Evening star., 1896-09-21
GRAND LODGE IN SESSION.
Odd Fellows Meeting Today Down in
Dallas, Texas.


The seventy-second annual com:nunica-
ton of the Sovereign Grand Lodge or the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows of the
world will convene in Dallas. Tex. today,
and continue in session for five days. the
session will be mostly devoted to commit
tee work. According to the bylaws, every
proposition submitted to the Grand Lodge
is referred to a subcommittee for consider
alton and then referred back to the parent
body.
Each state, district or territorial grand
lodge or grand encampment having under
its jurisdiction LOCO members or less Is
entitled to one representative In the an
nual communication. Those having more
than 1000 members are entitled tC two rep
resentatives, and more. This rule also
extends to the provinces of Canada, but
does not include other foreign countries,
as they are Independent in legislation.
The present officers Of the Sovereign
Grand Lodge are: John w. Stebbns grand
sire, of Rochester, N. Y; Frederick Carle-
Theodore A. Ross, grand secretary. of Bal.
timore, Md, and NJ. Richard Muckle OF
Philadelphia. Pa, grand treasurer, and the
appointed officers are Rev. j. w. Nenable
grand chaplain, of Hopkinsville, Ky; Jas
b. Blanks, grand marshall, Of Petersburg.
Va; Frederick s. Hunt, grand guardian, of
Bridgeport, Conn, and j.. r. HarWell'
grand messenger, of Nashville, Tenn
lumbia are: Messrs. William +. Allan and
Frederick A. Stier, representing the Grand
Lodge, and Joseph Burroughs, the Grand
Encampment.
condition of the order was published in
1894. 1t is as follows: Sovereign Grand
Lodge. 1; independent grand lodges Ger
man empire Australia, Denmark and
SwitZerland), 4; subordinate grand en-
camPments, 81; subordinate grand lodges,
66; subordinate encampments. 2,G'3; sub
ordinate lodges. 1O,94O; eLcampment men,
bers, 1'5, 443; lodge members S15.941; Re
bekah lodges 3,G31, sisters, members of
Rebekah lodges, 123, 1O4; brothers, men,
hers Rebekan lodges, 1O2,3oo.
Since then lodges have been founded in
Germany, Switzerland, Denmark. France,
Italy, Sweden, Japan, Chile, Peru, Mexico
and the West Indies.
The most Important among the many
| matters pertaining TO the Welfare aud pros
| perity of the order that will come up TO:
| consideration will be the disposition OF
| amendments to the constitution, proposed
| at the last annual comm nication. Two
| of these propose the admission OF males
| into the order who have arrived at the
| age of eighteen years. the first Of which
| requires that they shall be SONS of O1d
! Fellow aid the second extends the same
| privilege to all who have attained thai
| age. without any regard as to whether ol
| not their ia thcrS were mem berS of the or
| der. The first reads as follows:
Amend article XVI. section 2. of the
| constitution of the Sovereign Grand Lodge
| by adding after the word universe in the
| fourth line of said section, the words pro
| Vlded that the sons of odd Fellows who
| have arrived at the age of eighteen year.
shall be also entitled 10 admission to tn,
| order that when amended section :
will read: No person shall be entitled tc
| admission to the order except free whit.
| males CT good moral character, who hav.
| arrived a the age of tn enty-one years an.
| who believe in a Supreme Being "
| %
| the admission of Indians of not more thar
| one-eighth part Indian blood into subor
| dinate lodges and encampmen:s.
! Amendments of a similar character hav,
| been sented at former annual commun
| ications, but have always been defeated.