were elected, to superintend the erection of the hall and hasten the completion of the edifice. The following is a summary of the transactions of the Order in this State during the past year:

Initiations, 630; Rejections, 63; Admitted by Card, 163; Withdrawn by Card, 254; Reinstations, 14; Suspensions, 107; Expulsions, 23; Past Grands, 975; Deaths, 25; Number of contributing members, 6,415; Number of Brothers relieved, 515; Number of widowed families relieved, 15; Resources of Lodges, $114,508.12; Dues Grand Lodge, $2,972.81; Orphan fund of Lodges, $35,174.88; Paid for relief of Brothers, $5,897.17; for relief of widowed families, $148.98; for burying the dead, $1,174.14; for educating Orphans, $374.49; Donation to Transient Brothers, $240; other charitable purposes, $1,099.06; number of ladies who have taken the Degree of Rebekah, 332.

In the Encampment branch, for the past year, there were: Camps, 39; Initiations, 109; Past Chief Patriarchs, 235; Past High Priests, 185; No. Contributing Patriarchs, 1224; Revenue, $8,174.69; Total Relief, $836.75; Cash in Grand Treasury $301.68.

Improvements. The brethren at Lawrenceburgh, Ind., are erecting a splendid three-story building, which will be completed in a month or two, and it will then be one of the best structures in that section of the State. The first floor will be occupied by stores; the second will be a large concert hall, and the third the Lodge room. At South Bend, a company of Odd Fellows are also about completing a hall, said to be the finest in Northern Indiana.

RHODE ISLAND. The Grand Encampment met in semi-annual session, on the 6th of February, and transacted but little business.

The Grand Lodge convened on the 7th at the same place. The committee appointed at the last session to revise the proceedings of this Grand Lodge from its commencement, reported that they had partially attended to that duty-that the history of the Order in Rhode Island is already compiled, and that the whole report would be ready by June next. On motion, it was voted that all cards granted by United Brothers Lodge, No. 13, Valley Falls, on and after December 26th, 1853, be declared null and void, and all Lodges required to refuse admission to any person on such cards.

CONNECTICUT. The annual session of the Grand Encampment was held at New Haven, February 14th. Present, the Grand Officers, and a large representation from the Subordinates. A charter was granted for a new Encampment to be located at Waterbury, to be known and hailed as Ansantawe Encampment, No. 20. The following Grand Officers were elected and installed for the coming year:

Francis Turner, G. Patriarch; John Wallace, G. H. Priest; C. S.

Jackson, G. S. Warden; L. A. Thomas, G. Scribe; Samuel Bishop, G. Treasurer; J. Phelps, G. J. Warden; P. L. Cunningham, G. Rep.

The Grand Lodge met at New Haven on the 15th of Feb. Freeman Brown, G. Master, presiding. A large representation from the Subordinates was present. Fifty-four new members were admitted and instructed in the Grand Lodge Degree. The following brothers were elected for the ensuing term:

D. B. Booth, of Danbury, G. Master; Reynold Webb, of Madison, D. G. Master; H. N. Hawkins, of Derby, G. Warden; L. A. Thomas, of New Haven, G. Secretary; Samuel Bishop, of New Haven, G. Treas.; F. M. Brown, of Windsor Locks, G. Representative.

ALABAMA.-At the session of the Grand Lodge of this State, held in February last, the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: C. R. Hansford, G. Master; M. B. Harper, D. G. Master; William Johnson, G. Secretary; Stephen Twelves, G. Treasurer.

TEXAS.-The Grand Encampment of the "Lone Star" State was organized a short time since, and its first regular communication held at Galveston on the 9th February last. The officers elected and installed, were as follows:

Wm. H. Johnson, of Austin, G. Patriarch; Oscar Farish, of Galveston, G. H. Priest; John N. Reed, of Galveston, G. S. Warden; E. P. Hunt, of Galveston, G. Scribe; Chas. R. Hughs, of Galveston, Treasurer; Jas. W. Moore, G. Representative.

The Grand Lodge of Texas closed its sitting at Galveston on the 10th February. There are some forty Lodges in the State, and about nine hundred contributing members. The following officers were elected for the ensuing year:

S. J. Durnet, G. Master; W. G. Webb, D. G. Master; D. Wakalee, G. Warden; E. P. Hunt, G. Secretary; C. R. Hughes, G. Treas.; E. P. Hunt, G. Representative.

On the day the Grand Lodge closed its session there was a public procession in full regalia, and in the evening a festival given in honor of the Grand Representatives.

WISCONSIN.-The Order in this jurisdiction is steadily advancing. The number of Lodges is sixty-two, and the number of members 2,509. We learn from the Grand Master's Report that the Order has rapidly increased in numbers, and that new Lodges are springing up throughout the entire State. The following are the officers of the Grand Lodge:

A. J. Battin, of Beloit, G. Master; Q. H. Barron, Fox Lake, Dep. G. Master; D. R. Curran, Fond du Lac, G. Warden; J. B. Kellogg, Milwaukee, G. Sec.; S. A. Didama, Liberty, G. Treas.; C. Billinghurst and L. H. Kellogg, Grand Representatives.

EDITOR'S TABLE.

LECTURES.-Quite a number of lectures have been delivered to Lodges in the city during the winter, and we know of no entertainment better calculated to promote the interests of the Order than well gotten up lectures. The Order numbers among its members many who are fully adequate to the task of delivering instructive and interesting lectures, and we hope all the Lodges will encourage such a course, as conducive of progress and prosperity.

