Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-11-18
g. Kimbail. Rev. Charles Alvin Smith and
AIeYander Cohen

inquiSftor, which ranks as the thirty-hrSt.
was conferred at the cathedral by Albert
Pike consistory, A. A. 8. r. Frank H.
Thomas had charge of the work. ably as
sisted by other leading members of the
consistory. The attendance taxed the ca
pacity of the cathedral to the limit. Among
the visitors were Grand Comma nder Rich
ardson and other leading officers Of the
Rite.
Monday night will come the elimination
of the work in the comforting OF the thirty
second degree by Albert Pike consistory.
This is the last degree conferred in any
subordinate Scottish Rite body. All higher
honors are reserved for the Supreme Coun-
ell itself. The officers of the conslstory
have been carefully preparing for Monday
evenings work, and it is expected that the
ritualistic program will be exceptionally
well rendered
The sharp revival of interest in the local
Scottish Rite bodies Is very largely due TO
the active participation of Grand Com
mander Richardson and to the trips taken
to the northwest and southwest under ms
direction. A number of leading Scottish
Rite Masons OF Washington accompanied
the grand commander on these Journeys,
and were much impressed and enthused
by the excellence with which the rltualls-
tic work is performed in other sections OF
the country.
Former Representative George W. Atkin-
son of West Virginia, who since his term
in Congress has been governor and is now
Court of Claims judge, has been secretary
of the Masonic Grand Lodge of the state
for many years. He performed the exact
ing duties of that office steadily, In add
ton to filling high public station. He has
now, however, found it necessary to step
down and out, and announced that he
would not be candidate for reelection.
Superior Lodge grand visitation drew an
excellent attendance. and was replete with
happy incidents. The castle hall was sump-
tuously decorated with huge palms ana
handsome bouquets of roses. There were
Id f,, In n nj n
two, and every uniform company was rep
resented. Franklin Lodge NO. L, ana Juslus
II. Rathbone Lodge, No %, appeared as
bodies and were cordially received. Chan-
cellor Commander Jacobus s. Jones pre-
sided in a felcitous manner, and oHereo
the grand chancellor and associates cor
dial welcome The formal examination or
paraphernala, reports of committees, eX-
emplifcation of work by the grand lee
turer and exchanges of compliments over,
the Grand Lodge officers surrendered their
stations and Superior Lodge resumed
charge. The remainder of the evening
passed in true superior" style. Ihere
were some good speeches and more funny
situations. Col. j. Edwin Browne wound
up a formal speech OF compliment to the
grand chancellor by informing him that
in the opinion of Superior Lodge he took
the cake. Then to the great surprise of
the grand chancellor he handed him
large pound cake appropriately Inscribed
an innovation in grand visltations. Later
a.
grand chancellor had not been treated
with the respects due his office, and the
chancellor commander apologized and gave
the head of the order q huge bouquet of
roses. Howard NJ. Gilman presented Grand
Lecturer Richardson with a large and
neatly bound book. which, on being open
ed, revealed only blank pages. This mis-
take was promptly rectifed by another
bouquet. Other floral offerings were made
to Past Supreme Chancellor Dunn, Su
preme Outer Guard John w. Thompson
and David L. Burnett. one of the five
founders Of the order. REGULATIONS by Col
J. Edwin Browne and S. II. Rosenberg
and a smoker closed the evening.
In an article, entitled Meet Me At the
Lodge" New York magazine gives some
interesting and. to many, surprising figures
as to the present strength of so-called "se-
cret' fraternal societies in the country.
The review, which is by a Washington
writer, calls attention to the fact that the
aggregate male membership of fraternal
lodges exceeds the highest vote ever cast
for any President of the United States.
This is easily demonstrated" says the
article, by taking note of the orders of
most extensive membership, which of
purely fraternal character. The Odd Fell
lows, contrary to the common impression,
leads all the rest, followed with remarkable
closeness by the MaSons, and at some little
turn, by the Red Men. These four orders
have over three and one-half millions of
men on their rolls. This statement takes
into consideration the colored organizations
of similar names (none of which, however,
are in utilization with the white 'breth-
REM. They have about one-tenth the
membership borne on the rolls of the
white organizations
The Grand Army has nearly a quarter
of million heroes of the blue sill march
ing in its rapidly depicting and sadly aging
ranks. Those 'foemen worthy of the
United Confederate Veterans who wore the
gray have $4,000. Then come Spanish War
Veterans, now happily unbifurcated, which,
with the Union Volunteers Association,
lift the total by another hundred thousand.
Then follow two hundred thousand Sons
of Veterans and a similar society called
United Sons of Confederate Veterans. In
addition there are the Union Veterans
Union,> composed exclusively OF three
years service soldiers, and the Union Vet
Grams Legion, having no members except
men who have been in battle
"All told nearly eight hundred thousand
men are enrolled in fraternal military or
CARNATIONS of a secret character. If the
Cincinnati, the Loyal Legion, the societies
of the Sons of the Revolution and kindred
bodies were considered the total would be
appreciably higher. The numerous lodges
of labor organizations have about 2,15O,0Oo
members but are not included in the esti-
mate for the reason that their purposes are
different and farther reaching than bodies
formed exclusively for determination.
The fraternal insurance organizations
furnish an all but innumerable host. Mod
ern Woodmen and Woodmen of the World
swing nearly 100000 axes; the two
branches Of the Maccabees have over
100000 in the aggregate, and then come
the Forestens Gin three independent or
ganizations). with close on to 100000;
while the Royal Arcanum, with over
SOC, O0o follows next Behind these is an
all but countless host of insurance So
cieties, many of them large, and more
of them small. but most of them good,
and having an almost myriad member
ship.
There are several powerful fraternal
tolerated, If not In all cases
fully recognized, by the Catholic Church.
The strongest of these are the Ancient
Order of Hbernians knights of Column
bus and Knights Of st. John. These
bodies. with kindred groups. number not
less than six to eight hundred thousand
affiliates. Their purposes are nearly iden-
teal with those of the Free Masons, Odd
Fellows, Elks and Pythlans, with the ex-
ception of the Hibernlans, whose over 200.-
600 members are set on keeping the green
old flag OF Erin fouting the American
armament whatever may be happening TO
1t on the old sod.
"The temperance societies have a total
roster of 100000 names. Hebrew organiza-
lions mot including Masonry. which Is
Judac) the leading ones being the Birth
Abraham and B'nai Birth, have at least