Refreshment 


CONTEXTS 

Objections to Masonry Answered 

Physical Defects 

Lodge and Saloon Partnership. . 

Judaism and Freemasonry 

Colored Masonry 

The Fresh Rooster” in Masonry 

Found Wanting 

Rotation in Office 

Masonry and Druidism . . 

Capitular and Cryptic Masonry 
” Free Blow” Masons .... 

Masonic Charity and Masonic 

Masonic Grumblers 

Clean Them Ont . . 

Inquiry of the Nearest Lodge 
Right of Masonic Burial .. . 

“Hi! There!” 

Recitation 

Lawful or Mature Age .... 

Church vs. Lodge 

Kisses on Interest . ..... 

Editorials, Etc. 

Grand Council of California . 

Grand Chapter of California . 

Grand Commanderv of California 
40th Anniversary of the Grand Lodge of California 

Fail Play 

Publishers’ Complaints . . 

Editorial Chips 

Deaths . 

Returns to the Grand Chapter of California . . . 
Returns to the Grand Council of California . 
Returns to the Grand Commanderv of California. 
Officers for 1S90 


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COOWSF 


SAN FRANCISCO: 

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Vol. IV. 


APRIL, 1890. 


No. 4. 





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GREETING: 


We would call your attention to the fad that we are now publishing our fourth 
Volume, and, furthermore, we have come to stay. The experimental stage having 
long since passed we now greet you as an established Monthly Masonic Magazine 
enjoying a large and constantly increasing circulation, and, according to the main- 
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on good book paper, with colored cover, consecutively paged, suitable for binding. 
Its contents will principally be of interest to Masons and their families, containing 
the productions of the ablest writers of the Order: Gen. Albert Pike, Theo. S. Par- 
vin, Josiah H. Drummond, J. Q. A. Fellows, Rev. John D. Vincil, D. D. , E. T. 
Carson, Frederick Speed, MacLeod Moore, H. L. Stillson, Rev. H. A. Guild, 
Richard Vaugh, Cornelius Hedges, Thos. H. Caswell. James W. Anderson and 
many others. It will also contain short stories and sketches with a bearing upon 
the principles of our institution, with poetry, humorous items and general Masonic 
news. It shall be our pleasure to enlarge and improve our Magazine as the appre- 
ciation shown to it by the Fraternity warrants. 

Terms: $1.50 per annum. If paid in advance , Si. 00 per annum. 

Advertising rates are reasonable and will be furnished upon application to the 
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o o o 

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THE TRESTLE BOARD ASSOCIATION, 

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Please slop sending THE TRESTLE BOARD to my address. 

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98 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


tries He wrought openly; but, that He 
did command secrecy upon His follow- 
ers, and granted to some of them visions 
they were not to reveal until after His 
resurrection, no man familiar with His 
life will deny. 

If one has a right to be suspicious of 
everything failing to disclose itself in all 
its operations, why then one must be 
suspicious of Nature. For she works, 
and works only in secret. You see the 
effects, but not the operations. Who 
has seen the grass grow, or observed the 
mechanism of the tree as it reaches out 
through root and rootlets, lifting from 
the ground to its loftiest bough the 
nourishment Mother Earth has to give? 
When you lift grass or tree from the 
ground to observe their operations, you 
stop their work and accomplish their 
death. And who has entered into the 
secret of gravitation, by which our world 
and the vast systems of the heavenly 
bodies are held in place and at work ? 

And then (I say it reverently, perhaps 
more so since taught in the Lodge to 
reverence His name) — then one must be 
suspicious of God. For, as we some- 
times sing — 

“ God moves in a mysterious way, 

His wonders to perform.” 

The Psalmist says: “Thy way is in 
the sea, and thy path in the great waters, 
and Thy footsteps are not known.” 

The great problems of our existence 
are sealed up in His treasuries, and when 
men question concerning them, for an- 
swer they receive: “He has revealed all 
that is necessary.” “It is not for you 
to know the times and seasons which the 
Father has put in His own power. The 
secret of the Lord is with them (and 
they only) who fear Him.” And who 
shall question the truth when the inspired 
penman tells us, “It is the glory of God 
to conceal a thing.” 

The Holy Spirit’s work in regenera- 
tion is a secret work. “The wind blow- 
eth where it listeth ; thou hearest the 
sound thereof, but canst not tell whence 
it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is 
every one who is born of the Spirit.” 
Therefore, if you do away with all secret 
operations you do away with Nature — 


with all spiritual experience — with God. 
And he who urges this objection must 
forget that the secrets of the family circle 
bind it together the more strongly,, and 
only serve to endear the members to 
each other. Such are the secrets of 
Masonry. They bind us together in 
a common brotherhood and insure us 
against imposition from the uninitiated. 

Objection 2. His second objection is 
against “the oaths with which its mem- 
bers pledge themselves to fidelity to the 
Fraternity.” This objection is based 
upon Matt. 5:33-37. There is evidently 
a mistaken idea of the meaning of these 
verses, in the mind of the objector. 
They refer to false swearing or to the 
taking of oaths carelessly. Let me read 
you the exposition of this passage by 
Dr. John A. Broadus, in his Commen- 
tary on Matthew’s Gospel, one of the 
very best works extant: 

“The command not to swear falsely 
was a great restriction upon the familiar 
use of oaths; Jesus does not abrogate 
that command but goes farther in the 
same direction. Yet, as the prohibition 
of anger and of killing is not to be taken 
without any exception, it being lawful to 
kill and to be angry, upon sufficient 
occasion (see on v. 22), so we might 
conclude by parity of reasoning must be 
the case here. And accordingly we find 
our Lord Himself consenting to speak 
when formally put upon oath before the 
Supreme Court (see on 26:63); and the 
Apostle Paul repeatedly using, where 
there was special occasion, such expres- 
sions as: ‘God is my witness,’ ‘I call God 
for a witness upon my soul,’ ‘Before 
God I lie not,’ (Rom. 1:9; Cor. 1:23; 
Rev. ver. Gal. 1:20), which are strong 
oaths; and the angel in Rev. 10:6, swear- 
ing a very solemn oath. So in the O. 
T. , men being accustomed to swear ‘As 
Jehovah liveth,’ God himself is said to 
swear, ‘As I live’ (Ezek. 33: 11); and the 
Epistle to the Hebrews appeals to God’s 
oath ‘by myself,’ (Gen. 22:16), as given 
to strengthen our confidence in the faith- 
fulness of his promise (Heb. 6: 13). An 
oath, therefore, is not inherently and 
necessarily wrong, and there are occa- 
sions which justify its use, as in judicial 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


99 


proceedings (our Lord’s example), and 
where some very solemn asseveration in 
speech or writing is required by the cir- 
cumstances. (Paul’s example). But as 
anger, even when legitimate, is in danger 
of becoming sinful, so with oaths, which 
are often administered in courts of justice 
with such irreverence as to be highly 
sinful, and which in individual assertions 
or promises ought to be confined to very 
rare and solemn occasions, and to be 
used, as the Apostle does, in the most 
reverential spirit.” 

All organizations impose certain obli- 
gations upon their members. Churches, 
by covenant and creed, bind their num- 
ber to certain things, and upon violation 
of these obligations the members become 
subject to discipline. To attempt to 
justify this practice and not the other by 
savins: that the oath in the one case is 
not so great as in the other, would be 
like trying to justify a liar or a thief 
because he only told little lies or stole 
small articles. 

I once had to deal with a man in my 
congregation on this very point. He 
knew as much about the obligations of 
Masonrv as he does about the inhabitants 

J 

of Neptune (if there be any), but he 
thought himself well informed. And 
havn’t vou noticed that the more igno- 
rant a man is of the Order, the more he 
thinks he knows of it? He told me 
I ought not to forswear myself — that I 
had done wrong in taking such oaths as 
I had, etc. I asked him if he was not a 
Granger. “Oh, yes!” “Did not you 
obligate yourself to secrecy when you 
joined?” “Ya-as,” he reluctantly re- 
plied. “ Were not some of the secrets, 
in fact the more important of them, made 
known after taking your oath ?’ ’ 4 ‘Yes. ’ ’ 
“Then did not you forswear yourself?” 
“Oh, well — you know the Grange isn’t 
Masonry, and — and your oaths are worse 
— and older. The Grange is a modern 
institution, and isn't so bad, you know.” 

It reminds me of one of Gough’s sto- 
ries. A teacher inquired of a big, lub- 
berly boy of fourteen: “Who made 
you?” “I don’t know.” “Don’t know? 
You ought to be ashamed of yourself ; 
why, there’s little Dickey Tilton; he can 


tell, I dare say, and he is but three years 
old. Come here, Dickey; who made 
you?” “Dod,” lisped the child. “There,” 
said the teacher, triumphantly, “I knew 
he would remember.” “Well, he ought- 
er,” said the big boy, “’tain’t but a 
little while since he was made.” 

