The Topeka state journal., 1897-10-12
ODD FELLOWS MEETING
Attendance on Grand Lodge
Reaches 800.
Does Not Come Up to Expecta-
tions of 1000.
All the Work Done is Secret-Inter-
esting Figures of the An
nual Report

| At 9 o'clock this morning the Canton
Lodge of Topeka escorted the grand Of
fcers of the Grand Encampment to
| Representative hall where the organi-
| zatiOn went into secret session
The regular business will be taken up
and the officers for the coming year
will be elected. The Rebekas are hold
ing an all day meeting in the lodge
room of Naomi lodge of Rebekas and
are putting on the work for the benefit
of visitors. The work will be given in
| the senate chamber tonight at eight
o'clock The Grand Lodge will meet
tomorrow morning in Representative
hall at o'clock and form their organi-
zation.
1t was expected that there would be
1000 out of town odd Fellows in at
tendance, but so far the number is far
below what was expected, and not more
than 300 visiting members are here
Many delegates of the Grand Lodge are
expected to arrive in time for tomor-
rows meeting and the present number
may be increased somewhat.
The annual report of Grand Master
Glenn of Tribune is in the hands of the
state printer and will be issued soon af-
ter the adjournment of the Grand
Lodge. Among other things of interest
the report shows that six subordinate
lodges have received dispensations with
a total of Ill charter members. The Re
bekas, under the direction of President
instituted 1
new lodges with total of 365 charter
mem berS.
The Grand Lodge has been liberal in
responding to the calls for aid, and the
report shows $1,398.47 expended to aid
members of the order who have been
in poor circumstances; $3.50. "A was Civ
en- to the sufferers in the Chandler cy-
clone. This report is not complete. but
the amount will not be materially in
creased by the outstanding figures.
As usual numerous decisions have
been made by the Grand Master, and
in all he has passed on III questions
The record shows that three lodges
have sustained serious losses by fire.
The lodges at UniOntOwn, BrOokville
and Ingalls, have lost valuable docu-
ments and all of their lodge parapher-
MALTA New charters to replace the
ones lost will be granted by the Grand
Lodge at the present session.
The first 10 be mentioned in the ne
crOlCgy is Past Grand Master Sol Mil
Ter, who died at his home in Troy on
April II. He was elected grand master
in 1873, and was particularly alive to
the best interests of the order during
his term. He was especially noted as
hater of shams and deceits, for his
unswerving integrity and for his frank
ness and candOr. He belonged to White
Cloud Lodge No. g. which lodge with
Troy City No. SO, conducted the funeral
services. The Grand Lodge was rep
resented at the funeral by Past Grand
Master J. A. Campbell.
In all there is a total of lat deaths.
The matter of re-diStricting the state
will be discussed by the grand lodge
Grand Master Glenn makes the fol-
lowing recommendation:
The most important recommended
ton to be made, and which should be
the most seriously considered is some
plan to district the state for represen-
tatives to the grand lodge and cut
down membership of this body We
should meet to legislate for the best in
terests of the order, and not attend
grand lodge for our own endowment
One hundred men could do the work
to be done more expeditiOusly than 450.
and it would save at least So 500 to the
membership of the state. Every coun-
ty in which there are at least three
lodges should be a district and entitled
to one representative, except in cases
of counties with a great many lodges,
and then permit them to have two.
The district should be by counties be-
cause it is usually convenient and
there is more of a community of inter
est between the lodges of a county than
those of different counties. Have one
D. D. G. NJ. for the district, and provide
that he should get no pay of any kind,
but could deputiZe a P G. of the lodge
to install the officers of that lodge. In
order to overcome the objections of the
smaller lodges, provision should be
made that one lodge should not be per-
mitted to have the representative more
than twice until every lodge in the dis
trict has had a member elected repre-
sentative. BY this means you would
elect men because of their special fit
ness for the work of the grand lodge,
and not because lit is his turn to at
tend grand lodge at the expense of his
brothers and have good time. There
will be several propositions submitted.
and it is hoped they may be fairly and
fully considered and the best plan
adopted. Nearly all the older jurisdic-
tions are districted, and there is no loss
of interest or numbers as a result"