Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1903-04-30
|. 0. 0. F. ATTEND SERVICES
OBSERVE EIGHTY.FOURTH ANNIVERSARY
Appropriate Exercises Held at Congregational
Church SuRday-Sketch OF 0rder-local
Lodge Organized in 1857

The Odd Fellow, Rebekah and
Encampment lodges observed the
establishment of the order Sunday
afternoon at the Congregational
church. The members of the lodges
met at the |. O. O. T. ball at 1870
O'Clock aud marched to the church
where services were held at 2 o'clock
Rev. N. f. Clark, of Stevens Point,
preached a helpful sermon. He took
his text from EphesianS 4:32-"And
be ye kind to one another, tender
hearted, forgiying one another, even
as God for ChriSt'S sake hath forgiven
you" w. J. DumbletOn, captain of
the degree staff of the Stevens Point
lodge No. 90, sang solo; Jas Kramer
played a violin solo, and an anthem
was rendered by the church choir
The service throughout was very
impressive and much good was re-
ceived by all who attended.
Early History OF the Lodge.
In turning to early records of the
|. o o. +. lodge of the city we find
No. 81, was duly instituted March Il,
1857. Brother j. ID. Rogers acted as
d. G.. M. Brother Henry f. Black
was installed as N. G.; Brother Joseph
L. Cotey, as V. G.. Brother Lemuel
Kroner, as secretary, and Brother E.
LaVigne, as treasurer" The lodge,
it appears, met regularly for several
years, but was diShanded when the
civil war broke out.
The first meeting, after the war,
that is recorded was on March II,
1873 Deputy Grand Master John
StOmpf and his assisting officials pro-
ceeded then to reSuscitate Grand
Rapids Lodge, No. 81. The following
officers were elected: n. G., Oscar
Taylor; V. g., c. l.. Powers; secretary,
f. n. Burt; treasurer, Seth Reeves.
The charter members named in the
charter under which the present lodge
works are: G.. L. Powers, f. N. Burt,
Oscar Taylor, Lemuel Kroner, Seth
Reeves and Joseph L. Cotey.
In 1873 and 1874 the lodge main
tanned private library. 1t was
opened to the public in 1875 and all
citizens were then entitled to draw
books without any extra charge.
Since the opening of the t. B. Scott
library, the lodge library has ceased
to exist as public institution.
Present Prosperity Of Lodges.
During the past two years the O6d
Fellow and Rebekah lodges have made
marked progress, the membership
having grown so large that it will
soon become necessary to secure new
hall in which TO hold the sessions. A
few months ago the encampmentl lodge
was organized and at present numbers
uwenty-seven members. The Odd
Fellow lodge has now mberShip
of eighty, and the Rebekah, eighty.
Following are the officers of the Odd
Fellow lodge: n. g., Henry Rablin;
V. c., A. w. Gitchell; secretary, r.
A. Dunavan: treasurer, J. A. Cohen;
secretary, n. Church.
What the Order Stands For.
The order had it's origin in London
about 1745. 1t was not until April 26,
1919, that lodge was organized in the
United States when Thomas Wiley and
four others organized lodge in Balti-
more, Md, calling it Washington lodge
No. /, which is still in existence.
Feb. II, 1921, Washington lodge sur
rendered the English charter and the
''Grand Lodge of Maryland and of the
United States" was organized. In
1923 the self-instltuted lodges in
Philadelphia, New York and Boston
were induced to recognize the Mary
land organization. On Feb. %, 1925,
the first meeting of the grand lodge
of the United States was held. Sept.
IT, 1878, the name of the supreme
body was changed to the grand lodge
of the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows; on Sept. Is, 1879, the present
title, the sovel IGN grand lodge of the
independent Order of OGd Fellows
was adopted. In 1851 the wOman'S
degree, or degree of Rebekah was
adopted after long and severe Opposi-
tion. Schuyler ColfaX was the author
Of it's beautiful ritual and a tireless
champion. 1t has proved a gem in the
crown of oddfellOwShip.
All charters Of oddfellOwS' lodges
declare the aims and objects to be
"For the aid and protection of brothers
when in sickness aud on travel and for
the purposes of benevolence and
charity"
The sovereign grand lodge has juris-
diction over all branches of the order
the subordinate, which has three
degrees besides the initlatory: the
first being the degree of Friendship;
the second, the degree of BrOtherly