THE Wi 7 YY, lif Pa 2G F EDITORIAL OFFICE. VOLUME V. ROCK ISLAND, ILL.” Che Supreme Oracle Writes of the Past, Present and Future s. s Omaha, Neb., Jan. 1, 1904.—I wish to extend a pleasant New-Year greeting to the entire membership of our so- ciety. The year 1903, with all its pleasures and sorrows, has passed away. Let us forget the unpleasant things and remember the pleasures, and may the year 1904 bring happiness to all our members. Reluctantly. we take down the calendar, to which we have looked for the past twelve months—one by one the months have slipped away, and the old calendar’s leaves have been torn off, and now all belongs to the past. We recall the dis- appointments, the broken plans and lost opportunities, but we rejoice that peace and prosperity reign supreme among the members and camps of our society; and we are glad that during the year 1903 the society made a good substantial growth, the beneficial membership having been increased about 5,000, and the social membership correspondingly. | We enter upon a new year with the expectation that we will have a better “member-getting” year than we have had for some time. Let each mem- ber make a new-year resolve to attend the meetings of their camp more regu- larly and that they will do all in their power to- assist in building up the “membership of their camp. Let us all take for our motto, “100,000 beneficial members by our next Supreme Camp. Read the prize offer, and try to earn one or more of the prizes offered. Ask your friends to join your camp. Tell them of the benefits they may secure by-be- coming members. Remember that under our present law any white wom- an is eligible to membership, whether she is related to a member of the Modern Woodmen of America or ‘not. Girls of sixteen may. become social members, but cannot apply for a bene- ' fit certificate until they,-have reached the age of seventeen; and, remember that no person is eligible to beneficial membership who has reached the age of forty-five. Read carefully our 1903 by-laws. If your camp has not yet procured any of the new by-laws, have your recorder send at once to the Su- preme Recorder, Mrs.. Winnie Fielder, Peoria, Ill., for a supply.. The induce- ments offered by our society are such as should attract all those who desire absolutely reliable insurance. - Neighbors, the prosperity of our: so- ciety depends largely upon the interest you take in your local camp. There- fore, I urge upon you to doall in your power to help build up our member- ship. Wishing you all a happy and prosperous new year, I am, Royally yours, Mrs. E. D. Wart, Supreme Oracle. We ee The Work in Missouri St. Louis, Mo., Jan. 9.—Dear Editor: For several months I have been trying to write a few words for our noble order. During the month of December seven new Royal Neighbor camps were instituted in grand old Missouri. Of this number I had the honor of insti- tuting four. One at Englewood; a small village nine miles from any rail- road. If this village is small the hearts of the people are large; and although it was one of the most dis- agreeable days of the winter, everyone whose name appeared on the petition, which had been secured by Neighbor Claude Smith, clerk of the Modern Woodmen camp, was present; and, by the way, of the twenty-one charter members, seven were Smiths. I organ- ized in the afternoon, as those living six and eight miles in the country thought it would be too far to come at night; but after the camp had been organized and the ladies saw the work it was proposed that we have a night meeting. I put it to a vote and asked all who would attend to stand up, and notwithstanding a perfect blizzard was raging, everyone stood up and all were present. The full initiatory—floor- work and secret work—was_ given. The next afternoon, by request, I met Boydsville Camp, and a more pleasant lot of Neighbors would be hard to find. They greatly appreciated the in- structions given. December 15, I had the honor of organizing Radium Camp; the first camp of Royal Neighbors ever organized in St. Louis. This camp had been secured by Mrs. Virginia De Hart, an energetic worker, who is now a district deputy: for District No. 1, St. Louis.. This camp starts with many advantages, having a goodly number of transfer members of prominence, among them Neighbor W. S. Johnston, supervising deputy, of St. Louis, whose influence, like his weight, is felt wherever it falls; also his estimable wife, who holds a certificate of honor as recorder of Kirksville Camp; Dis- trict Deputy J. W. DeHast and wife; Mrs. Ollie Clayton, for years marshal of my own camp, Red Rose No. 108, and ‘others whose past location I did not learn. I bespeak a grand growth for Radium Camp. December 19 I organ- ized at Mineral Point, Alberta Camp. This camp had been secured by Miss Alberta Landers, now district. deputy for good territory south of St. Louis. December 22 I organized Louisiana Camp, so named because organized on the anniversary of the Louisiana pur- chase. This.camp is located at Maple- wood, a suburb of St. Louis, and was secured by District Deputy M. L. Tre- main and his wife, Laura, who is now a Supreme Deputy.. While this camp has only two transfer members, M. L. Tremain and wife, yet before the end of 1904 they will have reached the position their namesake today holds in St. Louis and over the entire world. January 7 I was one of those who spoke at, the Woodmen Red-Letter Day celebration in St. Louis to a large and appreciative audience. In the next ten days I expect to institute three more camps in St. Louis, leaving the Royal Neighbor work in the hands of five bright, energetic ladies whom I feel sure will do honor to their calling. Eight new deputy supreme oracles are now at work in Missouri, but the har- vest is great and I still want deputies. All who wish to try the work will please address, - Mrs. Lizzr= GRONINGER, Supervising Deputy. 2719 Delaware St., St. Joseph, Mo. mM Two burdens are laid on men—to de- sire. what they have not, and to have what they desire.—Life. FEBRUARY, 1904. Denison Delights Sioux City Sioux City, Ia.—Evening Star Camp 603 and Modern Woodmen Camp 184 held joint installation at the hall of the latter. A very interesting talk was given by John D. Denison of Clarion, a member of the Board of Auditors of the Woodmen, whom we were very proud to have with us and to enjoy the opportunity of hearing his grand story of the origin and growth of the order. He also had many kind words for their auxiliary, the Royal Neigh- bors of America. At the conclusion of the installation of the officers of both camps there was music and short talks from members of the Woodmen. Fruit was served and a general good time was enjoyed until a late hour. ELLA MARSHALL, Receiver. we Me Doing a Good Work Thistle Camp 2787, of Pleak, Ill., was organized November 13, 1901, by Mrs. Ella Miller, of Decatur, with twenty- one charter _members. Since we organized we have lost two by sus- pension, one by death and. one by card, but with members coming in oc- casionally, we now have thirty-two; eighteen beneficial and fourteen so- cial. We meet the first and third Fri- day afternoons in each month. Our camp hall is in the country, so it is more convenient to meet in the after- noon. On each Thanksgiving day and evening, we join with the Woodmen and serve oysters, and give a short entertainment, each time netting a neat little sum. We have our floor cloth and badges and are striving for robes. I think our camp has done nobly in its work, being situated as it is in the country, some of our mem- bers travel five or six miles to reach the camp hall,-for which we have to pay $20 a year. ‘We have accepted an invitation to hold joint installation with Pleak Camp, M. W. A. on January 22, and assist them in celebrating the twenty-first anniversary of Woodcraft. We are in perfect harmony, each striving to live up to the principles of our noble order, the social members taking an active. part in camp work. Retaining from year to year a mojority of the old officers, shows a good record in the past. We all en- joy THe Royat NEIGHBOR and are more than pleased with a change in the rituals. We thank Neighbor Lowater for his “annual kick,” but don’t agree with him for we have two men in our camp and would be glad to welcome every Woodman who is willing to abide by the laws of our order, and keep still while we talk. EmMaA Hitz, Oracle. Me Ee A Generous Act Rewarded Elk River, Minn., Jan. 14.—The new year has come and I think the mem- bers of our little camp here at Elk River are in better condition in many ways for the year’s work that is before them than they ever were before. True, we have had many discourage- ments and drawbacks, but I am sure this has only made us realize more fully that it is only by diligence and perseverance that we as a camp can succeed. And I would say to camps that are having a hard row to hoe to keep. up good courage. It may be for a time you can only hold your own, but ¢ PUBLICATION OFFICE, LINCOLN, NEB. NUMBER 2. in time you will win your way to vic- tory. The right must prevail in the end. I am speaking especiaily to dis- couraged camps, as one out of a camp who has tasted nearly every discour- agement that a camp could undergo and yet live. We were so far down last March that we were at the point. of surrendering our charter. But there were three or four of us who said “Let us try once more,” and we succeeded in getting enough together for a quorum and decided to send for a deputy. The call was answered by Supervising Deputy Cushing, and amid a bad blizzard and intense cold weather, working almost. day and night, she secured us four new mem- bers. I want to say right here that it is mainly through her earnest work and the kind help of Dewey Camp of Anoka, that we are on the road to suecess today. But this did not come without the asking. If your camp is down, don’t hesitate to ask for help; | and on the other hand I would say to camps that are prospering, don’t over- look any ‘camp that is near you that may be struggling along under diffi- culties. Be ever ready to extend a helping hand. We owe this as Neigh- bors. We gave a social in August for the benefit of a widow and her four children who had been left alone and destitute by the husband and father being drowned. We had planned to have an ice cream social that week but were going to postpone it out of re- spect to our friend, when one of the Royal. Neighbors suggested that we have the social and give the proceeds to Mrs. Hill and her orphans. It was decided to do so at once, and we made a few inquiries of others of the family if they thought it would be acceptable to her and they thought it was a kind thought and that she would be glad to accept anything we could do for her. So we canvassed the town and sur- rounding country personally and ad- vertised what our social was to be given for. The father was buried on Thursday and we gave our social on | the Saturday following. Beginning at four o’clock we sold seventeen gal- lons of ice cream—that being all we could procure—and took in $70.20. Everybody had been so good and do- nated in so many ways that our ex- penses were only $10 for our ice cream. So we were able to give to the be- reaved family, through the kindness and help of others, $60. Other lodges, finding out what we had done, fol- lowed our example and also donated something. Many people asked why we did this? Was Mrs. Hill a Royal Neighbor or was Mr. Hill a Woodman? We answered them, No, but she was our neighbor. The people could not praise us enough and they began to realize that our lodge did amount to something in their midst, and in doing a good act we helped ourselves as well as others. We have had a few other socials and the Woodmen invited us to have joint installation with them on January 5, which we did, and we. had a large crowd and a royal good time. We have a local deputy at work here now and we take in a new member nearly every meeting and are doing fine. We have just secured our first officers’ badges and we feel proud o* them. Royally yours, Mrs, S. WorprEN, Recorde:.