And so, if the Grange does compel a 
man to forswear himself it isn’t so bad 
as Masonry, because it “’tain’t but a 
little while since it was made.” 

But how about the marriage institu- 
tion ? That was instituted before Ma- 
sonrv, hence it must be wrong for a man 
to pledge himself to fidelity to the woman 
he takes as his wife. Would he say that ? 
No. Yet there is as much sense in the 
one as in the other. 

Objection 3. But his greatest objec- 
tion to Freemasonry is what he terms 
“Its anti-Christian character.” This ob- 
jection is subdivided into three parts. 
He says, first: “ Freemasonry was not 
created, is not prescribed, nor recognized 
in any way by Jesus Christ or the Apos- 
tles.” Here he seems to think he is 
upon strong ground and has us hip and 
thigh. In his imagination he sees a 
weak spot — a big one; he draws back, 
strikes with all his might, and hits — air. 
The truth is, Masonry does not, never 
has, nor never will claim to be a Chris- 
tian institution. Did not the Grand 
Master, in his address, speak of it as a 
“human institution?” But though it 
mav be that, it does not necessarilv follow 
that it is a bad institution. If we were 
to reason in that way, every organiza- 
tion in the world, except the Christian 
Church, might be proven bad. If we 
are to approve only of such institution^ 
as are created and prescribed by Jesus 
Christ, then we must condemn Sunday- 
schools, temperance societies, all educa- 
tional and philanthropic organizations, 
and go back into the rude, unorganized 
eras of early history. As for those near- 
est the Christ, his forerunner. John the 
Baptist, was undoubtedly a Mason, and 
there are reasons for believing that John 
the Evangelist was also. There is no 
basis, then, for this objection. It objects 
to something which we do not affirm, 
and affirms what cannot be proven. 


IOO 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


The next division of his third objection 
is: “The Order is not distinctively Chris- 
tian in its teachings.” No. Neither 
are our public schools, academies, col- 
leges and seminaries. But because the 
educational institutions of our country 
are not distinctively Christian, shall we 
therefore oppose them ? Does it follow 
that they are not useful and desirable ? 
Our objector evidently saw his error on 
this point, for he adds: “The inculcation 
of moral and charitable principles there 
may be,” though he qualifies his admis- 
sion by saying: “But it is for selfish and 
worldly reasons.” In regard to this last 
clause, I want to say that he takes too 
much upon him when he questions one’s 
motives in teaching “moral and charit- 
able principles. ” Is a man apt to make 
sacrifices for the sake of teaching such 
principles unless he delights in them ? 
And if he delights in them, it must be 
because he has a ‘ ‘moral and charitable’ ’ 
inclination of mind. He admits that the 
Order may be moral and charitable in 
its teachings, and so far admits all that 
we claim in regard to our perceptive 
character. The Monitor tells us, and all 
who will may read: “Masonry is a sys- 
tem of morality veiled in allegory. ’ ’ 

But what is there about moral and 
charitable principles that are objection- 
able ? I have always supposed that 
morality and charity were commendable. 
If a man is better and more to be thought 
of because he is immoral and uncharit- 
able, why then it would be well to let 
Masonry die. But none of us believe 
that a vicious man is more to be respected 
than a virtuous man. The inculcation, 
in whatever name and form, of moral 
and charitable teaching makes men bet- 
ter in every way. And that is one of 
the objects of Freemasonry. Thus the 
objection is without force, for he admits 
all that we claim in regard to our teach- 
ing, and beyond that his objection does 
not reach. 

In his third division, he finally says: 
“Masonry is anti-Christian in its tenden- 
cies. It leads men to trust in themselves 
rather than in Christ. They seem some- 
how to depend on their own merits, 
instead of on the merits of Christ.” 


Now, if this be true, no other objection 
is necessary; for, as he well says in the 
language of Scripture: “There is none 
other name under heaven, given among 
men, whereby we must be saved.” 

Now I cannot — and I trust my life 
among you has been such as to merit 
your confidence — I cannot see why Ma- 
sonry should, nor where it does, lead 
men away from Christ. The Holy Bible 
is “given as a rule and guide for our 
faith and practice through life,” and 
surely all its teachings center in the 
Nazarene. It may have had that effect 
upon some; but I am persuaded that, if 
any man fails to receive Christ who is a 
Mason, he would not have accepted him 
had he not been a Mason. Do no men 
reject Christ except Freemasons? In 
order to make valid this objection, it 
must be shown that all except Masons 
are Christians, and also that the mem- 
bers of the Order who fail to believe in 
Christ would have accepted him had 
they not joined the Fraternity. Our 
objector should remember that the men 
are numerous who, being neither Mason 
nor Christian, yet trust to their own 
merits, and claim that they are just as 
good as others. 

But, suppose that in a few instances 
the teachings of the Order have been 
perverted from their original purpose, is 
that sufficient reason for abolishing the 
whole system ? Because, in a few in- 
stances, the hand has been used to take 
the life of a fellow-creature, shall we 
therefore deprive all men of their hands ? 
Because some foolish or insane person 
has jumped from a bridge into a stream 
to drown, shall we therefore tear down 
all bridges, and dry up all streams ? 
Because some people have become in- 
sane on religious matters, shall we abolish 
all religions ? To my mind, the admis- 
sions of the former objection destroys the 
force of this, for everything that improves 
men in character brings them nearer to 
Christ. What did the Saviour say to 
the moral man who came to him ? Was 
it not: “Thou art not far from the king- 
dom of God ?’ ’ And what did Jesus say 
to the disciples when they came to him 
saying, “Master, we saw one casting out 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


IOI 


devils in Thy name, and we forbade him, 
because he followeth not with us ?’ ’ Did 
not the Master reply: “Forbid him not, 
for he that is not against me is on my 
part?' ’ Masonry is not opposed to Christ, 
either in its teachings or its influence. So 
far as I am concerned, I could wish that 
every true Christian man was a Mason 
and every true Mason a Christian, for I am 
sure that both would be greatly benefited. 

In conclusion let me say, if you do 
not wish to become a Mason, let them 
alone. Do not bring forward objections 
against them that are without founda- 
tion. And, again, do not pick out its 
most inconsistent member and hold him 
up as an example of what Masonry does. 
He is bad, if bad he is, in spite of the 
excellent instruction and helpful influen- 
ces Masonrv has afforded him, and he 
would doubtless have been far worse 
without them. I believe Masonry has a 
right, by reason of its objects and its 
fruits, to live. It does not and will not 
attempt to supersede the Church of Christ. 
Its deep humanity, broad charities and 
tender sympathies, find their deepest sat- 
isfaction when man’s burdens are lifted, 
his woes lessened, his life brightened. I 
believe in the Church of Christ with all 
my heart, and say, flow on, thou blessed 
stream, till everv land is reached and 

j 

every nation drinks of thy life-giving 
waters. I love the Christ who died for 
me. Calvary’s victim holds my warmest 
love. Upon His altar I lay the powers 
which He has given me. My days are 
His. Were I a thousand times that I am, 
all should be laid at the Crucified' s feet. 
But notwithstanding this, I have an in- 
terest in Masonry. I not only believe in its 
principles, but also that a man is better, 
broader, nobler for being connected with 
it. And I believe, as the Grand Master 
said in his address, ‘ ‘The golden age of 
Masonry is not behind us; it lies before.” 

“ Speed on, then, faithful brothers ! Speed ! 

And blessings with you go : 

Still aid the widow in her need, 

The orphan in her woe. 

“ Still by the heart-sick stranger's side, 

With words of kindness stay, 

And bid the deep and troubled tide 
Of sorrow pass away. 

“ Ye generous band ! Long may you stand, 

The graybeard and the youth : 

Shoulder to shoulder, hand to hand. 

In Ho^or, Virtue, Truth.” • 


Physical Defects. 


