The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1888-01-25
DEGREE OF REBEKAH.
A Good Time Enjoyed by the Members
Of Pioneer Lodge. No. %.


of Pioneer Lodge, No. 20.
The members of Pioneer Lodge, No.
%, i. q. o. F. held meeting at Duun's
Hall last night for the purpose of con-
ferring the Degree of Rebekah on three
members who have attained the third
degree and their wives and daughters.
The officiating officers were w III.
Cyrus, ". G.; Geo. w. Winchell, v. c.;
w. III. Record, cond.; /. b. Hacker,
W.; s. A. Baker, /. q.
The degree was conferred upon three
brothers and one sister amid a beautiful
and most impressive ceremony, after
which the doors were thrown open and
a PALATKA NEWS reporter, in company
with several non-members of the society,
were invited in to participate in the
evenings festivities.
Upon entering, the scene that met the
gaze was one that would have gladdened
the heart of an epicure, for there, in the
center of the hall, was a long table liter
ally covered with bounteous supply of
viands and deIicacies such as none but
the ladies of the Gem City are capable
of preparing.
DIR. w. III. Cyrus then arose and tapped
the gavel, and after all were seated and
quietude secured he proceeded to ex-
pound the merits of the Degree of Re
bekah and To give the cause of its origin
4 He said that the men, wishing to confer
some of the benefits of the order upon
the fair sex, and being afraid at the
same time to trust them with all its
secrets, instituted this degree simply
| to test them and see how well
they could retain the secret. To Schuy-
Ter Colfax, he continued, was due the
honor of founding the degree. Mr.. Col
fax, as he has it, desired to be President
/ of the United States and in furtherance
of this object and having wish to bene-
| fit woman kind, and also to bring TO bear
their acknowledged influence upon his
election he at once concluded to confer
this privilege upon them to that end.
DIR. Cyrus closed with remarks upon the
great and general benefits the degree
offered to sisters in need, no matter
where they might reside.
DIR. Cyrus produced the following
statistics bearing upon the number and
standing condition of the Rebekah De
gree Lodge throughout the United
States:
Total number of lodges in the United
| states .--------- LIB
Total membership ----- .-..---.-- .-..- o. 81
Receipts for the year. .-.-. .-.---- ..... SSj6si
| Relief paid Out o. --.-.-- IA, s6j
There are no regular lodges of this
degree in Florida, as the Grand Lodge
will not give the degree recognition,
hence the members of the degree in this
State are not included in the above sta
tistics.
The present standing of the subordi-
nate lodges i'll Florida is as follows:
| Total number of lodges .-.-------- --.--- p
| Total membership ------------ ..--------- l5s
| Annual receipts 80. S6.5Si
| Relief paid out ...-..-...-- ..----. 2.j6I
Here Mr.. Ii. w. WincheIl was called
upon, and after making few appropri-
ate remarks, presented the following
statistical record of the subordinate
lodges in the United states:
| Number of Lodges .------- ------...-- s.Si
| Number of members .--.-...-- -..-.-- "a ,Ed
Annual receipts --.--.---..- --..-- S5UsS, $50
Relief paid out ser, us
Continuing, Mr.. Winchell explained
the origin of the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows, stating that it sprang from
the Manchester Unity, which order, he
said, differed but little from the indie
pendent Order of Odd Fellows, and which
still exists with a much larger member
ship, the total number of members being
Gas, 962. All but few of the lodges are
located in Europe. He concluded by
| saying that efforts were being made to
unite the two and thereby form one
| grand and immense organization, the
| greatest, in fact, in the world.
After the speech making, upon motion
| of Mr.. Record, the assemblage repaired
to the festive board and did ample JUS
tice to the repast placed before them.
Mesdames Winchell, Record and Friend
presided at the table.
The occasion was made more enjoy
able by the rendition of selections by
Mr.. Hooker, upon the organ, and the
songs, The Pretty Red Rose" and MY
Little Darling" with Accomplishments
by Mrs. Winchell. Considerable merri-
ment was created by the comicaI recita-
ton Becky Miller"
A fair attendance of brothers, their
wives and sisters We're present.