The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-06-04
THE B'NAI BIRTH LODGE
arcoNp DAYS SESSION OF THIS
JEWISH ORDER.

The Grand Lodge OF the Independent VT
dor OF B'nai Birth began it's th'ru-oa! .
scss,on IN the hall OF the House oil pele-
gatea Yesterday morning at $3.50 O'CLOCK
The committee ON presidents message
made their report. They stated tha' inc"
WORK had been anticipated by the commv-
secs appointed by the president ana the con
ven,ion. and they recommended, IN the
c,,,re that the work OF assigning the con-
s,aer.tion Of the matters contained IN tne
,s..s,aents message, he considered by
s,,ec,sI committee TO he appointed Tor the
purpose. .ao q
The committee on endowment maue
report. recommending that we concur :"
the Recommendation OF our wor.ns ,on,
IL rr,egafed 10 the unrestricted controi oi
sho var;ous district Grand Lodges, ana, We
ssorcS,re recommend in lieu Of the provls-
;cms of Article v. OF Part OF the constitu-
fion. a simple declaration be inser'eo 'n.'e ee
In. 10 the effect that the estaoisn,nesss -
widows and orphans endowmen. ,u nr',a =,
,o,nane 10 the aims and objects oil the orue,'
Ter n very lengthy discussion, IN wnich
oxce,lent speeches were made by Mr. Gu,
s.sr ~ philadelphia. who spoke IN FAVOR oi
sha adontion: Mr.. Hoffman, OF Philadelphia'
=. on,sos;tion. MIR, UAncona, OF san fran.
n;scr and Mr.. sawyer, Of New YORK, ana
Mr.. Uanberger, Of Chicago, IN iavor, lns'
norton Of the report was Unanimously
adopted.
THE ENDOWMENT.
The next clauses Of the report were then
taken up, which embraced that
ave wish that we could also suDsc.i1e az ~
that part OF said message wnicm say where II
ss.,s ,s hos nassed and that the majority OF
snr brethren i'm the various DISTRICTS WY INV
we'll informed on the sublect. IN oun sG aha,
they are not and while We do not wish 'ha'
his convention should legislate upon the en- /,
3. dowment question we do iuDt fecommenu,
reiyiug in confidence upon the ioyai splllt vi
our membership that the following reso'u-
ton be adopted: ,oo,aaa
That n any district grand lodge hss decided
or shall her eater decide 10 MAKE pa I.iYip na
tIon In the endowment optional ~ "os, a., wJ
.tvisahle 10 subjugate the endowment iuhu
- ~ ssnaraf corporation TO be managed oy
its contributing and participating members
exclusively.
great deal Of discussion was done on
this section, and it was finally agreed 10 re-
fer the report back to the committee, VINO
struck out that portion OF the report.
In the third section the committee iur-
Their recommended that "The Constitution
Grand Lodge, in its supreme powers, 90 ap,
nroye confirm and legalize the acton OIL
district Nos. and 4, in having adopted
graduated rates Of contribution to their re-
spectiye endowment funds"
STOP FOR LUNCHEON.
Pending the discussion Of this section,
the hour OF / O'Clock arrived, and the Grano
Lodge accepted the invitation presented Dy
Hon. William Loyenstein from Mayor D.
Taylor Elyson TO lunch. Forming IN line
they walked TO Mayor Ellyson's home, on
Fast Franklin street, where they were in
REDUCED by Hon. William Lovenstein. Mrs.
El,vson was also present, and aided her
husband in receiving the guests. Both OF
the beautiful parlors were crowded Win
quests. and in the dining room prettily
arranged lunch was served. This was much
epjoyed by the Grand Lodge men, and after
participating in the yiands and wines, they
again paid their respects to their gracious
host and hostess and left.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At 3 O'Clock the session was resumed:
Mr.. Busch read the section and explained
more fully the object of the Endowment
Committee. The section was adopted; sew
eral members asked, though, that theii
names be put on record as voting IN the
negative.
Section three is as follows, which was
discussed after the adoption OF section TWO;
"Your committee further recommend that
the Constitution Grand Lodge, in It's supreme
power. do approve and connrin me actloh ol
districts Nos. and 4. in having adopted
Graduated rates of contribution 10 thelr re-
spective endowment funds. Graduated fates
Of contribution. increasing WIN the auNanc-
ing age so adjusted as TO be sufficient for the
honest fulfiiment OF our promises, yet not Op'
pressiye for our old members are the best
and most equitable for system OF iraternal
endowment uniform rates, regardless OF age
a..
benefits.
Whatever may be said against our endow-
ment funds the good that has been accom-
piished by them for thousands OF our widows
and orphans cannot be over-estimated, and
It's the sacred duty Of our members 10 make
Them enduring zach district has eddeayor-
ed during the last I'VE years 20 Gorref 70 hn
nroye the system with a view 10 perma-
hence Let them remember that this cannot
I've secured by Offering the lowest rates pui
by n sound plan deserving confidence; thus
will the endowment funds of the B'nai Birth
prove-to be the fittest. and will survive those
Cf other orders.
CONSOLIDATION.
The special committee appointed to con-
slider the subject Of consolidation with other
Jewish societies presented their report.
They recommended that seven members OF
the grand lodge for each district be appoint
ed: that this commission he authorized to
~
the consolidation is effected, the commission
promulgate the same to the district lodges,
and that travelling expenses Incurred be
paid by the executive committee.
Mr.. Victor Abrams spoke in opposition OF
the resolution. Hon. Simon Wolf made a
complete exposition of the aims of the reso-
Iutions. Mr.. Samuel Woolner spoke in
favor of the resolutions, as did also Hon.
Henry NJ. Goldfogle.
uv.s ro.nluf,aus without amendment.
were adopted by the vote; Ayes, 80; noes,
Is.
THE RITUAL.
The Committee on Ritual made a report,
In which they stated that the elaborate
rituals are coming into disuse; that the
introduction into the lodges Of lengthy
rituals as paraphemalia is in contradistinc-
ton 10 the spirit Of Judaism or the de.
mands Of the order. They offered the fol.
lowing resolution:
That a SPECIAL committee Of five be ap-
poipted TO draft new ritual In conformity
with the views hereinbefore expressed; that
such ritual, however, shall provide but for q
single rite OF initiation; and thai In such
ritual the special features shall be such as
shall arouse feelings that shall awaken an
interest In us not alone as men, but as Jews.
IL was further resolved that the report OF
the special committee promulgate their
plan within twelve months after the ad.
journment Of the convention.
This being the first report that was adop.
ted yesterday without any opposition OF
speech making, Mr.. David Klein, who was
chairman OF the committee, was heartily
congratulated both by the president and
many OF the members. lie held perfect
levee for five minutes, during which time
the convention had rejoicing in receiving
the well founded hope OF new ritual.
The finance committee, among other
routine matters, recommended that the
three secretaries employed by the conven.
ton be paid seventy-flye dollars each. by
= motion, the salary was fixed at seventy.
five dollars for all Of them, the committee
striking out the word ''each.'
Al $3.50 the convention adjourned until
fo-day