The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-10-18
|. o. o. r.
The Annual Meetings of the Grand Bodies
Held Here Yesterday.

Deputy Grand Master-Reul Robinson,
Camden.
Grand Warden-Samuel Adams, Bel
fast.
Grand Secretary-Jos Davis, Port
Grand Treasurer-Stephen Marsh, Port.
land
Grand Representative-Ni Fes-
sender, Fort Fairfield.
Grand esentat1ve-Gorham N.Wey-
mouth, Biddeford.
Grand Marshal-Joseph T. Mason,
Biddeford
Grand Conductor-Charles o. Small,
Madison.
Grand Chaplain-Rev. A. W. Pottle,
Westbrook.
Grand Guardian-Thomas D. Sale, Port
land. ---r
Grand Herald-Orville 7. Hodsdon,
Portland.
And large number of representatives
The Grand Master, Grand Secretary
and Grand Treasurer presented the re-
ports. The Grand Masters report ex-
hibits the condition of the lodges under
his official charge during the past year as
follows:
Number of subordinate lodges at last
report, 1913. IN
Added the past year, 2.
Total number of subordinate lodges, 100.
Number of members per last report,
1887
Net gain the past year, Ito January
1st), 152. 100.
2O139.
Rebekah lodges per last reportf, 49,
Added past year, 4. >.
Total number of Rebekah lodges, AZ.
Number of members per last report,
4,s47
Net gain, 730. a,
Total membership, January l, 1922
5,577.
Sisters, 1861.
Brothers, 2,6f6.
/ think that the formation of degree
stats has improved the mode of working,
and that the beauties of the ritual are
more forcibly impressed on the mind OF
the candidate. Two subordinate and
four Rebekah lodges have been intistuted
during the year. One petition for a
Rebekah lodge has been refused
Many changes have suggested them
selves to me during the year that has
passed, and some of them it might per-
haps be well for this Grand Lodge to
consider. M
I have had during the year several let
tiers from brothers who claim that their
lodges refuse them benefits, which they
think were rightfully due them. The
BENEFIT Code SAYS that the brother must
notify the lodge within three months
from the time the sickness began. In
many cases the brother is sick more than
three months and is thus debarred from
an appeal.
I would recommend that some time be
specified after his recovery within which
he shall notify his lodge
would recommend that the Rebekah
lodges have the right to set apart five
per cent of their dues for contingent
fund. the same as was allowed subordi-
nate lodges last year.
| think that some change should be
made in the districts. do not think
that the best results are obtained by
having the deputy member of his own
lodge Think that the installation,
unless public, should be done by a past
grand; the districts made to comprise
the lodges in the county, and the district
deputies instructed in the secret work
and in the properssmanner of workin gs.
This would make the Office more inn
portant, and it could be done with no
more expense to the grand lodge. than
under the present system. The lodges
need instruction in the secret work, and If
the grand lodge does not provide some
way they will get it from some other
source I hope that this grand lodge will
take this in consideration and devise
some plan that will benefit the lodges.
| would recommend that this grand
lodge grant permission to the Rebekan
lodges to hold state convention, when
a request is made by majority of the
lodges in the state. 81
From the grand secretary's report,
John Davis, and the grand treasurer's,
WE. Plummer, we learn that the num-
Der of subordinate lodges in 1873 was
twenty-nine; today we have one hundred
and thirty a gain of one hundred ana
one lodges. From membership OF three
thousand eight hundred and sixty seyen,
we have increased to twenty thousand
one hundred and thirty nine: making a
net gain in membership OF sixteen
thousand, two hundred and seventy-two.
From the amount of annual relief paid
then of So, 299. 81, we have increased to
the sum Of sS2, 649. a. From the annual e!
creased to SAG, 351.75. From the amount
of investments then of ST., 563. So, we have
increased to 1902, 095.15.
The amount contributed by 81 subordi-
nate lodges and s Rebekah lodges in
aid of the Bay City sufferers was $4O7.
Visiting cards were presented by past
grands, J. B. Bisbee of California,
G. H. Goodwin, of New Hampshire and
&C. Fuller of Massachusetts,, and they
were invited to seats among the represen-
tatives.
The committee on credentials reported
127 past grands in meeting waiting ready
to take the grand lodge degree The
same were introduced and instructed in
the work OF that degree.
The following officers were elected for
the current year:
Grand Master-Reuel Robinson, Cam
den.
Deputy Grand Master-samuel Adams,
Grand Warden Clarence M. Watson,
Biddeford..
Grand Secretary-Joshua Davis, Port
land.
Portland.
Grand Observation-Disclosures A. Gil
patric, Kennebunk.
The exempifcation of the secret work
was conducted by Grand Representatives
Gorham N. Weymouth and Nicholas Fes-
sender.
Regular order of business in the re-
ports of the various committees occupied
but little time Each case in question
was satisfactorily disposed of.