The Grand Master of Arizona having 
rendered and reported two rulings to the 
effect that slight physical defects, such 
as the loss of an eye, or of a little finger, 
does not disqualify a person for the de- 
grees, the Committee on Jurisprudence 
took the matter in hand and overruled 
his decisions, claiming the old doctrine 
as correct of “physical perfection.” I 
give herewith the finding of said com- 
mittee : 

“Your Committee on Jurisprudence 
beg leave to report that it has carefully 
considered the decisions rendered by the 
M. W. Grand Master. While vour com- 

J 

mittee find many decisions, both pro and 
con , it appears to us the weight of au- 
thority is adverse to decisions numbered 
one and two. The question of physical 
disabilities has been discussed by nearly 
every Grand Lodge, and, while many of 
them are opening the door to admit such 
as can literally comply with the require- 
ments of the Ritual, it seems to this 
committee that it would be wiser at 
present to require all candidates to be 
physically sound, not dismembered, and 
to be able to conform literally to the re- 
quirements of the degrees of Masonry. ” 

The animus of the above deliverance 
is manifest. It is the same old purpose 
to adhere to the regulations as to the 
physical man, ignoring the fact that Ma- 
sonry now is “ speculative ” or moral, 
and not operative, as when the old regu- 
lations were in full force. At this late 
day it seems a work of superfluity to 
argue against the claim of ‘ ‘ P h ysical per- 
fectness,” as the ground has been tra- 
versed thoroughly in past years. The 
effort to convince brethren that it “is the 
internal and not the external qualifi- 
cations of a man which recommend him 
to Masons” is love’s labor lost. The 
above rule, rigidlv enforced, would have 
excluded some of the brightest and best 
men of the age, while it is sufficiently 
latitudinarian to admit men who “swear, 
and lie, and steal, and swindle, and get 
as drunk as beggars.” The man of 
good moral character must stand aside 
if he happens to be defective in vision, 


102 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


or short one finger, or the part of one, 
remote from where such finger is needed 
to comply with the rigid exactions of the 
above rule; but, while he is pushed aside 
for such slight defects, the doorway of 
Masonry may be crowded with lepers 
whose highest qualification or fitness for 
admission is their physical capacity for 
fleshly indulgence and muscular wicked- 
ness. One eye of a man may be some- 
what defective, or the vision of that eye 
may be entirely destroyed, yet his purity 
of life and character fits him for associa- 
tion with the “Sons of Light,” while 
another man with two eyes, who employs 
them to wink at virtue, or gaze with 
lustful desire at untainted loveliness, may 
be admitted to Masonic places because 
he can see. This writer was so unfortu- 
nate in boyhood as to lose a part of the 
index finger on the right hand. Accord- 
ing to the above rule, I was disqualified 
and should not have received the degrees 
of Masonry. After my admission among 
the “Sons of Light,” I began to read up 
on different subjects and found the old 
perfection rule. That, with another dis- 
qualification (lack of sufficient residence), 
and I made haste to those who should 
have known the law, and asked if I would 
not be ruled out under such regulations. 

I was informed that compliance with the 
requirements of the Order, without refer- 
ence to being physically perfect, was all 
I needed. I have been very glad, for 
thirty-five years, that I did not fall into 
the hands of the “Physical Perfection- 
ists,” else I had never seen the light by 
which Masons work. With my bunty 
finger I think myself as good a Mason 
as those who have all their members in- 
tact. I have been vigorously at work 
along all available lines of Masonic pur- 
suit for more than thirty years, and have 
never yet heard of any one who com- 
mended or condemned my endeavors on 
account of my physical condition, either 
as to my physical defects or my perfec- 
tion as to manhood’s powers. To me, 
this is “much ado about nothing.” To 
strain at a knat and swallow something 
infinitely larger, is the practical end of 
all such caviling over “physical perfect- 
ness.” The true answer is given to the 


important challenge when a candidate 
knocks at our well tiled doors. The 
right and benefit by which he asks ad- 
mission is found in the reply, “By being 
a man.” When I propose a party for 
the mysteries, I am prepared to say in 
his behalf, “He is a man whom God 
made.” The loss of a little toe, a piece 
of one finger, or impaired vision in one 
eye, cuts no kind of a figure, if he is one 
whom God has not only made but recog- 
nizes as “a man after His own heart.” 

— John D. Vincil , of Missouri. 


Lodge and Saloon Partnership. 


The Committee on the Address of the 
Grand Master of Florida, has this to say 
respecting partnership between Lodges 
and saloons: 

“Your committee to whom was also 
referred that portion of the Address of 
the Grand Master relative to renting 
parts of Masonic Halls for saloon pur- 
poses, report as follows: 

“Complaint was made that in some 
instances the lower story or ground floor 
of buildings used for Lodge purposes, 
had been rented for liquor saloons. The 
Grand Master did not feel authorized to 
do more than to advise that it was in 
bad taste for a Lodge to rent any por- 
tion of the building in which its Lodge- 
room was situated for such purpose. 
Your committee think, with him, that it 
is in exceedingly bad taste, and further, 
that the Grand Lodge ought, by a 
General Regulation, or by some proper 
amendment to our Constitution, to pro- 
vide that no such thing should be per- 
mitted to any Lodge in the future. ’ ’ 

I presume the partnership will con- 
tinue, as no action was taken by the 
Grand Lodge to dissolve the business 
compact between Lodges and saloons. 

I call the foregoing a “ partnership ,” 
because of the language used by an able 
committee above quoted. The terms 
used by the committee cannot be mis- 
understood and could not be more de- 
scriptive. Here it is: “ Relative to rent- 
ing parts of Masonic Halls for saloon 
purposes .” When Lodges rent ‘ farts” 
of their “Halls” for any purpose, it must 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


103 


be for a money consideration. When 
rented for ‘ 'saloon purposes , ’ ’ the Lodges 
so ‘ ‘renting’ ’ parts of Masonic Halls will 
expect their rent to be paid by the 
saloon-keeper promptly, and he must 
depend upon his business for the money 
with which to meet his obligation to the 
owners of the property. The business 
interest of the Lodges in the saloon ven- 
ture, and its revenues is so glaringly 
apparent that no quibble can release 
them from the responsibility of being 
“partakers oi other men’s sins.” The 
partnership being thus established, busi- 
ness principles must govern the relation- 
ship. Every month some member of 
Lodges “renting parts of Masonic Halls 
for saloon purposes,” will call upon the 
head of the firm down stairs for the divi- 
dends due the other part of the firm 
above stairs. When received, said divi- 
dend will be reported by the Secretary 
and paid over to the Treasurer. Proper 
eyitries will be made and read after this 
fashion: “Cash received for part of our 
Masonic Hall used for saloon purposes, 

S . ’ ’ Which part of the Hall is thus 

perverted and desecrated the quotation 
does not show. But I would as soon 
use dividends from the occupancy of the 
ante-rooms by saloon-keepers as the 
lower floor. Both belong to the Lodge, 
and revenue arising from the death-pro- 
ducing business, above or below stairs, 
is “ blood money,” and the Lodge of 
Freemasons which receives funds from 
such a source, is not only partaker and 
partner of the sin producing the money, 
but, in the sight of God, is guilty of the 
crime of makmo “blood monev.” The 

O J 

Lodge finnishes the opportimity for 
money to be made contrary to the law 
of God and Masonrv, and then shares 
the ill-gotten pelf. Suppose Lodges 
should rent “parts of Masonic Halls” for 
gambling “ purposes. ” Gamblers rob 
their victims of money, but do not destroy 
their lives, health and families. Saloon- 
keepers do all these things and more. 
They kindle passions and furnish fuel to 
keep alive the worst elements in human . 
nature, resulting in the death of the vic- 
tim, and often send the innocent unbid- 
den into the presence of God, If it were 


known to the Masonic Fraternity of Cali- 
fornia that Lodges were “renting parts 
of Masonic Halls” for gambling “ pur- 
poses ,” the outer}’ for the suppression of 
such Lodges would result in their death 
and Charters would be arrested at once. 
“Bad taste” would not be the mild 
characterization of the wrong. It would 
be pronounced a Masonic crime. Yet 
Lodges may rent part of their Halls for 
“saloon purposes,” where gambling is 
allowed, and it is simply “bad taste.” 
What is the difference between a gam- 
bling hell and a hell with gambling per- 
mitted in it ? Determine the difference, 
and then the difference will appear be- 
tween “renting parts of Masonic Halls 
for saloon purposes” and renting the 
same property for gambling ‘ ‘purposes. ’ ’ 
It is to be hoped that California Masonry 
will soon wipe this foul blot from her 
bright and, otherwise, untarnished name. 
Masonry cannot afford to be a party to 
such heinous offenses against propriety, 
morality and purity.” 

— John D. Vincil, of Missouri. 
♦ ++ 

Judaism and Freemasonry. 


The London Freemasons’ Chronicle . 
in an article entitled as above, calls atten- 
tion to the fact that the Masonic Frater- 
nity includes a large number of Jews. 
They are attracted by the broad and 
tolerant features of the organization, while 
they find much relating to the history 
and traditions of their own nation, set 
forth in the lessons and legends of the 
several degrees. The scenes, events, 
personages, with which the intelligent 
Jew is familiar by a study of the records 
of ancient Israel, are made the ground 
work of the Masonic ceremonial in the 
Blue Lodge, and especially in the Royal 
Arch Degree. Indeed, all along the 
way, Jewish history and tradition are 
lar^elv drawn from in formulating the 
Masonic system and providing for the im- 
pressive presentation ol its sublime truths. 

