Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-10
Prize Third Degree Team Columbia Lodge No. TO- O. F.

was unanimously voted as charming and
people from every section of the United
States, and some from beyond the seas,
met there under a foreign flag where the
rigid enforcement of foreign customs and
regulations might be expected, yet official
Canada, so far as Toronto was concerned
practically quit business for a few days
and permitted more than $4,000 visitors to
do pretty much as they pleased during the
week.
The sessions of the Sovereign Grand Lodge
were held in the Canadian parliament
building, an honor rarely extended to a
civic body. Another mark of courtesy and
a pleasing incident Of the meeting was the
act of throwing open the Toronto expoSl-
ton grounds and buildings for the use Of
the Patriarchs Militant or uniformed
branch of the order, where Camp Wright
was established and the various exhibition
and prize drills Of the cantonment took
place.
President and King Toasted.
At the annual banquet of the fraternal
pxess representatives the toasts of the King
of England and of the President Of the
United States were given and the national
anthems of each country were sung with
marked enthusiasm. Past Grand Sire Al
bert s. Pinkerton of Boston, Mass, in re-
plying to the toast 1.-The President of the
United States" said that he was unable to
discover the border line or note any par
ticular difference between his own country
men anC the citizens of the provinces of
Canada. Mr.. Pinkerton said he had enjoy
ed the opportunity Of travelling through
Canada from Montreal to Vancouver, and
had seen a wonderful domain. 1T might be
said that the two countries together are
extending empires to the westward" he de-
clared, which would be monuments to the
thrift, enterprise and character of the
Anglo-Saxon people. Upon the continent
of North America there now exists a vast
80 I, ;ol,
are bound together by blood and brother
hood, and in keeping the two together the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows is per-
forming great service"
session of the Grand Lodge of the United
States was held in Toronto, at which time
the total membership of the order was only
40, 1853. The difference in conditions at the
recent session, by comparison with the re-
ports of the convention of twenty-six years
ago, was striking.
Membership Greatly Increased.
In the United States and maritime prov
inces and Canada there are at the present
time IA, 493 subordinate lodges, with mem
bership of 1884, 27S; in the quasi-independ
ent jurisdictions Australasia has $3.50, Dem
mark 80, Germany 80, Netherlands IL,
Sweden SO and Switzerland 6-523 lodges,
with membership of 42,631; total
1906 lodges, with enrolment of
1,276.909 members These figures do
not include % juvenile lodges in
Australasia, having a membership of 967.
There are 726S Rebekah lodges, including
/ In Alaska, 2 in Hawaii, 1 in Newfound
land and 1 in Yukon territory, with men,
bership of 319,3S3 sisters. This shows
total membership of the order of 1856, 292.
More than 10000 members of the order
took part in the great parade through the
principal streets Of the Canadian city, 5000
or more of whom were In uniform or on
dress para le as organized degree teams and
lodges The Toronto papers estimate that
more than a hundred thousand people wit
messed the parade, which has been de-
scribed as surprising anything of the kind
that ever took place in Canada.
Washingtonians Win Prizes.
The recent session will mark an epoch in
the history of the order of particular in
terest to Washington. The membership in
this Jurisdiction Is small compared with
other sections of the country, but it was
established that the Washington members
have the faculty of knowing how to get into
contest and also how to get out and
away with the money or the prize, The
degree teams of this city which have taken
part in contests In former years have had
a very high rating and the honors are still
resting above the colors Of Canton Wash
ington, No. /, p. NJ, who were awarded
first prize at Baltimore in 1903 at San
Francisco in 1904 and at Toronto In 1906,
and second prize O. Philadelphia In 1905.
Columbia Lodge. No. TO- captured first
prize in Baltimore, Philadelphia and To-
ronto for best work in the exemplihcation
Of the third degee. Federal City. Lodge, No.