BIBLE PRESENTATION.-We had the pleasure of being present at the celebration of the third anniversary of Palmetto Lodge, in Christie Chapel, of this city, on Tuesday evening, the 14th of March. The spacious church was crowded in every part to listen to the interesting exercises connected with the presentation of a most beautiful copy of the Holy Scriptures to the Lodge by the Ladies. The choir discoursed most excellent music, after which the Rev. Bro. Conrey offered a fervent and highly appropriate prayer in behalf of the Order.

presen

But the most interesting part of the exercises consisted in the tation of the Bible by Miss Fannie O. Brown. Her address on the occasion was so beautiful and appropriate that we cannot refrain from giving it to our readers entire :

GENTLEMEN OF PALMETTO LODGE.-Having been appointed by a number of ladies, mutual friends of your Order and myself, to present to you this holy book, as a slight expression of their esteem for the noble work in which you are engaged, I cannot under the circumstances do less than congratulate you that the testimonial they have selected is one of the greatest of God's best gifts to man; and I should certainly feel myself but poorly qualified for the task, were it not that the gift itself is of such intrinsic value as to secure its own recommendation. It is indeed an expression of the Divine will, without which man would grope his way but poorly through the darkness of our moral nature. In this sacred volume you may find an exhibition of the various virtues which your Order inculcates. Friendship, Love and Truth have many bright illustrations in the lives and character of those whose histories are here recorded.

In the character of Moses, we have an exhibition of friendship worthy of your imitation. In him we see a glorious leader whose every action was a continued test of his affection. He sacrificed the luxuries of the court of Pharaoh to share the afflictions of his wretched and despised countrymen. The possession of friendship such as his would be a virtue far more desirable than mere worldly honor-far more substantial than glittering heaps of gold.

Here, likewise, may be found examples of love; such, for instance, as the love of Jonathan and David, with whose history I have no doubt you are already familiar. Also, that of Ruth, who, in reply to her mother-in-law's entreaty to leave her, said, Entreat me not to leave thee or to return from following thee, for whither

thou goest I will go, and where thou lodgest I will lodge; thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.

Truth also illuminates its sacred pages, and sends forth the conviction of its Divine origin. Bright examples, worthy of your imitation, are to be found on every leaf. The practice of friendship, love and truth will be more honorable to you than the Golden Fleece or Royal Ermine; and in truth, gentlemen, they are three of the brightest stars that grace the constellation of virtues; for let even men of austerity and gloom, who picture the face of infinite benevolence with an eternal frown, read the everlasting Book of Life, and they will find that the lessons it imparts are not in dark and sombre hues, but rather in bright and glowing tints.

Receive, then, this precious book; draw largely on the treasures contained therein; let your motto be onward and upward, till all mankind shall fraternize and be as one family. Then shall we all realize the fruition of our desires. Man shall live in harmony with his fellow man; nations shall not rise up against nations; benevolence and peace, charity and brotherly love, shall prevail, and all shall acknowledge the excellence of Friendship, Love and Truth.

The address was responded to by Mr. T. W. Farrin, N. G. of Palmetto Lodge, in a most excellent and highly pertinent manner; after which, the editor was called upon to address the audience. The choir again sang a soul-stirring anthem, and the congregation was dismissed with a benediction by the Rev. Mr. Crow, of Morris Chapel.

COST OF SUPPLIES.-At the last meeting of the Grand Lodge of the United States, a resolution was adopted, reducing the price of Books, Odes, etc, nearly 50 per cent. in the aggregate, to take effect from and after the first of July next. At least we suppose it was passed, although the journal does not show it, yet the Representatives from Ohio report that it was adopted. This is generally regarded as a step of progress, and the only wonder is that it was not taken sooner; but even now, the benefits of the measure cannot be enjoyed till after the expiration of the present fiscal year. The reason assigned for this postponement, by the Finance Committee, is that they had already submitted an estimate of the receipts of the present year, based upon the old rates, and in consequence of some extra expenses, the "prices now charged will not produce much excess of revenue." The Grand Lodge has now a large surplus of funds on hand, which is unnecessary, as it can rely solely upon annual revenue to meet its expenditures. Its assets, as reported by the same Committee, are as follows:

Besides, any one will see at a glance, that enormous profits on the sale of supplies, is an unjust and unequal mode of taxation-falling heavily

on new and weak Subordinate bodies, whose representation and means are small.

The following table, presented by Grand Secretary Ridgely, embracing the supplies sold from September 1, 1852, to September 1, 1853, exhibits the enormous profits now received.

We annex the rates which will be charged after the first of July next.

For Charge and Degree Books,

For Books of the Degree of Rebekah.

For Odes,...

For Cards,

.$1.00 each.

.50 each. 2.00 per hundred. 5.00 per hundred.

NEW HALL IN COVINGTON. -Our brethren of Covington, Ky., are taking the initiatory steps towards the erection of a splendid Odd Fellows' Hall, on the north-east corner of Madison and Fifth streets, in that city. The plan spoken of is to erect a building eighty by ninety feet, of four stories, with stone front. The first floor is to be finished for business purposes, the second for offices, the third for a concert hall, and the fourth for a Lodge room.

MONTGOMERY LODGE, DAYTON.-Having been invited by the enterprising members of this Lodge to deliver a lecture on Monday evening, the 20th ult., we accordingly took the cars, and in a few hours were in the "White City," the city of wide streets and spacious parks, of beautiful dwellings and hospitable inhabitants dear to our memory. At eight o'clock, accompanied by our friend and brother, Edwin Parrott, Esq. we