The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-20
The Rebekah Degree of Odd Fellow
ship Pays Tribute tn the Mem
DRY of Its Friend.
THE ADDRESS OF THE DAY
MRS. ANNIE la TOILETTE EULO-
GIZEs SCHUYLER COLFAX.
Other Speeches Made, the Lodge Ode
Sung and the Monument Dec
Grated with Wreaths.

The memorial and decoration services at
the statue of Schuyler Colfax in University
Park yesterday afternoon were attended by
about five hundred members of Rebekah
lodges Odd Fellows and their friends
Mrs. Anna c. Hogate, president or the
Rebekah Assembly, presided over the serV-
ices. In her opening address, which was
brief, she said that the fiftieth anniversary
of the Rebekah degree was behtting
time at which TO do honor to the name OF
Colfax. the man VINO had worked so en-
ergeticaly for the establishment of the or
der Following her address the opening
Rebekah ode was sung and the LORD
prayer repeated in concert.
Mrs. Annie w. La Toilette, past presi-
dent, delivered the address of the after
noon. She began her speech by alluding to
the death of the President, and said that
all the Nation was mourning the calamity
while it is true that bullet has pierced
the body OF our President and life has
flown, like Lincoln and Garfield, his name
will live" she said.
After paying this tribute to the martyred
President she delivered eulogy on Scnuy-
Ter ColfaX. He was born of humble parent
age in 1923, she said, and early In HE
learned to depend upon himself. His father
died when he was a small boy ana MS
mother remarked and came TO St Joseph
county, this State, when he was ten years
old. In those days, the speaker said, edu-
cation depended as much upon the man as
the opportunity and Colfax was one who
improved his time to the best advantage.
When he was twenty-three years old he
became the editor of the st. Joseph Valley
Register. and gradually worked his way
up 10 the top. He was elected to Congress
three times, served as speaker OF the House
of Representatives and was once Vice
President of the United States. Aside from
this life of business the speaker said he
found time to devote TO Odd Fellowship
and the agitation of the Rebekah degree.
MADE A STRUGGLE.
In glowing terms she told of the struggle
Colfax had to even get the attention of
other members of the lodge in voicing
women's degree She went over the many
objections offered to women being admitted
to the order. She said the opposition
charged that women could not keep
secret, that soon as they came In the
men would leave. Finally, after long and
hard-fought battle, she said the lodge con-
sented TO the establishment of womens
degree by a majority of three. No matter
how small the majority, she said, the de-
cision of ffty-three years ago was that
the Rebekahs might be Odd Fellows. The
members were very timid at that time,
and a few would slip in and out of the
lodge. Women were watched lest they peep
into the mysteries of Odd Fellowship. In
1868 she said the Odd Fellows decided that
the Rebekahs might have their own Of
ficers and confer their own degrees, and
from that time the Rebekah degree began
to prosper. In 1873 provision was made
for the admission of daughters of Odd Fell
lows. All this Mrs. La Toilette attributed
TO the energy of Schuyler Colfax. She re-
GREETED that he was suddenly stricken
down and not permitted to live to see the
results of his work. She said Indiana may
well be proud of such men. 1t is happy
anniversary to be held in indianapolis,
where the monument to the founder of the
Rebekah Lodge stands, and decorate the
statue The work of Colfax has spread
over the entire land, she said from ocean
TO ocean and even across TO other lands
In connection with his name she mentioned
that of Louisa b. Hall, of Evansville, the
faithful assistant and coworker with Col
fax,
The speaker said that in the fifty years
the order has grown to a total membership
efits more than $4,000 But the benevolent
features were not the only purpose of the
order, she said. 1t was also established TO
elevate mankind and raise all to a higher
plane.
THE MONUMENT DECORATED.
When she finished speaking Mrs Mary
Wiley, of this city, and Mrs. Belle Trester,
of Aurora, Ind, both past presidents of
the Rebekah Assembly, decorated the Col
fax monument with wreaths Of China as
tiers. The closing Rebekah ode was then
sung and the benediction pronounced.
Grand Sire Cable was on the programme
for an address, but was not present during
the exercises. Just as the benediction was
finished he appeared and was escorted 10
the speakers stand. He made brief
speech on the Rebekah degree, and said
Odd Fellows could not do without il. Then
followed Grand Sire Busbee, of North Caro-
lima, who had accompanied Grand Sire
Gable to the stand. He briefly spoke of the
Rebekahs, said that they were the main
stay of the Odd Fellow lodge and that the
male members would lose nothing by hav-
ing such an auxiliary and listening to its
advice. Then he paid a tribute to Presi-
dent Mckinley.
ut comes to me that just at this hour"
he said. that the remains of our President
being committed TO earth. 1t is a day
that reminds us that the population Of
this country is too great and the country Is
too large for us TO support one Anarchist
or assassin He said that all party feeling
I'm this hour Of bereavement had been en-
tirely obliterated and that all were unani-
nous in asking that laws be made and en-
acted so that no Anarchist will be allowed
TO live in America. He said that stringent
measures should be adopted to do away
with anarchy and the propagation OF the
doctrine. In closing he said IL had not
been his intention TO speak Of the killing
of President Mckinley. but that IL was in
his heart and he could not help IT,
Past Grand Sire Underwood. Of Kentucky,
and Past Grand Matrons Lewis. of Indiana
and Morrison. of Illinois, also spoke.