Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1879-01-22

session al The grant lld@e OF boou Iclh-
plars were introduced Tuesday evening
by public reception ut lIowe's hail. The
hall was tastcfully decorated with ever
green, and over the stand Of the presiding
officer was a large arch bearing the word
" Welcome" and beneath the arch Il tri-
angle inscribed with the triple motto OF
the order, Faith, Hope, Charity" 1t
has been customary for the grand lodge 10
hold "mass meeting" at the close OF It's
session in any place. but the idea OF
public reception, given by the people OF
the town, is new. The hall was filled to
its utmost capacity, every inch of standing
space, almost, being occupied. The audi
ence was composed in great part, OF
course, of persons from different portions
of the town. although members of the
grand lodge were present in large num-
bers.
The meeting was calle1 10 order ut
o'clock by Hon. ii. Carpenter, and the
exercises were opened by the Glee Club
with the anthem, Sing. Hallelujah," and
this was followed by prayer by the Rev.
o. NJ. Boutwell,. and the Glee Club then
gave the anthem, 4" How Excellent is Thy
Name" In few well chosen and hap
PLY put expressions Judge Carpenter
granted the = freedom of the city > to the
visiting Templars in behalf Of the citizens
of the town. Hon. j. II. circuit followed
with few words of welcome in behalf of
the village and spoke of the Good Tenn
plars as an organization destined to play
an important part in the formation Of
public opinion in Vermont.
After the anthem, Father, o lleIr Us"
by the Glee Club, Rev. VIM. S. llazen
welcomed the members of the grand lodge
in behalf of the churches, speaking with
unusual force and earnestness and char
acterizing the two organizations AS CO.
workers in common field. DIR. p. ID.
Bradford next presented the greetings Of
the fraternity, Seapking of the multi
plicity of organizations and societies he
spoke of the "rising star of Good Tenn
plary." Rituals may change and forms
may be altered, but the principles of the
order will live, for they are eternal
Starting twenty-seven years ago in an OBJ
scure village in western New York, it is
now limited only by the bounds of civiliz'
alton.
At the close of DR.. Bradford remarks
a welcome poem was read for Mountain
Gem Lodge, South Mortified, by Mrs. E..
X. Jones, which was well received.
After the reading of the poem members
of Gouldsville lodge sang, in an admira-
BILE manner. Il greeting glee. Following
this, G. w. C. I. Folsom thanked the peo-
pie of Mortified for the very pleasing
manner in which they had welcomed the
grand lodge, and assured them of the
hearty good will of that body. Comparing
the lodge with the church he spoke of the
former as the "picket line " of the latter
After the staging of the glee, Hark,
tbs the Trumpet Sounding" the &. W.
Chaplain, Rev. A. b. TruaX, was intro
duced and gave one of his characteristic
and ringing addresses. Then came the
glee, 1.-The Wandering Savoyard," and
the exercises were closed by the benedic'
ton by Rev. Mr.. Kimmell.
Many persons were obliged to leave
being unable to find even standing room,
and of the nearly six hundred who were
in the hall all seemed pleased with the
exercises. The greatest good humor pre-
vailed, even in the midst Of the crowd
The music, under the charge Of Mr.. Johr
Owen, was good and was warmly APP
plauded.
The business of the grand lodge com
menced in Howe's Hall on Wednesda,
morning. The lodge was opened in form
by G. w. C. Z. Folsom, the following
officers present: G. w. G. T., Rev. Il
Folsom, Barton Landing; G.. w. c., A. Il
Straw, Stowe; G.. w. V. r., Mrs. Mary
Upper, Middlebury; G. w. s., FRANK
Plumey, Mortified; &. w. A. S., JOIN
S. Batchelder, Waterbury; G. S. j. T..
Mrs. II. G. Batchelder. Plainlield; G. w
Chaplain, Rev. A. B. Truax, Bradford; G
w. Marshal, j. Q. Leslie, St. Adams; G
w. Deputy Marshal, Miss NJ. Pierce. Lud
low; G. w. Sentinel, j. j. Manney, Eas
Middlebury; G. w. A., j. r. Cleaveland
Brookfeld. Pro tom appointments: p. G
w. c. r., Lucy j. Bradshaw, Montpelier
G. w. r., j. p. Jewett, Swanton; Gram
Messenger, F. Il. Bates, Northiield
Committee ON credentials reported sixty
one eligible as representatives and twenty
two grand lodge visitors, making n tota
of eighty-three, upon whom the CRANE
lodge degree was conferred.
The afternoon session was opened in til
subordinate degree. and the first part wa
taken up with the reports of the q. w. Z
T., G. W. S., Supt. of Juvenile Temples
and the delegate to the r. w. grand lodge
FROM ADDRESS OF G.. W. c. T. FOLSOM.
Our gratitude is due our ueavenl
Father for His protecting guidance throug
another year, to which obligation | tru>
none of us are insensble. Let us than
and praise God for mercies in the past an
crave His strength and blessing for tn
future 10 guide us in the duties before us
| welcome you to the sixteenth annua
session of the grand lodge of Vermont
We come here to review the past and lee
islate for the future. Let us do so an
honor God. feel truly happy in beini
able to congratulate you on the GROWN
condition of our order. We are stronge
than at the beginning of the year in spit
of the sluggish life and the final demise {
few lodges. More lodges have bee
instituted than for several years past, an
the work seems but just started. Ever
obligation and requirement in our order
noble and godlike, and is grandly leadin
the great temperance reform. Its alta
fires are burning on every continent IN
many islands of the sea. May God haste
the time when all that can ntoxicate sha
be driven from our fair land. With fee
ings of gratitude for the honor you hay
conferred upon me | return my most sir
cere thanks TO all who have been associa
= ed with me, and especially the eXecutiy
committee for their kindness and forbea
ance.
= FROM THE REPORT OF THE q. W. S.
Number of members in good staudin
last year was 4,568, and during the ye;
1882 members have been added. viii
the total loss has been 1902, making n
gain of $50. The present membership
= 1908. There were 66 lodges at last repo
f and 80 have been instituted during II
current year, while IL have surrendert
D their charters. Thus the net gain h,
been 10, and the present number OF lodg,
= is IS.
q My brothers and sisters, did you in YOU
fcndest dreams and highest hopes pail
the ideal progress fairer than the re
= which we behold to-day. How we la,
Q slumbered in the unhappy past, but Il
visions of those sad hours in which we
pictures of decay, disintegration and rui
were but the dreams of our diseased il
a