The Birmingham age-herald., 1907-08-23

IL drawn it's members from the great middle class, the people who have always sup piled the bone and sinew for the build ing of the nations and that because of th1s their stability is greater and their membership stronger than that of any other secret order in the world. The mem- bership in the United States alone is now l.23427S, and when the eighty-third annual communication of the soverign grand lodge Is held in St. Paul next week. many hundreds more will be reported. The re- ports will show also that from the little Manchester organizations first contrlbu- tion Of a penny from each member, this years contribution for benevolent and educational purposes will have climbed far into the millions
 The first lodge in this country was founded in New York in 1906 by Solo, mon Chambers, his two sons and two friends, all of whom were Odd Fellows and members of English lodges. They or ganized on the self-institution principle, called themselves the Shakespeare Lodge" and met in a convenient tavern until the war of 1872 scattered sthe mem In 1918 the members were reinstated and the lodge lasted until fS21 then fell away. As this was not permanent, the history of Odd Fellowship in the United States begins with a Maryland lodge. This one was founded in Baltimore by five Eng lishmen. recently moved there. Thomas Wildey and John Welch, seeing the need of such work as the order might effect, advertised in leading paper for mem bers, and In response there came three others, Richard Rushworth, John Dun can and John Cheatham They met in the tavern of "The Seven Stars" and there on April 28, 1919 they established the first permanent lodge in America, the Wash ington Lodge"
 A charter was secured from the Man chester Unity Of England, and two years later there was instituted the grand lodge of Maryland and the United States In order to separate the operative and legis- lative bodies. Meanwhile in 1920 James B. Barnes and four other Odd Fellows in Boston had instituted Massachusetts lodge No. 1, not having heard of the Baltimore organization As soon as they learned of this. however, correspondence sprung ID between the two, and as the Mary land organization was now vested with superior powers, the Massachusetts one readily recognized 1t. In 1928 the title Grand Sire' first appears In use for the presiding officer of the soverign grand lodge. In 1S42 the lodges Of the United States severed connection with the Man chester union and Canada lodges have ! been instituted under 0ispensation from ! the sovereign grand lodge of the United States. In September 1880, the sovereign grand lodge met in Toronto this being the first instance of Its meeting outside the United States
 The growth of the order Is phenomenal. It has kept pace with history, and 1t Is interesting to note that Kentucly's first lodge was Boone" Georgias "Oele- ] thorpe" Wisconsin's La Fayette." and Illinois Western Star" Arkansas reck- oned a frontier state in 1S40, chose to name her first lodge Far Vest" while today there are many thousands of Odd Fellows In the newer states over beyond her western borders. Kansas with Shaw nee" and Connecticut with "Quinnipiac." preserved Indian names In their first lodges. The District of Columbia because Of it's position as political center of the nation, chose Central Lodge" while Mis- souri. through whose borders three great trails beat to the westward, marking the way for many emigrant Odd Fellows, named hers Travellers Rest" Texas chose her own nickname Lone Starr Tor her first lodge, and many states such as Louisiana, Delaware Pennsylvania and Ohio chose state names. California's first lodge enjoyed the distinction of be- ing instituted in Philadelphia and was then transferred west. Many Massachu- setts lodges had to institute their mem
 IT. because law enacted In 1884 made 1t highly penal for any person ito adminis- | ter or take an oath, affirmation or ob- ligation in the nature of an oath" It is law that smacks of the earlier one in England which declared secret societies seditiors. and almost broke up the Man chester unity.
 Pennsylvania ranks first In numerical strength among the Odd Fellows, having over 1000 members. New York Is next with about 25.O0O less. The work being done for the orphans is best understood when it is stated that over $100,000 a year is spent for their support and education by the Independent Order of Odd Eel lows in this country. Mobile lodge was the first to ask that this branch of the work be organized along national lines. This was In 1S46. Eight years later the first school for orphaned chi- dren of Odd Fellows was established at
 Rogersville. Tenn. with an average at tendance of 200 pupils a year until after the civil war. In 1855 this was followed by the Martha Washington college at Abingdon. Va. Row there are homes and schools for orphans, institutions for the care of widows and ndigent and aged brothers in almost every state and terri tory, all supported by contributions and dues from the members of the order
 
 | representing the grand encampment of | Indiana women were admitted some l years ago to certain privileges, a degree
 was revived for them. and now 23S,000
 strong. they are affiliated with their l fathers and husbands fin the same good work under the name of "Rebekah
 lodges" Since the odd Fellows were the
 first secret society to bar liquor dealers
 from membership, and to establish nut | nal aid and benefit associations they have found the women ready and eager helpers These women have chosen the 1 mothers of old Bible days as their mod ! els. the wives of the Patriarchs who prac- 1 ticed in their tents among the flocks, or in their humble homes, the virtues of love- industry and hospitality. With this ever in mind they are ready to make the travel across the desert of life bright CT for many. and make of their "hives' restful haltng places for the weary and worn.