The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-08-24
NEGROES TO RAISE
 FUND OF S150,O0O. ID FINISH TEMPLE.
Closing Session Of Grand Lodge ConCIave Held, With
 Many Reports Made

The closing session of the forty
 sixth annual conclsve of the Ala
 bama Grand Lodge, negro Ancient | Free and Accepted Masons, was called l to order Thursday morning by Walter i Thomas Woods of Birmingham, grand master. and president of the Inter i national Conference of Negro Grand | Masters of the World. Arrangements
 were made to raise an additional | E150, 900 to complete the construction of the new s525,O00 temple now in ] course of construction at Fourth ave- nue and Seventeenth street
 Devotional exercises were con- | ducted by the grand chaplain, c. w.
 Mitchell. Assembled in the audito- | rum were ,0OO delegates from S20
 Alabama lodges, representing an ag- l gregate membership of 24000. Added l to this Is the state grand chapter, Order Eastern Star, now holding their annual session at the Sixteenth Street Baptist church, attended by l 700 delegates from 800 Alabama chap ters, representing a membership of more than 10000.
 ! Features of the closing Masonic service were the reviewing of the
 financial report showing the busi- ness standing of the order in the state; reports on foreign correspond | euCeI the IeduluB ana duOpllOH OL tue l grand masters address; reports from
 the grand chapter, Order Eastern Star, showing a membership of 10, 121 and $3S,0 090 on hand a statement of l the condition of the endowment de- partment. by Dr. R. B. Hudson of stone of the temple at o'clock in the afternoon.
 Grand Lodge Prosperous.
 Reports of the special accountant showed that six years ago the grand lodge was s53,000 in debt but the l growth of the order now shows $357,- 73712 to which amount may be added S3S,090, reported on hand by the Or der Eastern Star.
 This is the net worth of the negro Masonic grand lodge above all obli- gations," stated Carter.
 Special credit was accorded R. B. Hudson, endowment treasurer; A. A. Peters endowment secretary, and Ac countant w. H. Carter for the fine showing their reports indicated.
 Reports In French and Spanish from lodges in Ontario and Haiti were read and interpreted by George ". Vaughan of Mobile.
 The special committee, which passed on recommendation in the grand masters reports were: IT. A. Knox, chairman; H. B. Davidson, sec retary; J. II. Brogsdale, J. D. Darby, L. Thomas, P. w. Sledge and F. M Murphy, who reported favorably on all the changes and recommendation the grand master advocated, the most important of which were: That schol- arships be granted 20 daughters of Masons; $3,000 be set aside for char ity, and $2000 to establish a home for widows and orphans.
 Grand Lecturers E. G. Humphrey l and J. B. Baker indicated the brought outlook for the local lodges in their reports
 Deputy Grand Master W. H. Nixon of Selma. presiding elder of the Af- l rican Methodist Episcopal church, read the report of resolutions, ex- pressing thanks to the grand master 1 for efficient service; to the temple commission, which has in hand the l construction of the temple; to the newspapers for liberal space; to the local committee on entertainment of 1 the delegates; to A. F. Owens for services rendered; expressing deep and profound sympathy to Mrs. War ren c. Harding, widow of the late