The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1909-02-22
ODD FELLOWS TORN
BY INTERNAL
D|SSENS|ON
OLIVE BRANCH LODGE AND THE
GRAND MASTER WAGE. LIVELY
BATTLE LATTER ATTACKED
BY iNoERsoLL ENcAMPMENT.

A meeting OF the Grand Lodge and
the Grand Encampment OF Michigan
Odd Fellows will be held next Wednes-
day afternoon in the Burns hotel. at
which certain conditions which tend
to the disruption OF the order In the
state will be discussed. This confer
ence has been called by Grand Secre-
tary Henry N. Wilder, OF Lansing. In
an attempt to amicably settle these
differences which threaten the disrup-
ton OF the order locally.
The disturbance within the order is
two-fold. The more serious condition
arises from the forming within the
city OF lodge of the Oriental Degree
OF Humility and Perfection and the
open rebellion OF Olive Branch lodge
against the order OF Grand Master w.
II. Flynn that any OF its members be-
longing 10 the Oriental Degree be ex-
PEELED; the second cause OF friction Is
the pressing of charges against Flynn
himself In lngersoll Encampment, No.
29.
Flynn refuses to discuss the situa-
ton at all further than TO say:
The whole thing is a conspiracy on
the part OF persons who desire to at
tain 10 Office In the order and who
find me in the way. I have done
nothing except what was required
to do by the laws OF the order"
The facts are sufficiently known
among the members OF the order to
show that the condition is a grave one.
The law of the Order of Odd Fellows
provides that members Of the order
shall not join any other secret order,
not subject to the jurisdiction OF the
grand lodge, which uses the regalia
OF the Odd Fellows, and In which mem
bership Is based on standing in the
Independent Order OF Odd Fellows.
This law was again passed upon in the
Denver convention With a special
view, 1t Is said, to the new Oriental
Degree.
This Oriental degree has as its SYM
Dol an owl dancing on a new moon and
Its motto Is We never sleep" This
may explain In part the antagonism OF
the elder statesmen in the Odd Eel
lows to II. Kassassin Sanctorum. No.
1881. OF the Oriental degree was form.
ed In Detroit last November with 80
initiates. Ii Is alleged that George
w. Barrus. Noble Grand OF Olive
Branch lodge. and John Gillespie. a
prominent member OF the same lodge,
were among those who joined. BY di-
rection or Grand Sire w. l.. kuyken-
dali, OF Saratoga. Wyoming. Grand
Master Flynn issued an order TO the
Michigan lodges to bring charges
against all members belonging to the
Oriental degree and to expel them IL
they did not leave the latter order.
Most OF the lodges acceded to this
order but Olive Branch, although mott
fed in January. has refused to bring
charges against the members who be-
long to the order of Humility and Per
lection. For this cause, the grand
master ordered that the charter of
Olive Branch lodge be surrendered.
This was not done. and the threat has
been made that Olive Branch lodge
will break away and form a new So
ciety.
So bitter has the feeling become
that petition has been drawn up to
have Grand Master Flynn removed
from Office. Members of Olive Branch
lodge have secured signers from other
lodges on this petition. They declare
that Flynn is acting without warrant
In ordering members tried because
they belong TO the Oriental degree.
The charges against Flynn in lnger.
soil encampment date back to the
making of loan of $500 TO Thomas +
Robinson, former commander of the
uniformed iark, five years ago. This
loan was made by three trustees, by
authorization OF the encampment II Is
alleged. A note was given as security
and also a $1,000 bond of the state oil
Virginia. Some time after Robinson s
death IL was discovered that the note
had been lost and information was