Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-04-02
Holds Sessions Wednesday,
TranSaCtS Years Business.
Harry A. Weymouth Of Saco Elected
Grand Warden,

gates were present and every lodge
the State was represented.
Two sessions were held during the day,
one in the forenoon and the other in
the afternoon, and both We're charac-
terized by a marked degree of Ell
thusiasm and interest.
The forenoon session opened at 10
o'clock, Grand Warden Albert Il. Yer
rill Of Auburn presiding. The first
business on the program was the re-
port of the committee on credentials
which was followed by the comforting
Of the degrees upon the past grand
Wardens Grand Warden Nerrill then
submitted his report for the past year
Grand Warden Nerrill said in part:
For the twentieth time in its history
this body has assembled for the trans
action of its business. The time, the
occasion, the hour, perhaps calls for a
moments consideration of what has
been done during this fifth or cen
turv and our present standing. before
turning our attention to the work OF
the session.
At its inception this Grand Lodge was
sin2uiariy fortunate in its selection OF
officers The entire Order recognized
this fact, for its first grand secretary,
Daniel NJ. Frye, was soon called to the
office of supreme secretary, ana lt3
first grand warden, Henry w. Cakes,
was soon afterwards called to the Office
OF supreme warden, This, alone, was
sufficient to give Maine a high place
in the first councils of the Order. This
place it has never lost. Five years
ago the Order again looked to MAINE
and selected Grand Warden Harry
Manser of Auburn as supreme vice
warden. The doings of these men as
well as many other brothers ana SIS
tecs from Maine that might be men
toned. and who have helped year after
wear in the great work, are part OF
the history of the Order. and their
work stands for us of the Grand Lodge
as an inspiration to do our rest, TO
give the best that is in US to give Tor
the common good of all. And this APP
rlies to the humblest as well as to the
highest duties to which we are as
signed.
During these 20 years, Maine has,
claim, held her own in the work
though her officers have had more to
greater distances between her lodges.
The State now has about one-elghth or
the members of the entire Order. On
February 10Th, 1908, it was $3.50, which
is a gain in the II months from April
/. 1907, of 500. The membership OF the
entire Order on December 31st 1907,
was 54.O26, a net gain for the year OF
734O. These gains speak we'll for the
confidence that the Order has inspired
in the public mind as we'll as for the
ability in management and the inter-
est of the members.
IT is always well to get new lodges
established when practicable and When
places can be found where they can be
made self-sustaining. Early in July
was informed that the services of SUI
preme Deputy Eli J. Swan would be at
my disposal the remainder of the year
On July Sth he started to organize IL
lodge at Ridlonville and as result OF
his work on August 23rd, Mexico lodge,
No. asa. was instituted with about 30
members This lodge reports at the
end of December IS members. l pre-
dict for them bright future. The
members are intelligent. earnest and
enthusiastic. l/utt III l. NpSie'iy -
preme Deputy A. S. Patten was placed
in Hermon to organize a new lodge
with the result that on Monday of this
week lodge was instituted with 30
members.
At the request of our supreme war
den four large meetings to celebrate
the Goth anniversary of our Order were
held as follows: On Nov 18th, at Port
land, a public meeting well attended;
at Auburn, No. 18th, a public meeting
with about 1000 in the audience; at
Bangor. Nov 14th, an institution of
goodly class from the various lodges;
and at Augusta, Nov 18TH very sue
cessf;,l public meeting. Much good. in
nv opinion, was derived from these
meetings
Following Immediately upon these
meetings | called the executive COM
mittee together and it was voted that
the Grand Lodge assume the medical
examination fee for December and cir
cuIars were at once sent out asking
the lodges to make try for new mem
hers during December. 1t was thought
by your executive committee that we
might thereby get n gain of 200 MEM
nav out in the first instance 5000. and
the supreme warden having agreed to
reimburse us to the extent of one hall
from the extension of the Order fund,
il wcttld be easy for the Grand Lodge
tc stand such an amount.
The result was that l have signed
orders for $3.50 in payment Of those
fees. and with the cost of the honor
badges and the gold prizes the total eN-
pense to the Grand Lodge for the De-
cen,ber work is above $1,000 Such of
fers in the future should be entered in
to with great care. There is a ten
dency to hurry candidates before a
medical examiner without having suf-
ficiently interested them to insure that
they will afterwards enter the order
and I have no doubt that quite a num-
Der of examinations were thus made
and approved by the Supreme MEDICAL
Examiner of persons who did not att
erSards enter the Order.
The honor badge adopted last year
has beer used this year and l nave
made many offers as you all Know
each covering a period OF one, two or
.,,oo ,,,opthS This badge is Il winner