The San Francisco call., 1904-09-18

aria of Charity Lodge No. was eiecteu
grand marshal: L. F. Zant5inger OF
California Lodge No. 1 was elected
grand conductor and A. J. Lucas OF
Eureka Lodge No. was elected grand
guardian.
Rapid Growth.
The great growth of the order in
California dates from the Organization
Of its Grand Lodge. since which time
its work in every direction has been
systematically directed and controlled,
and those intrusted with the control Of
its organization and it's work have
been and are among the best and most
honored citizens Of the Pacific Coast.
can perhaps best illustrate the
steady growth Of the order in Califor-
MIA ard the immensity OF its beneh-
cence by quoting the following state
mept Jom brief history Of Odd Fell
lowship in California recently written
by the late past grand master. Charles
N. Fox, in which he says:
For fully forty years after the or
ganization Of our Grand Lodge the
order moved constantly forward.
never making backward step. and
is to-day the largest fraterrIaI organ
ization In the State and best equipped
for the great work in which it is en-
gagged. From 1853 to 1894 each succeed
ing year showed a steady increase in
membership. Following the financial
crash in 1893, which affected not only
our State, but our whole country, there
were four years of hard times such
as we had never experienced before,
during each of which there was a
small decrease in membership, but the
total decrease for the four years was
but SCI; and in the year 1898 the men,
bership again began to increase, and
it Is now mounting upward again and
promises soon to'reach a number high
er than ever before. If it has not
already done so. During the period
since the organization OF our Grand
Lodge up to December 81. 1898. there
were initiated in this State SIS, ,47S. and
admitted by card 21,576. Withdrawals.
suspensions, expulsions and deaths
during the same period left us at the
close of 1898 with q membership OF
50,3IS. out of q voting population OF
2Sfo55 or one out of every nine and
forty-Gvc one-hundredths voters in the
State. We doubt if any Jurisdiction
can show better pro rata Of mem
hership. Our total receipts from all
sources during the same period we're
$15.9S7 925 60. and at the close OF the
year 1883 the subordinate lodges in this
state We're N possession Of accuTnu-
lated assets to the amount OF 50. 6es.-
194 81, showing that the total expendi-
lures for all purposes have been S1S.-
294. 731 12 We have no complete table
showing what amount Of this ex-
penditurc was for relief and charity.
but the current proportion Of this class
of expenditure is at the rate OF s3 C3
for relief AID charity' 20 81 10 for cur
rent expenses. as shown by the reports
of the year ending December 81. 1898.
During that year the amount expended
for relief and charity was S2G2 1c9- 20,
and for current expenses s215.I $50 %.
Even these figures show rcthirg Of
the personal contributions for -the re-
lief of distress made by Individual
members of the order. which in the
early days exceeded any amount The
lodges could pay. and even in these
later days. when the calls are not so
pressing as in earlier times. amount
to no inconsiderable sum.
Present Strength ana Volume OF
Relief.
Since the publication of Brother Fox's
outline of our history. five years ago.
the order has grown in California 10
564 lodges. with a total membership
of 1885. with a net gain in member
ship Of 1S4S members during the last
fiscal year. In addition to this. it now
has 262. Rebekah Degree lodges with
4 total membership Of 2S.3S5 members.
ard expends in relief and charity more
tn ~ S290.0Ge per annHm.
The order at large has increased to
the mighty proportions of 1883 sub
ordinate lodges with e total member
ship Of 1,OS7 334 members. the net gain
for the last year being 74.Ss5 gains
having been made in every State and
country in which the order has been
established. except Eve, namely:
Nevada. New Mexico. Rhode Island.
Argentine Republic and Mexico. IN
which the total decrease of member
ship amounted to only sixty-two men,
bers, showing that the order is every
where in most healthy condition and
is increasing in strength and useful
ness in normal proportions. every
where. In addition to the subordinate
lodges. there are to be added to the
strength Of the order 61S5 Rebekah
lodges. with 4 total membership OF
414.721.
The subordinate lodges of the order
at large expended during the last
fiscal year for relief and charity Ss.-
go. 4S1.
The Sovereign Grand Lodge. soon 10
meet in this city. is the supreme legis-
lative body OF the Independent order
of Dad Fellows of the world and Is
made up OF representatives Of all ex-
listing Grand Lodges. Many Of the
jurisdictions therc represented vastly
exceed our Golden State in their MEM
bership rolls, notably Pennsylvania
with 11I,44 members. New York wifh
9o,251, nlincis with 63.716.- Indiana vith
g, 200. Massachusetts ana Iowa Win
more than $4,000 each. but in no jurIs-
dicticn is the order moro act.ve or IN
better .cOrdftfo-1 than n. Ia il, Cs,,1sr.-.