The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-11-22
THREE-LINKED FELLOWS.
Forty-Seventh Semi-Annual Session of
the Grand Lodge OF odd Fellows.
The Grand Masters Address-An Excellent
Financial ShOwing-ReIief of Distressed
Brethren, Widows and Orphans

The forty-seventh semi-annual session Of the
Grand Lodge, 7. o. o. F., began yesterday morn
Ing, with 700 delegates and visitors in attend
ance and the following grand officers:
s. P. Oyler, grand master, Franklin; Fl, Mccoy,
deputy grand master, Indianapolis; John f.
WiidnaH, grand warden, Anderson; B. F. Foster,
grand secretary, India napols; 1heo. P. Haughey,
grand treasurer, indianapolis; Will Cumback,
grand representative Sovereign Grand Lodge, I.
y. ., f., Greensburg; b. F. Brewin gton, grand
chaplain. Knightstown; I. p. Smith, grand
marshal. Dublin; David s. Pence, grand guard
Ian, Angola.
Grand Master Oyler submitted bis report. He
said that at no time had the order been more
prosperous than at present, though there had
been slight falling of in membership &C.
eounr of the change in the work which makes
all work to be done in the third degree. He
recommended that the price of $l5 as the fees
for the three degrees be lowered TO SO. He said
that 1t mast be borne in mind that the ranks of
the order must he recruited from the MECHANICS
and workingmen OF the State and nation, and
that to them the question of expense is vital.
He stated that in the matter of trials in lodge,
ne had ruled that the trials should lake place with
the lodge in the degree of which the accused
was member. He reported that his circular
coBdemn1ug the use of emblems of the order in
organizations not authorized Dy the Sovereign
Grand Lodge, had been received by the member
snip In this jurisdiction in kindly and frater-
nal spirit and the former reputation of the juris
deton for loyalty to the supre me head of the
order sustained. He vigorously con emned the
omission or signs during the sessions OF lodge
ana the use OF unauthorized books.
The grand secretary, B. F. Foster, submitte d
his report for the term ending June 80, 1888.
1t indicated great amount of sickness. but at
the same time showed the lodges had been able
to meet all demands upon their treasures, LIS
brothers and TO widowed families having been
relieved. For the relief of brothers $31 ,052. 95
had been paid; SO, 1881. SO for widowed families;
$625.20 for educating orphans; $s,173.32 for
burying the dead, and $4,Os4.51 for other char
table purposes a total of $47, 27O. Sc. At the
close of the term there were 54S lodges, against
544 of the preceding report. The active mem
bershlp is now 26,O17, against rs, 90 the pre-
cedlng term. The total expense, including re-
lief, was S106, 156 81; present balance in the
treasury, $l6,441.5 5 total contributions to the
Rdgely monument fund, S5S302 He reported
an Improvement in the condition of the Rebekah
degree lodges.
Grand Treasurer Theo. p Haughey reported
as follows: Assets of Grand Ledge-cash
hand and 1912 shares grand lodge hall stock,
par value, S49, 24l.55; balance IN grand lodge
hall fund, $5,672. 90. The trustees of the hall
reported $2,323 70 dividends declared July 1,
1888. The receipt had been S9,S9S.l7.
The following standing committees were re-
ported:
On state of the Order-schuyler Colfax, South
Bend; Thomas Underwood, Lafayette; W. H.
De Wolf, Vineennes; P. j. Wise, Fort Wayne;
viii CumbacG, GCeensbnrg.
North Madison; Theo. Stackhonse, Orangevie.
On FInance-D. B. Shideler, Indian apolls; A.
c. Daily, Lebanon; r. Berger, Muneie; G. B.
cooper, Anderson.
On Grievances and Appeals-J. B. Kimball,
KendallVille: ]. B. Kenner, Wabash; l. T.
Kitchener, Sbelbyville; Christian Fetta, Rloh-
moud; G. P. Tu,ey, Bloomington.
Action similar to that taken by the Grand En-
campment was taken in regard to the patri-
archal circle and also in encouraging the move
meht for the competitive drill OF uniform degree
CAM to be held in Indianapolis next May.
Will Cunlback and N. p. Richmond, grand rep
resentatives, submitted reports of the session of
the Sovereign Grand Lodge, held at Providence,
R. L.
The grand instructor, ]. W. McQuiddy, recon-
mended the use of dramatic work. He reported
favorably concerning the secret work in the
jurisdictron, but that the floor work def
cient, the latter beng due in his opinion to the
idea prevalent i'll many lodges that the costumes
were TOO costly. As the costumes could be had
for $50, he thought there need be no eXtrava-
gaDce in that regard.
The percentage Of receipts paid by the sub
ordinate lodges TO the Grand Lodge as reduced
from per cent. to per cent.
Speeches on the state OF the order and other
topics pertaining to odd-fellowship were made
by Messrs. Colfax, CumOack, Beharren, Oyler,
Shideler and Myers.
The election of officers win take place to-day.
A resolution was introduced asking that req
resentatives to the Sovereign Grand Lodge es-
tablish yonth's degree for the order, in which
youths between the ages of fifteen and twenty
one years may be admitted and Instructed. The
resolution will be acted upon to day.