Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-09-02
VIRGINIA GOOD TEMPLARS
Gratifying Reports at the Grand Lodge Meet
ing at Danville.
The Order IL Increasing i'm Numbers
and Strength and Has a Prosper.
GUS Future Before 1t.

Special Dispatch to The Evening Star.
DANVILLE,Va., September 2.-The Grand
Lodge of Good Templars of Virginia COM
| nenced its twenty-ninth annual session
here last night in Municipal Hall. Pre-
Vious TO the converting of the body public
reception was rendered the organization
at which an address of welcome was MADE
by the mayor of the city, and responded to
by Rev. H. L. Hout, grand chief templar
of the state. Other interesting exercises
also took place. The homes of the good
People Of this city are thrown wide open 10
delegates to the session.
At 1890 pm. the gavel of the presiding
officer, Rev. II. L. Hout of Shenandoah,
called the Grs nd Lodge to order, and it was
opened with the ritual ceremony of the
order. Representatives are present from
Richmond, Charlottesville, Lynchburg, AL
eXahdria, Williamsburg, Montgomery, Pu-
laski, Fairfax, Prince William, Elizabeth
City, PittsylVania, Rockbridge, Orange,
Botetonrt, SUrry, Mathews, Mecklenburg,
Bedford, Northampton, Accomac, Fauquier.
Cumberland and many other couI1ieS of the
state, and the session promises TO be of
unusual interest to the order generally
The Grand Lodge degree was conferred on
large number or new members.
Grand Chfef's Report.
The report of Rev. Ill. Hout, grand chief
of great Importance relative to the work of
temperance in the state. The report shows
&C nsiderable lecture work done and new
lodges organized. Only lack of funds to
prosecute the work vigorously prevented a
large increase In the membership. He rec
ommends the continued publication of the
Good Templar News as the official organ of
the Grand Lodge, commends the plan of
district lodges and suggests their encour-
sGement and sustenance. the juvenile
temple work is specially referred to. He
recommends the selection of a man for
grand chief templar who can give his entire
time to the lecture work; also that the Of
fetal visitation to the lodges be continued
that the capitation tax be raised to IL cents
per quarter per member, and that frequent
public meetings be held by the subordinate
lodges and the order brought more pro H.
inently before the public. The report was
referred to the committee on state of the
order.
Grand Secretnry's Report.
Grand Secretary Geo. w. Hawxhurst re-
ported the numerical ard financial status
of the Grand Lodge. The order has one
! hundred lodges in the state with a mem
bership of :',2SS. Twenty new lodges were
organized during the year. The total re-
ceipts for the fiscal year were 81 ,761 Ga. and
the expenditures $15l614, leaving a bal
ance In the treasury of sZ51-51. The sum
of $230.43 was voluntarily contributed by
|
der in the state. There seven district
lodges actively at work in the jurisdiction.
| The report of the grand superintendent Of
| juvenile temples, Miss Sudie Fitzgerald
| shows a membership of 500 in twenty-four
temples. The report recommends a more
| liberal appropriation for this work among
| the children The order of Good Templars
| was established in Virginia in 1861 by the
| institution of Pioneer Lodge, No 1, at Fails
Church, which is still in existence. 1t has
| spread all over the state and its lifelong
| pledge of total abstinence from the use of
| intoxicating liquors as a beverage has been
| administered to S'.s26 people. Its mem
| bership has f1uctuated during these many
, years, the highest number of members for
any one year being 13,S49 in the year 1881
| The present grand secretary of the Grani
Lodge, Mr.. Geo. w. HawXhurst, now of
Falls Church, has held the position for
tWenty-four consecutive years.
Among those in attendance are Mrs. J.
NJ. Thorne, Mrs. ]. II. Garretson, Miss Mel
] lie K. Hawxhurst, f. NJ. Ball and Geo. w
Hawxhurst of Falls Church, Mrs. l.. b.
Stats of Vienna. John d. Payne of Ball
ston, I. T. Taylor of Dunn Loring. Robert
Walker of Alexandria county. Rev. c. K
Millican of Fairfax Court House. J. H.
| Bartlett of Alexandria. ]. J. Sangster of
Burke's, E. b. Whaley of Chantil!y.