The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-10-01
SECRET SOCIETY GOSSIP.
Society Iid-Biis OF Iuisrest to the Mem

OF Weissport, Is one year old. The
council started with thirty charter
members and now number 1sO The
members and officers are lively and
energetic and are proud of their
increase.
On Monday il was seven years since
Lehigh Council, lOl, Jr. .. U. A. NJ, Of
Of this town, was instituted by Jesse
Morgan, now of Picture Rocks, Pa
There we're only a few charter mem
bers and the life of the council was
precarious for long time, but the
energy and spirit af the first members
predominated and with each succeed
ing anniversary there was a creditable
increase until now, seven years since,
there is membership of 214 and the
council is in excellent financial stand
ing. The boys are TO be congratulated
on their success.
The membership of the Grand
Army of the Republic on December 81
last was 4O7,7sl, no less than 6i,4Ol
members being added during the year.
The losses by death were, 64ol, but
nearly GO,OO0 dropped out of the order,
more than 1900 being delinquents and
"a 1851 being suspended for non-pay-
ment of dues. The indications are that
the order has about reached its maxi.
mum membership, and that this may
be maintained for few years, when a
rapid decrease will begin. The greater
number of members are now between
40 and 50 years Of age, and ten years
will surely greatly deplete the ranks
If the estimates of the number of men
in the parade on Tuesday are correct
(and they cannot be very greatly exag
gerated), nearly one.flfth of the mem
bers attended the encampment at
Washington. II is unlikely that such
large number of Grand Army men
can ever again be brought together.
*The Sovereign Grand Lodge of Odd
Fellows at Portland, Oregon, has elect
ed the following officers for the ensu-
ing year: Grand Sire, G. F. Campbell,
London, Ont; Deputy Grand Sire, j..
W. Stebbens, Rochester, N. T.; Grand
Secretary, Theodore A. Ross, Colum-
bus, Ohio; Grand Treasurer, Isaac A.
Shepperd, Philadelphia. The Grand
Sire's annual report shows that the
net increase of active lodge member
ship from January lst, 1891, to January
1st, 1892, was 4S,sU7. This is the largest
increase ever made in single year in
the history of the order. The total
lodge membership is 72l, JAG; expendi-
lures for relief during 1891 we're s3,l76,-
392; aggregate revenue of lodges and
encampments, s7,726,242, an increase of
$4,000 over the previous year. Mum
ber of Cantons of Patriarchs Militant,
GAS; number of Chevaliers, $4,000
West Penn Council, sS7, Jr. o. U.
A. NJ, was Interestingly instituted at
LeibyVille on Tuesday evening by Dis
trict Deputy Jos. N. Bennett, of Pack
erton, assisted by the following Off
GERS: Past councillor, w. j. Heberling,
l01; councillor, j. N. Bennett, 19l; vice
councillor, William Meyer, 437; record
ing secretary, Geo. w. Mortimer; as
sistant, W. w. Bobst, 455; financial
secretary, j. E. Mcdaniel, 63l; conduc-
tor, w. H. Edwards, 437; warden,
Harvey Schoppel, 437; inside sentinel,
ID. Lindenmuth; outside sentinel, Chas.
Haines, 437; treasurer, DR.. Steckel, 437.
Twenty-one of the twenty-five charter
members were initiated into the sec
rets of the order, following which the
following officers were installed: Past
councillor, Henry Robert; c., Charles
Richards; V, c., Lewis Guildner, r. S.,
Lewis Helm; A. r. s., r. p Seidle; F..
s., Percivil Burker; Treas, It. P. Sny-
der; W., Amandes Kistler; c., C. A.
Follweiler; l. S., Griff Moerder; o. S.,
Jos. Meitzler; trustees, John Snyder,
Milton Robert, Wallace Snyder. Leiby-
vile is a pleasant little village with
lots Of frst-class young and old fellows
and the new council will no doubt be
in good condition.
The national camp of the Patriotic
Order Sons of America met at Leba.
non. Some very important business
was transacted, the new ritual being
one of the principle subjects of dis
cussion. An entire new form was
adopted: The committee on institu-
ton reported to the convention and
recommended number of changes.
One was proposition TO strike out the
word ''white" in article 10, prescribing
qualifications for membership, thus
admitting colored men to membership.
Abraham Hall, Jr., a member from
Pittsburg, the only colored delegate in
attendance, delivered an eloquent
speech favOring the proposition and
after two entire session were consumed
in discussing the change it was de-
cided TO strike out the word. The Or
der had not been exclusive until 1890,
when the national camp, in session in
Boston, inserted the word white. The
order was subjected TO much criticism
on account Of its action, and especially
in this state the members we're anxious
to recognize all without regard to
color. It was due to the Pennsylvania
delegates that the change was made on
Friday. Officers will not be elected
until next year, when the camp will
meet at Chicago.