The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-05-13
Nearly One Thousand Delegates Present. MOST SUCCESSFUL
 IN ORDERS HISTORY Election of Grand Secretary Made This Morning.
  After Public Ceremony in Mornins' ..Representatives organized and Im-:. medisteIy Commended Work.
 Grand Master Goedwyn, of Montgomery Presides.

The Grand Lodge of the Independ- ent order of odd Feilows of Alabama. convened in the Masonic. Temple of Montgomery at 10 o'clock yesterday moraing and will be in session until Thursday afternoon.
 The eight hundred and more dele gates to the sixty eighth annual ses- sion gathered first for a public cere- Inony at which the welcome of the city to the Grand Lodge was extended by eloquent speakers and answered by visitors who spoke with no less effect the expr ession of. tseir appreciation of tile hospitality of iAlabama's Conven- ton City, Marking the public cere- mony, teo, were fmpressively solemn references to the two most distin- guished persona that Death had re- moved from the ranks of the, Odd Eel lows and the Rebekahs, Hal c. weaver, late. Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge, and Mrs. L. A Doron. late Past President and Treasurer of the Ke' belah State Assembly. ts ] Immediately after the public ccre- nnoiiy the Grand Lodge adjourned un- til 2 o'clock. when the regular busi- meas of the order was taken up com nittees being appointed and reports of officers being received and properly committed.
 Principal among the matters intro y change the basis of representation of subordinate lodges in the Grand Lodge and to make regular assessments of members for the maintenance of the Ofphan's Home in Cullnian, and res- oIution to fix II. o'clock this morning as the, hour for the election of Grand Secretary to succeed Hal c. Weaver. The matters were referred to commit- tees.
 R.T. Goodwin, of Montgomery, Grand Master. .rresided over the sessions, ex- cept for part of the afternoons meet ing, when Deputy Grand Master W. E. Urqlhart of Birmingham was in the chair.
 The days work was followed by elfghtfuI~reception last night in the Masonic Temple.
 Adiournment taken yesterday after noon was until 8 o'clock this morning.
 The Public Ceremony.
 There could, not easily have been held A more impressive ceremony than the public services which the Grand Lodge held previously to it's formal organiza- tion. Opened with prayer by Grand Chaplains G. L. Jenkins the ceremony waa notable for the high toneI and spirit of It's speeches and the interest with which the proceedings were fol- lowed by the hundreds of odd Fellows and Rebekalis gathered in the great assembly hall of the Masonic Temple on South Perry and Washington Streets. . =. Mayor w. M. Teague, spoke welcome on behalf of the city of Montgomery and he predicated his expression of the cItv's measure in extending hospitality with praise of the city and it's people.
 Montgomery, Mir Forbes said, was nrold as well as happy to welcome the
 
 rnerous an order into her connnes' tn haautv, Montgomery ex0elled other cities In progress. in wealth and In c,It,ire if stood among the leaders or tbe Sou+h. It had pride, but not naughty satisfaction in the past achievements whtcb if would excel in the future,
 We want our Montgomery spirit to the snirif of the state" he said. "and: we wish you, while you are with us 10 tske the Montgomery spirit unto your selves. It will 60 you good; we shall reioice to know that not only your visit made us happier and gladder put that 1t has made you wiser and better and, above all. in closer sympathy "lth us. s, cuss inc construction of great Temple. want to say a good word for Mont voY,1ery. had the pleasure, as Presi- dant of the Commercial Club, to invite YOU to come to our city, and It IS greater pleasure now to welcome you into our midst Already in North Ala bama you have raised. monument that will endure longer than any of us, and ii is. am sure, but a predicate of the great good that odd Fellowship Is go- ing to do And when you come. to build this other monument. hope that you will let Montgomery be considered as most ambitious and zealous can didate for the honor of being it's home.
 we thank you for coming to Mont gomery, we invite you to come again. We all hope that your stay amongst us will be delightful and profitable.
 Rev. Walter M. Ora awford, Past Grand Master extended welcome on behalf of the subordinate lodges in Montgomery. Expressing his appreciation of the dis- tinctive honor MT. Crawford said hu- morouslyet that the honor had not fallen to his lot because of his prominence; Look at the top of my head" Mir Crawford pursued humorously. and you will know why I was chosen. La dies cultivate baIdh eaded men,"
 The year had been one of gladness and Aoy, and one of sorrow and grief, MT. Crawford said. During the twelve month the order had accomplished so much of that its members could but feel happy pride in their achievements; but their rejoicings were silenced by the memory of the losses that had come to them. Hal c. weaver Grand Secretary, one of the best. most un- selfish, most competent and faithful of workers in the Order, had been called from labor to refreshment.
 But when the Odd Fellows of Ala hama opened their eyes to the great good that God had done for them they could feel only happiness. From all