The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-09-25
ODD FELLOWS CONVENTION.
SOVEREIGN GRAND LODGE IN
SESSION ON LOOKOUT
MOUNTAIN.
Speeches of Welcome and Responses
Reports Submitted--Other Proceedings
in Secret Session.

Reports Submitted--0ther Proceedings
in Secret Session.
CHATTANOOGA Tenn Sept. l7.-In
the new and cOmmodious convention
hall, IN Lookout Mountain, q 8 o'clock
this morning, reception ceremonies
were held In honor of the opening of
the 10th annual session of the Sovereign
Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows, the high
est tribunal of Odd Fellowship in the
world.
Profusely decorated with e~vergreens,
flags, bunting and stI Gamers in the en-
blematic colors of the Order, white,
blue, scarlet and royal purple, the hall
presented an attractive appearance.
Excellent music by a select orchestra
added to the enjoyment of the occasion.
Speeches of welcome were made by
Governor Peter Turney in behalf of the
State, by Mayor George Ochs in behalf
of the city, by Deputy Grand Master
w. A. Barry, of the Grand Lodge of
Tennessee, and by Charles Lands, of
the Grand Encampment of the State.
These welcoming addresses were re-
sponded to by Grand Sire @. L. T.
Campbell, of Canada, who said that
hospitality was the world, renowned
virtue of the South, but those who had
AO0 4CA0 ~ a. ~ ACsO OOGA SAO"A W R4O
Odd Fellows present, could not con.
ceive of it's extent Or its sincerity.
After the reception ceremonies the
Sovereign Grand Lodge at once re-
solved itself into a secret session, when
reports of various officers and standing
committees were submitted
The Grand Sire announced the death
of Grand Marshal Walter B. Dye, of
Minneapolis, on March 21st last, and
appointed VIM. T. Frost, of Maryland,
to the position.
The most important presentation at
the meeting was a petition by Repre-
sentative Dilkee, of New York, touch
ing the status of aged members of the
Order who have been left out of the
Odd Fellows here by reason of their
particular lodge suTrendering its char
ter. Legislation is asked by many to
remedy such injustice and this question
is one of the most difficult which the
Grand Lodge will have to face.
Upon motion Of Representative Car
tin, of Illinois, the report of the Com
mittee on Dues and Benefits, laid over
from last session, was made the special
order of business for Wednesday morn
ing.
The meeting then adj urned.
This afternoon the visiting delegates
and their friends zero taken for a drive
to ChiCamagua National Park, whose
pleasure was marred during the return
drive by a great down pour of rain.
To morrow afternoon the grand
parade will move at 2 o'clock. In the
evening there will be q re union of the
Past Grand Sires.
The attendance is rather small, not
more than n thousand being present.
The Grand Sire said that since the
convention In the South, which was
held in Atlanta twenty years ago, the
membership in what is recognized po-
litically as the Southern States has In
creased from 5000 to SO, O00, and TO the
people of the South OddfellOwship has
become an established institution. The
total membership of the Order is now
$50, 900, OF including the Sisters of Re-
bekah degree, SS9, 600. To this should
be added, in the foreign jurisdiction, q
membership of %, 900, making q com
Lbined membership of nine-tenths of q
million men and women. The net in
crease in membership during the year
had been SO, ZOO. This was less than
the year previous, but this might be
accounted for in the United States by
q season of financial stringency that
lessened the resources of the people. In
Canada, relatively q more prosperous
country, and under its stable institu-
tions less liable to business fuctuation,
the Order has made greater progress
than in any year of it's history. There
had been no diminution, however, in
the work accomplished, and the ex-
penditure of three and q third million
Of dollars for purposes Of relief was a
sufficient evidence of the activity of
OddfelloWship. The report deals
at length with the condition of the
Order In foreign lands and then goes
on to say that peace and harmony pre-
vailed throughout the entire iurisdic-
ton, except In Kansas, where q mum
Der of lodges had invoked the aid of
the courts against an assessment or
dered by the Grand Lodge for the sup
port of a Home. This will be referred
to the body now In session for adiudi.
cation. The military branch, known
as the Patriarchs Militante, was re-
ported as being in a prosperous con
dition. Numerous Withered branches
had been Topped off during the year,
the forces generally re organized and
eleven new cantons mustered into SER
vices. The enthusiasm of the sister
hood of Rebekah has continued una
bated, the membership increasing rap
idly. The laws governing the branch,
however, required careful revision, but
the views Of the sisters themselves
should receive full consideration. In
no department of work had there been
such decided progress as In making
provision for the aged members and
orphan children. In many States new
homes had been opened, while nurner-
Gus other Jurisdictions were accumu-
lating funds and preparing buildings
for the laudable work.
The Grand Sire concluded with an
eloquent appeal 70 the delegates TO
hasten the establishment Of the coming