Austria-Hungary, which lasted several weeks, and at my return caused
so much business to discharge as to make it impossible to answer your
friendly epistle. I hope, however, this letter will reach you in time
to prepare the annual report of The Sovereign Grand Lodge prior to
the session.
"The session of the Grand Lodge of the German Empire was gov-
erned by a truly brotherly character. The problems in question were
unanimously discharged and in spite of all difficulties guided in a very
harmonious manner.
"All officers were nearly unanimously re-elected and I enjoy the
honor and pleasure to become again the Grand Sire for the term of
1907-1909, and to entertain a heartfelt intercourse with The Sovereign
Grand Lodge. Our mutual correspondence with The Sovereign Grand
Lodge called forth unbounded satisfaction to the members of the
Grand Lodge of the German Empire, and it has been gratefully acknowl-
edged that the letters of the present leader of The Sovereign Grand
Lodge were conducted in a truly brotherly and friendly spirit. I trust
this well to be wished for circumstance will harmoniously prevail
for all time to come between The Sovereign Grand Lodge and the
Grand Lodge of the German Empire.
"You were kind enough to tender an invitation to me or to any
other brother of the Grand Lodge of the German Empire to come to
the annual session of The Sovereign Grand Lodge this year. The
Grand Lodge of the German Empire did not decide to accept the invi-
tation, the expenses being so great and it would be difficult to find a
suitable representative. As far as I am concerned, it is impossible to
go this year to America and venture upon a joui-ney lasting several
months. I trust, however, to find at a later period an opportunity to
make an acquaintance with the motherland of our beloved Order and
with the chief of The Sovereign Grand Lodge.
"Permit me, my most esteemed and revered friend, to express to
you and to The Sovereign Grand Lodge my cordial congratulations
from my part as well as from the Grand Lodge of the German Empire,
and the hope that your deliberations may result for the benefit of our
beloved Order and for mankind in general in happiness and blessings."
Grand Sire K. O. Schar, of the Grand Lodge of Switzerland, wrote
me as follows: "It is a very rare thing in our Jurisdiction that we
must drop a member for non-payment of dues. A large loss of mem-
bership would also discredit the Order in our country, therefore we
ov ^^9* 19()7. ( GRAND LODGE OF ILLINOIS, I.O.O.F. 259
Nov. 19,1907
impress our lodges at every opportunity to be very careful with the
acquisition of new members."
Basel, July 29, 1907.
"E. S. Conway, Grand Sire of The Sovereign Grand Lodge, Oak Park,
Illinois, U. 8. A.
Dear Brother Conway: — I beg your pardon that I have not an-
swered your favor of January 30th, but I wished to present your cor-
dial invitation to attend the meeting of The Sovereign Grand Lodge
at its session in St. Paul, Minnesota, September IGth, of this year, to
the Grand Officers of our Grand Lodge of the Republic of Switzerland.
Our Grand OflBcers assembled July S7th, and we have resolved, upon
mature consideration, to thank you for your invitation, also for your
pronounced readiness to endeavor to have a portion of the great
expenses of a representative of our Grand Lodge paid by The Sover-
eign Grand Lodge; but we cannot justify such great expense for a Jur-
isdiction so small as ours. Moreover, our knowledge of the English
language is not sufficient to enable us to participate with success in
the debates of the honorable Grand Body. We desire, therefore, to beg
you to excuse our non-attendance at the session of the highest Grand
Body of the Order, and to submit to the esteemed Grand Representa-
tives our hearty greetings and the assurance of our best regard.
Attest: Cordially and fraternally yours,
E. Knuchel, K. O. Schar,
Grand Secretary. Grand Sire. '
Grand Sire Petrus Beyer, of Denmark, wrote me two letters in reply
to mine. In his first letter he says: "I think the propositions here in
Europe are very much alike, and everywhere you must be careful to
avoid a mass production; unfortunately we cannot descend very far in
society to take our members, one of the reasons being that the work-
man cannot yet afford to enter this Order, which demands pretty large
economical sacrifices from its members.
"I trust that I shall go to America in 1908, and I hope and wish to
get to Chicago to call on you and verbally state my views to you. I
believe that such an interview might be of happy consequences. In any
case I shall be most pleased and honored in making the personal ac-
quaintance of the Chief of the Order."
