The Siebenbuerger [Transylvania] Saxons were in high spirits yesterday evening as they celebrated the silver jubilee of their [local] sick-benefit society and at the same time welcomed the twenty-eighth annual convention of the [national] sick-benefit association. A rich and varied festival program had been arranged for the celebration, in which musical offerings alternated with brief speeches. The Averiett Orchestra, the Transylvania Saxons' male choir, the women's choir of the Stefan Ludwig Roth congregation, and the choir of the Waveland Pleasure Club delighted everyone with their musical offerings which were presented between the various speeches.

Reverend E. Schmidt of the Stefan Roth congregation recalled the days of the fathers in his speech of welcome. He praised the vigorous race of Transylvania Saxons and exhorted the present generation to new achievement. He called on 2those present to hold fast to the ways of the fathers, to retain German customs and traditions, and to continue in the pious ways of their ancestors.

Mr. J. N. Karkel, the very busy festival president, welcomed the convention guests; he then spoke of the high aim of the [local] society, which has as its purpose to retain in the children what the fathers had "planted," and to bring up a generation which will remain loyal to the new fatherland and will not forget the old homeland. He then was the pleasure to present to the gathering the three surviving founders of the [local] society, Messrs. Georg Daniel, Georg and Johann Benning, to whom he awarded certificates of honor.

The last speaker was John Balthes, grand president of the national association. He praised the local Branch No. 10 as one of the strongest and oldest (one of the delegates humorously called it the loudest) affiliates of the central organization, its affiliation dating from the year 1905. He offered the congratulations of the national association, and tendered a testimonial [to the local society]. He then expressed his joy at the success of the local society 3in building its own home--the splendid hall in which the convention and the festival were held. He hoped that the local society would grow stronger and stronger and would make such rapid progress that the comfortable "nest" it had built for itself would soon have to be enlarged.

Following this speech, a large number of representatives of other branches tendered their greetings and presented "silver bricks" to Branch No. 10.

The convention of the [national] association opened with a convention service in the Swedish Lutheran Concordia Church, in which Pastor F. A. Fritsch of Youngstown, Ohio preached and Reverend E. Schmidt conducted the liturgical portion. During the convention sessions of the day, most of the national officers were re-elected, John Balthes again being chosen as grand president. The national association has five thousand members; ninety-one delegates from the forty-four branch societies attended the convention. Headquarters are at Cleveland, Ohio, where the organ of the Saxons, the Siebenbuergisch Amerikanische Volksblatt, is published. The local Branch No.10 has two hundred members, and is under the 4guiding hand of Andreas Schuller, its president.

The closing sessions of the convention will be held today.