The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-09-20

Important Matters Presented for Consid
eration-A Brother Who Wants to Es-
tablish Order In the Philippines-Re-
port Shows Total Invested Funds of
Order Over 20 Million Dollars.
Boston, September 19.-The nobility
and aristocrecy Of Odd Fellowship as
sembled in the Young Mems Christian
Association hall at $50 this forenoon,
where an official welcome was rendered
the officers and delegates to the sovereign
grand lodge.
Only about 500 seats were at the dis
posal of persons outside, as it was neces-
sary to reserve accommodations for the
sovereign grand lodge and committee
accompanying the officers, as we'll as the
ladies of the orders and the COMMITTEES
esoorting them. All the seats not re-
served were filled within few minutes
after the hall was opened at O'Clock.
The ladies left the headquarters at the
Hotel Vendome at 9 o'clock and were
escorted by the committee on reception
with S. P. Lawrence as chairman. The
members of the sovereign grand lodge,
about 200 in all, left the hotel l5 minutes
later under escort of the general commit
tee and headed by the Salem Cadet band.
On arriving at the hall, the band
played number of selections. The vel
coming exercises were opened with prayer
by Rev. j. W. Venable of Hopkinsville,
Ky.. grand chaplain of the sovereign
grand lodge. Charles N. Alexander OF
Boston, chairman of the executive COM
mittee of the grand lodge of Massaonu-
setts, then assumed the chair and after
few remarks, announced Gen. b. ID. Ap-
pleton of the governors staff, who well
coined the grand lodge and members OF
state. Gov. Wolcott had intended to bs
present and welcome the visitors. but
he attended the dedication of the Massa-
chusetts Soldiers monument at Antle-
tam, Md, on Saturday was unable to
reach the city in time. Mayor Josiah
Quincy followed, speaking for the city
of Boston. The other speakers included
Hon. Charles @. Thrill, grand master for
the grand lodge of Massachusetts; Charles
c. Fuller, grand patriarch for the grand
encampment; Gen. Edgar H. Emerson
for the Patriarchs Militant, and Mrs.
Mary G. Nevens. representing the Re-
bekah branch of the order in this state.
Grand Sire Fred Carleton OF Austin,
Tex, responded in happy and we'll
chosen address and the exercises We're
at an end.
The members of the sovereign grand
lodge then marched to Copley hall. where
their secret deliberations began.
The session was opened with prayer by
the grand chaplain, j. W. Venable, after
the grand lodge was declared duly
opened. Following the reading OF re-
ports, a great deal Of business was rushed
in. and referred to committees. One OF
the most important subjects to come be-
fore this session of the sovereign grand
lodge is that of insurance within the Or
der and its regulation.
. Grand Sire Carleton reported that re-
quest had been received from Brother
Bradley, who is with the U. s. army in
Manila for permission to establish the
order in the Philippine Islands.
The grand sire recommended that act
ion to this end be taken by the sovereign
grand lodge at this session. He also
recommended legislation by which MEM
bers Of the order ser wing in the army may
be permitted military lodges or associ-
ations limited to consultive or fraternal
sessions. strictly prohibiting limitations
or comforting degrees.
He reports the order in foreign coun-
tries as growing and prosperous. A re-
quest has been received for the estaDllsh-
ment Of the order in the Argentine Re
public from W. D. Mayer, U. S. consul at
Buenos Ayres.
Grand Secretary ]. Frank Grand pre-
sented a yoluminous report covering a
vast amount of detail, of interest solely
to the members of the order. The follow
ing statistics show the standing OF the
order December 81, 1897:
Grand lodges, 55; subordinate lodges,
1929; Rebekah lodges, 1876; grand en-
campments. 81; subordinate encamp-
ments. 2, 63S; subordinate lodgefinitiations.
1881; subordinate lodge members,
81, a,a39; encampment members, 1s7: 7:69l;
Rebekah members, 297, ,691; relief by
lodges, ss, O47, ,2e5.I5 relief by encamp-
ments, $3.50. s65 50; relief by Rebekah
lodges, ,s5l, S7s "A; total relief, 3d. 1864, 629 Al;
revenue Of subordinate lodges, 81, $40. 49,
80; revenue of subordinate encampments,
S603, 176. IA; revenue of Rebekah lodges
$432, ,907. "a; total revenue, Ss, s,946, 259. W;
total invested funds, S26, 1888 695.74.
Grand Treasurer Mr.. Richard Muckle,
made his report which summarized is as
follows: Cash balance, sos, O5S. 90; re-
oaived from GRAND secretary S57. 401 81: