The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-12-18
THE CHOSEN FRIENDS.
Questions That Are Being Considered by the
Executive Committee of the Order.

The executive committee of the Supreme
Council of the Order of Chosen Friends is
in session at the Bates House. and the BUSH
ness in which it is engaged, the examina-
ton of the books and affairs of the order
for the year now closing. will occupy its
time for the remainder of the week. The
officers present are: Councillor. III. III.
Morse, New York; assistant councillor, VIM.
G.. Morris, Chicago; v~ice-councilor. Ed
ward f. Edwards, Minneapolis; supreme
recorder. t. B. Linn, Indianapolis; treas
urer, W.. j. Newton, Washington, ID. c.;
medical examiner, Henry Jameson, In
dianapolis; past councillor. Charles H. Ran
dali. San Francisco. and chairman of SUI
preme trustees, William B. Wilson. New
ark. N. j. Supreme Councillor Morse. in a
talk with a reporter, spoke quite freely con-
corning the orders affairs. Indianapolis"
said he, sis our headquarters. and we in
tend to erect q handsome four-story build
ing here. The Supreme Council has au-
thorized the expenditure of $40. coo, ard the
nine councils in this city will raise asmuch
more. making in all $4,000. which will be
used for building purposes. There are
several sites In view, and q part of the
time of this committee will be taken up in
looking at different locations. The first
floor will be for business rooms. the second
Will o be tS occupied nrm by the Hari .TS of OF.
thirdand fourth will be used as
Iodge-rooms. We have nearly 100 members
in Indianapolis and about $500 in the State.
the entire membership being nearly $1,000.
1t increased during the past seven months
at the rate of 1000 a month. After the 1st
of January we expect new members to come
in at the rate of nearly 1900 a month"
"What about the new features that have
been added to the OrganizatiOnl"
'One is that we now issue certificates to
members in amounts from 81 900 to $4,000,
the member paving So on each 81. 600 per
month. These certificates mature in enyears
or less, at the determination of the board
of directors. The certificates are always
worth to the member what he has paid on
them; there is N suspension rforfeiture and
the member draw interest semi-annually,
at the rate of 4 per cent, on all payments
that hemakes. After one year he can borrow
! the face of his certificate to buy or build.
There is also a combination of the benefits
of the building and loan. savings bank and
arranging to present the advantages of the
order to every section of the country in o
way it has never been done before. The
country will be divided into juris-
dictioIfe. each of which will have an
officer in charge. Our organized jurisdic-
tons are of various sizes, sometimes con-
sisting of a State, sometimes of several
States. We are now II all the States ex-
ceDt the yelIow-fever belt; that is. those
sections of the South that are subject to
this scOurge. We do not include Calves
ton. Tex. in this. as. like New York city,
Galveston seldom has the fever, and never
unless brought there. The Order of Chosen
province Of Toronto, Canada. where we
now lave over a thousand members. We
have a sick-beneft feature, paying men,
bers of various grades from S. to SIS a
a week. In Washington the members have
combined to erect a building worth $40 1000.
What will the order lose by the with
drawal of the disaffected members in Mich
igan?"
There is nothing in the Michigan case. ex-
cept that a doctor was sent from that State
to our last Supreme Council as a repre-
sentative. He had an idea he would like to
have the place held by DIR. Henry Jameson,
of this city. that of medical director. He
wished to be put in line of promotion for
that place. Some of the Michigan members
wanted him. and some lie not. The
dissatisfaction will not lose us
many members. He was suspended
show cause before this committee why his
suspension should not be permanent. He
is not here. has allowed himself to be drop
ped, and that ends it. We will take in
have lost In Michigan. Indeed, we are now
overwhelmed with petitions from Mlchi-
gan councils desiring to return. / suppose
# SIX hundred were taken out not more
NhHh OhO VI thC tiliD huOM VI
the action that had been taken. and many
of those persons want to get back"
L. Is. Linn, supreme recorder, says that
the June report showed Michigan to have
$3.50 members. The medical examinations
in that State had not always been properly
made. and there had been losses dispro-
portioned to those elsewhere. Wayne
Council. in which the disaffection began.
had paid into the relief fund S14.6 rs, and
had drawn out $4,000. an excess of S12,-
$500. Mr.. Linn says that all the relief
fund is paid to the supreme treasurer, and
by him disbursed. He said that in 1881
California demanded separate jurisdiction,
which was refused. and about 5000 MEM
bers were persuaded by just such means as
this to which the Michigan folks are resort
ing to secede and form a new order, which
fiourished for a little while and then died,
leaving behind a long list of unpaid claims.