The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-16
THE /. O. 0. F.
Annual Meeting Of the Grand Lodge
i'm Baltimore.
The Reports of the Offcers-A Recon-
mendgtion that the Work
"White be Dropped
from the Consti-
tuition.

BALTIMORE Sept. 15-The Grand Lodge, L
o. q. f., assembled in It's ffty-ffth annssal
session at 8 O'Clock this morning at Odd Feb
lows Hall, John b. HainoD Grand Sire, pre-
siding. Representatives wers present from
all State, Territorial and provincial jurisdie-
tio2,
Annual reports were presented by the
grand sire, grand secretary, grand treasurer,
aud referred to appropriate committees.
The States were then called and business
presented az follows: A number of appeal
from the Grand Lodge OF Switzerland for
jurisdiction, with similar powers to that Of the
Grand'Lodge OF the German EEnpira; amend
ments to the constitution OF the Grand En-
eampment OF California, Grand Lodge OF Ar
kansas aud Grand EnGanpment OF COnneeti-
cut and Delaware; a resolution In favor OF bien-
NAL sessions and an invitation from the
Grand Lodge OF Ontario to hold the annual
session OF 1880 at Toronto. recess was then
taken.
The report OF the Grand Sire gives the con-
dition OF the order at the present time as fol-
lows, with comparison with the previous
year: Number OF grand lodges 50. increase
2; number OF subordinate lodges 1915, increase
year: subordinate encampnents 1863 increase
Of Is, of lodge limitations 49, $780, decrease
1877; OF lodge members 1920, decrease 5728 !;
OF eneampment members 50, 408, decrease 1919;
rs Oh
1888 81; total revenue, 81 se, 9a6 50, decrease
OF $f56 065 80.
The report then gives the decisions OF the
Grand Sire On the various questions brought
before him, and proceeds TO argue In favor OF
reduced representation In the Grand Lodge,
saying the lodge should be composed Of only
one representative from each State, Territory
or country under Its jurisdiction, not one from
each grand body. This would make a Grand
Lodge of forty eight members at present, with
a b.a p yy he W
to sixty years. The report argues that funds
for the support OF the Grand Lodge should
be raised by q per capita tax, and that the
sick and general fund be kept separate from
the management fund. Also, that Past Grand
Sires should not have other than merely hon
orary seats In the Grand Lodge. The report
takes strong ground against adopting a sys-
tenn OF life Insurance within the order, and
fsvors the repeal of the constitutional provi-
sion restricting membership to free white
males.
The report OF the grand treasurer for the
fiscal year ending August 81, shows. Total
receipts of the Grand Lodge, including a cash
balance OF ,661 on hand at the close of the
previous fiscal year, to have been $40, 1855 50,
and the total disbursements S37,97l, leaving
cash balance Of S11.445 II.
The report OF the grand secretaryis a docu-
ment OF 50 pages, and gives detailed ac-
upon him by the last Grand Lodge, and the
present general condition OF the order 10 the
United States and foreign countries. During
the year ~ SOB brothers End 6155 widowed
families were relieved, 237, 437 weeks benefit
paid, and 1868 brothers buried. The amounts
paid for the relief OF brothers vas 81, o43. 1856,
for widowed families s145,033, for the efuca-
tion Of orphans s14,755, for barying the dead
1851 $50, for special relief s94 201. The pres
enb financial condition OF the Grand Lodge is
reported as unusually satisfactory.
After recess the session Of the Grand Lodge
was brief and no business Of importance was
transacted.