The age-herald., 1901-09-17
ODD FELLOWS NOW OWN |NDIANAPO POL|S
  Grand Lodge Begins Its Session With Varied Programme HAS GROWN WONDERFULLY
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Indiana City Is Decorated Profusely With Streamers--Black Entwined With the Bunting for Respect to
 the Martyred Wm. Mckinley.

Indianapolis, Ind, September 1e.-This city will this week entertain the sovereign grand lodge and patriarchs militant of the Independent Order of odd Fellows. To- day, the first of the encampment, brought many Odd Fellows to the city, and the city Is decorated in their honor. Entwined with the flags and bunting are streamers in black as a, token If respect to the late President Mckinley. .e5
 A varied programme has been prepared for the week, which included both busi- ness and pleasure. The session of the grand lodge was held in the hall of the House of Representatives today. A. c. Cable of Covington, the grand sire, after speaking of many of the good things for which Odd Fellowship stands, said:
 To-day our order stands in the van guard of the worlds fraterna1 progress, with membership in progressive fellow ship that learned the good deeds of the Samaritan and cherished his charity and that believes the clutches to distress is obedient to the teachings of the Naza- rine." i'' "i'1' ~.i'
 Tribute to Past Grand Sire.
 The grand sire paid a high tribute to the memory of. Past Grand Sire James B. Nicholson, whose death occurred at Phil- adelphia March 4, 1901. :, Passing direct ly into the state of the order, he said that during the year ending December s1 1900 there had been 17S,s26 limitations into the order. The net increase in membership during 1900 was 65,522 in the subordinate lodges.
 The report also contained the decisions of the grand sire during the year A seution was devoted to the relief of Gall weston sufferers. He praised the unsel- fslness of Texas Odd Fellows. who. aft CT contributing ss55S to the relief fund de,lined to participate in the division of tn, surplus of s15.s2s which remained wien all relief had been given The Tex as brothers had during this awful calam- tty at Galveston relieved 67s Odd Fellows and their families He added that all the refunded donations belong absolutely to tho donors, and may not be held by any others. The order, he said, was thriving abroad.
 Secretary Grants Report.
 Grand Secretary J. F. Grants report said: az st-
 ''The close of the nineteenth century marked the most important epoch in the history of odd Fellows witnessing in its closing year an increase in subordi- nate lodge membership which has never been equalled. By adding the growth in subordinate lodges membership in the year 1poO to the sisters united with Re- bekah lodges, an increase of nearly TO- 900 is shown 5rs , .4tt'
 The greatest foreign progress was re- ported in Australia where there are five grand lodges and about 25, ,000 members"
 The secretaiy reports some building funds in process of collection in Manito- ba. Nevada, North Dakota. South Da- kota and Switzerland. There are now nineteen homes and S51 inmates in this country. ""5
 During the year 1900 the total receipts from all sturces aggregated S, PA 26o n or this neiirly s3500 900 came from dues and nearly s1.o0c.000 from limitations and degrees. The receipts from invested funds were a.N.oo0 and from all other sources over $1, ,S0.O0o
 The c'.rrent expenses of the subordinate lodges Aggregated 8. s67. .?SS and those of the grand lodges f1fty-hve In number. ss27, ,2S. .. The subordinate lodges now have Invested funds amounting to s27. .i73- Sso aud the grand lodges have $1, ,eS1, $50 it1ves:ed.
 ThE membership of the, encampment degree, as shown by the tabulated re- ports of fiftv-two grand encampments Is 1S. .sO5. which was gain of 51o2 during tie year
 The Rebekah lodges report total receipts amounting to $39s, ,3s3, Their disburse- ments amount to $ssl, ,527. Including $5o,- SIS expended In relief work
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