Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-05-26
THE GOOD TEMPLARS.
ANNUAL SESSION OF TIE SUPREME
BODY OF THE ORDER.
Meeting in the Hall Of the House Yester'
day-Publie Reception at the Mozart
Last Night, &c.

20 order by Rigbt-W orthy y-Grand-Templar
John Il. Finch, OF Illinois.
The lodge opened N the Right Worthy
Grand Lodge degree.
| On the roll being called the fOlloTing
officers responded: u. w. G.. T.. John b.
Finch. Of Evanston, ILL.,; x. ". G. G., W.
~. Lambly. of Inverness. Quebec; II. w.
G. V. T., Mrs. Sarah A. Leonard, OF Cam
bridgeport. Mass; X. w. G. s., B. +. Par
ker. Of Msuston, Wis. Il. w. G. T.. Uriab
| Comp, o. Loda, H.; c. :. J. T.. Mary +.
Peek. of Newtown. Conn. u. ". g. NJ.
W. L. Crooks, Of Jersey City. n. j.. X. W.
| G. u. NJ, Mrs. J. Otis. West Burke. VT
Pr. W. G. r., George B. Ka.zenstein, Of
| Sacramento. Cal
The Right Worthy Grand Templar made
the following appointments pro tenn. Right
| Worthy Grand Chaplain, Representative
| Chritzberg. Of South Carolina; Right WoT.
thy Guard. Representative jenkins, Of
Philadelpbia; Messenger, Representative
| Pfather. Of Ohio.
Representatives Parker OF Wisconsin,
| Bracsctt Of Maine, GUNNER Of Ontario,
Morrow o. Delaware, and Miller Of Ala
/ lama were appointed COMMITTEE on Gre
deniIsls, and instructed % proceed at once
With their duties.
COMMITTEES SESSIONS.
On motion Of Representative KatzensteIn.
| oi California. the Right Worthy Grand
| Templar was authorized tOappoint the FOL.
! lowing Standing committees Of the session
on Constitution. Appeals. Finance. STATE
of the order. County and District Lodges,
| Juvenile Work, Political Action, ResOu-
;ions and Petitions.
II was voted TO hold the sessions OF the
lodge daily from $50 A. NJ. TO l p. NJ.
rcassemblc at 2:3o Z. NJ; adjourn At p.
| NJ; night sessions 10 be held at VIII.
CREDENTIALS.
| Representative Bracket. ~ Name pre-
| scnled partial rep0It from The Committee
on Credentials showing that forty-seyen
! grand lodges and Jurisdictions were repre-.
| sented by about rs recuhrly.electcd dele
! gates. The report did not include past
representatives and officers present, which
W vould make the entire attendance between
| 15g and 175.
The Right Worthy Grand Lodge degree
| was then conferred on ihiriy-dye repre-
! >eutaives. The reports OF the officers were
| presented.
REPORT or TIE RIGHT WORTHY GRAND
TENPLAR.
RIcHaoND. May q, 1856.
OtFccrs and Members Of he Right Worthy
GrdEd L0dge:
To-day We stand a whole year nearer final
victory than when we parted IN he Queen
City" Of Canada. The year has been one
| oi active aud aggressive work. The TEN
| plaJ army has been disciplined and recruit
| ed. and on the hattefelds Of Dakota. Cana
da. Georgia. Rhode Island, and Virginia
has won aurtls for the order throughout
| the world. Let us. while rejoicing OTer
the victories won. Plan wisely and well FOR
| the future. Another years experience as
TCmpiar has still more thoroughly con-
VII Ced me that the great need Of the order
| is careful and deliberate legislation to per.
feet the machinery Of Good Tempary.
Tie order in the past has done
good work. but X has not done d good
work ~ il Sbou d have done. The leler-
Of the past have been our brightest and
ablost men and women. The order can
never hope 10 have better and abler leaders.
The cause of the failure Of the order to have
accomplished the results il should have
done must be sought in the machinery o.
tie order itseH. and when found must be-
removed. This BODY should continue ir
session until the necessary legislation ha7
been carefully completed. To fail TO Do our
duty at this session will be treason 70 the
order and the cause. Natter Of grCa. IN
terest 10 the future OF Good Templary are
ieiore you 10 be determined. feel that
need not urge you 10 take up. consider
carefully, and settle them before you think
Of adjournment
DEGREES.
The perfection Of the District Lodge will
mean the preparation OF a degree with
ritual and uuwrtten work. The degrees
Of Fidelity and Charity, a al present work
I'd in the different Jurisdictions. are worse
than failures. II matters not what was the
original object sought 10 be accomplished
~ the degrees, in practical operation tney
have failed 10 accomplish good, or 70 work
uniformly and well. Many Of the iuris.
diciions have abolished them entirely. and
in the Jurisdictions where they are worked
success Is the exception rather than The
rule.
II the degree Of Fidelity were abolished
the degree oi Charity could be readily
changed and become the District Lodge
degree. This done. the Literature Com
miitec could make the necessary revision
Of the ritual after the close OF this session.
and it-would be ready for the District
Lodges as soon as organized.
IN CONCLUSION,
nv experience Of last year convinced mc
that there must be a thorough review ana
examination Of the Good Templar army
that membership reports must be carefully
revised, and the exact fighting strength OF
the order ascertained. Satisfied that only
personal visitation and examination would
correct the irregular workings Of some q
the Grand Lodges. ! cancelled my personal |
engagements upon the lecture platform
and arranged my plans 50 a. TO visit a.
= 81.
sible. As the result Of such plans have |
visited twenty-five Grand-LOdge iurisdlc- |
tions. made 31S public addresses, and |
travelled over 1900 miles by railroad aud !
steamboat. The result has been more than |
encouraging The Templhr army i united |
for aggressive warfare. ard il now remains |
for the representatives in attendance at this |
session 10 plan wisely and well for an ad- |
vance movement. May God bless and guide |
you in your deliberations.
Your friend JOHN r. FINCH.
Right Worthy Grand Templar.
coLOEED LODGES.
b. F. Parker, Right Worthy Grand SEQ
retary, in his report says:
The work among the cOlOred |
people has been carried on with as much |
success as we can hope for with the system |
LitheTto IN use. Iueft are not a suNcicnl 4
number OF these people in the South who |
are sufficiently educated 10 carry on the |
lodge meetings and make out the reports |
a. they should be. The truth might a.
well be known now u az any other time. |
we have never had q prosperous colored |
Grand Lodge. Lodges Of cOlOred people 1
can be organized wherever the attemp; l. !
made, but we cannot depend ON their con-
tinued existence.
The white Grand Lodges in Virginia |
and Tennessee have recently undertaken |
the organization and care a such lodges, |
and their efforts give promise Of success. !
would recommend that tins much-needed |
work be carried on hereafter on that line. |
The cOlored people Of the South, under the |
direction Of their preachers and teachers, |
are anxious 10 emancipate their race from |
the curse of rum, and our white brethren |
are willing and ANXIOUS 10 help them In /
every way. With right methods, believe |
that our order is to be reinforced greatly In /
the South in the near future.
The number Of members AT the lastTeport |
was 2s0. .354 number now In good stand
ing. 254.7l9. Number OF lodges, G,366.
Uriah Copp. Jr., Right Worthy Grand /
Treasurer. repoI ted the receipts for the year
sl7.7s6.93.
There now remains in the treasury Of the /
different funds the following: