The daily morning journal and courier., 1898-11-02
4 TOSS TO THE I. O. U. IT.
The Death of Past Grand Master George
 IF. Higgins.

IT, higgins.
 Yesterdays announcement of the sudden death of Past Grand Master Workman George F. Higgins at his home in Providence, R. l., was received With feelings of heartfelt sorrow by his fellow members of the Ancient Order of United Workmen in this city. Mir. Higgins was the youngest member who had held the chief executive office in the Grand lodge of the A. Q. U. W. of Massachusetts since it's organization nearly twenty years ago, He was stricken down with typhoid fever week before last. Almost immediately his ill- ness exhibited alarming symptoms and he sank gradually until death came on Monday evening.
 For many years Mir. Higgins had been a leading spirit in the A. O. U. w. in Rhode Island and a most prominent member of the order throughout the eastern states. He made his first ap- pearance in the Grand lodge at it's elev- enth annual session, in February, 1889, as a representative of Ames lodge, No. s, of Woonsoeket, R. I. At the conclu- sion of the session he was appointed district deputy grand master workman for several lodges in the vicinity of his home and during the two years follow ing did yeomans S service in awakening the enthusiasm of the handful of mem bers thus placed under his care. At the meeting of the Grand lodge in 1891, he was elected grand inside watchman and appointed grand supervisor of all the lodges in Rhode Island. By regular promotions at each succeeding session of the Grand lodge, he filled the of fees of grand guide, grand overseer and grand foreman, and in February, 1895, was unanimously elected grand master workman. During his term Of office as grand master workman, the jurisdiction, then numbering about A. 000 members, made net increase of over 4000 members, more than thou sand of which were contributed by his earnest supporters in this state. Upon his retirement from the office of grand master workman he was elected a rep resentative to the Supreme lodge, to which office he was twice reelected Having taken an active part in the work of the Supreme lodge during the meet ings of that body held at Buffalo, N. Y., in 1896, at Milwaukee, Wis., in 1897, and at Asbury Park, N. J., last June, he was appointed a member of it's finance committee, upon which he serv- ed until his death.
 AS Grand lodge officer, MT. Higgins was untiring in his efforts to extend the influence of the order he repre- sented. While he was grand master workman he gave up his usual avoca- nd toI h al a,,t 4r to interests of the A. o. U. w. He had special talent as a lodge instructor and was often called upon to exemplify the ritualstic work of the order and to straighten out the tangled accounts of careless financial officers. As an insti- tuting officer he was without a peer. During the past five years he instituted no less than twenty eight lodges, and scores of lodge officers many of whom are now prominent in the order, will always remember his patience and 1 thoroughness in teaching the ritual and routine necessary for carrying on the work of a lodge.
 l During frequent visits to this city MT. Higgins made many warm personal friends, who will sincerely mourn his loss. Without any attempt at oratory, the deceased was a forceful exponent of the principles of workmanship. His simple, earnest, effective addresses have been the means of attracting hun dreds of members to the order. He thoroughly understood the underlying principles of fraternal insurance and was not afraid to risk his popularity by advocating improvements in it's sys- tenn. These were the qualities which won for him place among the leaders of the order. Those who knew him, 1 those who for years have worked by his side, those who often differed with his | opinions but who never for a moment questions his love and zeal for the A. I O. U. w., will never forget the closing i sentence of his report as grand master workman: Let us all remember that ! the years are going rapidly, and we must work to secure young men to join our order, that they may be educated l to take up the work when we shall be called to the rest that knows no end.''
 Arrangements for the funeral have not yet been completed, but it is proba- | ble that it will be held from the late residence of the deceasd, No. s Bridg- ham street Providence, R. l., on Friday afternoon. A delegation of worllmen from this city will attend.