The broad ax., 1921-08-13

Louisville, Ky.-There are to be
great doings in the next few weeks,
and some have taken place already.
Next week will be the Supreme
Lodge of Knights of Pythias, and
following that will come the National
Medical Association. The Shriners
met in St Louis, and the National
Grand Lodge of United States
Brothers OF Friendship met last week
IN Cincinnati and reelected DR.. H.
w. Jameson, National Grand Master.
and DR.. E. Arlington Wilson, Nation
al Grand Secretary. The Mosaics
have met in Little Rock and did not
make any changes.
Speaking OF the United Brothers Of
Friendship, ] am proud to say to you
that Texas leads the nation TODAY,
and next in line is Kentucky. ! would
like to pay my respects to w. F.
Bledsoe OF Marshall, Texas, grand
master and c. H. McGruder, Hous-
ton, grand secretary. / have before
me the report OF the grand secretary
and from it | get the following in
formation:
Grand Lodge OF Texas was char
tered in 1873, just ten years after the
immortal Lincoln issued his historic
proclamation. The first local lodge
chartered by the Grand Lodge was
ST. John No. of Austin. The first
temple was Rosetta No. /, Galveston.
Since that time there have been 327
lodges and 335 temples, a total of COZ
bodies, most of which are still stand
ing. 1t is safe to estimate that more
than 100000 of the best blood of the
race in the past forty-eight years have
been taught the lesson of Justice,
Mercy and Truth.
The Home and Business Fund OF
the order has been a means by which
we have discharged our duty to the
race. Because of it we have bought
and practically paid for property cost
ing Sl50,O0O in the heart of the bust
ness district of the city of Houston.
In a few days the property will be
worth S250,0OO. The order has had
three grand secretaries IN the past
thirty years.. w. Gross, who served
years, until his death in
1915; w L. Davis, who
resigned in 1918, and c. H. McGruder
the present holder of the Office. But
during these years there has been but
one big personality at the head OF the
order, in the person of w. F. Bled-
soc, the peerless Grand Master, who
for fifty years has lived in Marshall,
Texas. The grand lodge will go to
Marshall in 1922 to celebrate the Goth
anniversary of Bledsoe's elevation to
the head of the order in Texas" The
is the financial statement
ssued:
Balance brought forward January !,
1921. Reserve Fund, Sl2S,265.7l:
Home and Business Fund, SS996l;
Burial Fund, Sl9,5l5.9S; total, Sl4S,- |
SSI.3O. Income Mortuary Fund,
100. 4O5.83; Reserve Fund, S23.646-34;
Home and Business Fund, 1874; |
Burial Fund, Sl4,sl2Ol; Expense
Fund, SI4.65I9l. Total, SOL, 253O9;
grand total, S3Oo,934.39. Disburse-
Claims, 81, 80;
Home and Business, $7,3Ol.66; Burial
SI4,1s6.7O; Expense, S13,7SS-O6; total
;I33.O85.8l; balance, Sl76,S4S-5S. That
5 going some.
As / take my pen in hand to write
o you this week, am reminded that
have covered a little territory, and
have seen a few things, and met
ew people. l will have gone over
.ome more before you can read all
his letter. l wrote you last week
rom Parsons, Kansas, and there
vas attending the Grand Lodge OF
Knights of Pythias in company with
II them big people there in Kansas,
md / am going to return to be with
hem again next week.
| told you then about the Rev. I.
". Green, Jr., who has started at the
cry bottom and is pow on his way
o the top. He is getting there, and
t is only a question of time. / was
lad to be associated with DIR. s H.
Thompson, who is the official head
# the order of Knights OF Pythias,
nd some day he is going to be the
upreme head, but IT will take little
ime. 1t was manners to be with him,
nd then Mrs. Moreno Davis, OF Kan
as City, Kans. grand worthy eoun-
elIor of Kansas, and will hll high
.osition in the supreme some day !