The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-09-22
ODD FELLOWS IN TEXAS
SOVEREIGN GRAND LODGE HEART.
lily WELCOMED no DALLAS.
Annual Address and Report of Grand
Sire Stebbins, Showing the Con-
dition of the Order.

| DALLAS, Tex, Sept. PA public re-
| ception was rendered the Sovereign Grand
| Lodge, Independent Order of Odd Fellows,
| which is in session here. this morning.
| Governor Charles A. Culberson. in behalf
| of the State of Texas, welcomed the visit
| ors in a short, but appropriate, address.
| There were addresses of welcome by Grand
| Master w. S. Blanton, Hon. Barnett Gibbs,
acting for Mayor Holland; C. A. kellar, of
| San Antonio, vice patriarch militant; c.
| F. Hunter, department commander. and
! Mrs. NJ. l.. McCracken, president of the
| State assembly Daughters of Rebekah.
| Hon. c. E. w Stebbins, of New York
| grand sire of the order, responded in a
| brief address. NJ. D. Herring, of Waco,
| presided. a most touching sight closed the
| reception, when the orphans and widows
of members of the order, especial charges
of the Odd Fellows Of Texas, marched on
| the stage singing an ode. There was not
a dry eye among the thousands of spec
tators.
Lodge was called to order at o'clock be-
hind closed doors. Grand Sire Stebbns
delivered his annual address. He said, in
part:
men and women engaged in one OF the
grandest enterprises that can enlist the en-
ergies of man, demand our best thought
and most cOnsiderate action. The unity in
eR6ood eR6 d6 st 9f qsen5 b al Within such
limits as this unity will permit the broadcast
freedom of action consistent with that
unity should be guaranteed to every sub
ordinate. individual opinion should yield
to deliberately formed aggregate Judgment
An organization developing into maturity
needs constant changes in its rules and
regulations to 2nes its new conditions. The
seem TO be required. Thus only can the
unity of our brotherhood be preserved and
its greatest usefulness realized.
The condition of the business interests
and the prospective disturbances in TINS
and other countries have had their effect
upon the order. Yet under the surround
ing conditions. our growth has not been
seriously retarded Our losses in member
ship through inability to meet their obliga-
tions have been unusually large though
when the stringency of the times shal
have passed many VIII return: Inc ad az
and in all branches prosperity has pre-
vailed to an unlocked for extent. In the
9l9O In the subencampmentS there has
been q net loss of 1636. In the Patriarch
Militant branch there has been large
given with accuracy, owing to. delays IN
making returns.
I'm the Rebekah branch the growth has
been phenomenal, there being net in
crease in membership of q S54. This is in no
inconsiderable degree attributed and trace
able to the opening the door to all unmar-
ried ladies of good moral character rms
last branch is rapidly outstrlpptng an o. Oh me the
far future it will lead them all in member
ship in labor and efficiency seems probable
two things now most needed for its greater
efficiency-the opening wider the door SO
as to admit all of good moral character and
benevolent impulses, whether married or
unnarred--and the giving of q universal
pass word and sign, so that they may
everywhere seek a brothers aid when re-
uuired will be provided before this session
Closes"
The grand sire submitted reports show
ing that the foreign Jurisdictions were
prosperous. -,
In the department of homes for the aged,
the widow and orphan reports were re-
ceived of + ONES established. or in process
of esta blishment in seventeen grand Juris-
dictions, as follows: Number II, acreage,
g. 373914; cost. $269. .462 "a; present value, $685.
727 OF; Indebtedness $4,000; residents
males 80: wives, 8; widows, 6; orphans, l9S
Continuing, the grand sire says; Last
wear there were reported seventeen grand
Jurisdictions; this year. twenty-siX, an IN
crease of 8. Last year acreage, 3. 1914; TINS
wear 3913 an increase of 1885. Last year
value S6S2 727. OIL; this years, $S1S000, an in
crease of SIS. 7299 In addition to the fore
going Washington. Oregon, South Nebras-
ka Georgia and North Dakota have the
subject Of homes under consideration and
will doubtless soon be added to the list
This growth in this branch of our great
benevolent work IS most gratifying, for
large part of which the order is indebted
to the Rebekah branch that has given it
special attention.
The condition the Patrarchs Militant in