We agree with our English contem- 
porary that it is natural for men belong- 
ing to the Hebrew race and faith to enter 
the lines of Freemasonry — to take mem- 
bership in a Fraternity which is broad 


104 


I HE 1RESTLE BOARD . 


and catholic in its spirit, and which 
imposes no obligations to conflict with 
the peculiar religious views of those who 
may thus be associated as Craftsmen. 
Belief in a Supreme Being is indeed en- 
joined, and the line is rigidly drawn so 
as to bar out atheists and those altogether 
lacking in faith and devout thought. 
Freemasonry, however, is intended to be 
open to all classes of reputable men, 
under certain well defined conditions, 
and nothing that is narrow or technical 
in mere credal definitions belongs to its 
expression. The Jew, as well as the 
Christian, may enter the Masonic Fra- 
ternity ; and if only both are large 
minded and tolerant, there will be no 
friction in their meeting as fellow Crafts- 
men — they can walk and work together 
as brethren in harmony, and together 
rejoice in the prosperity of an institution 
that justly asserts its adaptedness to men 
of all climes and nationalities — to believ- 
ers of all the faiths that recognize a 
Supreme Being and His law of righteous- 
ness. 

It is a matter of congratulation among 
Craftsmen that Freemasonry is thus cos- 
mopolitan in character, and that it opens 
its doors freely to such diverse classes 
and conditions of men. But too much 
must not be expected where this associa- 
tion of dissimilar material is made possi- 
ble. The Christian element is largely 
predominant. This has always been the 
case, at least since the Revival of 1717, 
hence it is natural to expect that there 
may be occasional allusions and refer- 
ences in the ritual to what is specially in 
accord with the majority sentiment, albeit 
there is no purpose to depart from the 
general 'law that makes Freemasonry not 
only entirely unsectarian but broadly 
applicable to all sorts and conditions of 
men. Our Jewish brethren, belonging 
to a people ever faithful to the religion 
of their ancestors, must not be quick to 
take offence where none is intended. 
They must expect, as we know some of 
the most intelligent of Hebrew Masons 
do expect, that in a Fraternity where the 
Christian element constitutes so consider- 
able a majority, there will be some expres- 
sions occasionally in form, ritual, prayers, 


or special services, to which under other 
circumstances they would take objection. 
For their own peace of mind they will 
do well not to be oversensitive or over 
critical regarding allusions to the dis- 
tinctive Christian features supposed by 
some to attach to Freemasonry. 

We can understand that the feelings 
of Jewish brethren are sometimes severely 
tried. Thus, during the last year, when, 
in a New England city, the corner-stone 
of a new Synagogue was laid with im- 
pressive exercises, there was a single 
expression which came from the lips of 
the presiding officer that must have sent 
a sort of cold shiver through the hearts 
of the assembly, largely composed of 
Jews. The official declaration was to 
the effect that the corner-stone was placed 
in its position, etc. , ‘ ‘to the glory of God, 
and under the patronage of the holy 
Saints John the Baptist and the Evan- 
gelist.” Strict constructionists will say, 
we suppose, that there was no alterna- 
tive; that the letter of the established 
ritual must always be adhered to ; that 
to disregard the allusion to the Christian 
Saints on such an occasion, would be to 
violate an ancient landmark and inflict 
a serious wound upon the institution. 
Our thought is somewhat different; but 
this is not the point we make, for we 
allude to this matter to make the state- 
ment that the Jewish brethren gathered 
at that corner-stone laying were not 
greatly troubled at the form of words 
used in the ritual, and the special allu- 
sion to the Saints. As one prominent 
Jew remarked in our hearing: ‘‘We knew 
that no offence was intended, and there- 
fore we did not feel insulted, scarcely 
annoyed, by the form used in placing 
the foundation stone of our new Syna- 
gogue.” This, we think, is the proper 
view to be taken by members of the 
Hebrew faith in all cases where Masonic 
teaching and services may not quite har- 
monize with their own ideas. On the 
other hand, it may be suggested that 
there should be both magnanimity and 
good sense on the part of Christian Ma- 
sons in the use and application of what- 
ever is distinctive in the Craft system. 

— Freemasons' Repository. 


THE TRESTLE BOS RE. 


105 


Colored Masonry. 


Brother Charles Steele. Grand Master 
of the Colored Grand Lodge of Ken- 
tucky, in his annual address, under the 
head of “Brotherly Magnanimity,” well 
says : 

‘ ‘The men most generally and univer- 
sally respected are those who are most 
lenient where they have the greatest ad- 
vantages. The late General Grant would 
accept nothing but an ‘ unconditional 
surrender.’ In this he was so persistent 
that his initials. U. S. (Grant), were 
interpreted as Unconditional Surrender 
Grant. He never allowed an enemy to 
dictate any terms, but no sooner had the 
enemv surrendered than General Grant 
would give them more honors and privi- 
leges than they dared to ask for. This 
was ‘magnanimity’ in the highest sense. 
I am afraid that among us there is a 
disposition to ‘war to the knife.’ hilt and 
scabbard. W e pursue a man and a Mason 
to the end. I often wonder if all colored 
men's initiations and obligations subdues 
their animosities and prejudices. I can 
not, for the life of me, understand how 
one brother can war against another con- 
tinually, especially where there is no real 
‘Masonic offense.’ If the warring is in 
a friendly manner, or such as is incident 
to a race for office, to end with the elec- 
tion, it is all right. ' But it often takes 
another form: brother Masons will watch 
each other and seem to rejoice at a 
brother’s misfortunes, trials, etc. The 
Constitution and General Regulations 
set forth what characters that shall not 
be received and retained as members of 
the Order. If there is any crime in a 
brother, it should be speedily brought 
before the Lodge and dealt with accord- 
ingly. If it is merely sectional or per- 
sonal matter, the one feeling himself to 
be the superior party morally or intellec- 
tually. should be the first to show the 
olive branch. We, as Masons, are not 
to seek ‘our own’ good, but each others, 
and where this cannot be manifested, I 
cannot see where we are superior to other 
men, or what good there is in our affilia- 
tion. We should help one another and 
exhibit a magnanimous spirit at all times. ’ ’ 


Also, ,under the head of “Charity,” 
he truly remarks: 

“This is one of the cardinal principles 
of Masonry. To be a good Mason is 
like being a good Christian; if, after the 
manner of men I give my body to be 
burned or I fight with wild beasts, and 
have not charity. I am as ‘sounding brass 
and a tinkling symbal.’ If we make a 
boast of being Masons and are no better 
than other men of the lowest order, we 
boast in vain, and our initiation and ob- 
ligations become naught. By charity we 
do not simply mean ‘giving liberallv,' as 
a great many people imagine. Charitv is 
love to God in the highest sense, and to 
love our neighbor as ourself, and what- 
ever we do for them should be the out- 
growth of this love, and not for the name 
or to be seen of men. Charity naturally 
demands of us the highest moral excel- 
lence attainable. Brethren, be charitable 
in the true sense, strive to learn its true 
meanings and demands upon you, and 
carry them out in your every-day life.” 
♦ ♦ +-■ 

The “Fresh Rooster” in Masonry. 


Barnvard chronicles inform us that as 

j 

soon as a young rooster acquires wings, 
he begins climbing, and the higher he 
climbs the louder he crows. When he 
reaches the top of the hill, he looks 
around and crows again, usually until 
some older rooster, or even some old 
hen, scurries and knocks the fresh rooster 
down from his high perch. But he will 
again climb and crow, until he grows big 
enough to get along without anv crowing. 

We have many “fresh roosters” in 
Masonry, who do a vast deal of crowing, 
but who accomplish very little. Among 
these pio prima is the degree fiend, who 
is anxious to take all the degrees in Ma- 
sonry. up to and including the 99S. and 
then covers his manly breast w ith square 
and compass, keystone. Maltese cross, 
eagle and tiger claws. He is only a Ma- 
son in and about bar-rooms, w here he 
can show his jewelry to the gaping crowd, 
but when an “old rooster comes along, 
he is quickly knocked down from his 
high perch and he stops his crowing. 

Another “fresh rooster” in Masonry 


io6 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


is the young and newly-elected Master, 
who knows it all. He crows about his 
youth, his knowledge, and his “expe- 
rience.” During his short service in 
the Craft he has learned the ritual by 
heart (though his heart is not in it), and 
that is about all he does know. He in- 
duces some other equally young and 
fresh Master to extend an invitation to 
“exemplify” the Third Degree, when he 
has an opportunity to crow. The top 
of the hill, however, is reached by this 
fresh young rooster when he aspires to 
be a D. D. G. M. ; to have R. W. pre- 
cede his name; and his principal claim to 
the distinction is that he has made many 
Masons in his Lodge, or that he has col- 
lected more dues from delinquent mem- 
bers than his predecessors. 

