The Washington times., 1902-04-27

took firm root, having Reniai Climate
and a rich soil for its growth, nursed by
the care and the love of its founder
Since then the progress OF American Odd
Fellowship has been rapid, scattering its
blessings like the early and the later
rain" falling on the parched earth.
Our forefathers appear TO have taken
broader view of the mission of odd Eel
lowship in the world than did the found
ers of the Manchester Unity Order Of
Odd Fellows IN England.
Wildey and Ridgely and their associ
ates contcnded for an order that would
uplift and improve mans character and
develop in mankind the true relationship
of brotherhood designed by the Great
Author OF our existence To thus broad
en- the principles of the order did not en-
ttrely meet the approval of its English
founders.
Independent Order Organized
Other differences arose and after few
years of contention the Grand Lodge of
the United States in 1912 by unanimous
vote severed its connection with Man
chester Unity, to which it had previously
owed allegiance. The charges preferred
against the parent society an1 the rea-
sons urged for the separation read some
thing like the American Declaration of
lndepe ndence. This separation gave
reason for the name, Independent Order
Of Odd Fellows, which We bear.
1t was then that the ripe scholarship.
the brilliant intellect, and the upright
Christian character of James l.. Ridgely
were called into use in the preparation
OF our rituals and the eloquent charges
and instructions with which they abound
The order then entered upon an era of
progress. Its arms spread abroad and
formed lodge in almost every town and
hamlet from the Atlantic to the Pacific
Its influence was exerted everywhere
Slowly and silently It has pressed its
way until at the present time its arms
have encircled the world.
The statistics Of Odd Fellowship TO De-
cember 81. 1900. are as follows: Sov-
ereign grand lodge, /: quasi-independent
grand lodges. Australasia Denmark. Ger
many. Netherlands. Sweden, and Switzer-
land, 8; grand lodges. &c; grand encamp-
ments, 55: subordinate lodges l2347:
subordinate encampments. 2.6S3; lodge
members, 944,372; encampment members,
1885, ,209; Rebekah lodges. 5.605: Rebekah
lodge members, 351 ,526. The total amount
OF relief expended from 1880 to 1900. in
elusive, was SIS. 559.94O55
The Order in the District.
In the District of Columbia there Is
one grand lodge and one grand encamp-
ment, seventeen subordinate lodges. four
subordinate encampments, four Rebekah
lodges and one Canton patriarchs' Mill
tant. Lodge members, 1884 encampment
319; Rebekah members. 359;
chevaliers, "a. Expended for relief dur
ing the year ending June 80, 1901, Sls,- |
i62S7.
The officers OF the Grand Lodge of the |
District Of Columbia are: Grand master. |
]. D. Bradfield; deputy grand master.
George z. Colison; grand warden James |
Crew; grand secretary, Ed T. Petten- |
gill: grand treasurer, ]. A. Blake Espey; |
grand representatives, William p Allan |
and F. A. Stier; grand marshal, William |
H. Mcneil; grand conductor. a. E. L. |
Leckie; grand chaplain, W. W. MILAN; |
grand guardian, Philip Walker; grand |
herald, NJ B. Hundley.
The officers of the grand encampment
are: Grand patriarch, George Il. Craw-
ford; grand high priest, John II. Wood |
grand senior warden, Z. l.. Lomax; grand |
junior warden, Otto F. Smith; grand |
scribe, Joseph Burroughs; grand treas
urer. David W. Keck; grand marshal. |
Walter MILAN; grand sentinel,
R. E. Wines; grand outside sentinel. ].
Thomas Cook; grand representative,
Thomas W. Fowler.
The officers of Canton Washington, No.
|, Patriarchs Militant, are: Captain, D.
v. Chisholm: lieutenant. Charles d.
clerk. Samuel E. Boyce; accountant. d.
" Keck