Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1884-11-27
rhursa.v being the fftIs,h .nniysr-

Thursday being the fiftieth AnniveI-
sary Of the institution Of the grand lodge
Of Delaware, /. o. o. F., 1t was made
red letter day in the history Of the order
Of Delaware. The lodge closed Its semi
centennial session Thursday at moor,
the grand master making the following
appointments Grand Marshsl, g. W.
Shakespeare, Friendship Lodge, Ne. az;
Grand Guardian, George 7. Clark,
National Lodge, No. 80 4; Grand Hearld,
Norwood Palmer, Friendship Lodge, No.
% ; Grand Conductor, C, Il. Taylor,
Union Lodge, No. 3; GraEd Chaplain,
the Rev. Robert Graham, CenEsville
Lodge, No. 81.
The visiting members OF the grand
lodge and guests were driven about the
city In carriages in the afternoon and
shown points Of interest.
In the evening the members Of the
order In this city in inll rssalis marched
from Odd Fellows Hall, escurting rsprs
sontatives and fraternAl guests to the
Opera House, where an entertainment
was Rivtr and exercises conducted sppro-
pirate to this Hitieth anniversary Of the
grand lodge. The large auditorium Of
the ,0pers Houae was packed with an
audience numbering about two Thousand
people o. the stage sat members OF tne
grand lodge and the Prsud encaDpmeht
wearing the full eRalis Of their ofioe aud
rank aud presenting a striking scene,
Past Grand Master Weldon presided
over the meeting, which WAS opened with
a selection by the First Regiment Baud
and an Odd Fellows ode, In which the
audience united In sigRing, giving 1t
with a ringing effect After prayer by
the grand chaplain aud selection by a
trio, Mics Crouch, Ms5srs. Braunstein
and Benson, Henry +. Carey of Baltimore,
Md, Grand Sire Of the Sovereign Grand
Lodge, msds an interesting address. a
selection by double quartetse OF male
voices prefaoed an exhaustive history OF
the grand lodge Of Delaware. by Isaac W
Hallam, Grand Secretary, an extract Of
which follows:
On the 22i Of February, 1881, applioa-
tion for charter for q grand lodge In
Delaware was fAvorably acted upon, the
petitioners named being Past GrAnds
McAnnal, SCOTT, MoNeal, Robinson and
McFarlsne. The grand lodge was insti.
tuted June 27th, 1881, with John Scott
as grand master but at the first session
theI eater OF the Grand Lodge OF the
United States, September 9th, 1881, the
charter was declared forfeited through
disability 10 work, there not being 3
quorum Of past grsnds. The grand sire
was directed TO return the charter rs
soon as an application should be received
from five legal past grands belonging to
the jurisdiction OF Delaware. A charter
was granted to Jefferson Lodge, No. 2, at
this session Of the Grand Lodge Of the
United States. On the 18th Of February
q preliminary meeting was held at the
academy for the purpose Of securing the
restoration Of the charter for grand
lodge. At this meeting were present
Past Grands Simon Robinson, Robert W.
Gardner, Thomas Hill, Bryan W. Blest,
James Plat, James 8. White, Jacob
NJ. Garretts5n, Michael Serbsnlist, Zsnas
B. Glazier and jacob K. Higgins. They
elected officers and prepared petition,
which was presented st the session OF the
grand ledge United States held March
4th, 1888 and favorably acted upon. Or
May 9th, 1889, another meeting was held
q device for charters adopted, being the
coat OF arms OF the state. Committees
were also appointed, one to procure .
seal, another being charged with the i'm
uortant and Arduous duty Of procuring
Two sheets Of paper written and painted
for subordinate lodge charters. On th'
9Th day of June, 1888, in building OF
Market street, Grand Sire Wildey, Will
his assistants, duly instituted the gIant
lodge Of Delaware and installed its frs
offoers 90 follows James s White, ,drant
Master Joseph 8. Hodges, Deputy GRAND
MASTER Jacob NJ Garretson, GrsnC
Warden Jacob K. Higgins, Grand Score
tary; Thomas Hill, Grand Treasurer
Simon Robinson, Grand Representative
On the following evening, June 7th, tn
grand ledge was opened for th
transaction Of regular business, con
siating of the appointment OF committees
voting thanks and receiving donation
to liqnidate expenses. Before the end o
the year, petitions had been received 10
charters for three new lodges. Tn
prospect seemed bright and hopeful, tn
outlook was decidedly encouraging. Ap
peArances are deoeitful. The grand lodg
had seen its ninth year before It granite
another charter, and at the end OF l
years they numbered but Eve lodges wilt
l29 members with an annual revenue Z
$500. The second decade was marked a
the most prosperous period that th
grand lodge ever experienced; % lodges
1875 members and an annual income {
o., 1876 being reported for the year endin
1853. A gain in 10 years Of Is lodge
and 1886 members. The estab ishmer
| Of the order was now an assured success
and Its adheIents were animated wit
| pardonAble feelings of pride as the
', indulged in retrospect Of the 20 prevlor
, years.
At the end Of 1868, the third deoAd
,, four lodges had been added to the rol
with . membership Of 1,6S2. The fourl
decade witnessed another increase, Il
lodges numbering 80 and the msmbersh
2,676. This seems to have been II
! zsnith Of prosperity. Since then u
Imsmbership has been about holding