There are many species of “fresh 
rooster” in Masonry, and they are very 
trying to the earnest, sober-minded breth- 
ren, especially as you can never know 
whether there is any cure for the malady 
in a specific case, for if our ‘ ‘fresh rooster’ ’ 
can be cured and have some good sound 
sense ga veiled into his head, he may 
turn out a good and- true brother; and 
this very trait in his character often makes 
him, in after years, a very useful and 
esteemed brother, and he will become 
the most earnest and sincere member 
who is ready to laugh at the ‘ ‘ fresh 
rooster” in Masonry. 

— N. Y. Sunday Times. 



Found Wanting. 


Tiny Clarence sat in her pretty little 
parlor, as a bright tropical bird balances 
itself on the swaying boughs of a palm 
tree, for the carpet was of green, and the 
window draperies were green, and the 
walls were just tinted of that delicate sea- 
green that shines translucently through 
the rolling billows of the deep; and she 
herself, curiously carrying out the unity 
of things, wore a dress of soft green cash- 
mere, with silver lilies in her hair. 

Her real name was Flora, but people 
called her Tiny; it was a pet name she 
had ever since she could remember — 
perhaps because she was small and dim- 
pled, and fairy-like, and had a fashion 


of nestling down on low ottomans and 
little footstools instead of perching her- 
self on big, stiff chairs, like full-sized 
mortals. 

She was very fair, with a transparent 
skin, flushed with pale roses, and hair 
like floss-silk, where the burnished shad- 
ows came and went in golden glimmers; 
while her blue eyes were full of sweet, 
wistful expression — a human lily of the 
valley, in short. 

At least, so Ernest Sargent thought, 
as he sat looking at her, with his heart 
in his eyes. 

“You will not give me the answer, 
then, which is to seal my fate?” 

“Not this morning, Mr. Sargent.” 

“Why not? I have surely the right 
to ask the question?” 

“I am not altogether certain that I 
have made up my mind, Mr. Sargent.” 

Earnest’s eyes brightened. 

“You will give me the benefit of the 
doubt, then?” 

“I can’t tell you just yet; I don’t know 
myself. Can not you comprehend, Mr. 
Sargent,” she added, with a sudden 
spark of impatience in her soft eyes, 
“that this matter of marriage is, with us 
women, something more important than 
the selection of a favorite shade in silks 
or the color of the spring ribbon ?” 

“I stand rebuked,” he said, rising and 
bowing somewhat ceremoniously. “To- 
morrow morning, then, I am to call and 
get my answer.” 

“Yes, to-morrow morning, if you like. ’ ’ 

So Ernest Sargent bent his head over 
Tiny Clarence’s little roseleaf of a hand 
and went his way. 

“Well, my dear,” said Mrs. Clarence, 
as Tiny came slowly upstairs, twisting 
the green tassels that hung from her 
waist, “what have you decided?” 

“I have decided upon nothing at all, 
as yet, mamma!” 

“Don’t you like Mr. Sargent?” 

‘ ‘Yes,” answered Tiny, after a moment 
or two of grave consideration, “I sup- 
pose I do.” 

“He is very rich, and, your father says, 
in a business whose profits are continu- 
ally increasing. You would be wealthy, 
my child.” 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


107 


“Is wealth the first object in life, 
mamma ?’’ 

“No; but it is more or less important; 
and then Mr. Sargent is very handsome.’’ 

“I know it, mamma.’’ 

And then Tiny Clarence went further 
still upstairs, to the room where Bridget 
was sweeping and dusting in a frenzy of 
energy. 

“Bridget,’’ she said, “will you lend 
me your brown cloak this afternoon, and 
the black silk bonnet? I want to wear 
them.’’ 

“It is fun ye’re making of a poor girl, 
Miss Tiny. Sure ye wouldn’t even your- 
self to the likes o’ them. And you, 
wid all the fine clothes a queen would 
wear?” 

“But I am in earnest, Bridget. I am 
going to see a poor woman who lives in 
a tenement house down town, and I 
would rather dress so as to attract no 
particular attention.” 

Bridget still stared, but she made no 
further opposition. 

“I can’t understand at all, at all, so I 
can’t,” she said, shaking her frenzied 
head as she carried the aforesaid gar- 
ments into Tiny’s room. “Sure, miss, 
it’s like dressin’ the queen of the fairies 
up in a cabbage leaf. Your bonny face 
is lost entirely in the old bonnet, let alone 
the cloak covers you from head to foot, 
entirely. ’ ’ 

“Never mind that, Bridget. Now lend 
me the veil. There, that will do.” 

Tiny Clarence felt curiously unlike the 
aristocratic little queen of fashion that she 
was, as she rode down town in the ex- 
treme corner of a Second avenue car, 
and alighted at length at a cross street, 
whose narrow purlieus and swarming 
rows of tenement houses on either side 
betokened it the residing place of the 
poor. 

Turning neither to the right hand nor 
to the left, Tiny Clarence kept on her 
way until at length she entered a dwell- 
ing somewhere in the middle of the 
block, and ascended the long flight of 
uncarpeted wooden stairs which was com- 
mon property to all the inhabitants. 

Pausing at a door on the fourth story, 
she knocked softly. 


“Come in,” was the reply, and open- 
ing the door Tiny Clarence entered. 

It was a small room, comparatively 
bare of furniture, but very neat. A little 
bed occupied the farther corner of the 
room, and the smallest possible remnant 
of a fire smouldered in the tiny grate, 
while one or two chairs and a pine table 
constituted all the rest of the outfitting. 

Close to the window a young woman 
sat sewing, while a crippled child played 
on the floor at her feet. She arose as 
Tiny entered. 

“It is you, Miss Clarence?” she said, 
her pale face momentarily dyed with a 
deep tinge of color, as she curtsied a 
timid welcome; “this is but a poor place 
for you to come.” 

“Miss Clarence,” repeated our little 
heroine, reproachfully. “You used to 
call me Tiny when we were school-girls 
together, Helen!” 

“But there is such a gulf between us 
now!” 

“Because you are poor and I am 
rich — because you are a forsaken widow 
and I am still the favored child of for- 
tune? Helen, you judge me unjustly !” 

Helen Starr’s eyes filled with tears. 

‘ ‘Dear Tiny, I will never do so again. 

“I brought you some sewing,” said 
Tiny, carelessly, as she sat down by the 
side of her sadly changed schoolmate. 
“By the way, Helen, do you still sew for 
Sargent & Copley?” 

“Yes; I am going there this afternoon 
to return some work and to try and get 
a little more.” 

“Are you?” 

Tiny strove to speak unconsciously, 
although the deep crimson flushed her 
neck and brow. 

“Would you object to my going with 
you ? I — I have a great curiosity to see 
the inner workings of one of those great 
manufacturing establishments. 

“I shall be glad of your company. ” 

“Do they pay vou well?” went on 
Tiny, affecting to be deeply interested in 
removing a speck of mud from the hem 
of Bridget’s brown cloth cloak. Mrs. 
Starr shook her head sadly. 

“Starvation prices, Tiny, and Mr. 
Sargent has just cut down the wages one- 


io8 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


quarter. He says times are hard and he 
cannot meet expenses.” 

‘‘Yet he drives the handsomest horses 
in New York, and lives in a brown stone 
palace,” observed Tiny. 

“I know it; but such is the universal 
justice between employer and employed. 
We are powerless and they know it — 
these grinding rich people.” 

She was folding up the bundle of neatly 
sewn shirts as she spoke and putting on 
her own worn and shabby garments. 

‘‘You will be good and quiet, Charlie, 
and not go near the fire until mamma 
returns?” she added, pausing on the 
threshold. 

“Yes, mamma,” the child answered, 
with docile meekness. 

He was accustomed to being left alone, 
poor little fellow, and then Helen and 
Tiny set forth together on an errand en- 
tirely novel to the latter. 

It was “pay day” at the establishment 
of Sargent & Copley, and a long string 
of worn-looking women, some young and 
some old, but all pale and pinched, like 
plants that had grown in shade, were 
waiting their turn for the miserable re- 
muneration due them. 

Mr. Copley, a fat, oily-looking man, 
with a w'hite neck- cloth and beaming 
spectacles, stood behind a ponderous 
ledger and day-book, and Mr. Sargent, 
with an expression of face very different 
from what he had that morning worn in 
Tiny Clarence’s boudoir, leaned against 
the edge of the desk and took in the 
work, examining and commenting on it 
as he did so. 

