The San Francisco call., 1895-05-18
REBEKAHS ARE INDIGNANT,
Their Convention Adjourned
by the Grand Lodge With
out Consent.
CHANGED TO AN ASSEMBLY
A Protest VIII Be Entered To-Day
and Fight Made for Re-
consideration.

The Grand Lodge, I. o. O. F., has created
a storm in the inner circle from which may
issue cyclone of disastrous results The
Rebekahs have been peremptorily ordered
to shift for themselves, and the result is a
tempest of Indignation. To-day may not
be breezy as far as weather is concerned
but inside the Odd Fellows Hall gale
will blow from ali points of the compass
which is; liable to lift some of the dele.
gates off their feet.
The storm centered over the question OF
the recognizing by the Grand Lodge of a
Rebekah Assembly and the granting of a
charter to the same, as based upon the fol-
lowing report of the committee on Rebekah
Assembly:
Your committee appointed Representative
: Robinette TO inform the Rebekah State eonven-
ton Of California of the action of this Grand
Lodge providing for the appointment by that
body of committee of five to act in eonjunc-
ton with your committee in regard to the
matters referred to the Same. Upon receiving
such Information the Rebekah State conven-
tion appointed such a committee and of that
. committee Sisters Alganette L. J. Ennis, Ruby
J. Reese, C.. a. HoXett and Gertie A. Marks, met
in consultation, and after joint consideration
and action your committee recommend that
the petition OF the Rebekah State convention,
]. 90, F., of California, for charter for Re-
bekah Assembly, be granted, and that the
z. Grand Master institute the State Rebekah
Assembly of the Independent Order of odd
Fellows of California soon as possible, that
the form OF the charter be as follows:
The committees report quotes the char
ter to:be granted but the Rebekahs say
there was no such desire on their part, and
that the five appointed by their conven-
tion were not instructed to make any such
arrangement, but to simply confer with
the Grand Lodge and present, such
matter for consideration as might be sug-
. gested by that body. With this under
standing the committee of Rebekahs re-
torned to their convention with copies of
the proposed charter and submitted them
to the convention.
The chairman of the committee said
nothing about any agreement having been
entered into, but as was originally in
tended the charter was read and consid-
erred section by section. Before the last
paragraph had been reached Grand Master
- Simpson was announced, and by the Gus
tomary declaration he proclaimed the
granting of the charter to the Rebekah
State Assembly and the assembly duly in
.stituted.
The action of Grand Master Simpson was
not fully understood by all the Rebekahs,
but CONSERVATION appeared upon the faces
: of the ladies who did realize the situation.
By the action of the grand master the
Rebakah convention was legal body no
longer and the only thing left for the Re-
bekahsto do was to file out of the hall,
gather IN little knots and discuss the situa-
ton. This they did, and from the re-
marks of the delegates who had been
recognized as representatives of Rebekah
lodges the Grand Lodge Will hear from
them this morning on the ground that the
instituting of the assembly was illegal. If
the action of the grand master is sustained
an appeal will be taken to the Sovereign
Grand Lodge.
Before the storm appeared upon the
lower link of the order the ladies discussed
the advisability of admitting non-relative
members to Rebekah lodges and continued
the argument for several hours, finally
reaching the decision of referring the ques-
tion to- the Sovereign Grand Lodge but
if the action of Grand Master Simpson is
sustained by the Sovereign Grand Lodge
there will be no, necessity of reference, as
the charter, as (peremptorily) granted
yesterday. admits of members other than
. female relatives OF the [. O. o. f.
When the ladies assemble at 9 o'clock
this morning committees will be appointed
to act for the Rebekah convention, Just as
though it had not been adjourned by the
institution of the Rebekah assembly.
AnothefN matter comes up under the
present condition of affairs Are the
officers elected by the Rebekah convention
still in office and if so what office? These
are queries which the ladies ale propound-
ing to each other and to "brother" Odd
Fellows. If the action of Grand Master
Simpson in instituting the assembly ad-
journed the convention then the officers of
the convention cannot legally preside over
the assembly.
This means a new election if the Grand
Lodge this morning does not reconsider
the action of Grand Master Simpson and
reinstate the Rebekah convention until the
matter is settled, with distinct under
standing on the part of the ladies of the
order.