The Grand Lodge of Australasia has more than 30,000 members
within its jurisdiction. Grand Sire George T. Clarke, of that Jurisdic-
tion, writes: "Your fraternal letters of the 22d of November last, duly
at hand. After reading the same with much interest, I have decided
to carry out your wishes to the best of my ability. As the first step
towards the accomplishment of the end which you have in view, I am
260 JOUKNAL or PROCEEDINGS. ] N^v.^^olm?.
publishing the letter in extenso in the 'Australian Triple Links,' a
copy of which issue will be duly forwarded to you, as well as subse-
quent issues, and if you can spare the time to address your Australian
brothers and sisters, I will be pleased to publish any article from your
pen, and I am sure the membership in the Commonwealth and New
Zealand will read it with interest. My next step will be to forward a
copy of your communication to each of my District Deputy Grand Sires,
with a viev/ to copies being distributed in the lodges under their juris-
diction. I feel convinced that with a determined effort on our part
we can accomplish all that you desire, notwithstanding the fact that
the Jurisdictions in Australasia are working under a legal, and not a
moral law, which to a certain extent is a draw-back, but on the other
hand the registration of lodges is a safeguard against bogus and mush-
room societies being instituted for personal gain."
Grand Sire George T. Clarke, of Australasia, under date of June
26, 1907, writes as follows: "I am in receipt of your esteemed favor of
February 23; a variety of causes have prevented me from replying
earlier.
"I duly received the several letters written by your esteemed self
and they have, one by one, appeared in the 'Australian Triple Links.'
Like Oliver Twist, I cry out for more; such effusions disseminated
among the brotherhood tend to do a great deal of good.
"I come, now, to the second part of your letter, which is most im-
portant to me, for it offers to me an opportunity I have been looking
forward to, for several years past, viz.: a visit to America, to see with
my own eyes, and hear with my own ears, how the work of our beloved
Order is carried out in the land where it was founded. I know I have
a lot to learn about Odd Fellowship, and the brethren in America would
find in me a very apt pupil. I wish I could accept your generous invi-
tation to be present at the session of The Sovereign Grand Lodge to
be held at St. Paul, Minnesota, in the month of September in the pres-
ent year. One of my reasons for holding over my answer to your letter
was to see if there was any possibility of accepting. I regret there is
no hope whatever of my leaving Sydney this year. In the first place,
the Grand Lodge of New South Wales having legislated for the consoli-
dation of the sick fund, my hands are more than full transferring the
accounts and rearranging the bookkeeping system. This v/ork, in addi-
tion to ordinary duties as Grand Secretary of New South Wales and
Grand Sire of Australasia, ties me up in such a way that I am very
much afraid if I passed the responsibilities on to others, I would be
doing a most unfair thing. Moreover, in December last, I accepted a
great honor at the hands of the City Aldermen, viz., that of 'Chairman
of Finance.' Had I contemplated a trip this year, I do not think I
would have acceded to my brother aldermen's wishes.
^^^j^^^^'7 [ GRAND LODGE OF ILLINOIS, I.O.O.F. 261
"In addition to extending to me the invitation, you were good
enough to offer to reimburse, if not all, most of my expenses; and, if
you can see your way to renew the invitation about the latter end of
the year, to be present at the 1908 session, you may be sure I will take
immediate steps to endeavor to represent Australasia at whatever place
is selected for the annual meeting.
"I fully endorse your views that Australasia should, if not regu-
larly, occasionally, send a Grand Sire or a Past Grand Sire to represent
its Jurisdiction. It is by exchange of ideas and methods that our Order
must advance. The Order is universal, and should be recognized so.
America will ever be recognized as its birthplace, there must never be
any disintegration; on the contrary, everything must be done to cement
our unity into one concrete and everlasting body.
"And now in conclusion, will you do me the favor of conveying to
the Representatives of The Sovereign Grand Lodge my sincere regrets
in not being present with them in session, especially to our St. Paul
brethren, who, I feel sure, would give a Grand Sire from the anti-
podes a warm welcome."
Grand Sire Wm. Laurentz, of the Grand Lodge of Sweden, writes:
"I am glad to inform you that the development of our Order here in
Sweden has been and still is good indeed. Our Grand Lodge was insti-
tuted in 1895, and at the beginning of that year our membership was
only 567, while today it is 3,969. Every year has increased our mem-
bership, and only one year the net increase went down to 9 per cent;
all the remaining years it has been more, from 11 to 33 per cent; last
year it was 13 per cent, and we have every reason to expect that the
increase will continue to be good, although as a principal point we
endeavor to look out for a good quality of members.
