The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1899-09-28
The Odd Fellows
Growth and Standing of the Order.

At the opening meeting in Detroit, Sept.
18th, of the 18th annual session of the
Sovereign Grand Lodge, Independent Or
der of Odd Fellows, Grand Sire Pinkerton
made his annual report to the sovereign
grand lodge. Mr.. Pinkerton said: The
evidence of the work of the aggressive,
progressive force of Odd Fellowship is a
refutation of the false assertion that pres
ent citizens of the world are not as good
as were their fathers Welcome every
agency that lends helping hand to those
who need it. December 3lst, last, our
subordinate lodge membership was $780,
961, and the number of sisters enrolled in
the Rebekah lodges numbered 100, OO7.
These figures enable us for the first time
to honestly claim fraternal utilization.
with over a million persons
Referring to the finances of the order
Mr.. Pinkerton said: "The great source of
our financial life is the income derived
from the sale of supplies. 1t has never
been our policy to accumulate money.
neither has international extravaganza
been INDUCED in; still as rule our ex-
penditureS exceed our revenues and A
continuance of such condition can have
but one result. | don't know that the BIZ
ennial sessions of the sovereign grand
lodge or fixed place of meeting, will
solve the problem. The seeming remedy
is reduction in the sum paid for mile
age. The grand sire gave an epitome his
tory of the order and its growth, referring
to the relations existing between the Amer
lean order and those of foreign countries.
He reported that affairs in diversely stu
ated and widely separated brotherhoods
We're generally in prosperous condition
Appended to the report were reports on
the condition of the order in Europe, ia
pan, Hawaii, South America, Alaska and
Northwest Canada.
Grand Secretary j. Frank Grants re
port was very volumnous. He reported
encouraging increases for the year in both
the subordinate and Rebekah branches,
that of the former having been greater
than in any year since 1892. A small de-
crease was reported in the encampment
branch, much smaller, however, than in
any other of several years past
Another evidence of progress during
the year, said the secretary, sis found
in the unusually long list of warrants is
sued. In Hawaii, New Foundland. the
Netherlands and Alaska new charters have
been asked for. Favorabl reports are
coming in from Cuba, and new lodge is
to be instituted at Buenos Ayres. The
number of sovereign grand lodge repre-
sentatives increased to 1S9 The secre-
tary gave the following summary of the
condition of the order December 81, 1898:
Sovereign grand lodge, /; independent
grand lodge Australia, Denmark, Ger
many, Sweden and Switzerland), ): sub
ordinate grand lodges, IS; subordinate
grand encampment, 50 subordinate lodges,
II, 1876; subordinate encampments, ?, 641:
lodge members, $50, 929 encampment
members, 12S, 267; Rebekah lodges, SOIL;
members of Rebekah lodges, 313, 1863
The whole increase in all branches Of the
order for the year was 30, 225.
The report showed the relief expendi-
lures by lodges to be So, 126, co; relief by
encampments, S249, $50, and by Rebekah
lodges, 81, 149, making total Of 50. 422,-
$50. The total expenses of subordinate
lodges figures s., $50, -26. The average
of subordinate lodges amounted to ST.
732, 2S2; subordinate encampments. S57O,-
762; Rebekah lodges, s443, 34S; total, S.
I66, 393 The total invested funds aggre-
gate -, rs, 241.