The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-09-24
OVER 500, 900 ODD FELLOWS.
savannahian~ Interested In the Sow
ereign Grand Lodge PrOceedings.

Savannahians Interested In the Sow
ereign Grand Lodge Proceedings.
Savannah odd Fellows are interested
in the proceedings Of the Sovereign Grand
Lodge, now in session in Dallas, Tex. 1t
is the first time in some years that Sa-
vannah has not been represented in the
sovereign grand lodge.
Each state, district or territorial grand
lodge or grand encampment having under
its jurisdiction 1000 members or less has
a representative Those having more than
1000 members are entitled to two repre-
sentatives, and no 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. Stebbins,
grand sire, of Rochester, N. Y; Fred
erick Carleton, deputy grand sire, Of Aus
tin, Tex; Theodore A Ross, grand sec
rotary, of Baltimore, Nd, and M. Richard
Muckle of Philadelphia, Pa, grand treas
urer and the appointed officers are Rev.
]. w. Venable, grand chaplin, of Hop
kinsville, KY; James B. Blanks, grand
marshal, of Petersburg, Va; Frederick
S. Hunt, grand guardian, of Bridgeport,
Conn.,, and J. R. Harwep, grand messen,
ger, of Nashville, Tenn.
The last published report showing the
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,
s.; subordinate encampments, 1888; subor-
dinate lodges. 1890; encampment men,
bers, 49,, 443; lodge members, S15,947; Rebek-
ah lodges, 1851; sisters, members of Re-
bekah lodges 1231 brothers, members
Rebekah lodges 102305.
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 and
prosperity Of the order that will come up
for consideration will be the disposition
of amendments to the constitution, pro-
posed at the last annual communication.
Two of these propose the admission of
males into the order who have arrived
at the age of Is years, the first of which
requires that they shall be sons Of Odd
Fellows, and the second extends the same
privilege to all who have attained that
age without any regard as to whether or
not their fathers were members 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
vided that the sons Of odd Fellows who
have arrived at the age of IS years shall
be also entitled to admission to the or
der so that when amended section will
read: No person shall be entitled to ad-
mission to the order. except free white
males of good moral character, who have
arrived at the age of twenty-one years
and who believe in a Supreme Being
The third amendment has for its object
the admission of Indians of not more than
one-eighth part Indian blood into subor-
| dinate lodges and encampments.
Amendments of similar character have
been presented at former annual eommun-
ications, but have always been defeated.