| Show LOOF Jordan Lodge No3 on Monday had its usual quota of members in the lodge room and transacted routine business Ridgely Lodge No 9 on Wednesday had a meeting which was interesting Speeches were made by several members mem-bers that had the true ring of Odd Fellowship Enterprise Lodge No 15A large number of their own and some visiting visit-ing brethren were on hand Remarks of an appropriate and timely character were indulged in Good feeling prevailed pre-vailed among all those present and ways and means of adding to the membership roll were discussed Utah Lodge No1 having degree work attracted more than ordinarily to the session Brother Fred Rowe a captain of the degree staff did most creditable worlc in conferring the degree de-gree of truth on three candidates for No 1 and one for Jordan Lodge Salt Lake Lodge No2 on Friday met as usual and after regular business busi-ness was transacted indulged In some good speeches The officers are well informed in the ritualistic work and business is promptly disposed of Fidelity No 17 had a fairly good number present and the meeting proved of interest Miriam Rebekah Lodge No 5 had a large audience on Saturday The meeting meet-ing was of interest to all The brothers and sisters had some friendly discussion on various subjects the degree de-gree staff did good work as usual which goes without saying and at a late hour adjourned The encampments are thriving and make the patriarchs feel that the patriarchal patri-archal branch is indeed a good thing to belong to Several official visitations will be made between the present time and the coming session of the grand lodge in April Suspensions for nonpayment of dues might be largely stopped if all the secretaries of the subordinates were efficient and thoroughly courteous in their manners towards members The law which obtains in some lodges avery a-very poor law by the way it seems to us that members shall pay their duea at the table of the secretary fails to meet the necessities of tho case because be-cause many of the members fail to attend I at-tend lodge meeting even once a year Plii iiihis1 h4 i 4 v v u S LV jV1Ub to the lodge room to pay dues keeps members away and in the end leads to suspension when if the secretary had met him on the street or at his place of business the dues would have been settled and his membership retained re-tained perhaps for his own good and the good of others Hence we believe in two tmngs in the conduct of a lodge first to select a competent courteous painstaking brother for financial secretary I secre-tary unless the recording and financial departments are remanded to the same one and then to pay the brother not I I the meager sum usually doled out to the scribe of the lodge but a salary equal to the value of the service performed I per-formed If the lodge pays the secre i tary little or nothing for cervices it cannot reasonably expect him to spend his time and strength in collect ing the dues to keep the lodge in funds I and the members in good standing No the far better way is to select the right brother with all the qualifica I tions including great courtesy and special tact for collecting dues without with-out giving offense and then give him reasonable compensation for his valuable II valu-able services Knowing his business he will collect dues in the lodge room on the street in the shop or on the farm He will have his bills with him at all times and in all places and sug gest to any member wherever he may meet him that the lodge has fn unI cancelled claim against him and that he the secretary would be glad to see I him square on the books There are I many such secretaries and they are I worth their weight in gold almost literally to the lodge to which they are attached We say when a lodge is for I tunate enough to have such a secre taryby all means keep him as the most valuable officer in the lodge If you are without such a secretary find him at once and thus preserve your membership against the inroads through nonpayment of dues and i keep the funds of the lodge as far as I I possible intact unless drawn out through the unjust and oppressive legislation of the Sovereign Grand i lodge I Another way however to prevent I suspensions for nonpayment of dues is to encourage a very general practice on the part of members of taking out i of visiting cards by the payment promptly at the beginning of the new year twelve months dues in advance In many lodges this plan has grown to be a common method Towards the close of December and into the early days of January he carries in his pocket a memorandum book and never fails to ask a brother if he shall take his name for a traveling card He is generally successful in this work and on the first meeting night in the new year he will have a list according to the size of the lodge from twentyfive names to two hundred and sometimes even more This plan has a threefold advantage over the nonpay system until the middle or end of the year I viz Cash in the hands of the lOdge for ready use undiminished member ship through nonpayment of dues and security of members against loss of benefits if taken sick during the year With these advantages it is strange that the practice does not become uni versal even without law upon the sub ject 3ut we look for a law some time making it imperative in lodges to adopt the prepayment system to pre vent lapses and consequent suspension for nonpayment of dues Jos Kidder in Union |
