The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-19
GRAND LODGE SESSION
SEMI-ANNUAL MEETING of ORDER
of ODD FELLOWS.
Resolutions Adopted Touching the
pOrt-The Odd Fellows Home.

Ihere were eight hundred delegates pres
ent when the sixty-first semi-annual meet
ing of the Grand Lodge, I. o. o. F., was
| called to order in the old Grand Lodge Hall
at 10 o'clock yesterday morning. There are
a number of important matters to come be-
| fore the meeting. The Odd Fellows are TAX
| ing an active interest in the war situation,
and w. H Talbot, of Orleans, brought up
| this subject by the introduction of a set of
| resolutions in which he said: Among the
principles which the fathers of this institu-
| ton adopted, and which have been univer-
sally recognized as the cornerstone of Odd
Fellowship, faithfulness to country was Sec
ond only to gratitude to God And so here,
under the inspiration of this altar, where
Oliver P. Morton. past grand master of this
jurisdiction and the war Governor Of In
| diana, together with thousands of other true
and loyal Odd Fellows. learned and taught
| the lesson of fealty to country and proved
how deep had been the Judgment of this les
son in their hearts by self-sacrificing devo-
ton to the Nation in it's years of peril-the
442l7 Odd Fellows of Indiana pledge anew
to the President of the United States their
answering loyalty in the present struggle
Tor American liberty. And we offer him of
this great host the flower in vigor and the
pick In manliness. ready for duty at his
Resolved. That a copy of these resolu-
Tlons be furnished to the President of the
United States.
Resolved, That the sum of $780, or so
much OF that amount as may be necessary,
De appropriated to purchase a new flag to
take the place of the old one in Grand
The adoption of these resolutions as the
sentiments of the Grand Lodge was by a
hundred delegates voted in the affirmative.
ana spontaneously the delegates broke forth
IN the So song america" A committee to
hour 1t returned with an immense starry
banner 1T was greeted with enthusiastic
are proud of the record the order made DUR
ing the civil war and are anxious to keep
pace with that record during the present
war. 1t was recalled yesterday that, while
there were Odd Fellows in both the Union
and Confederate armies, and while the war
caused division in the order on sectional
OF peace in reuniting. The South did not
delay in sending delegates to the Sovereig a
Grand Lodge. It was the first body to come
The report of the building committee was
published in yesterdays Journal The COM
from the Grand Lodge. A special commit
tee was appointed to proceed with the work
of building the new home for INDECENT Odd
Fellows and Odd Fellows orphans 1t will
be built at Greensburg, that city having
| made the best offer for it. 1t has agreed to
give 100 acres of land and to supply the
build a macadam road leading from the
nome to the city: The first building to be
erected will cost from 800 900 to $25 000 but it
is expected that when the home is completed
the Improvement will have cost in the
neighborhood of 100000. For the erection of
the first building there is now in the fund
for the purpose about 5000. This was raised
mostly by the Rebekah lodges from the pro-
ceeds of socials and suppers. To raise the
additional funds required a per capita tax
of "a cents was levied and received the sup
port of all the delegates, This, it is esti-
mated will produce 81 goo and the Rebekah
purpose will raise $4,000. 1t is the intention
of the committee to proceed at once so that
the home may be established and occupied
within year.
The report of the grand master, r. P.
Davis, of Portland, called attention to the
fact that many Odd Fellows are lost to the
order each year on account Of failure. to
keep up the payment of dues There has
been a net gain every year for a long time,
but the grand master thinks too many are
dropped on account of being delinquent.
Among the decisions rendered by the grand
master was one which held that no member
of the order could enter the liquor business
without being liable to charges. Members
who are in the business may remain, but
others may not begin.
According to the report OF Grand Secre-
tary Leedy there are no delinquent subordi-
nate lodges. There was a gain of 1,09i mem
bers during the last six months The net
resources Of all the lodges amount to ST.
273 1901. The report touching the relief
work was as follows:
Number of brothers relieved........ 2744
Widowed families relieved. .......... 246
Weeks benefits paid ....... ........... 1878
Amount paid for relief Of Brothers. $55. SIS. OF
families "................ ............ 2,74s. go
Amount paid for educating orphans 1886. A
Amount paid for burying the dead. IA, 953. 40
Amount paid for special relief...... 4,65S.57
Total relief for term. ............. 1887. "a
relief ................. 1852, 7O4 S.
The total amount expended for relief dur
ing the last year was $16S0OO. The report
of Grand Treasurer James A. Wildman
| showed a total cash on hand in the Grand
| Lodge fund of $22, 1870.