The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1893-12-15
MIRIAM REBEKAH LODGE.

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of this week, was the text that led d. G,
Burt to give a history of this famous
lodge, in the Boston Sunday Herald, and
other papers of which lie is the Ben
nington correspondent. For some unac-
countable reason the editors cut and
pruGed his sketch almost beyond recog-
milton, and SO we will give our historic
resume based upon his work. Miriam
Lodge was instituted December 18th.
1882, by Grand Master Charles Wood
house, who was just completing his sec
Ond term in that exalted office in the |.
o. o. F. Henry NJ. Currier, then of
Brattleboro, now of Atlanta, Ga, was
the Grand Secretary, and the charter is
signed by these two officers of the Grand
Lodge OF Vermont The charter men,
bers numbered A, 81 of whom were
women who had received the Rebpklh
degree in Stark Lodge, No. 8 of this viii
lage. The correspondent, aforesaid, had
investigated the matter and says the
greater number of ladies who were char
ter members are still connected with the
lodge. He also says: "This Lodge or O.
mated what is known as the beautified
work, and which has been largely
adopted throughout the county, and
which antedates the Springfield, Mass,
work by about six months" We be-
lieve this to be fact supported by evil
dence, although the Morning Star Re-
beKah Lodge of Springfield, may have
been instituted before Miriam, No. 8,
and some of the details of the beautified
work of both lodges, was incorporated
about the same date. The Bennington
work originated in this manner: The
Revised Ritual of Odd Fellowship went
into effec January LIST, 1881, and Stark
Lodge as we'll as De Sofa Lodge Staff of
Springfield, Mass, each worked out the
Dramatic form, now so universal, in
III 9ir own way. Both Lodges became
noted for two very ornate forms of De-
gree work. The ladies in Bennington,
who were eligible for the Rebekah de.
gree, had in 1874, and again later I'M
successfully pettioned for the degree,
then almost universally conferred by a
Subordinate Lodge. But very few De-
gree Lodges of Rebekahs had been or.
ganized, and very few of the older mem
bers of the Order then were in favor of
the degree anyway. In the spring and
summer of 1881, Stark Lodge conferred
the Rebckah Degree upon a number of
relatives of Odd Fellows entitled to re-
ceive it. From time to time the Lodge
opened in the Rebekah Degree to allow
the sisters the privileges of the degree,
and of course, both at their initiation
and afterwards, the Lodge officers, es-
peclally the conductor and floor work
ers, gave concrete form to the move
ments attending the Damatic Degrees of
Odd Fellowship, then being practised
toward perfection. This fact gave the
side ISSUE" as the Rebekah Degree
was called, increased interest and the
ladies were much pleased, and this year
and one-half of attendance upon the
meetings OF regular lodge, noted for
Its excellent work. was the inspiring
cause of the petition of December, 1882,
and the organization of Miriam Lodge
on the 18th of that month and yelr
Correspondent Burt in the Herald tells
the story in these words: 1.-THE lodge
owes its origin to an incident that oc-
cure one evening when Stark Lodge
was comforting degree upon a candi-
date who was duly and truly prepared
For some time previous, one night in a
month had been devoted to working the
Rebekah degree. One evening in partic-
ular number of women appeared at the
outer door and were admitted by the
guardian, and, unannOunced, made their
entrance into the lodge room. To pre-
vent further visits it was decided that a
lodge of d. of r. must be organized,
and application was made for the char
ter. which was duly granted"
This accounts accurate enough for
public purposes, only that it was a
glimpse of a procession of King Saurs
guards, not the candidate, that gave the
Daughters the idea of what is now
duly called by the Sovereign Grand
Lodge, the 'Beautified Work.
1t was this degree, worked in the ex-
act form Of the earlier years, that was
conferred Wednesday evening upon ten
candidates for the purpose of forming a
Rebekah Lodge at Manchester Depot.
The work was followed by a social and
banquet, to the latter of which a mum.
Der of sojourning Odd Fellows, and
some nOtof the Order, were invited to
partake. 1t was pleasant occasion all
around. Stark Lodge gave Miriam
Lodge the use Of odd Fellows hall, it
being their regular night Of meeting and
were not sorry they did so. The claim
of superiority of the beautified work of
Mini I'm Lodge, in two particulars, we
have never yet seen successfully ques-
toned: Q) auy lodge that can fill the 10
chairs with regular officers, is able to
perform the ceremony lin Worcester.
Mass, 81 constitute the staff, ~ the So
called tableaux of this work are, with
the Bennington lodge, stage pictures
knowing forms), instead of tableaux.
The present membership is 109. The
lodge was also the first one in the State
to contribute towards the erection Of