although Odd Fellowship in this cOun-
try receivedits first impulse in the United
States in the State Of Maryland, where
the Order at the last report had 145 lod.
ges aud 1918 members. Pennsylvania
has far surpassed that State in progress,
aud indeed, every other State, OF the eag.
gregate of 2OS,67S Odd Fellows in the
United States in 1870, no less than 75,56
were in the State of Pennsylvania, or more
than one fourth of the whole NUMBER
Ohio, with an aggregate membership Of
92,9S6, stands next in rank to Pepnsylva-
MIA, but our State contains as many men,
bers Of the craft as Ohio New York, Ma.
ryland and Massachusetts combined.
The number of deaths in the Order, in
1870, was, as already mentioned, 2,56l.
If this is a full record Of all the deaths, as
we assume it to be, the institution Of Odd
Fellowship shows remarkably favorable
average, so far as the ordinary death,ratc
is concerned. The deaths are but one out
ofevory one hundred and seventeen men,
bers, while the death-ratc for adult males
of all ages over twenty-oue, is, as near as
We can compute it, about one in every ~
This vast difference in favor Of the Order
is doubtless due, in large part, to the great,
cr proportion Of comparatively young men
inits ranks, but it is probably due in part
to the temperate, provident and other good
habits Of the greater portion of those who
compose its membership. This is a point
that it would be worth while for some of
/
the jealous and intelligent members to in
yestigate.
During the year ending June 80, 1870,
the number of brethren who received
relief from their Lodges was 25,Ol9,
and to these there was paid out of the
funds $579,O43S1. From these figures
we learn that two members out of every
eleven and a half, received the sick bene.
Gts, and the average benefit received by
each of the q, ,019 sick brothers was S23.
IA Towards the burial expenses of the
1851 deceased members lbesum Of $780,
56O.2l was paid, or an average of SOL 4S
in each case. In the same year the widow
ed families Of 3,S76 members were reliev.
ed to the amount of $l22,O43.65, or an
average Of about S3l so to each family.
The total sum paid out during the year for
benefits and relief of all descriptions was
$3.50, ,9O6.S6, or an average expenditure
from the funds of the Order Of about
S2.S7 for each member. The aggregate
income Of the Order for the year was S.
IA, ,4l9 46, or an average contribution
from each member Of about S9.12. But
the income is derived from other sources
than the weekly dues-part Of it coming
from initiation fees and part of it from in
tercst on investments of surplus funds
The weekly dues range from about six and
a quarter cents week in some Lodges to
fifteen cents week in others, or from
S3.23 to 81 80 year; so that large pro-
portion of the vast income as above stated
must come from other sources. But what
great organization has this young bene.
fetal Order become! Its present member.
ship Of $4,000 in 1871 represents not
less than 100000 people when the fami.
lies Of membership are taken into account
The good influences Of the Order penetrate
all the family circles Of its membership,
and even beyond, for not only their wives,