Omaha daily bee., 1896-10-25

During the past week the grand lodge
OF the Independent order Of Odd Fellows
and its attendant bodies. the grand en-
campment and the Rebekah assembly, met
in annual session at Lincoln.
The session OF the grand lodge was the
thrty-ninth OF its history. II convened on
last Wednesday morning and adjourned for
the year on Friday night There were In
attendance something over 300 members, OF
whom 235 were regularly accredited dele
gates to the body. or the number 167 were
new candidates for the grand lodge, and
were duly initiated into the body. The
delegates represented 104 lodges in the
state. which comprise membership lit
tie less than 5000.
In the two days during which the grand
lodge was in session considerable amount
of business was transacted, but little OF
IL was of general interest or Importance
The most important matter was up in the
form of resolution, which provided FOR
a change in the system of representation
from the subordinate lodges to the grand
lodge but it was defeated by large ma
jorty.
The reports of the officers were not as
fiattering as they have been In past years
No alarm Is felt at the condition, how
ever, as the same prevails In all secret
societies on account of the prevalent hard
the future because of the near prospect or
more prosperous times.
The question of establishing an Odd Fell
lows home in this, as in other states,
came up again before the body in the shape
of a number OF offers OF location FOR the
institution. The financial condition OF the
country, however, did not appear to the
delegates to be sufficiently bright for any
action to be taken.
The following officers were elected for The
~ naay r
City, G. M; Charles A. Patterson Of
Omaha d. G. NJ; j. f. Arnold OF Schuyler,
G. w; l. p. Page of Fremont, G. s.; Samuel
McClay OF Lincoln, G. T.; George l.. Loomio
of Fremont and George N. Beels OF Nor
folk, grand representatives to the supreme
lodge The officers were installed by Past
Master Evans OF this city.
The grand encampment convened on Tues
day morning and adjourned on the evening
of the same day. The session was attended
by some seventy-fve delegates who repre-
scented the forty-six encampments in the
state. The membership of the body is at
present in the neighboihood OF 1900.
Like the grand lodge session the grand
encsmpment was not flooded with important
business. The chief matter that came up
was over the reduction OF fees. 1t was de-
cided to allow subordinate lodges. II they so
desired to reduce the admission fee from
| Sl2 to Sc. This reduction, however, is en-
| tirely optional and the subordinate bodies
wish. The matter OF abrogating the bene-
| ficiary feature OF the order entirely and re-
ducing the admission fee to SO and the dues
| to 81 q year was defeated. At its last meet
ing the supreme lodge passed an amend
ment to the laws allowing this to be done by
the state grand encampments II they de-
sired
The following officers were elected: N. b.
Helm of Omaha. G. p; L. A. Simmonds OF
CORTLAND, G. II. p; A. dAllemand OF North
n TpIo of Trfy \,
G. ]. W; I. p. Gage of Fremont, G. s..
! Samuel McClay of Lincoln. G. T.
The lengthiest session was held by the
| third Of the bodies. the Rebekah assembly.
| The body convened on Wednesday morning
and did not adjourn until noon Friday.
| resentatives being on hand. The number
CT lodges in the state is l15, which have a
membership close upon $500.
The business before the body was not OF
| very important nature. The question OF
! the Odd Fellows Home was discussed al
some length, but no action was taken.
| Probably the most important step taken was
| the abandonment of the executive board
| the newly elected officers being instructed
| to act as such board ex-officio. The follow
| Ing officers were elected: Mrs. Cora A.
| Beels OF Lincoln president; Mrs. Belle Bal
shaw of Lincoln, vice president; Miss Mary
c. Sperry of Beatrice, secretary; Mrs. Mary
! STUNT OF Omaha treasurer, Mrs. Emma
| Talbot OF South Omaha w.
All the bodies decided to hold the session
OF next yer in Lincoln.
| One of the most enjoyable features OF
the gatherings was the reception given by
members CT the assembly to all the rep
resentatives of the bodies on Tuesday even
| ing in the capitol building. The attendance
| was over 800 The affair was of an informal
| social character, but a portion of the even
| ing was spent in the enjoyment of a
musical and literary program.