Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-04-25
ORDER OF ODD FELLOWS
EIGHTY SEVENTH ANNIvER-
sARY TO BE OBSERVED.
Local Members Will Meet Tomorrow
Evening-Growth Of the Organi-
zation-Giving Aid.

The eighty-seventh anniversary of the
birth of the Independent Order of Odd Fell
lows will be observed with fitting exercises
tomorrow throughout all of the grand lodge
jurisdictions.
The local members Will celebrate in the
evening at the Auditorium in Odd Fellows
Hall, 18th street. The committee in charge
Is composed OF Deputy Grand Master A. r.
Vermillion, chairman and one representa-
tive from each of the twenty-nine different
Odd Fellow organizations In the District.
An interesting program has been provided,
including several musical numbers by local
talent, an address Of welcome by the grand
master, and an address by Jas. T. Lloyd,
Representative in Congress from Mis-
souri,, who Is a past grand master of the
order IN that state.
The history of American Odd Fellowship,
ii Is said, shows a remarkable growth, not
only in numbers, but In financial strength
and extent Of its benefcent works. Organ
lied eighty-Seven years ago, the Goth day
of April, in Baltimore by five men led by
Thomas Wildey, who Is recognized as the
founder of the American order, IL has
grown until, the 31st of December, 1904,
there were 1,215, 1913 members In the sub
ordinate lodges and 3o0,420 women in the
Rebekah branch of the order. This takes
no account of the male members of the Re-
bekah branch, the members of the En-
Militant branch, all of whom must be
members OF the subordinate lodge branch
before they can attain the additional de-
greeS.
Growth of the Order.
The grand secretary reports that during
the fifteen months since the 31st of Decem-
ber 1904, the growth of the order has con-
tlnued, until today the subordinate lodges
have more than. 100000 and the Rebekah
lodges more than $4,000, making ag
gregate membership under the jurisdiction
of the Sovereign Grand Lodge of more than
1926, 600 members.
The financial strength Of the order is
demonstrated by the statistical reports,
which show that the various branches ana
lodges have invested funds IN real estate
and securities of nearly $40, 900 Geo. The Or
der is paying out annually in sick Dement'S
and for the relief and care OF Sick ana
needy members, widows and orphans nearly
S. 000 600. During the eighty-seyen years o.
its existence ii has distributed in its bench
cent work more than S109, 100000 1t has
at the present time about forty Odd Eel
lows Homes scattered throughout the dif-
ferent jurisdictions, esta blished at cost or
more than 81, 500, 600, and maintained at an
annual expense of approximately $4,000,
where several thousand of the helpless aged
and dependent children who have claims
upon the order receive care. b.
In the great calamities the order has ever
been one of the first to afford relief to the
people OF the stricken locality, and has been
not only prompt and efficient in its work In
that direction, but most generous in7its Of
fering At the time of the Galveston flood
the donations from the order We're so lib
eral that the committee returned TO the con-
tributors exactly 90 per cent of the contri-
buttons, with the statement that such
amount was left after every case Of distress