"We commence, however, to realize that the system of sick benefits
and dues inherited from America evidently is not arranged on a satis-
factory basis, especially if we shall be able to collect funds for other
purposes, such as relieving the distressed and educating the orphans.
The claims for long lasting sickness begin to draw too much on our
treasuries and some other financial plan ought to be introduced."
Bro. W. H. McBlaine, District Deputy Grand Sire, Treadwell,
Alaska, writes me as follows: "I hope you will pardon me for not
writing to you sooner. I have been waiting to hear from Fairbanks
Lodge, No. 3, working under The Sovereign Grand Lodge. It is so far
and the mails are so slow it takes a long time to get any return. They
have a membership of 40 and are doing work at every meeting. I think
they will be able to double their membership before the end of 1907.
Alaska Lodge, No. 1, and Silver Bow Lodge, No. 2, now working under
the Grand Lodge of Washington, are getting along very well, but still
263 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. -j Nov.^^9^190
according to last reports they have both fallen away in membership,
They have been doing some work all through the summer, but the
winter is the time for Odd Fellowship to get in her work in Alaska, for
in summer the boys are all out on the creeks working away from town,
and sometimes it is hard to get enough to open lodge. Sometimes I
think we are a little slow, but when we take everything into considera-
tion, I think we are doing all right. The biggest part of the population
of Alaska is what I call a floating population, for they are here today
and away tomorrow. I think we will have a new lodge in Ketchikan
ill the near future, for some of the brothers have been writing to me
for information, and I have been doing all in my power to help them
along with the good work. "We have a nice little encampment of 47
members, also a nice Rebekah lodge of 52 members, both in Douglas,
an 1 they are growing very fast."
Bro. Geo. N Hurd, District Deputy Grand Sire, Manila, Philippine
Islands, wriios: "I take pleasure in reporting that Manila Lodge, No.
1, the sole representative of our Order in the Philippine Islands, has
had a prosperous and harmonious year, and enters upon the new term
under favorable oonditions. We began the year with 70 members, and,
notwirhslandin£" the loss of a number of members, are able to report at
the close of 1906, 7G brothers in good standing, a net gain of six, which
is very close to the increase which j'ou, as Grand Sire, desire to report
as the percentage of gain for the Order at the end of your term. The
finances of the lodge arc- in a satisfactory condition, although our ex-
penses are so high that it is difficult to acquire much of a surplus. All
demands for relief have been promptly met and a debt of nearly one
thousand dollars has been wiped ouc. This debt was incurred for the
alteration and fitting up of our lodge room and the adjoining one occu-
pied by the Masons. We have a very comfortable and commodious
lodge room overlooking the Pasig River. Its walls are adorned with
paintings, and over the Noble Grand's chair is a very pretty electrical
device of the three links.
"In my last letter to the Grand Secretary I wrote that the estab-
lishmfnt of a Rebekah lodge in Manila was under consideration. As
suggested by Bro. Goodwin, we have proceeded cautiously in the
matter.
"The good that the lodge is doing cannot be appreciated from the
Secretary's report or from my report. Young men here are subjected
to many temptations and have few places to go for social intercourse
where the surroundings are not harmful. The influence of the lodge
over its members and visiting brothers is of incalculable benefit. In
spite of the fact that the heat for many months of the year is so intense
as to render meetings rather uncomfortable under the most favorable
circumstances, we meet each week, and at nearly every meeting we have
visitors from some part of the world."
j^J^esday,^ [ GRAND LODGE OF ILLINOIS, I.O.O.F. 263
Bro. D. C. Robertson, District Deputy Grand Sire, Dawson, Yukon
Territory, Canada, says: "We have lost nine members by withdrawal
cards, but while we are sorry to lose them, they are not lost to the
Order at large; five of them have joined Fairbanks Lodge, Alaska, and
the others have joined lodges on the outside. Dawson Lodge, No. 1,
has' only initiated two during the year, but while we have not been
very prosperous numerically, we have been very prosperous financially,
and I am glad to report that none of our brothers have been sick; in
fact, this is one of the most healthful countries in the world. We
have not in the five years of our existence here paid out a dollar to a
member of our own lodge. God has been very good to us in that way.
