Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1871-09-22
/. o. o. +.
ssssIsn Of the Grand LOdss Of the UaItsd
States at Chicago.
Address From Vice-PresIdeHt coIfax and
Other Prominent Menhsrs Of
the Order.
An Amendment to the CsnstltutIOn-No Ne
grSss Need Apply.

CHICAGO, September 21.-Thers
was a grand reunion OF the Odd Fel-
lows at Metropolitan Hall last night.
There were full two thousand persons
present, large share Of whom were
strangers. An Introductory address
was made by D. 8. Sherry, p. g. R.,
of Illinois. He was followed by John
B. Harmon, of California, S. 81. Fitz-
hugh, OF Virginia, George W. Race,
of Louisiana, J. F. Morse, Deputy
Grand Master Of GsrmsEy and Swiiz-
erIand, President COliAx, Past
Grand Sire OF Indiana, and James T..
Ridgeley, Secretary of the Grand
Lodge Of the United States.
Vice President Colfax said, that for
a quarter of century he had been a
member Of the order, and he could
truthfully say, that in all that time he
had never heard word in the ritual
or charges Of Odd Fellowship to which
the seVerest critic or the most devOut
christian could object. All its princi
pies were drawn directly, and in many
cases, literally from the sacred re-
cord: here il taught obedience to the
command of the Great Teacher
'sThOu shalt love thy neighbor as
thysslf," and the Golden Rule is
the thSme of the most beautiful de-
gree.
After further vindicating the order,
the vice-president closed by saying,
that the victories of Odd Fellowship
were not the victories Of the warrior,
nor the millionaire, but the most
prieessless victories on the battle. fields
of humanity, where the work g al
ways plenty and the laborers few.
At the morning session of the Grand
LOd0e the following amendment to
the constitution was adopted:
mo person shall be entitled to ad-
mission to the order except free,
white males Of good moral character,
who have arrived at the age of TWEEN
ty one years, and who believe in a
Supreme Beisg, the creator and pre-
server Of the universe; provided, how
ever, that in Australia, Nav Zealand,
and other countries not on the CONT
nent of North America. in which the
order has been or may hereafter be
established, and a Grand Lodge or
Grand Lodges formed, the QUaiiica-
ton as to age shall be left to local leg
islatiOn."
After the adoption of this amend
ment, committees on unfinished bus
iness and on finance and legislation
submitted various reports, which
were appropriately disposed of, and
the remainder Of the session was Occu.
pied in discussing an amendment TO
the constitution of the Grand Lodge
nf the United States, providing that
Past Grand Sjres belalloWed the same
privilege and per diem fees as is al
lowed to representatives.
Having accepted an invitation
from Alderman Busse, a party
0f invited guests frOm the Grand
Lodge took an excursion on the lake,
in the steamer Chicago Belle, leaving
ber dock at one O'Clock. They re
turned at about bali-Past two O'Clock
and the Grand Ladgs proper we're
taken aboard for aQ excursion down
the south shore.
The Grand Encsmpmsnt Of the
United States is in session this eve
ming and elected the following officers:
Most Eminent Grand Master, J. Q
A. Fellows, Of New Orleans; Right
Eminent Deputy Grand Mas er, Jas.
Il. Hethkins, Of Pittsburg; Very EN-
inent Grand GenerallissimO, Vincent
L Hurlburt, of Chicago; Very Emi-
nent Grand Captain General, Ben Ia
min Dean, of Boston; Very Eminent
Grand Senior Warden, Irving M.
Smith, of East Saginaw, Michigan;
Very Eminent Grand Junior Warden
VIM. G. Patton, of Meridian, Miss;
Grand Treasurer, John w. Simmons,
of New York; Grand Recorder, Theo.
S. Parvin, OF Iowa City, Iowa.