Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1894-09-22
ODD FELLOWS MEET.
Tho Sovereign Grand Lodge in Session ~
Chattanooga.

NnhtthuOOKNs
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, Sept. 49,
Prominent odd fellows from all sec
tions of the United States and Canada,
representing the various districts of the
order, assembled in the SEVENTEEN an
nual session of the Sovereign grand
lodge in the hall of Lookout Noun
tain inn on Monday. Grand Sire c. Il.
Campbell, of London, Ont, pre-
sided, and the public was admitted to
the opening session. When the lodge
had been formally called to order the
delegates were welcomed on behalf of
the state by Gov. Peter Turney,
while Mayor George ii. Ochs spoke
for the city. Benjamin Bingham,
grand master of the state grand
lodge, for the odd fellows of Tennes-
see, and Charles +. Lands, grand pa
triarch of the grand encampment of
Tennessee, for the Patriarchs Militant.
Responses were made by Grand Sire
Campbell and others, and then the
lodge went into executive session.
The annual report of the grand sire
was long document, the reading last
ing over one hour A synopsis of the
document is as follows:
The grand sire said that since the last
convention In the south, held in Atlanta
| twenty years ago, the membership in the
southern states had increased from 5000 to
$4,000, and to the people OF the south odd fell
lowShip had become an established inStitu-
tion The total membership of the order was
now 10000, or, including the sisters of the
Rebekah degree, ss9,0O0 To this should be
added membership of 5000 in foreign juris-
dictionS, making combined membership of
membership during the year had been
$4,000. This was less than the year
previous but this might be accounted
for in the United States by q season of linan-
cial Stringency that leSSened the resources of
the people In Canada the order had made
greater progress than in any year of its history.
There has been no diminution in the work
accomplished, and the expenditure of three
and third millions of dollars for purposes of
relief was a sufficient evidence OF the activity
of odd fellowship.
In no department of the work had there
been such decided progress as in making pro-
vision for the aged members and orphan chill
dren. In many states new homes had been
| opened, while numerous jurisdictions were ac-
cumulating funds and preparing buildings for
| the laudable work
charter has been granted for grand
| lodge in Sweden, and 1t was recommended that
| an application for district lodge in Naples
| Italy, be granted. Overtures had been made
| looking to the Introduction of the order into
| India, but there were evident reasons why the
| proposition should not be entertained. A
| charter has been granted for an initial lodge In
| Newfoundland, the only part of British North
| America not hitherto occupied.
Peace and harmony prevailed throughout
| the entire jurisdiction except in Kansas
| where number of lodges had invoked the aid
| of the courts against an assessment ordered By
| the grand lodge for the support of u home.
/ No d.,
| archs Militant, was reported as being in
| prosperous condition. Numerous withereC
| branches have been Topped off during the year
the forces generally reorganized and clever
new cantons mustered into service.
The grand sire paid tribute to the memory o
| q number of brethren who had died during tn,
| year, including the grand marshal of the Sow
| ereign lodge, Walter G.. Dye, of Minnesota, ant
| concluded with an eloquent appeal to the dele
| gates to hasten the establishment of the com
| ing altrurian age, of which the poets hav,
| dreamed and philanthropIsts hoped, but whicl
| odd fellowship only had made possible.
The report of Theodore A. Ross, grand sec
| rotary and acknowledgement, shows that durini
| 1898 the get gain in the membership of lodge
was 32,S97. and in encampments, 3,5iS.
In the Rebekah lodges the net gain in tn
number of lodges was 1873; in membership, 81,
573 OF the increased membership in thes
lodges 1889 were sisters
The report Of Grand Treasurer Isaac
Sheppard shows the financial condition of TIL
Sovereign grand lodge for the fiscal year end
ing August %, 1894, as follows: Receipts cas-
balance as per last report, S3i0.6 ~; sundry re
ceipts during year. S4i5s.2l; total cash re
serve, Sl0s,53ta3; expenditures during tn
| year S15, 6S: balance in hands of treasurer
S33, .25; assets, cash balance in treasur,
$33, ,a5l.25 Lehigh Valley Railroad company 4!
per cent bonds, Sl5,00J other 4per cent. bonds
Sl5,0O0 total, SG3,25l.25. The total availabl
l
| 076 ~, showing loss in assets of S15, ,S25.47