The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-05-16
IVORITES' IN CONVENTION
Twenty.Seventh Annual Session Of
Grand Lodge at Wilkcs-Barre.
AT LAST EVENINGS BANQUET
Address of william X. Lewis. of This City,
Was a Notable Fcature-What
Was Done at tho First
Days Session.
Special to the Scranton Tribune.

ed their credentials at the morning SeS-
sion: d. H. Jones, Providence; James
j. Lewis, Plymouth; Griffith w. owen,
Taylor; Thomas H. Richards, Wilkes
Barre; Daniel Bevan, Miners Mills;
John Powell, Pittsburg; Robert ]. Da-
Wis, Fairhaven; Griffith Grifiths, Utica,
N. Y; Moses ]. Jones, Middle Gran
vile, N. Y; John o. Thomas, Youngs-
town, o.; John H. Reese, Shenandoah;
David w. Thomas, Nanticoke; David
Parry, Olyphant; John s. Richards,
Hyde Park; John L. Roberts, Chicago;
Lewis B. Roberts. Denver Col; Gabriel
Lloyd, New York; Richard Evans,
Providence; John H. Phillips, Hyde
Park; Eli Rosser, Edwardsville; b. w.
Jones, Bangor.
At the morning session the president
of the grand lodge appointed the fol-
lowing committees: Auditing commit
tee, Gabriel Lloyd, Robert L. Williams,
Lewis b. Roberts, grand lodge assess
ment committee, Robert ]. Davis, 7. o.
Thomas. John H. Reese; election return
committee, d. w. Thomas, John S.
Richards, Richard Evans; committee
on expenses Of delegates, Griffith w.
Owen, Robert ]. Davis, John H. Phil
lips; committee on presidents annual
address, Moses d. Jones, Daniel Parry,
John o. Thomas; committee on consti-
tuition, Daniel Parry, John o. Thomas,
Robert j. Davis. The president also
appointed committee on devising
simpler means for electing officers of
the grand lodge. The following were
named: Daniel Bevan, Griffith Grif-
fiths and Moses ]. Jones.
A letter was received from r. j. Rob-
erts, of Pueblo, COL. expressing a wish
that a lodge be instituted at that place.
After an expression Of qualification the
matter was referred to the Denver
lodge.
The Parade.
The marshalS of the parade in
the afternoon were Thomas H. Rich
ards and d. w. Merideth. Those par
ticipating were the city officials, officers
Of the Grand Lodge, delegate to Grand
Lodge, five venerable members, six
guests of honor. Plymouth band. Plym-
outh Seniors, Plymouth Juniors, Nam
ticoke lodge, Scranton lodges, Ninth
Regiment band, Wilkes-Barre and Ed
wardsville lodges and Miners Mills
lodges.
The Evening Session.
The evening session was compli-
mentary reception of oraltory and song
rendered to the officers and delegates
of the Grand Lodge. 1t was repre-
sentative gathering Of the Welsh peo-
pie, and the programme prepared Cor
the occasion embraced magnificent mu-
sic, wise sayings, and inspired oratory.
B. F. Lewis, editor Of the Drych, Utica,
N. Y, and his Introductory remarks
were congratutatory and to the point.
Mr.. Lewis said:
Editor Lewis Address.
have come to Wilkes-Barre in an en-
tirely unofficial capacity for the sole pur-
pose of attending the Ivorite convention
to meet old Ivorite friends, and 1t gives me
great pleasure to be with you tonight. l
confess that am proud Of the opportunity
to appear before you as an American. as
an Ivorite and as "a Welshman. The
strongest American commonwealth can be
laid upon foundation of the broadest hui
manity and nothing will adorn American
ism like a garland Of Welsh loyalty,
poetry. eloquence, fervency and patriot
ism. The strongest Ivorite society can be
laid upon a foundation of religious prin-
ciples and nothing can better adorn 1vor-
ism than garland of sobriety, purity, in
dustry sympathy and fraternity.
l am proud to stand before you as an
American. With all our political sins,
with all our social faults, while confessing
that we have not properly improved the
opportunities God has given us, while con-
Tossing that we are not what we ought TO
be, feel 1t a great honor to be an Ameri
can citizen. l confess l cannot look on the
old Star-Spangled Banner without a quick
ening of the blood In my veins and the fire
of patriotism warming my heart. l am
not ashamed to confess that l cannot read
the story Of Washington and his ragged,
barefooted, half-starved army, fighting. for
liberty and independence, without my eyes
being filled with tears. May God guard
America against selling her birthright for
golden calf May God help the oppressor
to see his danger before the oppressed
loses all patience and gives rein to his fury.
There is no event in the future more cer-
tain than that the American nation will
some day shatter the tyranny that is like
a fetter upon the hands, like a yoke of iron
upon her neck and like a load of lead upon
her back.
A Broad. Minded Order.
I am proud to stand before you as an
Ivorfte, because Ivorism represents the
best traits and the best class Of our people. |
1t is said sometimes that the order Is not
broad enough to take all Welshmen in. 1t
Is true that every age cannot become bene- |
ficiaries of its benefit fund, for that would |
kill the order in a short time. but every |
Welshman of a good character can become |
an honorary member, and We urge all to |
become connected with us in that relation. |
Neither do We shut out the ladies', for |
everything is ready for the formation of
female lodges. I am proud to be counted |
an Ivorite on account of the good the or |
der has done in the past and the good It |
may do In the future. l believe 1t can be |
proved by statistics that, considering its |
and Its age, the order has |
done more financially for its members, |
their widows and orphans than any SINH |
lar order in the United States. The glory |
of Ivorism 1t not to be seen in the grand |
procession, but in the sick chamber and |
the house Of mourning. 1t Is there 1t is |
seen in its beauty. l am proud to stand |
before you as a Welshman; as n Welsh |
man who believes that some Of the best |
traits of our humanity have attained their |
most perfect development In the Welsh |
character but at the same time Welsh |
man who can say God speed" from the |
bottom of his heart to every man to what |
ever nation he may belong. Because |
have my own family, l need not hate my |
ncghbor. Being Welshman Is not a |
good reason why we should dislike the |
Englishman, the Scotchman, the Irish |
man, the Hungarian. the Polander, the |
italian or the Bohemian.
An old Welsh proverb says that every |