The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-05-12

the Independent Order OF Odd Fellows
of Pennsylvania will open it's annual
session in Harrisburg The annual
grand encampment of the Patriarchs
Militant, the military branch OF the
order, and the Assembly of Rebekah
lodges, the female auxiliary of the
order. will open at the same time.
The representatives accredited to the
three branches number, in the aggre-
gate, no less than 1911. The Grand
encampment, composed of the repre-
sentatives of 251 subordinate encamp-
ments, scattered all over this COM
inonwealth, meets to legislate for that
branch only, which Is reputed to be
the highest in the order. Its total
membership in this state amounts to
only 12200. The Grand lodge boasts
of 107, 900 constituents. The Grand en-
oampment will hold two sessions on
Monday, commencing OF . a. m. e. Z.
Deans, of this city, is one of the Grand
encampment officers.
The business of the Grand encamp-
| ment will be simply routine, confined
| principally to the reading and action
| upon the reports of the various stand
| ing committees and the admission OF
| new members. Fortunately for the
| Grand encampment, there will be but
| a few important questions to decide
at the coming session. The officers
! elect, as announced by the committee
on election returns to have been sue
| cessful in the recent contest, who VIII
be duly installed, are:
THE OFFICERS.
Grand high priest John A. Fleming
Of Shippensburg; grand high priest
| Thomas F. Gross, of Philadelphia;
| grand senior warden, +. G. f. Mill
house, of Pottstown; grand junior
| warden, Howard r. Sheppard; grand
scribe, James B. Nicholson, and grand
| treasurer, ]. Henry Beitel, all of Phil
adelphia, after which the newly in
| stalled grand patriarch will announce
the appointment of his subordinate Of
ilcers and the various standing com
mittees, when the Grand encampmen
will adjourn sine die.
The Rebekah assembly. composed
entirely of the lady members of Re
bekah lodges, will enter upon theil
legislative duties at the same time tina
the Grand encampment commences it:
work, and will continue in session dur
ing Monday and Tuesday. Its legis
lation is, under the laws of the orde"
subject to revision by the Grand lodge
The officers for the ensuing tern
will be, nominated and elected durins
the session The most important mat
ter that will come up for consideration
will be that which relates to the Re
bekah horne. recently organized IL
Philadelphia. At this institution Is in
tended to shelter the wives, widow'
and other women. who, under the law
of the order, are privileged to enjo!
its protection and its ministrations
are confined to the members of sucl
lodges as have become members O
the corporation, an effort will be mad
to extent its field of operations, s.
as to cover the entire state.
OVER TEN THOUSAND.
AS there are over 10000 lady mem
bers OF that branch in this state, i
appears that If each contributes onl,
l cent per week it would amount II
the aggregate to a sum sufficient 70
every emergency.
The Grand lodge body will meet il
the opera house on Tuesday at a. m
and will be welcomed by the mayor o
Harrisburg, and probably by Governo
Stone. The orders lodges are now no
only to be found in every city, tow
and hamlet on this continent, but the
have secured a foothold in Australia
Japan, Chile, Peru, West Indies, Mexico
France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy
Holland, Denmark, Norway and Swe
den. All this has been accomplishe
since the 26th of April, 1919, when tn
first lodge of American Odd Fellow
was instituted, at Baltimore, Md, b
Thomas Wildey, the founder of tn
order. At its inception there was bu
a single lodge of five members. nol
there are not less than 1900 lodge!
with over 1000, 900 members. The Gran
lodge will continue holding two ses
sions each day until the business
concluded, which will probably be lat
on Saturday.
, The committee on revision of the cor
stitution and bylaws of the Gran
! lodge, and the constitution of subord
, ntae lodges, will submit a report rec
ommending many important change
in the organic laws governing the OF
der in Pennsylvania. The most import
ant proposed amendments are thos
relating TO appeals" from the actio
of subordinate lodges; biennial ses
sions Of the Grand lodge" and "distric
representation"
> DISTRICT REPRESENTATION
= The district representation propos
I tion has for it's purpose the reductio
1 of the number Of representatives to til
=. Grand lodge from 1,10O. as at presen
. to one-fifth of that number. 1t
| CT nnptanda6 that tha nraSaf