The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-09-23
ODD FELL SHIP.
Meeting Of the Grand Lodge of
= tho United States.
Reports Of the Grand OiIieers-Importan
DecisiOns-Statistica Information.

the 18TH inst Alter the formal opening the reports
OF the grand ofcers were submitted aud referred to
appropriate committees. The documents are quite
lengthy and interesting, and their leading features
are herewith presented. The Grand sires report Ia
substantially as iollows:-
INTRODUCTION.
Allow me TO congratulate you upon the auspiciouS
circumstances OF our present reunion as tie Su-
IRENE IRENE Couacn o, our beloved Order. we come TO
Constituencies diffused all over this widespread
country ;,rs sors south East and West from
from foreign lands, and from the Islands
Of the ocean. No secular influence, no desire
distinction, no hope OF Iavor renowh or honor
which power may confer; none OF these SO poten.
tia IN nerving the arm and kIndling TIE zeal OF men
IN the business OF lie, stimulates our presence IN
TINS distant CITY, lar away IRON our several homes.
MISSION counting time ana talents anu money as
no SACRIFICE, out rs willing Offering the OF
human Dcneiaction. We come together represen.
tatveS oil vast constituency, divided unuef our
form oil government into states districts, colonial
anu provincial Jurisdictions. TO account together OF
U confer III relation u the general welfare apply
the Instructions ol experience and the suggestions
oning Tor guidance IN the luture as these lights
may throw upon our path.
DECISIONS.
The initiation or candidate Is only complete
(hnlshed when he has been introduced the lodge.
When an oillcer Y unler Charges MS functions
as such cease until the question Ot his guilt
cence has been determined oy the lodge.
A Noble Grand has no rlgaL to refuse TO put any
legitimate question " his odge; his differing with
The lodge has nothing TO do with The matter.
1t Is brVtner5 right To vote secret bail ballot:
he may conceal or expose the character OF his vvte
Every nIoIner present In lodge or encam pn,ent
Is obliged 10 vote all que5tions, unless excused
BY the lodge or encainpnient; aud no particular
number or votes Is necessary SO long as quorum
Tucre Is no reason why persons akin TO each other
no matter now close the relation, should not hold
Office AT the same time III the same lodge
room, wnen tney outer for Installation do not al.
dress the chairs.
There is no law against installing officers OF sub.
ordinate lodges IN any suitable hall outside Of the
louge loom, provided the form Ior pubic nstalia-
Questions of law must 90 from subordinate lodges
to ;her District Deputies or Grand Masters. After
Grand Master mas decided question Tor a subOrui-
nate lodge. sald lodge, n not satisfied only seek
redress ny an appeal, properly presented, 10 tue
Grand Lodge; aud said lodge must abide the deci-
SION vi the Grand Master until said decision Is re-
versed ny the Grand Lodge OF the jurisdiction.
A subordinate lodge Is the proper tribunal to try
all cases oI delinquency when Tue charge Cognlz.
able under The laws.
A brother wItnJrawing from his lodge for the
purpose oil establishing with others, new lodge,
and failing To appear when the lodge is lils
tutcd. canaot be considered rs ono OF the charter
No lodge or cncampment has right to refuse O
dismissal certificate 10 Il suspended member WHO
makes , proper applcation Tor NE same. Ine laws
INN ms riSat, and subordinate bodies must con-
form " them.
United States, except upon the voucher OF repre-
sentative from the state iroIn which he halls and
no representative Is authorized to vouch Tor any
visitor ulcss ne Is IN sOod standing In his lodge
ana eucainpment, Is Past Grand aud IN possession
81 sne Royal rarRs nestSs s snu 9y Ueng last
inasmuch as II would be absurd 10 al nIl visitor
TO The Grand Louse or the United States who was
not qualified 10 visit State Grand Body.
