Monroe City Democrat. (Monroe City, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1908-06-11
REPORT OF REPRESENTATIVE.

HE SEVENTEEN annual session Of the Grand
Lodge l. o. o. F. of Missouri met at Excel
sior Springs Tuesday, May 10. 1908, al 900
M, Grand Master S F, Clark in the chair and the
following Past Grand officers present:
S. F. Clark Grand Master
w. T. Marshall Deputy Grand Master
Rev. James L. Sullens Grand Warden
j. w. Wilkerson Grand Secretary
Charles F. Voge Grand Treasurer
j. W. Wilkerson Grand Representative
Luclan j. Eastn Grand Representative
Rev. A. Stirling Grand Chaplain
George A. Long Grand Marshal
G. G. Craver Grand Conductor
A. G. Hartley Grand Guardian
John w. Black Grand Herald
The following Grand Masters also answered roll
call:
Abercromba, Alexander, Cade, Calder, Carnes,
Eastin, Jewett, Lloyd, Lovau, Lydy, Maring, Ship
ley, Smith, Thomas, DR.. A. A. Wheeler, Dr.. w S.
Wheeler and j. w Wilkerson
After the usual opening of ceremonies, the report
Of the committee credentials showed that of the
100 Grand Representatives 81 were present In the
naming OF the regular standing committees your
representative was again placed on the finance com
mitee. The appointment of these committees and
other prelinenary work consumed the hours of the
morning session and at ll;30 the Grand Lodge ad-
journed until Wednesday 900 a. M. an excursion to
the Odd Fellows Home having been previously ar
ranged for the afternoon.
At 1.3O the Grand Lodge and Rebekah Assembly,
accompanied by other membnrs OF the order, to the
number of 65S made the trip to Liberty distance of
only sixteen miles, and visited the Home. Here a
special program, given by the Odd Fellows Home
band and the children of the Home, was given in
way to entertain the visitors and show the almost
perfect discipline and educational drill that is being
maintained by those in charge of the Home. The
main building. the school building and the old folks
home were all open for inspection and we found
everything in fine condition The surroundings have
been plated and graded under the direction of a
landscape gardener and unsighty places have been
filled and beautifed until in the future the
grounds of the Odd Fellows Home at Liberty will
be counted as one of the most beautiful gardens in
our state. This report-necessarilly short on ac-
count of my limited time-is too meager to allow me
to do justice in the way of a description of your
splendid institution at Liberty, even if your repre-
sentative could find words adequate to express his
admiration and appreciation of the Home. The men
and women who are so freely giving of their time
and money in perfecting the home are building a
monument to their memories that will live in the
heart of Odd Fellow for all time to come
At the opening on Wednesday morning 1913 Past
Grands were given Past Official and Grand Lodge
degrees and introduced. This number was added to
from time to time until fully 300 Past Grands we're
made members OF the Grand Lodge. The morning
session was used in the consideration of the reports
of the Grand officers
The report of the Grand Master showed that he
had devoted his entire time to the work, travelled
than g. 900 miles and visited almost every part
Of the jurisdiction. He reports the order in pros
porous condition throughout the jurisdiction with a
promising outlook for the future. He has made a
splendid record and future results will count much to
his credit.
The Grand Secretary made fine report of the
condition of the order and the work accomplished
during the year. The report of last year gave us
1856 lodges which was error OF six lodges. Two
lodges have been lost by consolidation and twenty
six charters issued making 1853 lodges in work.
ing order. The membership has increased from 3d.
0Sl to IS, I6S-a grand showing when the financial
conditions of the last half of the year are consid-
cred
One of the most interesting features OF the report
statistical table of membership of the order
since its organisation in the state in 1885, showing
that 1885, S44 have joined the order 50666 have with
drawn by cards to go to other saates, 1885 have
been expelled 9,1S9 have died and 67,336 have been
suspended for non-payment of dues. During the
same period we have paid out So 297 II for relief