The Portland daily press., 1900-05-17
THE PYTnIANS.
Meeting Of Grand Lodge in
Portland.
Report of Officers and
Organization.
Order Increasing in Strength
Through State.
F. J. Whiting Chosen
Grand Chancellor.
Other Officers Elected and Busi-
ness Transacted.
Other Officers Elected and Bust
ness Transacted.

Tbs 2sth annual convention OF the
Grand Lodge of Maine, knights Of Pyth-
las, opened ct Pythian hall, yesterday
morning. Grand Chancellor John II.
Maxwell presided. and all the grand
officers were present.
The grand ofi1cers are a. follows:
Grand Cbancelior-John II. Maxwell
Livermore bslis.
Grand Woe Observation-Disclosures E.
Allen OF South Portland.
Grand Prelate-Henry y. Libby Of
Pittstield.
Grand Keeper Of Records and Seal
Weslsy q. smith Of Old Orchard.
Grand Master OF Exohequer-Edwin q.
Miiliken Of Portland.
Grand Master at Arms-Fred g. Dunlap
OF Skowbegan.
Grand Inner Guard-J. Maurice Arnold
OF Augusta.
Grand Outer Guard-Clarencs b Rol-
iins OF Pennington.
Grand Chancellor Maxwell In his an
pual report reviewed in detail the work
Of the year. He faid that the period Of
depression within the ranks OF the order,
which set In about the time of the break.
Ing out Of the Spanish war. has given
wsy to a revival of interest, and q
hsalthtnl Increase In mem bership. he
spoke Of the SUCCESS OF the "homing
day" plan recently inausurated by some
Of the lodges. and OF the great interest
created oy the holding OF district oonven-
tions or schools OF instruction. AZ these
conventions 22l past chancellors took the
Grand Lodge degree, and 4t00 knights
attended the sessions.
He paid high compliment to the uni
form rank and to the endowment branch
Of the order. He considered at consider
able length the subject Of suspensions,
and recommended that the Grand Lodge
take some action In regard to 10. In thas
connection he..said:
"During the las. year 1910 were initist-
ed into the order. This Ia a magnificent
record, yet the Suspensions during the
year amounted to 07l. The records Ct the
preceding year show almost az many sus-
pensions. Thess figures are startling.
and there should come from some source
suggestions or recommendations which
may be of tensht to the subordinate
lodges,
1.-THE duty Of the master OF finance IL
more or less arduous. il IL remarkable
how many of the brothers expect to be In
formed when they are In arrears. In
order that the best results may be at
tained, there must be work outside the
lodge room. The fact that the master of
nnano, attends every nesting does not
accomplish the desired result. i would
have every subordinate lodge in the grand
domain pay It's master Of finance, either
by salary or by q percentage on all dues
collected, a sufficient compensation to
enable him to take q personal interest In
the duties Of his Office. consider that
the Office of master Of finance is, In some
respects, the most important In the
LODGE"
He commanded the general Observance
OF Pytbian sunday, and added; "On that
day would have the graves of Pythian
brothers strewn with flowers In an appro-
pirate manner, after which services
should taks place In some church dssig-
mated by the brothers."
Referring to the occasional call for as
sistanee from some subordinate lodge
which has lost It's hall by IRE. he recon-
msnded that some legislation ne enacted
compelling subordinate lodges to keep
their property insured for two-thirds Its
value.
Wesley q. Smith, grand keeper of rec
ords and scale, submitted his annual re-
port, which showed that ths total num-
Der Of new members initiated In the
State during the last year was 1907;
added By card, 90 reinssated, 81; total
additions, 1915; total suspensions, Ell;
deaths during the--year. 1885, Withdrawals,
9s; net gain IN membership, 362. "Con.
sidering the net gain the previous year
wss but 81" said he, 1--WE havs rea son
Co be proud OF our work during the last
year."
He discussed the subject of Suspensions.
and, instead of placing the burden OF re-
spousihility on the holders Of the office Ut
mastsr Of finance In the various lodges,
he planned the chancellor commanders.
81 believe" he said. .that II our lodges
elected their chancellor commander with
she understanding that he 10 not only the
head and front OF the lodge during his
ofiioial term, but 10 to be held responsible
In every detail OF lodge work, the chan
csllor 90 nmandsrs themselves would take
more interest IN all the Departmental.
During the year two lodges suspended