We have been called upon to assist quite a number of brothers of other
lodges. There are hundreds of Odd Fellows in this country, but the
majority of them are in bad standing, but we have nearly every meet-
ing from 10 to 15 visitors who are a great help to us in conferring the
work and in other ways. We are not very far behind the times in here.
The only difference is we have not a drilled staff which has the work
memorized, but we got along very well. Of course our principal oflB-
cers have the work and charges down very well. I was very glad to see
that letter of yours on the increase of membership. It was very timely
as far as this lodge is concerned. I read it to the lodge and made a
motion that the entire Lodge resolve itself into a committee to devise
ways and means to increase the membership of Dawson Lodge, No. 1,
I. 0. O. F.
"I am going to communicate with a brother Odd Fellow at White
Horse, the principal town in the southern part of the Territory, as to
the advisability of organizing a lodge there. Klondyke Encampment,
No. 1, is not booming, but it is holding its own, and we are catching
nearly all the active members of Dawson Lodge, No. 1, and a number
of the visitors. I am glad to report that both Dawson Lodge and Klon-
dyke Encampment have elected good and energetic men for the term,
the Noble Grand is the Rev. Christopher Reed, the rector of St. Paul's
Church, a very active and enthusiastic Odd Fellow. In regard to Yukon
Rebekah Lodge, No. 1, I. O. O. F., I have to report that it is just alive
and holding its own; we find it hard to make a Rebekah lodge go in
here. The population is so transient and so many of the ladies go out-
side every winter. The exodus to the lower country has been a bad
blow to all branches of the Order here. The brothers are willing to
stay with it and help it along in hopes that it will recover its vitality.
I take it for granted that the officers of The Sovereign Grand Lodge
would not like to see the charter returned and would be willing to en-
courage the Rebekah lodge in every way, providing they comply with
the law."
With the desire of arousing more interest in the work in Cuba, I
appointed Bro. W. W. Griffing, recently of Illinois, Special District
264 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. -J NIv^^^l9()7
Depiily Graud Sire, and he writes: "I find in Havana two Spanish-
speaking lodges, viz., Habana, No. 6, and Regla, No. 7, with about 40
members each; they are fairly well posted in the work, their yearly
dues are $8.00 and they pay $5.00 per week sick benefits. They seem
to be very liberal with unfortunate brothers and their families. The
only other lodge I found on the Island is at La Gloria, where they
have promised to get up a revival. We think we can organize a Rebekah
lodge there and several more subordinate lodges in the Province."
Grand Master John W. Coburn, of New York, says: "The reports
indicate a gain for the term ending December 31, 1906, of 5155, which
should bring our total membership in this Jurisdiction at that time to
108,534. The lodges are prosperous not only numerically, but in obtain-
ing into membership in the Order men of high standing in their respec-
tive communities. The Rebekah branch is also in a prosperous and
flourishing condition. In fact, I can readily say that in the prosperity
of our country and this State, Odd Fellowship seems to be keeping
pace."
Bro. W. A. Carter, Grand Master of Oregon, writes: "Members in
good standing, January 1, 1906, 12,151; members in good standing, Janu-
ary 1, 1907, 13,071; net gain for year 1906, 920. Number of new lodges,
8. No charters surrendered or lodges destroyed by fire. Harmony and
brotherly love prevail.
"My term commenced May 22, 1906, so there are four months of
1906 that belong to my predecessor. Four months of the present year,
of my term, will not be reported until the reports are in the first of the
year. Reports indicate a very large gain since the first of the year.
This Jurisdiction has for several years been practically on a stand-
still. This, I think, was largely due to the fact that little or no particu-
lar effort was made to get members; the Grand Master, as a rule,
going home and attending to such matters only as were presented for
his consideration and occasionally visiting a lodge. Being the youngest
Grand Master ever elected in Oregon, I decided to depart from the
beaten path, and accordingly inaugurated a 'get busy' campaign early in
my term, with the result of a nice increase for the year. I had printed
and sent to each lodge 12 blank cards to be filled out by the Secretary
and mailed to me on the fifth of each month, showing members ad-
mitted by initiation, number admitted by card, suspended or expelled,
and the names and addresses of any brothers about to be dropped for
non-payment of dues. To any so reported I addressed a personal letter
urging them to pay up and explaining the importance of k-eeping their
membership in this great fraternity, etc. This was a success. I set
apart in December an 'initiation week,' and requested each lodge to
initiate at least one candidate, and more if they could. This created
nv^^q^icm? \ GRAND LODGE OF ILLINOIS, I.O.O.F. 265
Nov. 19,1907
quite an interest and, resulted in injecting new life into some of the
lodges that had been dormant for some time.
