Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-12-26
AMONG THE FRATERNITIES.

ures are gathered: Number VI lodges. 142;
Membership. 1afE9; met gain, SUI. The
chanceilors. 2.i02 past chanceilors, S3oS
knights. 90 esqufres and SO pages
The following officers were elected. after
which Supreme qnneF Guard Judge Cyrus
w. Hall of Charleston installed them:
Grand chancellor, Oscar C. Wilt of Salem;
grand vice chancellor L. v. G. Morris of
PaIkersburg; grand keeper of records and
master OF exchsquer. Mason II. Smith OF
Keyser; grand prelate. Col. William b.
Pack Pack OF Moundsyills; grand master.at
inner guard, Matt. c. Prickett of Ravens
wood; grand outer gdard, Virgil A. Lewis
OF Mason City; supreme representatives.
Col. 8. A. Posten of Morgantown. Capt
Thomas D. Bennett of Wheeling; Grand
Lodge trustees. Thomas H. Clay of Hunt
ington. A. p. Harr of Fairmont and X. h.
Burke OF Terra Alta: grand tribunal.
bers OF Marttnsburg, Will A. Strickler of
Ellenboro'; recorder. L. v. G. Morris of
Parkersburg.
The Grand Lodge will convene at Clarks-
burg on the second Wednesday In October,
1904.
Gen. E. w. Bradford and his associates
of the board of directors of the Odd Fell
lows Home Association have sent out to
members of the three-link fraternity In this
jurisdiction a statement giving facts and
figures concerning existing homes Of the
ORDER. 1t says: Your careful considerd-
ton of the following statistics relating to
Odd Fellows homes is asked. They fur
niSh interesting information in regard 10
this branch OF our orders great work for
its members and humanity, and show how
important part Of such work 1t has be-
come. There are known to be more than
forty Odd Fellows homes throughout the
jurisdiction OF the Sovereign Grand Lodge.
THE grand secretary in his annual re-
port states that several secretaries fail to
make reports concerning the homes. He
publishes a table, however. showing reports
from twenty-fOur states, having a total of
thirty-two homes. These thirty-two homes
cost $096,O76.43. They contain total Of
1450 aged and INDECENT brothers. widows
and orphans. The total annual cost for
their, care and maintenance is $251. 1879.
If the homes not reporting maintain the
average of those reporting 1t is safe to say
that the order is today caring for more
than 1900 of those whom misfortune has
deprived of independent livelihood and the
care and comforts of home, at an annual
cost of more than $320G00.
Denmark. far-away jurisdiction, with
1900 members, has five Odd Fellows homes.
The report does not give any other infor-
nation concerning them.
Jurisdictions other than the District Of
Columbia now engaged in the work Of rails
Ing funds to establish homes are: British
Columbia, on hand 81 229. SO; Manitoba, on
hand. S,26447; Nebraska, on hand, s1G
191.15; Nevada, on hand, $506.77; North Da-
kota, on hand. s., 100; South Dakota, on
hand. $4,000; Switzerland. on hand, 81
963. 80"
Samuel c. Milbourne. eminent commander
of Palestine Commandery, K. T., of New
York, was a visitor here this week.
Edwin H. Whitney. who died at Lansing,
Mich, this week. of erysipelas, after
a has
known Odd Fellow in the state, having held
the office of grand secretary of the Grand
Lodge and grand scribe of the encampment
of Michigan for thirty years, ending last
October. when he declined reelection. He
was seventy-fvei years of age. He was
born in New York. but had resided in Lam
sing almost continuously since 1851 He
had been an alderman and member of the
board of education and was officer in
the Episcopal Church for many years.
Several years ago. beautiful custom
was established by Washington Centennial
Lodge. No IA, of holding memorial serv-
ices in honor of Its dead" says Grand
Master George H. Walker of the Grand
Lodge. F. A. A. M. "This custom has been
annually observed by that lodge and has
been emulated, 1 am pleased to say, by
other lodges of this jurisdiction. l cannot
but commend this custom. The good that
men do lives after them. We should not too
soon forget their many excellent traits OF
character. ever bearing in mind that char
ity which extends beyond the grave into the
boundless realms of eternity. Upon one oc-
casion I observed q funeral where the offi-
GERS Of an organization, acting as escort
for the remains, were smoking cigars and
acting in q jolly manner. more as IL on
their way to a circus rather than about to
perform one of the most sacred duties inn
posed upon man, that OF depositins for all
time the sacred dust of those who have
departed this life trust that we may
never be wanting in respect and the mani
festation thereof for our departed breth-
rem"
Under the provisions of the constitution Of
the Grand Lodge, because of the vacancy
caused by the death Of John N. Birckhead,
the grand master rendered the appointment
as his successor to Worshipful Brother
Warren C. Bickford of Hiram Lodge, No.
10, who has accepted the office The grand
master and the new grand tiler are mem
bers Of the same subordinate lodge.
The Michigan papers say: Last Sunday
night was a great one for Masonry in Ann
Arbor. The celebrated base ball coach
Fielding H. Yost was given his third de-
gree in the ancient order, and 1t Is said
that he went up against some formations
that were not known to the Michigan foot
ball team. Among those who took i'm
portant stations in the work were H. g.
eighteen years ago; Tug Wilson, the guard
of the $50 to o. team, and Sid Willard. the
star rooter' There were $50 present to
see the brakes applied to Hurry Up
Yost After the work an elaborate banquet
was served
The harshest of all limitations are I'M
doubtedly the wildcat performances of the
college student societies. 1t is reported
that las Saturday night, at Chicago,
twelve scrub women of the Stratford Hotel
were tsken to the Studebaker Theater by
an equal number OF medical students in
evening dress. The men were unwilling
escorts. During the day H. E. Martin ar
rived at the Stratford Hotel from Phila-
delphia and sent message to the president
Of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity at the
College Of Physicians and Surgeons of the
University of Illinois that he was prepared
to initiate new members into the mysteries
Of the societies. he soon received a reply
that the initiation would take place at the
Stratford Hotel in the evening At Z
o'clock twelve medical students arrived at
the hote- attired in evening Dress few
minutes later the initiation was begun
which closed with the theatrical adventure
At the last stated meeting of Martha
Chapter. No. 4. Order Of the Eastern Star,
the new officers were installed. The worthy
matron is Mrs. Julia Wilson Earnshaw