Grand L0uxe VI u state has 40 POW er to appoint
a committee OF the Grand Louge to try brother OF
u subordinate ioagc. 1t may however. order
Il
the subordinate lodge must yieu Obedience.
would be called an oncer because he holds an once;
but holding that ONCE would not make MIN eligible
Tor an o ective Oihcc
All voting In a subordinate lodge and degree
lodges Is bs the U. $. OF an u r.. unless otherwise
provided. Lns exception Is mot aione TO- ballot
IN so would seem W indicate, but to advancing 10
degrees, granting withdrawal ca DIS, suspending or
expelling members and relnstatlng them, eiecting
OmcerS, rec0nsiderlng ballot .Or membership,
wnen the yeas and nays are ordered, &C., in which
cases provision Is made by law Tor voting other.
wise.
Inc honors are given to elective or past grand Of
fcers visiting outside III their own Jurisdictions after
they have recognized addressed the chais) and
have been Introduced to the Noble Grand by uauc
The Grand Sire has no authority to revive n dc.
suDct encainpmcnt Instituted by grand cncamp-
ment which Is Itself peluncr
Any brother who has re,Ired and wishes to re-
enter the lodge the same evening may use the Vice
Grands +. w. for tnat purpose.
The Warden's position Is IN front OF the r. S. Of
the Noble Grand, and lie cannot deliver his charge
from any other pace without u Violation oil law.
A Past Grand Master has right TO announce mis-
title as such al the inner door wnen visiting sub
ordinate lodge OIL ordinary OCCASIONS; but lie Is
euuticd to The honors oil the order unless he visits
on Olucial business, which he should announce.
Rank refers 10 tue highest grade or Title attained.
Members holding expired withdrawal cards arc
competent applicants lor charters Tor new lodges,
and there Is no lllnlt to the age ol the card.
A member Of one lodge can prefer Charges against
memoer o, another lodge. he, he may submit hls
or request an investigation vi the charges by the
lodge To which the brother charged belongs. Or,
the brother complaining may pace the charges IN
The hands Of any member vi the lodge TO which the
accused belongs; anu the SAID brotner would have q
rgut and snOuid lay them before his lodge, and the
lodge should take action
1here Is no law preventing memb rs holding dis
mIssa certificates from being applicants for charters
There IS no authority for an elective onlccr OF
State GRAND Body 10 introduce INTO q subordinate
lodge brother holding an expired withdrawal card;
II cannot DC done Legally.
During the recess Of the Grand Lodge dispensa-
lions have been issued Tor the Gran Encam puent5
oil minnesota anu Vermont, subordinate eucamp-
Hastings. MIMI; Kutiand, VI; Nevada CITY, Col;
Lincoln, NeD.; Cheyenne, wyomIng; subordinate
i I es at sI5s Snn MHnres =
Application has been received Ior Charter I0r
lodge at Lima, Peru.
The Grand sire recommends that uniform style
OF headiress he devised IOr cncampmenfs aud regu-
larry constituted Repckah Degree Lodges be author.
lied Io.pass laws Admitting o memuersnip maie5
and females W majority vote, that tue certili.
cate Ue amended as 10 permit IL To be issued py
subordinate lodges. US well as by Kebekah Degree
Lodges
PRESS OF THE ORDER.
Regarding the periodical press OF the Order (of
when the ADl,rjcdn Qua FeOp Is the orlclu or.
gam The Grand sire observes.-'l cannot Iorbear
DONG act oil justice TO those worthy brothers VITO
engaged IN the conduct OF the press OF our Order
They are employ ing their time, means anu intellect
IN work which Is doing great good, not only by
enlightentng the pubic mind upon the moral and
benevolent princpes which clara cterize tue insti-
tuition, out also ln disseminating knowledge OF us
organization, laws, government ana general useful-
ness There - evidently all increasing esire am opQ
the brethren IN many LOCALITIES 10 become Instructed
In the prcples and laws Of the Order ana ms dis
position deserves announcement. Each state Grand
Body, as Wei as each subordinate, shonld nave
on file. one or more OF these publications.
In this connection suggest That the Grand Lodge
subscribe Tor each Oh the periodicals now being
issued and chat the Grand Treasurer be authorized
20 pay for the same. l make the recomme ndation
for the reason that, In my Judgment, our Order has
been and Is now being greatly benefited by THIS
powerful arm OF the service"
Al rv rr-yp