"Financially the Jurisdiction is in splendid condition. Most of the
lodges own their homes and are out of debt. Being pioneers in the town
or city in which they are situated, they have acquired choice locations,
and the rapid growth of the country is rapidly making them more
valuable. Odd Fellowship in this Jurisdiction is keeping pace with the
splendid growth and development of Oregon.
"My business is such that I could only give up one-half of my time
to visiting lodges. Being a very large State, in area, and sparsely set-
tled, it requires considerable time and effort to get around to all the
lodges. For example, I made one trip to the 'Eastern Oregon Coun-
try' by team, the only means of transportation except walking, and to
visit four lodges required a drive of 512 miles over a very mountainous
country, a part of which has for centuries known no sound except the
war-whoop of the Indian and the yelp of the coyote wolf."
Bro. Chas. E. Miller, Grand Patriarch, of Ohio, says: "I can only
give you exact figures from January 1, 1906, to January 1, 1907. Gross
addition to member.ghip, 1,511, making the membership 17,218; losses:
expelled, 10; dropped, 549; withdrawn, 214; deceased, 190; total, 963,
leaving the membership December 31, 1906, 16,255, making a net gain
of 548. Since .January 1, 1907, there hag been some very active work
done in all of the encampments."
Bro. Fred B. Merrills, Grand Master of Illinois, says: "The net
gain during the year in the subordinate lodges was 4,364, or 310 less
than the net gain of the preceding year. In the Rebekah branch the net
gain was 2,596, or 930 more than the net gain of the preceding year."
John P. Paul, Grand Secretary of Arkansas, says: "Since our last
report we have instituted 93 new lodges and made a net gain of 5,600 in
membership. No club scheme or reduced fees, but a natural steady
growth, and a response to the Grand Sire's request."
Bro. R. W. Starr, Grand Patriarch, of Washington, says: "A net
gain for the year of 442 members, December 31, 1906, being a percentage
gain of 14.4 per cent; not quite the 15 per cent you requested in a
former letter. But I am pleased to be able to say that I had reports
from many scribes of the encampments in the Jurisdiction, some of
them up to June 1, and some of a prior date, showing a net gain during
that portion of the semi-annual term beginning January 1, 1907, of
450. From reports that came in afterward and from work that I know
was done in the month of June, I am confident that the net gain for
the full semi-annual term is 500 members, making a percentage gain
for the half year of 14.4 per cent; nearly double the desired 15 per cent.
"Not only has the membership been increasing, but the Patriarchal
branch is active and aggressive in almost every portion of the State.
366 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS. { nJv ^^9^ 196
Every Patriarch is a booster; the incoming Grand Patriarch, Bro. Coffin,
is a hustler; and the Grand Patriarch who will probably follow him,
Bro. Frank Killien, is one of the most progressive young men."
Bro. J. F. Pierce, Grand Master of Wyoming, writes: "It has been
my pleasure to visit all of the lodges of this Jurisdiction; I find them
prosperous. Peace and harmony prevail. The outlook for this Juris-
diction is very good. Have instituted four Rebekah lodges and one
subordinate lodge so far, with bright prospects of four more before the
first of October. Just what the increase of membership is I am unable
to state. I think that it will not be less than 200."
Bro. "Willis A. Bailey, Grand Patriarch of Maine, says: "The En-
campment branch of the Order is flourishing in Maine better than for
several years."
Bro. W. C. G. Hobbs, Grand Master of Kentucky, writes: "We are
having a most prosperous year. We have instituted, up to this time, 31
new lodges; this beats all former records for this period. The net
increase for this year will approximate 2,500.
"Since the institution of our Widows' and Orphans' Home in this
State we have been compelled to pay taxes on all of the property owned
by the Home. Our supreme court decided in 1901 that it was taxable.
I was confident that the decision was wrong, and have waited for an-
other opportunity to present the matter to the Court of Appeals. Last
March the opportunity came when the auditor's agent sued us for back
taxes. We carried the case to the supreme court, and they reversed
their own decision of 1901, and held that all of our property held and
used for the Home was not subject to taxation. This is one of the