The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-09-22
ODD FELLOWS
 IN SESSION Annual Convention of
 Grand Lodge. MEETING IN BALTIMORE Report of Grand Sire and COmmander-in-ChIef. Lodge Membership at the Close of 1902 Was 1 ,oee, ,soe.
 Cash Balance Am ,unts
 to $o5,23s.

Baltimore, Sept. I.-The opening exer- cises of the annual convention of the sov- ereign Grand Lodge of Odd Fellows be- gan here this morning at o'clock in Ford's Opera House. The Sovereign Grand Lodge previously assembled at Rennert's Hotel and marched to the opera house under command of Grand escorted by the patriarchs militant.
 At the opera house Grand Master Ross- man, of the Grand Lodge of Maryland, delivered an address of welcome, which was responded to by Governor John Wal ter Smith on the part of Maryland, and Mayor Robert McLane for Baltimore.
 Grand Sire John B. Goodwin of Geor- gia. then made an address after which the Sovereign Grand Lodge proceeded to odd Fellows Temple. and began its se- cret deliberations.
 Report of Goodwin.
 The annual report of Grand Sire and Comander-in-Chief John B. Goodwin, which was read, shows the order to be in a fiourishing condition. A large part of the report is taken up in a recapitulation of the decision of lodge questions made during the past year, amendments to the constitutions of Grand Lodges and Grand Encampment, new bylaws. new lodges and encampments chartered account of
 
 ipine Island, conditions of the order in Cuba. Australasia and other countries. The condition of the order at the close of 1902 is shown by returns as follows:
 Subordinate lodge membership, Decem- Der 3i. 1902, 1,069, ,906: encampment mem- bership, 154.s50; Rebekah Lodge member ship. (brothers), 15l.195: (sisters). 25S.S50; add Australasia, sex not given. 1914. mak- ing total Rebekah membership 4l1 ,955.
 tri he nN Ihnr Ir The total membership of the order, which includes the subordinate lodge member ship and the sisters only of the Rebekah Lodge membership is 1.329956. The En- campment membership and the brothers Of the Rebekah lodges are not included fin the above total, as they are subordi-i nate lodge rfembeF@s s-yss-
 Invested Funds.
 Revenues, relief and invested funds are indicated as follows: Revenues or re- ceipts in 1902: Subordinate lodges, ,s10.- 214.OOO; encampments, $712.522; Rebekah Lodges. s626,743: total revenue. $11, ,453, ,S05. an increase of $771 .343 over the preceding year.
 Relief expended in 1902: Relief by, lodges. $S,559. 79i; relief by Encampments, $265, ,617 relief by Rebekah lodges. $67, sos: total relief, $3,s93.22O Total relief as shown by records since 1880 to 1902 in- elusive, $96. .468, ,426.
 The reports of the grand secretary, ad- jutant general and grand treasurer con- tain a review of the work of the order during the year 1902, charters issued dur ing the year, fraternal publications, grand lodge jurnals. homes and asylums owned by the order and the annual re- ports of the grand lodges to the sovereign grand lodges. receipts and expenses. The cash balance in banks to the credit of the sovereign grand lodge on July 3, 1903. was $95, 23S
 25,0OO Visitors.
 Tonight the thoroughfares and public buildings and many mercantile houses are in honor of the 25,0OO visitors.
 This evening a reception was rendered lanta, Ga, and General M. A. Raney, the patriarchs militant. Grand Master Edward Rossman of Maryland. was master of ceremonies. The reception consisted of the introduc- tion of the leading members and their families to the heads of the two branches of the order. At the same time a con- cert at the Patriarchs Militant head quarters was in progress. At the meet ing today of the Patriarchs Militant a resolution was adopted to permit the its forces from subordinate lodges. The resolution will be presented to the sovereign grand lodge, the acceptance by the latter being required before 1t be- comes law.