For Mr. Sargent chose himself to 
superintend this portion of his business. 
Nor was the tongue of slander behind- 
hand in proclaiming that he contrived to 
make money out of his personal super- 
vision. 

“Clara Coyt!” he cried out sharply, 
as a pale, freckled, young girl neared 
him, “how much due Clara Coyt? Ten 
dollars and seventy cents. Take off one 
dollar — work greased from sewing ma- 
chine.” 

“But sir,” began the girl. 

“Nine seventy — here you are! Pass 
on, Clara Coyt! Now, then, Mary Mac- 


alister — behind two days. Fine Mary 
Macalister fifty cents.” 

So he went on, quick to detect or 
imagine faults, vigorous to punish, merci- 
less to exact fines, until scarcely one of 
the waiting throng received the amount 
of money fairly due her. 

When Helen Starr’s name was called, 
she advanced timidly, with her brown- 
clad companion at her side. 

“Helen Starr!” sharply enunciated 
Mr. Sargent, scrutinizing her roll of work. 
“Four dollars — deduct forty cents.” 

“On what account, sir?” faltered Mrs. 
Starr. 

“Work soiled in making up — pass 
on! ” 

“You are mistaken, Mr. Sargent, in- 
deed,” pleaded Helen Starr; “the stains 
were in the linen when it was given out 
to me. It is not in the least soiled in 
my hands.” 

“I can’t stop to argue matters with 
insolent sewing women in my employ!” 
snarled Ernest Sargent. “Take your 
three dollars and sixty cents, Mrs. Starr, 
without any more words, or leave the 
establishment. We can get plenty of 
hands who won’t tell lies.” 

Helen Starr grew crimson and then 
pale, but knowing her own utter help- 
lessness in the hands of this human vam- 
pire, she was about to take the miserable 
sum tendered her and pass on her way, 
when a low, soft voice at her side de- 
tained her. 

“Helen, stop an insant. Mr. Sargent,” 
and turning back the long black veil 
which had hitherto concealed her face, 
Tiny Clarence looked calmly into the 
rich bully’s eyes. “I am sure that my 
friend, Mrs. Starr, speaks only the truth. 
You lose all claim to the name of gentle- 
man when you allow yourself to speak 
thus insolently to aught bearing the stamp 
and image of refined womanhood.” 

“Miss Clarence,” he stammered, over- 
come with confusion, “there is some 
mistake here. I — 

“There is no mistake,” she answered, 
calmly contemptuous. ‘ ‘ I have been 
near making one that might have lasted 
a lifetime, but my eyes are fortunately 
opened. Pay Mrs. Starr the money 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


109 


rightly due her, and let us leave this den 
of money-making iniquity! ” 

Mr. Sargent paid Mrs. Starr the four 
dollars with undisguised awkwardness, 
and strove to detain Tiny as she turned 
away. 

“Miss Clarence,” he faltered, “will 
you allow me to explain — ” 

“No, Mr. Sargent,” she answered, 
haughtily, ‘ ‘ I will never allow you to 
speak to me again!” 

She kept her word. Ernest Sargent’s 
nature had been tried in the balance of 
her womanly discrimination, and found 
wanting. 

Tiny Clarence was heart-whole still. 

♦ ♦ 4 

Rotation in Office. 


Rotation in office is one of the silliest 
ideas ever carried out in Masonry, and 
it is one of the things which has injured 
it the most. If the same practice was 
resorted to in outside affairs, where would 
we land ? A business man takes a boy 
into his house to run errands. If, by 
his zeal and fidelity and ability that boy 
becomes cashier or book-keeper, and 
eventually a partner, it is all right. But 
will it follow that the boy will display 
those qualifications necessary to elevate 
him ? No. Not one time in fifty. To 
apply it to our case. We elect a brother 
as Senior Deacon or Junior Warden, 
and because he was elected he gets the 
idea, and so do many of the brethren, 
that he must go a peg higher each year 
until he has filled the Master’s chair, no 
matter how unfit he is. It is the veriest 
nonsense. Does any brother argue that 
because a man makes a good corporal 
he would make a good colonel? It is 
the man for the place and not the place 
for the man. 

I have in my mind a case here in 
Detroit. A brother was elected Junior 
Deacon many years ago. He filled that 
place two years and never gave his work 
right in one single instance. When elec- 
tion came and the Master went out, he 
was moved up. Rotation, you know. 
As Senior Deacon, his work was painful. 
He was an object of ridicule. It was 
punishment to sit and hear his blunders. 


Two years later he was made Junior 
Warden. Rotation, you know. If offered 
$100 in gold he could not have given his 
work by the key, and yet last year he 
was made Senior Warden. Rotation 
again. He cannot to-day, after a year 
in the West, follow the opening and clos- 
ing without perpetrating half a dozen 
blunders to shame his Lodge, but he is 
fondly looking ahead to next year, when 
he will bloom out as Master. You can 
predict the result. He will be lucky to 
find enough members on hand to work 
a degree. Brethren who have been the 
most constant in their attendance will be 
conspicious by their absence. You have 
set out to combat and uproot an idea 
older than the hills. The practice of 
that very one idea has brought mildew 
and rot to Freemasonry in every juris- 
diction where it exists. The good breth- 
ren have been foolish enough to believe 
that promotion should be given the office 
instead of the man, and they have ele- 
vated brethren beyond their power and 
capacity. The man who makes a good 
Junior Deacon may, possibly, make a 
good Senior, but it by no means follows. 
When we make it follow we are doing a 
senseless thing. 

Now, I go even further than you did 
in your editorial. I say to the Frater- 
nity of Michigan, that at the coming 
winter elections, knock this rotation idea 
into a cocked hat! If you have a medi- 
ocre man in the South or West, and an 
earnest, enthusiastic one on the floor, 
put the one out and the other in. Pax- 
no attention to who is in line of promo- 
tion. We are looking to the cause — 
not the individual. It is the brother 
who does his work the best who is the 
greatest help to Masonry. Individual 
ambition to “get there” and reap the 
honors, should not be allowed to count. 
Begin with the Master. If he is not up 
and up, let him go. It may disappoint 
him, but it may benefit Masonry. Begin 
right there and go down the line. Have 
it distinctly understood from this time on 
that there is no rotation in office. They 
must be won by enthusiasm — hard work 
— merit. 

There are Lodges in Detroit to-day 


no 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


numbering hundreds of members, who 
are tickled to death at the presence of 
twenty brethren — visitors and all — to see 
the M. M. Degree exemplified. What’s 
the matter? Rotation in office more 
than all other causes put together. The 
Master is a drone, the Wardens have no 
zeal or enthusiasm, and as a consequence 
the work is done in a slip-shod, disgrace- 
ful way. I speak simply as a humble 
worker. I have never held an office, 
nor can my Lodge induce me to take 
one, but I have eyes and ears. When 
I see the beautiful ceremonies slurred 
over and blundered through by a lot of 
incompetents, I reason that they are in- 
juring instead of aiding. When I hear 
the Master’s leeture given in the same 
way that an eight-year old school-boy 
recites the “Dying Summer,” I know 
the candidate is being punished instead 
of exalted. 

Let us keep pegging away until we 
can knock down this rotten apple of ro- 
tation in office and bury it deep in the 
earth. Let some one from every Lodge 
in the State give his views. I’ll give 
$10 for a photograph of the brother who 
can bring one single reasonable argu- 
ment forward to support the practice. 

— “ Zaradatha^ in The Tyler. 

+++ 

Masonry and Druidism. 


It appears to be somewhat remarkable 
that, while engaged in an endeavor to 
deduce an origin for Freemasonry in the 
Mysteries of the Ancient World, our 
explorers into antiquity, giving promi- 
nence to speculations touching its deri- 
vation from the occult ritualism of Egypt, 
of Greece and of Asia Minor, should 
have omitted consideration of Druidism, 
whose spirit, dogmas and ceremonies bear 
a most striking resemblance to those 
maxims professed by our speculative 
Craftsmen. 

The Celtic Druids undoubtedly mi- 
grated from Central Asia, bringing with 
them into Europe a creed of pure mono- 
theism and originally of unexampled 
morality. In fact, as late as the days of 
Plato, the Greek philosophers frankly 
admit that thence were derived all foun- 


dations for correct ethical systems, while 
the Christian Father, Clement of Alexan- 
dria, commends the Druids as having 
been orthodox in religion, that is, as far 
as their dogmas were concerned. Beyond 
this we unfortunately know compara- 
tively nothing regarding the practices of 
the Druids, as their monuments, still ex- 
tant in Wales and in Brittany in abund- 
ance, are devoid of carvings or inscrip- 
tions, their cromlechs or dolmens being 
counterparts of rough ashlars, which have 
served primarily as altars, idols, or tomb- 
stones, for all we moderns can ascertain. 

