Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-08-10

This Jewel was presented TO P. G. VI.
Dei'Z at the session Of the Grand Lodge at
Dalton on August 10Th, 1876, by ?. g. War
den 7. A. Askew, Of Oglethorpe Lodge,
and as Of interest IN this cOnnection-the
matter never having been referred to but
briefly heretofore-We give the following
account Of the presentation, which excited
considerable comment ia the Grand Lodge
q, the time. Il occurred during = recess
OF the Lodge, when ?. e. Warden 7. A.
Askew, claiming attention, thus addressed
the members:
N. W. Grand Matter and Brothers: / claim
your attention for few minutes in order TO
perform duty entrusted TO me, and one Of
much importance. II has been thought ad-
visable By those whom / represent TO bring
70 your notice certain proceedings of the
Lodge 70 which belong, as they effect on
the character Of member Of tEis Grand
Lodge; yea, an officer Of this grst body,
aud before the accused shall inue 10
exercise the duties Of his Office, has consent
Ell that hearing should take place at this
time.
Serious charges have been preferred
against said brother In Oglethorpe Lodge,
touching his character as a gentleman and
an Odd Fellow. After a long and careful
investigation / am compelled 20 say the
charges were all sustained and Oglethorpe
Lodge has been compelled to pass sentence
on the accused. Said charges are against
your Grand Secretary, John 6. Deitz.
The members Of the Grand Lodge during
| the remarks Of the speaker were filed with
anxiety, aud the cOuntenaDce Of every one
indicated the deep interest manifested 10
the case, but when the name of Grand Secre-
tary Deitz was uttered, it would be impossi
BILE 70 portray the scene; the astOnishment
exhibited by every member was really pain
full TO behold. The Grand Secretary him
self, raising from his chair with pallid face
and outstretched arm, was a picture which
will be ever remembered.
The speaker paused until the accused at
tempted to speak, when remarkiDg, 81 have
the hOorl" proceeded:
He is charged with having been initiated In
Oglethorpe Lodge No / ia the early part
of 1915, when Odd Fellowship, though
young in Georgia, yet had increased since
1912, when Oglethorpe Lodge No. l was
instituted, from one to eleven Lodges with
| fourteen hundred members, and at the time
when OgletbOrpe Lodge had two hundred
| and seventy-hVe members In good standing
| OF that number the names OF but nine are
now on the roll, and the most active Of these
is the accused. He is charged with having
held within the last thirty-one years all the
offices within the gift OF Oglethorpe Lodge
aud all the offices within the gift of this
Grand Lodge. He is charged with having
been one of five members, when Oglethorpe
| Lodge was 10 decline, to have met week
after week, month after month in regular
session and thereby kept the Lodge from
forfeiting it's charter. He is charged with
having kept his membership for thirty one
years 10 the Lodge in which he was initia-
ted, though he removed his residence four
| teen years ago from without its iurisdic-
ton. He is charged with that for thirty
one years be has been true Odd Fellow;
that he, during that time, nObly Dattled
for the principles Of the Order, and
has ever nerited the esteem and
respect not only OF the brothers OF his own
Lodge, buto the jurisdiction Of Georgia and
Of the United States.
In consideration Of these solemn charges,
he was arrsigned, found guilty, and the fol-
lowing sentence pronounced:
THAT In consideration Of all the facts set
forth, OglethOrpe Lodge have prepared a
Past Grand Masters Jewel, and that the
same be suitably inscribed and her represen-
tative to the Grand Lodge of Georgia pre-
sent the same.n
being the party who preferred the
charges, the representative Of OglethOrpe
Lodge has requested me to carry out the
sentence. / am now ready to do so.
r. g. Master John q. Detz: Words canndt
express the pleasure It affords me 10 carry
Ing out the sentence OF Oglethorpe Lodge
No. l. Accept therefore, sir, a copy OF the
proceedings In which the charges and the
sentence passed are embodied, and accept
this Past Grand Masters Jewel from Ogle-
thorpe Lodge No. l, as a msrk Of her high
esteem for you as an old, true and tried Odd
Fellow. May the emblems OF the
order which are engraved upon this
jewel ever keep wildly In your mind the
mission Of Odd Fellowship. May your
future life be as fruitful in good deeds and
noble works as your past has been. May
the same zeal In behalf Of the order
ever characterize your daily walk. May
you ever look upon this gift as coming from
a band OF brothers, who appreciate the long
and useful life Of faithful and beloved
brother, and the pleasure 1t affords them to
reward him with some mark Of their appro.
baton. May many years roll by before the
hand Of time shall cause you to cease from
your labors in the cause OF Friendship, Love
and Truth, aud may you at the end of this
pilgrimage here below receive for a faithful
and useful life a more glorious reward
above.
THE resolutions adopted by Oglethorpe
Lodge a. Instructions concerning the pre-
sentation were read by p. g. w. Askew,
but II is not necessary in this connection to
repeat them.I
REsPoEsE or goHS o. DEITZ, R. ". GRAND
SECRETARY.
Mott Worthy Grand Master and Brethren
II would be difficult to describe the feelings
OF your Grand Secretary as he heard the
Introductory remarks Of the speaker This
friend and brother), whose grave face indi-
Gated how strong we're his own emotions,
performing a duty intrusted by his Lodge,
however reluctant to him. The accused,
with every feeling OF his sensitive nature
aroused, rose from his chair to demand
hearing; but the emphatic 81 have the
floor, sir ;" silenced him, concluded that he
was the victim of a conspiracy. When
Brother Askew proceeded to make known the
charges, specifying particularly each one,
your Secretary was entirely overcome by
revulsion Of feelings. Hence he could only
plead guilty to the soft impeachment,
promising that at some future time he would
make suitable reply. Thanking the
irand Lodge for the interest manifested in
his behalf and Oglethorpe Lodge No. for
the beautiful testimonial, and Brother p. G.
Warden I. A. Askew for his long continued
friendship, invoking upon all the blessings
OF the Great Grand Master above, accept
this beautiful gift In the spirit Ia which 1t
Is rendered, and shall preserve 1t for the
memories OF the past as well as for the
aruoffOug IL ar0uaaa AT the uraaQuf