Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-10-20
NEW AMENDED CIIAIsTlIK IS y
HOUSE OF REFUGE FOR
ODD FELLOWS.
(By Henry Lincoln Johnson.)

MOluaE morning, Judge GEORGE Il.
Bell, in Fulton Superior Court, hand
Gu down a decision in the last Of the
long line Of Irrigated cases that have
obtained IN Georgia for the past two
years. The decision Of the Supreme
Court long ago and the decision Of
Judge Bell III denying ain injunction
in the month Of August cleared the
road OF all distractions for the meet
ing Of the District Grand Lodge in
Macon, Ga, on the l4th OF August,
last.
When the Grand Lodge met there
was never such scene Of oneness Of
mind and oneness of purpose as was
manifested at that District Grand
Lodge. After electing its officers and
transactlng it's other business, the
District Grand Lodge authorized and
directed that application be made to
the Superior Court Of Fulton County
for the amendment Of its charter
granted by that court, so that for all
time to come there would be nothing
left to doubt, but all men would know
that the Georgia Odd Fellows were
not only united, but that they pro-
posed to so hedge their great proper
ty and interest with the authority Of
tho law, that for all time to come no
mean hand, domestic or foreign, could
threaten its vitality.
And so after adjournment OF the
Grand Lodge. it filed its application
for amendment Of its charter through
It's attorneys; but before tho court
granted the amendment, the same old
scaly barks, learning nothing by past
defeats, went into this court and
sought an injunction to restrain the
granting Of this amended charter.
Monday morning, Judge Bell after he
had during the week before heard evi
dence and arguments eXhaustivcly, do
MED the injunction sought and pass
follow ingg ,rd{
foregoing pcti . and
.ercd. AID it appt - to tho
.rt that the petitioner has complied
with all the requirements of the law
for such cases made and provided, and
the court being satisfied that the ap
plication for amendments proposed
therein is legally within the purvicw
and intention Of the code and author
lied by corporate action: it is there
fore ordered, adjudgcd and decrced
by the court that the prayers of the
petitioner as set forth in its said pcti
ton be, and the same arc hereby
granted and mat the said charter be,
and the same is hereby, amended as
set forth and prayed for in said petit
tion."
With Fhis Judgment there was
sounded the end OF this manifold It'll
cation. It may - here stated that
counsel on both sides agreed that un
der the law and practice from this
adjudication OF Judge Bell there is
no appeal. Therefore, we have reach
ed the end OF Odd Fellow litigation
that has distracted Georgia for the
last two years. The District Grand
Lodge OF Georgia is victorious; the
misguided and misinformcd Odd Eel
lows, who followed the far away
"Jack o'lantcrn" light, stand defeat
cd in every respect. The new charter
of the District Grand Lodge. as grant
ed by Judge Bell, constitutes a House
OF Refuge, into which we may now
enter and be absolutely free from the
attacks of unlind and unfriendly
hands.
The Georgia holdings by this dc
d cree have become absolutely stabiliZ
ed; and the holder Of every Odd Eel
low policy in Georgia has had his
holding III tde secur by this judg-
mcnt. Each and all have thus had
thrown around us the highest protcc
son OF the law in our property rights
in our policy rights and in our frat
ernity rights. The cost has been great
I The ccst, however, was not self i'm
posed. 1t was cost imposed upon
the Georgia broth"'' by unfriend
ly hands, and the Georgia brotherhood
will meet it az patriot who pulled
out his pittance and said; millions
for defense, but not penny for tri
butte"
We w Id rather that all this should
not have been; but still with resolute
Christian fortitude, we repeat that
"but IL Offcnses must come, woe he
unto him by whom they come" After
all this world and civilizations march
therein has been but constant sue
cession Of trials and tribulations. No
man, who has cssayed to do great
work and build lasting monuments
for the inspiration Of a people has
ever had his pathway strown with
flowers; and. as much as we regret
the dire necessity that was forced
upon the Georgia brotherhood by a
foreign jurisdiction, the title to whose
office stands cloudcd by fraud and I'm
fair dealings, still 1t exalts in the
magnificent display OF faith and 10y
atty in leadership that the Brother
hood in Georgia has hown and which
challenges comparison anywhere in
this or any other country. The Dco
pie stand uncrowncd princes. me
Odd Fellows of Georgia have set out
new mark and new standard which
their brothers elsewhere can emulate
with profit. They have set the ex-
ample Of a standardized loyalty to a
leadership that shall constitute the