The Druidical creed was founded upon 
a triple basis — one God, the immortality 
of the soul, and rewards and punish- 
ments in a future life. The Supreme 
Being was called in their sacred tongue, 
Esus, meaning Lord, but was more popu- 
larly designated as Teut (God), whence 
we derived the word, afterward applied 
to a people — Teutons, sons or followers 
of Teut, conserved by their descendants 
to the present day, through describing 
themselves as Teutche or Deutsche. The 
entire Druidical catechism seems to have 
been compressed into three brief max- 
ims: Serve God, Abstain from Evil, and 
be Brave. 

The Druids were divided in three 
grades, the lowest: bards, apprentices as 
it were, chanting the poems in which 
they had been instructed to enhance the 
dignity of religious ceremonials. The 
second: prophets, divining future events 
from present phenomena, and then the 
highest degree — the Druid proper, who 
was at once priest, lawgiver, soldier and 
schoolmaster, whose life was consecrated 
to the study of physical science and to 
the instruction of novices in the mys- 
teries. 

Unlike a majority of the Aryans, em- 
phatically sun and fire worshipers, the 
Druids appear in their rites to have rever- 
enced the moon, counting time by lunar 
observations, in preference to the sun as 
emblem for their deity, therein antici- 
pating the Egyptians, who discarded 
Osiris for Isis, thereby exhibiting their 
adoration for the female sex as superior 
to the male in intellectual and moral 
strength. The Druidical influence varied 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


1 1 1 


proportionately as the Romans advanced 
in conquest; still it lingered until finally 
suppressed under the iron heel of Charle- 
magne. 



Capitular and Cryptic Masonry. 


The Masonic student who has taken 
only the first three degrees must often 
feel, in his researches in Masonry, that 
there is something lacking ; that there 
are many things in connection with 
its history and traditions that are not 
fully explained, and that a more com- 
plete knowledge of them would afford 
him great satisfaction. In taking the 
Chapter Degrees, he will find that much 
has been supplied to his store of informa- 
tion that is satisfactory. So when he 
takes the next step, and becomes a Royal 
and Select Master, he finds such addi- 
tional knowledge as prepares his mind 
to accept the statement that he has now 
reached the summit of Ancient Craft 
Masonry. He will then have taken nine 
degrees, and from the first to the ninth, 
they have been added as links in a chain, 
which is now completed. If he made 
suitable proficiency in each degree after 
receiving it to entitle him to advance- 
ment, as is always declared to be the 
case, when he presents for the following 
one, he has added a strong link to his 
Masonic chain, and the last one will find 
him a well-informed and devoted Mason. 
His standing in the Lodge has not been 
affected by his becoming a member of 
the Chapter and Council. His rank 
there is still that of Master Mason, and 
his rights and privileges remain the same 
as those of every other member who has 
taken but the three degrees. The only 
advantage he has gained as a Master 
Mason is an increased knowledge of Ma- 
sonry, which will enable him to become 
a more useful member of his Lodge. 

It must be apparent, then, to every 
Master Mason that there is nothing in 
Capitular or Cryptic Masonry in which 
he is not directly interested. If he takes 
the trouble to make an investigation, he 
will find a very large proportion of the 
officers and active working members of 
most Lodges are also officers or working 


members in Chapters and Councils in 
every locality where these bodies have 
been established. One does not detract 
from the other, but all work in the inter- 
est of each other to promote the general 
good of Ancient Craft Masonry. Pros- 
perous Lodges build up strong Chapters 
and Councils when the same brethren are 
interested in each organization. There 
is no antagonism between them, and 
whatever promotes the interests of one 
must necessarily be of benefit to the 
other. We think, therefore, that there 
is no impropriety in saying to any worthy 
Master Mason, we think you will be 
benefited, if you can afford to do so, by 
taking the Chapter and Council Degrees. 
While we would, under no circumstan- 
ces, solicit our dearest friend to become 
a Mason, after he has of his own free will 
and accord become one, we feel that our 
relationship toward him has changed, 
and as a brother Mason we are at liberty 
to suggest to him anything in connection 
with Masonry that will benefit him. The 
Chapter and Council Degrees are a con- 
tinuation of the ideas and tenets taught 
in the Lodge. They rest upon the same 
foundation, teach the same principles, 
and strive to promote the same interests. 
They are simply an advance step in Ma- 
sonry which every Master Mason should 
take when the opportunity and his own 
convenience will permit. 

— Masonic Advocate. 


“Free Blow” Masons. 


This class are full too numerous and 
deserve a notice. They are selfish, con- 
ceited and brazen. “Cheek” is a part 
of their make-up. They will put a nickel 
into a charity box, with a pompous air, 
and eat and drink five dollars worth of 
solids and liquids at some one else’s ex- 
pense, looking the while as though they 
were the host, and appearing to be ob- 
livious of the fact that they are beating 
their nutriment out of some whole-souled 
brother. This class of beats are never 
present where they have to pay, but let 
a banquet be served where no money is 
exacted, and they appear in the front 
seat, and act as though they were con- 


I 12 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


ferring a favor by their presence. To 
them, a Masonry that- costs nothing is 
the proper thing. They worm their way 
into official positions in the same way 
that they beat their grub — by cheek — 
while the whole-souled brother is often 
passed by. This cheap class of Masons 
are of no value to the Craft. It matters 
not how glib a Mason may be with the 
ritual, if he has no heart in it, his influ- 
ence will not be of any great account to 
the Fraternity. Our brethren should 
note these shams, and compel them to 
be kept in the background. Of all the 
“misfit” Masons that we have seen, the 
“free blow” Mason is chief. Our only 
hope is, that some of them may “see 
themselves as others see them;” if so, 
there may possibly be a reformation in 

certain quarters . — Masonic Journal. 

♦ • ♦ 

Masonic Charity and Masonic 
Refreshment. 


The Masonic Order has won for itself 
the reputation of being the most chari- 
table and the most benevolent organiza- 
tion of any in the country, and much as 
we may desire to support the reputation 
which has been secured, we sometimes 
pause and ask ourselves the question — 
is the honor deserved ? Those of our 
present readers who saw the Freemason' s 
Chronicle of a few years back, will per- 
haps remember that we then published 
a number of Lodge Balance Sheets, giv- 
ing in each case the varied items of 
income and expenditure, but withholding 
the names, etc. , of the Lodge, or other 
means of identification. Those Balance 
Sheets showed a very wide difference 
between the amounts disbursed in charity 
and the sums spent in refreshment, and 
no doubt if sufficient details had been 
given to render the Lodges easily identi- 
fied, the publication of the figures would 
have been most injudicious. It would 
not have been fair to the members of the 
Lodges concerned to hold them up to 
special notice, as they were really no ex- 
ception to the general rule. We were 
told that, despite the precautions we took, 
the returns were in some cases identified, 
so it was thought best to discontinue the 


series. As soon as it became known to 
what Lodges the figures referred, so we 
were told, the members were taunted 
with the disproportion which existed 
between the charity they preached and 
the charity they practised, and consider- 
able annoyance resulted. This was most 
unfair, as the Balance Sheets published 
were not by any means selected with the 
object of making a case either one way 
or the other. They were published just 
as they came under notice, and if they 
created an unfavorable impression it was 
the fault ofthe whole system which existed, 
and still exists, rather than the outcome 
of any selection from it. The publica- 
tion of the figures which came before us 
was discontinued, lest, in a desire to 
benefit the many, we injured the few, 
but we have since regretted that the work 
was not persevered in, for we are of 
opinion that were it possible to collect 
details of the expenditure of a large num- 
ber of our Lodges — say one-fourth of the 
whole number — such a statement could 
be submitted as would startle many of 
the better class of Craftsmen into a desire 
for immediate and thorough reform. 

We are fully aware it is no part of our 
duty to dictate to the members of a 
Lodge the way in which they shall dis- 
pense their funds. Masonry is free, and 
in the matter of Lodge expenditure a 
perfect freedom of action rests with the 
members, but we cannot, as we say 
above, help asking the question — Is the 
reputation which Freemasonry enjoys in 
regard to charity really deserved ? There 
can be no doubt that a vast sum is annu- 
ally subscribed by Freemasons for the 
support of the decayed brother, the 
widow, and the orphan, and perhaps all 
that is done by individual members of 
the Craft should be accredited to Free- 
masonry as a whole, but on the other 
hand it may be asked, how much is done 
by the Masonic Lodges, as Lodges, to 
maintain the reputation of the Order ? 

