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The Pamphlet Collection of Sir Robert Stout: Volume 8

Grand Annual Movable Committee, Manchester Unity, I. O. O. F., England

page 85

Grand Annual Movable Committee, Manchester Unity, I. O. O. F., England.

The subject of "a reciprocation of courtesies between the two Orders" (the M. U. and the G. L. of U. S.), has been noticed elsewhere in this report, and I now present the full text of the official correspondence with the M. U. authorities, as follows:

Office Grand Corresponding and Recording Secretary, R. W. G. L. of U. S., Baltimore,

James Spry

, Esq., Prov. C. Secretary, Manchester Unity, I. O. O. F., Balmoral House, Plymouth, England:

Dear Sir and Brother,—I have the pleasure to have received from you a copy of Quarterly Report of Board of Directors, October 1, 1877, for which please accept my fraternal thanks.

"While writing, allow me to say that I send you copy of the last Annual Report of the Grand Officers of the R. W. G. L. of U. S. and the Proceedings of that Grand Body, from which you will perceive that the Grand Sire and Grand C. and R. Secretary are charged with the duty of negotiating with the G. M. and Board of Directors of the Manchester Unity upon the important subject suggested by the latter body to it in relation to some satisfactory mode of interchanging visitations between Subordinate Lodges under the two jurisdictions.

Yours fraternally,

Jas. L. Ridgely, C. S.

Office Grand Corresponding and Recording Secretary, R. W. G. L. of U. S., Baltimore,

John Schofield

, Esq., Corresponding Secretary p. t. of G. Master and Board of Directors Manchester Unity, I. O. O. F, England:

Dear Sir and Brother,—We have the honor to transmit to you a copy of the Revised Journal of the R. W. Grand Lodge of the United States for the G. M. and Board of Directors, Manchester Unity, I. O. O. F. You will perceive upon examining the various subjects discussed and decided by that honorable body, that the matter submitted from your Board in reference to a system of social and Lodge visitations between your Order and the American Order, has been favorably received and referred to the Grand Sire and Grand Cor. and Rec. Secretary to agree with your Board upon a suitable plan, to be reported to the next session of the G. L. of U. S. The undersigned, therefore, very respectfully submit to your Board, that they cordially co-operate in the suggestion which has been made for a reciprocal and mutual Lodge visitation and interchange of fraternal salutations, and will do all on their part to facilitate and harmonize in such purpose, provided a satisfactory and feasible plan can be suggested. They, therefore, very respectfully submit, that they are ready to receive any views on that subject which you may have to propose, and to give them their earnest and friendly consideration. Believing that there should exist between these two great organizations in the interest of humanity, the most cordial relations, and that in fact they ought never to have been separated, they will readily unite with the mother Order in any feasible means of accomplishing the object proposed.

Yours fraternally,

J. W. Stokes

, Grand Sire.

Jas. L. Ridgely, Cor. and Rec. Secretary.

page 86
Independent Order of Odd Fellows, Manchester Unity Friendly Society, Bradford, Yorkshire, England,

James L. Ridgely,

Esq., R. W. Grand Cor. and Rec. Secretary:

Dear Sir and Brother,—I beg to acknowledge the receipt of Revised Journal of the R, W. Grand Lodge of the United States for the G. M. and Directors of the Manchester Unity, I. O. O. F., for which, on their behalf, I beg to thank you.

I have noticed in the reports the subject referred to in your letter, and the decision come to by your honorable body in reference to some system of social and Lodge or members visitations between the two Orders, and am of opinion if something could be done whereby members of your honorable Order coming to England could visit the Lodges here, and our members going over to your country were allowed to visit the Lodges in America, I feel certain it would create a feeling of fraternal and brotherly love.

I will lay your communication and the Proceedings before the G. M. and Directors at their next meeting, for them to report what you have done in the matter to the next A. M. C., which will be held at Exeter in Whitsun week.

