The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-09-18
THREE LINKS.
Sovereign Grand Lodge of Odd
Fellows Meet.

Detroit, Mich, Sept 1S.-Sovereign
grand officers, grand lodge and grand
encampment and various other func-
tionaries of the Independent Order of
Odd Fellows walked to the opening
session of the Seventy-seVenth annual
meeting of the order today through a
drenching rain. They were escorted
from headquarters, the Hotel Cadallac,
to the Detroit Opera House where pub
lie reception exercises were held by the
military cantOnmentS of the order,
present in the city.
Arriving in front of the theater, the
patriarchS militant stood in line with
swords al present While 300 umbrellas,
borne by sovereign and state officers,
delegates to the sovereign grand lodge
and to the Michigan grand lodge filed
past in pairs and entered. The pro-
ceedingS opened with orchestral music.
On the stage were the sovereign grand
sire and grand officers and those who
were to voice the welcomes Greetings
were extended by Col. O. A. James,
chairman of the general local commit
tee; Mayor Maybury for the city and
state; Col. E. H. Sellers, grand master,
representing the Michigan grand lodge;
Robert Donovan, grand patriarch of
the Michigan grand encanpnent; Brig
adler c. S. Martin, department COM
mander of Michigan patriarchS mill
tant and by Mrs Emma Has6in, presi-
dent of Rebekah assembly.
Gov. Fingree was unable to appear
owing to illness and Mayor Maybury
welcomed the visitors on behalf of the
city and state.
''It was one of the first, if not the first
society to make men brothers and to
make my neighbor the man who needs
me and is deserving of my help"
Alfred S. Pinkerton, grand sire, re
spOnded to the welcomes, after which
the sovereign grand lodge representa-
tives proceeded to Harmonic hall where
the first business session was held.
Grand Sire Pinkerton made his annual
report to the sovereign grand lodge.
GRAND SIRE'S REPORT.
Mr.. Pinkerton said: The evidence
of the work OF the aggressive progress
sive force of odd Fellowship is a re-
futation of the false assertion that
present citizens of the world are not as
good as We're their fathers. Welcome
every agency that lends a helping hand
to those who need it. December 31st
last our subordinate lodge membership
was $50 961 and the number of sisters
enrolled in the Rebekah lodges num-
bered 19O. .0O7- These figures enable us
for the first time to honestly claim fra
ternal affiliations 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 in
territorial extravaganza been indulged-
Still as a rule, our expenditures exceed
our revenues ana a continuance OF SuCn
a condition can have but one result
l do not believe that biennial sessions
of the sovereign grand lodge or fixed
place of meeting will solve the prob
lem. The seeming remedy is a reduc-
tiOn in the sum paid for mileage"
The grand sire gave an epitOmized
history of the order and its growth re-
ferring to the relations existing be-
tween the American order and those
of foreign countries. He reported that
the affairs of the diVersely situated and
widely separated brotherhood were
generally in a prosperous condition.
Appended to the report were reports
on the condition of the order in Europe,
Japan. Hawaii, South America, Alaska
and Northwest Canada.
! GRAND SECRETARY'S REPORT.
Grand Secretary Grants was very
VOluminOuS report
The secretary reported encOura ging
increase for the year in both the subOr-
dinate and Rebekah branches that of
the former having been greater than in
any year since 1892. A small decrease
was reported in the encampment
branch much smaller however than in
any other of several years past. An
! other evidence of progress during the
year" said the secretary. is found in
the unusually long list of warrants is
sued. In Hawaii. Newfoundland, The
Netherlands and Alaska. new charters
have been asked for. Favorable reports
are coming in from Cuba and a new
lodge is to be instituted at BuenOs
ANEeS
The number of foreign grand lodge
representatives is increased to 1S9. The
secretary gave the following summary
of the condition of the order December
! 81, 1898:
Sovereign Grand lodges 1; Independ-
ent Grand lodges, Australia. Denmark,
Germany. Sweden and Switzerland; ;
! Subordinate Grand lodges So; SubOrdi-
nate Grand encampments So; SubOrdi-
nate lodges Il. 1876; Subordinate encamp-
ments 2.641; lodge members S59. .9Z9; en-
campnent members 12S, ,287; Rebekah
| lodges ;, ,071; members of Rebekah lodges
| 3l3.163.
| The whole increase in all branches of
| the order for the year was 30,225.
| The report showed the relief eX-
| penditures by lodges to be 50 126. 050;
I relief by encampments $249, 1856 and by
! of So. .422, ,S96. The total expenses of
! Rebekah lodges $47. .179. making a total
| subordinate lodges figure 81, ,159, ,726. The
/ revenue of subordinate lodges amount
! ed to S7.752. .2S2; subordinate encamp-
| ments S570. 1852; Rebekah lodges $443, ,34S /;
! total IS, ,T66, 1893. The total invested funds
| a eygregate S27 PAL