Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1883-08-06
ODD FELLOWS, DYES.
A Matter or lnserest 70 the Members
or the FrafeFaity.

or the Frafcraity.
At the meeting OF the Odd Fellows, on
Saturday night, an interesting discussion
was had on the subject OF paying dues.
Among the decisions of the Grand Master
reported at the last session of the Grand
Lodge of Ohio, was the following:
when a brother pays dues to the Score
tary outside Of the Lodge room, and such
Secretary fails TO give the brother credit
therefor on the books, and keeps the mon.
ey and becomes q defaulter. the loss must
fall on the brother, and not on the Lodge.
In such case the brother constitutes the
Secretary his agent to carry his dues to the
Lodge, and il the agent fails TO discharge
his duty, the fault is chergeable to the
principal 1.-THE brother) and not to che
Lodge"
The Companion, an Odd Fellows journal,
comments on this as follows, which was
read to the lodge.
The Committee on Judiciary, to whom
the above was referred, presented majority
and minority reports, the majority report.
ing that in their opinion the decision OF the
Grand Master should not be approven.
The Grand Lodge concurred in this opinion
by a vote of 80 to 80.
Now, With all due Difference TO the com.
miltee and the majority of the representa-
tives, we are Of the opinion thst the Grand
Master gave q very wise decision.
The system of paying dues outside of the
lodge room is one that should not be toll
Grated. There are too many of the brethren
who look on the matter of keeping up
their dues as their whole duty to the Order /;
consequently they are seldom seen in the
Lodge. Their whole idea of Odd Fellow
ship seems to be that of personal interest.
They look on it as purely business trans
action, in which for consideration, to be
paid at certain intervals, they are
10 receive. when sick or in dis
tress, pecuniary returns and personal care
1t is perfectly immaterial to them who
does the labor connected with the lodge, or
how the business is conducted, so long as
they are satisfied that their sick benefits
will be paid, if they need them. Conse-
quently they are never seen outside the
lodge except to pay their dues, and not
then il they can get any one else TO take
the trouble to carry them.
Now il this were the sum total OF Odd
Fellowship, it would be time for narrow
ing down of the expenses by selling the
halls where they are ownedl, or giving up
the tenancy where they are owned.
But to the true Odd Fellow greater
benefit is TO be desired than the simply
beneficial one. To him it is labar OF love
10 De present III tue meetings VI his lOuScJ
to assist in its business, and when any OF
his brethren are cast on the bed OF sickness,
to visit, console and cheer them.
This is the difference between the one
thoroughly imbued with the principles of
the Order, and the one who only joined for
his own personal benefit. Such being the
case, therefore, it does seem to US that if a
member thinks so little of his Lodge as
that he will not take the trouble to go
once or twice a year to pay his dues, the
Lodge ought not to be responsible for the
acts of his agent.
1t would please US to see the adoption OF
law which would prohibit secretaries
from receiving dues anywhere else than at
their desk in the lodge room, so that if a
member did not show sufficient courtesy
to the lodge to attend occasionally, he
could take the alternative of dropping out.
and the order would be the better by that
event. We have ton many drones already
in the hive OF Odd Fellowship, and could
very conveniently spare a goodly number.