The Savannah morning news., 1902-09-08
WILL BE GRAND SIRE
HON. JOHN ID. GOODWIN SLATED
FOR HEAD OF ODD FELLOWS.
SOVEREIGN GRAND LODGE
TO MEET IN DIES MONIES, IA, NEXT
WEEK.

Four Representntives-The Sow
ereigm Lodge Jurisdiction Extends
Over the World and Includes IA
Million and n Quarter Odd Eel
Iows-The Order Increased 3d.
900 Members Last Year-30,OOO ODD
Fellows Expected to March in the
DesMoines Parade.
The Sovereign Grand Lodge of Odd
Fellows will convene in Des Moines
Iowa, Sept 10. Georgia will have four
representatives, Mr.. Charles H. Dor
sett of Savannah, Hon. r. T. Daniel
of Griffin, Mr.. T. A. Nell of Athens
and Hon. ]. G. Bloodworth of Atlanta.
The Georgia delegation and that from
South Carolina and probably Florida,
will meet in Atlanta and will leave
there next week, Thursday night, Sept.
IL.
The Sovereign Grand Lodge of odd
Fellows. made up of representatives
from the different states and from
twenty-six foreign Jurisdictions
legislates for the order in the whole
world. Unlike the gathering at Wash
ington this month, which is to per-
petuate the feats of a great army-on
fields of blood the Iowa convocation
legisates for the good of man.
The maximum representation from
each jurisdiction, which in the United
States means state, is two from the
Grand Lodge and two from the Grand
Eneampment, making four. AS the
basis of representation is numerical
strength, some jurisdictions have
less than four.
lips 600 Odd Fellows.
The Sovereign Grand Lodge, though
legislating for and representing
a million and a quarter of Odd Fell
lows, consists of less than $50 mem
bers. Its meetings are notable events,
and are the occasions for bringing to-
gether a great gathering of Odd Eel
lows besides their families, and WISH
tors attracted by the efforts put forth
by the order, and municipalities to ell
terrain them.
AT indianapolis last year, there were
$4,000 Odd Fellows in the parade. The
members in the state of Iowa and ad-
joining states, will strive to make a
greater showing this year, and claim
to have 10000 in sight, for their pa
rade.
The honors paid to the Sovereign
Grand Lodge are tributes to the great
est fraternal order in the, world. 1t
claims to be the greatest, because its
statistics show that it is the largest in
point of numbers, 1.125,000 members,
and because its work extends to the
living Odd Fellows as we'll as to those
who are left after his death, and this
is not given as charity, but acquired as
a right.
10000 Increase In "a Year.
The reports which will be made to
this meeting will show an increase of
over 80, 900 members in twelve months.
A better claim for being the greatest
fraternal order IS found in the sact
that during the twelve months this or-
der paid out for relief nearly $4,000, 900
The almost daily ministrations" of the
order, those which cannot be measured
by dollars and cents, cannot be re-
corded by the pen of the scribe but are
indelibly inscribed in the hearts of
thousands of sufferers all over the
world.
Georgia occupies a very conspicuous
place in the Sovereign Grand Lodge.
To the order in this state has fallen
the man who for two years will be the
head, the Grand Sire, of this great
army of beneficient workers. Hon.
John e. Goodwin of Atlanta Will be
elected to this position next week,
and the order throughout the state
is and has been for months, respond
ing to the compliment thus bestowed
by actively working for the advance
ment of the order in all of It's inter
he of
siasm and activity is shown in the re-
rnarkable increase of membership in
the state, which is grea ter in num-
bers. and much greater in percentage,
! than any other jurisdiction in the
world.
Georgia Cantons Invited.
Approaching these facts, the pres
ent Grand Sire, Hon. A. c. Gable of
Ohio has invited three of the Georgia
cantons, the military branch of the
order, to act as his escort from his
home to the meeting of the Sovereign
Grand Lodge at Des Moines, which they
have accepted. and they will also es-
cort the new Grand Sire back to his
home after the session is over.
The four representatives from Geor-
gia. Messrs. Daniel, Nell, Bloodworth
and Dorset, with Deputy Grand Sire
John B. Goodwin of Atlanta
and the representatives from South
Carolina, and perhaps those from
Florida, will meet in Atlanta and leave
from there for Des Moines.
The itinerary embraces a stop at the
residence of Grand Sire Gable, at Cow
ington, Ohio, where a reception will be
rendered the representatives and can
tons, whose route will enable them to
take in that city. Another stop will
be made at Chicago, where like courte-
sizes will be extended.
In Session Two Weeks.
The session commences Monday,
Sept. 18th, and always requires six
days to complete the work. This body
has the reputation, justly earned. of
being hard-worked. Constant attend
ance on the sessions of the body and
of committees, using up mornings, af-
ternoons and oftentimes nights as we'll
Savannah has always been a strong
hold of Odd Fellowship, and for
number of years was at the head of
the list in the state, as to membership
Atlanta, with her increased population
has taken the first place. but
Savannah maintains the second place.
Our city lodges are enthusiastic and
nave shown large increases during the
year. There are in this city seven
subordinate lodges, two encampments
and one Rebekah Lodge. 1t has fallen
TO Savannah's luck this year to have
the grand master, Henry McAlpin, the
grand secretary. John s. Tyson. and
one of the representatives to the Sow
ereign Grand Lodge, Charles II. DAN