The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-04-14
REBEKAH LODGES.
Second Annual Assembly at Meriden-
 New Haven Ladies Present.

Second Annual Assembly at Meriden-
 New Haven Ladies Present.
 Meriden, April 19,-The second annual assembly of Rebekah lodges of Con- necticut was held here to-day. About 250 past grand officers were present Among those from New Haven were Mrs Fisher, Mrs, Sparks, Mrs, Hub bard, Mrs. Carey and Mrs Taylor, all of Naomi lodge No. 1, D. of R.. Sixty six delegates took the assembly degree. Of the forty-eight lodges in the state only three were unrepresented.
 The morning session lasted until o'clock. No new business was brought up at that hour. Mrs. Isabelle Par rette of Meriden delivered the address of welcome. She spoke as follows:
 Mrs. President, Vice President and Delegates of Rebekah Assembly-On behalf of Esther Rebekah lodge, No. ', l extend to you most cordial greeting and sincere and hearty welcome. And I invite you to join with US in the festi- vities which our sisters have prepared. Esther lodge feels deeply the honor conferred on her by your acceptance of the invitation and your presence here to-day as guests of Esther No. '. May the blessings of the Almighty Father rest on this meeting and benefit our beloved order and the great laws of friendship, love and truth be always our guide"
 After the address of welcome the president, Mrs. Anna Huntington of Meriden, delivered her address as fol- lows:
 ''To the Officers and Delegates of the Second Rebekah State Assembly, l. O. o. F-Greeting: Six months ago you placed in my hands the emblem of au- Ithority and entrusted to me the bur dens and responsibilities of the presi dents office, and feeling that I lacked the experience which only years of ser vice can give, I assumed the duties with many misgivings that l should not be able to so conduct affairs as to merit your approval and commenda- tion, and to-day 1t becomes my duty to rerder to you an account of my stew ardship.
 STATE OF THE ORDER.
 lHe COLulllOIl dliu 6IOW'H VI lliC lodges throughout the state, so far as am able to learn, considering the finan- cial situation, Is excellent. The beauti- fled work has, I trust, come to stay, as work under the old system would be dry and uninteresting. To all lodges which do not use the beautified work I would urge the necessity of adopting it as soon as practicable.
 QUALIFICATIONS FOR MEMBER
 SHIP
 T firmly believe, as many of you know, that the present law is step in the wrong direction. While it may tend to an increase in membership, and in some instances prove benefit, I am still of the opinion that the old law was better adapted to our needs than the present one"
 After reciting her experiences in the course of official visits, the president continued:
 q would recommend that the per capita tax be made payable in January instead of July, and I would also rec ommend that this assembly petition the grand lodge that their annual reports be made in triplicate.'
 Mrs. Jennie D. Sparks of New Haven, the vice president, made a verbal re- port, various committees were appoint ed and other routine business was transacted during the morning session. The election of officers takes place late this afternoon.
 OFFICERS ELECTED.
 At his afternoons session of the Re- bekah assembly of Connecticut the fol- lowing officers were elected:
 President, Mrs. Jennie D. Sparks of New Haven; vice president, Mrs Der tha M. Rowe of New Britain; secretary, Mrs. Hannah s. Varvey of Bridgeport; treasurer Mrs Rebekah S. Sugden of Plantsville; warden, Mrs. Lucy A. Thayer of Putnam chaplain, Mrs Ella D. King of Danbury; inside guard, Mrs. Catherine B. Bristol of New Haven; outside guard, Mrs. Hattie M. Hull of Derby; chairman of committee on for eign correspondence, Mrs. Mary F. Forbes of New London; representatives to Grand lodge, W. B. French of Ches- hire and Luther w. Matthews of Plantsville; state instructor Mrs. Mary E. Forbes of New London. The next assembly will be held in New Haven on a date to be named by a committee.