The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1905-09-21
LOOT. ARE PROSPEROUS
Report to Sovereign Lodge Shows
Gain In Membership.
OFFICERS REPORTS RECEIVED

Total Membership Of the Order ls e
2t7,f45, Divided Among 14,345 Sub
ordinate Lodges - Relief Benefits
Run Into the Millions.
Philadelphia. Sept. 10. - Under
weather conditions that were some.
what disappointing. the annual COM
munication of the sovereign lodge OF
the Independent Order Of Odd Fellows
was formally opened here. There Is an
unusually large attendance OF dele
gates and visitors, and the adverse
weather conditions did not In the
least dampen their ardOr. The CEN
trail part of the city is decorated In
honor of the order and the city hall
is handsomely Illuminated with III
candescent electric lights.
The formal opening Of the conclaye
took place in the forenoon, when pup
lie exercises we're held in the Lu Lu
Temple. at which Mayor Weaver well
coined the visitors TO the city. Later
the sovereign lodge held a session. at
which the reports of officers were
read. Grand Sire Wright presided. The
reports show that the order had a most
prosperous year
In the absence Of Grand Chaplain
Rev. ]. w. Venable, Of Kentucky.
whose advanced age prevented his at
tendance. the opening invocation was
delivered by Grand Chaplain Pro TEN.
+. l.. Jewett. a member Of Excelsior
Lodge, No .4G, Of this city.
Annual reports Of grand sire, Grand
Secretary John b. Goodwin, Grand
Treasurer NJ. Richards Muckle and
General NJ. A. Raney, commanding the
Patriarchs Militant, were the features
of the session. After being presented
they were referred to the committee
on distribution of grand officers re-
ports.
The statistical information for the
year included the following: Candi-
dates initiated. 12421O; suspended.
54235; died. 1905. Since 1880 the
order has initiated 2.92726S candi-
dates and 292.541 members have died.
The total membership is 1.2l7145 and
number OF subordinate lodges 14.345.
Revenue last year was s13.63S,791 and
relief paid s4.633.649O5. Total relief
expended from 1880 to 1904, sos, 425.-
1885.
The Increase in membership OF sub
ordinate lodges was 1924; in the en-
campment branch. 1890; in the Re
bekah branch. 2G,391. making total
increase Of 1O2,1O5. The report upon
the various homes for the care OF It's
orphans and aged brethren shows 80
institutions, seven Of them in Penn
sylvania.
The consideration OF cases OF appeal
on various questions OF law coming
I'D from grand Jurisdictions consumed
a part Of the session.
A resolution introduced by Claude
Buckley. OF Kentucky. provided for
change in the operation Of the Grand
Council OF Patriarchs Militant. by
which that body in future will be per-
mitted to legislate directly In Its own
interests subject TO the approval OF
the sovereign grand lodge. II the
resolution. which will come up later
in the week, is passed, It will make
the grand secretary, John B. Goodwin
now adjutant general Of the Patriarchs
Militant. simply ex-officio holder OF
that position.
The questions Of forbidding the ad-
mission Of retail dealers in liquor to
membership and of affiliation with the
Manchester Unity of England and Can
ada will probably not receive the con-
sideration of the representatives until
Thursday.