The Dickinson press., 1884-09-20
Increase
decrease.
N@n~-,s-- L

Following this are decisions of points of
special interest to the order, with a review
OF the status of affairs in Australia, Chill,
Cuba, Denmark, Germany, Mexico, Neither
lands, Peru, Sandwich Islands, Sweden,
Switzerland. Turkey md Trinidad, showing
q generally tlattering condition, with a
healthy growth anticipated.
TIL PRESS ORGANS.
Regarding the press of the order, he says:
sThe discussion of the internal affairs of the
order by and through several of our fraternal
journals, styling themselves organs will, 1
greatly fear, be seriously detrimental to the
best interests of Odd Fellowship. While 1
cheerfully accord to the brothers who have
so earnestly labored to extend and build up
the order in its various fields of occupation
the purest motives, and willingly acknow-
ledge the great good they nave accom-
plished, yet I al reluctantly impelled
by a sense of duty to say that many erro-
neous constructions of law and usage, many
erroneous impressions of the effect and bear
ing of those laws have been, by means of the
press, scattered broadcast throughout our
wide domain, The constitution OF the
supreme head of the order, as well as many
laws of the sovereign grand lodge, have been
subject of bitter and unfavorable COM
ment and controversy, and in the
columns of some of these journals
it is s%trenuously argued that the
sovereign grand lodge is not the source. of
true and legitimate Odd Fellowship, etc.
Paper has warned against paper, each, as a
matter of course, having the support of a
portion of the order, and thus already discord
is being fostered and a loosening
of respect for the mandates of the supreme
law-making power is growing where peace,
harmony and obedience to our laws
formerly prevailed. Certain parties
during the year-some of promin-
ence in the order-referring to the
source of all true and legitimate Odd Fellow
ship, seem to contend that the sovereign
grand lodge is not the source of all true I'M
legitimate Odd Fellowship in the United
States, etc. Against such doctrine I
desire, here and now, to enter my
solemn protest 1t %sustains and perpetuates
not only itself, but the order of which it is
the great supreme head by ENGRAVING into
its constitution such provisions and amend
ments as may be deemed wise. 1t was hoped
that the legislation had at the last session on
the question of the
SUPREME TEMPLE AMI PATR1ARcHAL CIRCLE
would have been a fnality. From all I can
learn, no attention is paid by the cir
Gle adherents to the act of the su-
preme temple, and they are still con-
tinuing to form circles and take in
members as they did ut the beginning. The
supreme oracle of the circle organization has
boldly declared that he will accept q charter
unless all the charter members are of the
royal purple degree thus, virtually multiplying
and setting aside the order made by the su-
preme temple in the interest of peace. 1t is
true that no very great progress has been
made by the circle during the year, only
eight subordinate temples having been
instituted during that period, to wit: four in
Wisconsin, three in Minnesota, and one only
in Illinois: whilst two have surrendered
their charters, one of them being in Ohio and
one in Maine, showing quite q falling off
from the precious year, and being a gain
of only six temples. They do not seem to
get a foot hold in more than eight or nine
jurisdictions, yet with a stubborness worthy
of q better cause, they seem to be determined
to try and force the sovereign
grand lodge to yield to them
seems to be demanded from the grand body
to finally settle this annoying diff
Iect to the wisdom of the repre-
sentatives, who, | have no doubt, will
do what is proper in the premises. Docu-
ments and proclamations accompany
the grand sire's report Grand Sec
rotary Theodore A. Ross presents
8 voluminous annual report of
seventy-nine pages containing carefully
compiled statistics with o tabulated exhibit
Of the financial transactions of his Office.
Grand Treasurer Alexander l. Spears an
nual report shows an aggregate debit &C
| count OF XD9 RAT f0. 1Dprpr0fp 1iSlOrSa-
ments: $38, 1862. So; balance on hand, $780,