Staunton spectator and vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1896-1916, 1907-09-20
ODD FELLOWSHIP GROWS.
The Sovereign Grand Lodge in Session
at st. Paul Receives Glowing Accounts.

The Sovereign Grand Lodge in Session
at st. Paul Receives Glowing Accounts.
The Sovereign Grand Lodge of the
Independent Order of Odd Fellows is
in session this week at St. Paul, Mimi,
and besides the regular business the
visitors are being ROYALTY treated. Ac-
cOrding to the report of the Grand Sire
the number of members Dec. 81. 1906,
was ,709. 553, and the amount expend
for relief was $5,0O5. 1853. 81. over $500,
900 more than the previous year.
In his report the grand secretary
says. "It may, therefore, and deserves
1 to be said that the condition of the or
der in active interest, building up and
relief work was never 80 good as now
With the progress made. vast mem
bership attained, and present tinancial
resources, the order is now stronger
and better prepared for carrying on its
fraternal and benevolent work than
ever before.
1.-THE receipts of lodges, encampmcnts
and Rebekah lodges amount to total
of SIS. 16S, 1907. 80, a gain over the pre-
yious year of 1.106. 757 q.
THE receipts of the Grand Secreta-
ry Is office from representative tax, ssle
of supplies and interest on deposits.
amounts to $117, 6S5.97 for the fiscal
year just closed as against $40, 949.O5
for the previous year.
YEARS WORK SUMMARIZED.
Some gen eral results of the year IS
work may, therefore. be summarized
as follows:
Larger membership in all branches
of the order than ever before.
1.-The largest net gain in subordinate
lodge membership ever made In a year,
and next to the largest in sisters of the
Rebekah branch of the order.
1.-THE largest expenditure for relief.
| 1.-The largest amount of sales of sup
plies, except at periods when new rituals
have been issned.
1.-THE sale of over 5000, 900 official
certificates, and the consequent reduc.
tion in price.
"The institution of one new grand
lodge and an increase of five grand
representatives
"These, with harmony and fraternal
good will everywhere prevailing give
much to be thankful for.''
The statistics of the order through
out the world, from 1880 to December
81, 1906, including Australasia, Den
mark, Germany, Netherlands. Sweden
and Switzerland, are:
limitations in subordinat lodges, 3,197,679
Members relieved. ................ 3,A6.66l
Widowed families relieved. 2SS 1923
Members deceased ............. 320577
Total relief .Sllo, ILL., 9l9.UI
Total revenue. NS, 456, 81
The condition of the order throughout the
world December 81, 1906. Is given as follows:
Sovereign Grand LOdge........ Il
Quasi-Independent grand lodges
australasia, Denmark. Ger
manv, Netherlands, Sweden
and Switzerland) Observation-Disclosures. 81
Grand lodges. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. Is
Grand encampments.. ......:.... IS
Subordinate lodges. .............. 1851
Subordinate encampments. 1915
Rebekah lodges. TITO
Lodge members .................. I,302,3lO
Encampment members. .......... 1885
Rebekah lodge members. 1881
Total member of persOds belong
ing to the order. ................ 1.709. 533
Total relief paid in 1906 ........S 1905, 1853 81
Total receipts of subordinate
bodies for 1906. .......... 10, I6S, 3O6 80
Total expenses of grand and sub
ordinate bodies for 1906. 1922, POI 20
Inv ested funds of grand and SUBJ
ordinate bodies December 81,
lJUO FL 40
AT it's Tuesdays session the Sovereign
Grand Lodge defeated the constitution
al amendment excluding wholesale
liquor dealers from membership In the
order. Retail liquor dealers have been
barred from membership for 10 years.
The proposal to reduce the age of
eligibility to membership from 81 to IS
years was also defeated.
Denver, Col, was selected as the
place of meeting next year. Gen. M.
A. Raney of Iowa, was reelected Com
mandlng General of the Patrierchs
Militant, and he is the first officer of
that rank to wear the new insignia of
his office. voted by the Grand Lodge.
The jewel consists of bar medallion
solid gold studded with eight diamonds
and is valued at $500.