The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-10-01
Sovereign GRAND Lodge. I.O.O.F.

The seventh annual session of this body con-
vened al Chattanooga, Tenn, on Monday, Sep
TENDER IL. The reception took place In the
hall of Lookout Inn ON Lookout Mountain at
O'Clock A. N. Addresses were made by Gov
ernor Peter Turney, Mayor George W. Ocbs,
Grand Master Bingham and Grand Patriarch
lands OF Tennessee, and responded TO by
Grand Sire CT T. Campbell. The venerable
chaplain of the Sovereign Grand Lodge, j. w.
Venable, officiated. On Monday afternoon
drive was taken to Cbickamauga Park ana
battlefield; on Tuesday the grand secretary
and Grand Scrbe's Association held a session;
On Tuesday afternoon great parade OF the Or
der, with uniformed cantOns, lodges and en-
campments In regalia. floats, ETC., took place,
which was a cred!tabie display; at P. NJ a
series of bicycle races interested the mighty
crowd. In the evening the reunion OF the past
grand representatives was held.
Some Misrepresentation seems to exist in re-
latiOn TO the progress of the order for 1898.
While the year does not show the gain OF 1892,
which was the largest increase Of any year
in the history of the fraternity. yet good gain
was made. December 81, 1898, shows:
10.297 lodges. an increase OF Sci; 1901 90
members. an increase of 32,S97; 1922 Re-
bekah lodges, Increase of 3S7; 202, 422 Re-
bekah m mbers, increase of 2l.573; 1862 en-
campmrnts, increase OF so; 1876, 2S6 e1camp-
ment members, increase of 3744. The total in
tie three branches is Lis. 300 members.
Complete records of legislation have not been
received. The following questions have been
decided: That patriarch militant members
must be drawn exclusively from encampments
and members of subordinate lodges only are
not eligible: that unmarried ladies over IS,
although not relatives of Odd Fellows, eli
gible to membership In Rebekan lodges; that
brethren hereafter Will not be eligible as off,
GERS In r bekah lodges; the action OF he Grand
Lodge OF California providing for the mainte-
nance of home for aged Odd Fellows, etc.,
was approved.
Some comment has been made, especially by
writer In New Hampshire because some time
ago the Sovereign Grand Lodge insisted that
no lodge should pay TO sick brother less than
81 per week as SICK benefits. Prior to that
legislation II was nothing uncommon TO find a
brother in this city belonging TO some Eastern
jurisdiction with a card stating that his lodge
would pay % or 80 cents per week in the event
of sickness. He would be taken sick here and
apply for relief, and the general relief commit
tee would extend IL, regardless of the mockery
OF tile amount specified by his card. Sometimes
the subordinate TO which the sick member be-
lOnged would reimburse the committee; some
times otherwise, as the committee had no legal
right TO expeGd any amount beyond that speci.
fed on the card.
The disgrace Of such card, the palpable
evasion OF the intents ana decisions of the
rder, eliminated Id the passage OF the law that
not less than 81 per week should be paid; and
even this paltry amount Is totally insufficient In
sickness and distress ga is the lowest amount
per week that any lodge in California can pay
So and $40 isthe rule).' But the law passed,
and ever since complaint has been made In
certain quarters against the enormous injus.
tice ~ OF the law, and at the recent session An
amendment was introduced to make The amount
81 per week. which was tabled.
Another so-called progressive" effort mate
rialiZed IN a proposition 10 abolish regaIa and
substitute badge or button therefor; il died
The death II deserved.
John w. Stebbins OF New York was unanI.
mouSiy chosen grand sire, Fred Carleton OF
Texas was elected deputy grand sire. Theodore
"A. Ross and Isaac Sheppard were unanimously
reelected Grand Secretary and Grand Treasu-
Ter.
The next session will De held at Atlantic City,