With my best wishes for the continued success of your great Order, believe me,

Yours sincerely and fraternally,

John Schofield

, Car. Sec. M. U.
Office Grand Corresponding and Recording Secretary, R. W. G. L. of U. S., Baltimore,

John Schofield,

Esq., Cor. Secretary, Manchester Unity, I. O. O. F.:

Dear Sir and Brother,—Yours of the 20th of December, 1877, has been received. I concur with you in the opinion which you express, that if a satisfactory plan could be devised for mutual visitations by the members of the Lodges under your jurisdiction and ours, it would promote the cause of Odd Fellowship at large. No argument, it appears to me, is necessary to establish this fact. Our combined force now exceeds a million; our position in society constitutes a moral power, which is felt in the community as one of the great forces of the masses. The talent and influence which it exerts, superadded, strengthen our arms immeasurably. In the cause of humanity, improved civilization, and general benevolence which follow, who shall say what such an alliance would accomplish! If you feel such an interest in the subject as its importance challenges, send a Commissioner to us charged with power to enter into and conclude a treaty on the subject with us. He will be cordially and fraternally received.

Yours truly,

Jas. L. Ridgely,

Cor. Secretary.
Odd Fellows' Offices, 97 Grosvenor Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, England,

James L. Ridgely

, Esq., R. W. Grand Cor. and Rec. Secretary:

Dear Sir and Brother,—I have submitted the correspondence received from you upon the question of a mutual arrangement of visitations between the members of the respective Orders in the two Hemispheres, to the Grand Master and Board of Directors of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows, England. They desire to express their best wishes to the Grand Sire, your-self, and the members of your Order, and to inform you that the correspondence will be brought before the next A. M. C. of our Order. Believe me,

Yours faithfully,

John Schofield

, Cor. Secretary, Bradford, Yorkshire.
page 87
Office Grand Corresponding and Recording Secretary, R. W. G. L. of U. S., Baltimore,

John Schofield

, Esq., Corresponding Secretary, Manchester Unity, I. O. O. F., 97 Grosvenor Street, Chorlton-on-Medlock, Manchester, England:

Dear Sir and Brother,—Yours of February 18th has been received. You state that you have submitted the correspondence received from me upon the question of a mutual arrangement of visitations between the members of the respective Orders in the two Hemispheres to the G. M. and Board of Directors of the Manchester Unity of Odd Fellows, England. Allow me to express my satisfaction that you have given this subject an evident earnest of business attention and promptitude. I am happy to receive the kind wishes of the G. M. and Board of Directors for the G. Sire, myself, and the Order at large, and desire cordially to reciprocate them.

Yours very truly,

Jas. L. Ridgely

, Cor. Secretary.

The meeting of the Annual Movable Committee was, it is presumed, held as usual on Whit-Monday, June 10, 1878. After waiting some weeks for information on the subject, which the Cor. Secretary advised in his letter of February 18th would be presented to the attention of that body, the following was transmitted:

Office Grand Corresponding and Recording Secretary, R W. G. L. of U. S., Baltimore,

John Schofield

, Esq., Corresponding Secretary, Bradford, Yorkshire, England:

My Dear Sir and Brother,—In your favor of February 18th last, you inform me that the correspondence relating to mutual visitations will be brought before the next A. M. C. of your Order.

Allow me at this time to express my earnest hope that your Annual Movable Committee has considered this subject with all the intelligent calmness and liberality which its magnitude and importance invites. The influence which every step taken in this direction may exert on the two great Orders of Odd Fellows in the two Hemispheres, in view of the vital interests involved, is highly important.

Let me hear of the action had by your A. M. C. on the subject, in order that I may report officially to the G. L. of U. S., which assembles at Austin, State of Texas, September 16. 1878,

Yours, fraternally,

Jas. L. Ridgely

, Cor. Secretary

Nothing further on this subject has been received from the authorities of the Manchester Unity, but a letter from Bro. E. Isaac Baeza, dated Barbados, July 27th, has the following: "I notice by the English newspapers, that the Annual Movable Committee of the Manchester Unity gave the Board of Directors further powers in relation to the intercommunion of the two Orders"

We have received from Bro. James Spry, Prov. Cor. Secretary, Plymouth District, the quarterly reports of the Board of Directors, October 1, 1877, and April 1, 1878. From the latter we learn, that January 1, 1878, the M. Unity had 526,802 members, an increase of 8,432 for the year 1877. Travelers were relieved at 6,128 places, at an expenditure of $1,305.00, an average payment of $5.00 per member.