Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1892-10-07

The "Army Headquarters System 10 he
Abolished Next Year.


When the present term Of Office of Lieutenant
General Underwood expires next year, the army
headquarters Of the | O O. F., with all military
offices above those of department or state com
manders, will be abolished, and each PatriarChs
Militant branch of the order will be placed under
control of the state encampment within whose
jurisdiction it Is located That was one of the
most important and far-reaching actions taken by
the sovereign grand lodge. 1t was accomplished
by adopting portion of a report submitted by n
special committee appointed year ago TO inves-
tigate the army headquarters feature of the
der and suggest as to whether it Is any longer
necessity. The committee found that the sy stem
has accomplished its mission and has become too
expensive luxury to he borne by the chevaliers.
II represents taxation without representation. an
arbitrary power bestowed 10y law upon those high
in authority, and cOuTtmai tials- "a method Of re
dress not in harmony with the principles of odd
Fellowship-all of which has become unnecessa
ry with the removal of the cause that called them
INTO being. and have produced disquiet, apathy
and indifference. and in some Quat tiers have
awakened strong opposition to a sN stem Of gov
eminent no longer necessary. determined de
mand was made for "A return to former conditions
and relationships. and the less expensive methods
given to other branches of the order. thus bring
ing the civil and military subordinate bodies in
closer touch and sympathy with each other and
tightening the burdens that the present ~ stem
necessarily entails BY army headquarters is
meant the lieutenant general. his office appoint
ecs and special committees of the sovereign grand
lodge appointed To aid him in his work Its aho
lition viii deprive the military branch Of the or
bring it closer to the non uniformed organization
The grand encampment and grand lodge Of
New Hampshire will meet at Woodsviilr. oct II
and II.
Connecticut made gain last year of 1914 in
subordinate, 90 in encampment and 81 IN Rehek
ah membership and "A gain in funds of So. tol B
Grand Master leopold j. R-tting will make the
following official visits next week: Oct. ~. West
Randolph: H. White River junction. -. Wills
River; Is, Barre; u. Woodstock.
Massachusetts shows a gain in 1891 of 21lg in
lodge. 1893 in Renekah and 29i m cncampmrnt
membership. There are few Jurisdictions that
make better showing than the old Bay state
Milwaukee has been chosen aS the next meeting
place of the sovereign grand lodge Chicago and
chattanooga were the other candidates tor the
honor but the vote was m favor of Milwaukee by
| a strong majority.
The rrports from Ohio show net increas,. of
members in subordinate lodges of 1894 and in Re
bckah lodges of 1895 giving them a total mem
berShip Of jS,Gjl IN subordinate and lG,Gni in Re
J bekah lodges.
New Hampshire is still increasing its member
ship. The net gain the past year was AZ in the
| subordinate, Is in tn eucamTment and - in the
| Rcbekah branch showing that the R-hrkHh
! lodges are the best working lodges M that luris
/ dcton.
| The report of the grand secretary Of the SOY
| eregu grand lodge exhibits IN attractive detail
/ the wonderful progress made 10y the ordrr during
/ the year 1891 The met increase Of active lodge
membership from Jan. /. 1851, &C. jan D. l-'2 was
lS,~u,. This l. the lar- So mere ever alc Iu
| "A single year In the history Of the order The
lodge membership ia good standing uu the first Of
/ last January had reached tine -rorrruus total at
/ i2lli6. and including the S'>ie's of Hrhrhah
lodges. >ii@ ISL. The expenditures tur.lrlrf, IT,,
test of the uprratIv" fraternity ui the order. dur
| ing 1891 We're S3li6.SN3uS II is interesting com
pare the relative prOEr OF the order with that
| made by our English brethren. ON January l.
1890, the membership of the Manchester Unity oi
| odd Fellows exceeded our membership 10y 1876
/ ON January ]. 1872. tine membership of the hide
pendent order Of ODD Fellows exceeded that OF
/ the Manchester Unity 10y 31.3'N. The total mem