The morning call., 1891-09-01
FRATERNAL NOTES.
Two Important Decisions in the
Royal Arcanum.

King Solomon's Lodge, No. $50, F. and
A. M, at It's called meeting last evening had
" raising"
Parker Lodge, No. 124, I. o. u. F., at its
regular meeting this evening will confer the
initiltOry.
Clan Fraser, No. rs, Order Scottish Clans,
will hold its second concert and social dance
next Friday evening at Scottish Hall.
Court Hercules No. 7206, Ancient Order
Foresters, attended the first anniversary
celebration of Court Alliance, No. 1906. last
evening.
In the order of Chosen Friends the total
benefits paid to date have been S5,796,7 O3 "a,
segregated as follows: For 1865 death
claims s., 4S7, 703 d and for 297 disabilities
100000.
In the Royal Arcanum at date of July
S1st last there were 120,616 members of the
order in good standing, and 1877 subordi-
nate councils.
The latest returns of the Grand Lodge,
Knights of Pythias, of Tennessee, are as
follows: Number of members December
81, 1890, 4533; net gain for the first six
months of 1891, GIL; number of members
June 80, 1891. 5204; net gain for the first six
months of 1890. 337; net gain for the last six
months Of 1890, 429; total net gain for the
year 1890, 766; net gain Tor the first six
months of 1891, Gil; number OF subordinate
lodges December 81, 1890, Sc, net gain
| during SIX months, u; number of subordl-
nate lodges June 80, 1891. II; present num-
Der of lodges august 15th), TO-
Fifty-two of the fifty-siX sgners Of the
Declaration of Independence were Free
masonS.
The Supreme Regent of the Royal Area
mum has rendered the following decisions :
An applicant who cannot state the year OF
| his birth is ineligible for membership in the
ROYAL Arcanum; proof of dependency need
not be required if the designated beneficiary
is a legally adopted child Of evidence of
adoption is furnished, or the child OF
legally adopted child.
The American branch of Odd Fellowship
numbers fully $4,000, the Manchester
Unity branch 6T5,OO0-makns total OF
1856 coo. Add to these figures the other
smaller branches and it will give about
1850 900.
For the quarter ending June 80, 1891, the
receipts in the General Fund OF the Royal
Arcanum amounted to S16,073 q, with Il
balance on hand OF S41,9ll 80, total OF
S57,9S5 A. The disbursements were SiS,-
545 AZ, leaving on hand balance of
S9,439 81. In the w. and o. B. Fund the
balance on hand was S200,959 Il, and held
for delayed claims S15,5O0, a total of S2l6,-
400 Il. The receipts were S7Sl,901 81, to-
tai of S1,214, $40 o. The disbursements
were SS97, 900. leaving on hand balance of
$40, $40 90, of which amount SS7,S7O 63 is
cash and $4,000 held for delayed claims.
After a sojourn of many months among
the Druscs of Lebanon the Rev. Haskell
Smith, rector Of Brauncewel, Lincolnshire,
is about to return with an important discov-
cry concerning that mysterious people, who
are supposed TO be the lineal descendants Of
the Hittites. Mr.. Smith was admitted to
the most secret intimacy with the Druses
through having saved the life of popular
young man by sucking the venom of a
deadly snakebte from his body. lie was
initiated into a number of mysterious rites,
hitherto unknown to any foreigner, and
| among these the natives startled him, as
| Freemason, by passing the most character
istic of Masonic signs. Hence Mr.. Smith
argues that the DruseS are none other than
branch of the great Phencan race, whose
ancestors supplied the Lebanon cedars to
the builders of King Solomon's temple
London Freemasun.