Freemasonry, we are told, is not a 
Benevolent Society, a statement which a 
very brief association with Lodge expen- 
diture would at once justify, and regard- 
ing the matter in the light of our present 
subject, it is almost to be regretted that 


THE TRESTLE ROAR/). 


1 13 


it is not conducted on strictly Benevolent 
Society rules. Would it not be much 
better if some sort of systematic benevo- 
lence was enforced in every Lodge ? 
We do not say the money should be 
devoted to either of the existing Chari- 
ties, or to any object in particular, but 
it seems out of character for Freemasons 
to boast of the benevolence of their Or- 
der, when in truth some nine-tenths of 
the income of our Lodges is devoted to 
personal enjoyment, while the claims of 
charity are totally disregarded in a very 
large majority of cases. It is not suffi- 
cient for a Lodge to say that the mem- 
bers dispense their charity individually, 
nor is it a fair excuse for brethren to say 
that their Lodges support the Benevolent 
Funds of the Craft. Both should do 
their share, Lodges setting aside a pro- 
portion of their income, and individual 
Masons giving as far as their position in 
life warranted. 

As the case stands now, there is noth- 
ing like system, and nothing like fairness 
in the matter. Even the three Institu- 
tions of the Craft are without any real 
support from the Lodges which make 
use of them, and the several committees 
are quite unable to even guess at the 
amount of next year’s receipts. This 
would not be the case if Lodge support 
became the custom, rather than what it 
is at present, the exception, and as a 
result it would not be necessary to make 
such strong appeals for aid to individual 
Masons as is now imperative. 

Looking at the matter from another 
point of view, we may ask : What does 
Freemasonry really do to deserve the 
high character it has secured ? It is 
admittedly the most wealthy society in 
existence; it has Lodges and representa- 
tives in every part of the country, and 
numbers in its ranks, we may say, the 
wealth and prosperity of the nation. Yet’ 
with all this its contributions to the three 
Institutions of the Craft last year amounted 
to just over ^61,000. This was a grand 
total, we admit, and we have already ex- 
pressed our gratification that so large a 
sum was subscribed, but after all it does 
not appear so very grand when viewed side 
by side with some outside collections, or 


when considered in comparison with tin- 
amount expended in Masonic refresh- 
ment. At present we shall only refer to 
.one outside collection, and that the latest 
brought under our notice, and we ask all 
who peruse these lines to look at the 
matter in an unbiased spirit, and then 
answer for themselves the question we 
propounded in the earlier part of these 
remarks. 

The figures we refer to are those in 
connection with Dr. Barnardo’s Homes 
and Mission, which shows an income for 
the past year of ^103,091, which total 
we consider quite puts in the shade the 
work of Freemasonry in the cause of 
charity. With such a total as this before 
us, is it right to give Freemasonry the 
first place among the charities of the 
world, especially when it is remembered 
that there are three Institutions of the 
Craft and that their united income last 
year was little more than half the sum 
subscribed to one outside charity. 

— London Freemasons' Chronicle. 


Masonic Grumblers. 


Grumblers can hardly, of right, be 
designated by the adjective Masonic , for 
the chronic grumbler is guilty of decidedly 
un-Masonic conduct. It will not be de- 
nied, however, that there is a consider- 
able class included in the ranks of the 
Fraternity, who in common speech may 
be spoken of as “Masonic Grumblers.” 
They are faultfinders in and out of season. 
They have the gift of caustic speech and 
use it unsparingly. Domestic life is em- 
bittered by the habit of scolding, which 
some member of the household has ac- 
quired, and which is indulged in on the 
slightest provocation. There are home'' 
over which a shadow almost constantly 
rests, because members ol the family cir- 
cle are constantly accusing each other ot 
faults and short-comings — criticising each 
other for defects ot one sort and another 
in character and conduct. We do not 
need to say how dreary and sad a home 
may become, when these grumblers com- 
plain at the conditions which prevail, the 
food, the surroundings, the allotments ot 
work, etc., get in almost continuously 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


114 


their small shot of sarcasm, innuendo and 
complaint, while they scold about each 
other — the absent if not those present — 
and so augment the general discomfort. 
How sharp the contrast between the 
homes thus affected and other house- 
holds where love rules and courtesy is 
the general manifestation! The chronic 
grumbler and the severe critic find no 
place at the table or fireside of such an 
abode. The members are all generous, 
forbearing, and kindly in thought, pur- 
pose and word, one to another, and the 
atmosphere is always bright and cheer- 
ful. Blessed is such a home, and blessed 
are they who contribute by their amia- 
bility, their patience, and their good 
sense, to establish it in the right condi- 
tions. Oliver Wendell Holmes says: 

“Many years ago, in walking among 
the graves at Mount Auburn, I came 
upon a plain, upright white marble slab, 
which bore an epitaph of only four words, 
but to my mind they meant more than 
any of the labored inscriptions on the 
surrounding monuments: .‘She was so 
pleasant.’ This was all, and it was 
enough. That one note revealed the 
music of a life, of which I knew and asked 
nothing more.’’ 

The Masonic Lodge, or other Craft 
organization, includes a family among 
whom the pleasantest relations should 
exist. Harmony is the end and aim to 
be secured. Social companionship , 0 good 
fellowship, the varied ministries of affec- 
tion and mutual helpfulness, all these are 
conducive to the desired result. But 
what an obstruction is presented by the 
presence and words of even a single 
member, who has taken on the habit of 
grumblingabouttheorganization, indulg- 
ing in harsh criticism about means and 
measures, and finding fault generally with 
what is done or attempted! How dis- 
agreeable the scolding brother makes 
himself! It may be needful sometimes 
to show up faults of management, and 
faults of brethren, and to indicate the 
weaknesses and defects of a system in 
course of procedure; but to be all the 
time doing this sort of work is to make 
one offensive to his fellows and reduce 
his influence to the minimum. 


In the many years of Masonic fellow- 
ship with which we have been favored, 
we have found brethren greatly respected 
# and loved, who deserve to be remem- 
bered for being “so pleasant.’’ They 
were always casting “oil upon the troub- 
led waters;’’ they were kindly, genial, 
forbearing, helpful brethren, of whom we 
had much rather think, than of that other 
class, “whose teeth are as spears and 
whose tongues are as swords.’’ Not 
every one is so constituted as to be a 
model of amiability; but each man may 
learn how to curb the perversity of his 
lower nature, may cultivate sympathy 
and good will, and greatly restrict him- 
self in the expression of harsh judgments 
and unnecessary fault finding. The Ma- 
son must do this if obedient to the pre- 
cepts and spirit of the institution into 
which he has entered. 

— Freemasons’ Repository . 

4. * ♦ 7 

Clean Them Out. 


A few weeks ago one of our Toronto 
Lodges vindicated its claim for a moral 
membership by purging its roll of a 
member who was, on his own admission, 
guilty of being criminally intimate with 
the widow of a Mason. The judgment 
was a righteous one, and showed that 
the Craftsmen were determined that in 
that lodge-room no man who had broken 
his obligation should be permitted to 
take any part in the work of an organiza- 
tion which has morality for one of its 
cardinal virtues. How well it would be 
if other Lodges would purge their rolls 
of members who have no respect for the 
laws of God, man, nor the Lodge. It 
is not so many years since a man in 
Toronto, who prides himself on looking 
after the moral welfare of every man, 
except himself, was mulcted in a court 
of justice, and assessed to the extent of a 
thousand dollars for seduction, and yet 
the Lodge, for reasons best known to 
the members, let the matter glide by, so 
that now nothing more is heard of it. 
Other cases, of a like character, could be 
cited. A short time ago, a prominent 
member of the Craft had a letter from a 
poor woman, the wife of a brother Ma- 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


son, who complained that her life was 
endangered by this brute, who frequently, 
on his return home at night, wound up 
the evening by pummelling her with his 
fists. Another well known member stole 
many thousands, a few years ago, from 
a public office in a western city, and yet 
was allowed to continue his Craft con- 
nection. And so on to the end of the 
chapter. 

If Masonry is to gain and keep the 
respect of the world at large, it must rid 
itself of such men. Some Lodges in this 
jurisdiction, and notably in this city, take 
everything that is offered in the shape of 
a candidate, and then, even when he does 
enter and proves himself morally unfit to 
be one of a decent band of men, the 
Lodge, from motives of either fear or 
delicacy, is afraid to discipline. 

There is, we are glad to say, an im- 
mense percentage of good men in the 
Craft, but that goodness does not and 
cannot remedy the evil and contaminat- 
ing effects of the bad few, who contrive 
to become members of the Order fur 
revenue only, with the idea of following 
out the principle of the Chinaman who, 
heathen that he was, joined the Christian 
church, and, after a sojourn of two months 
with the laborers in the vineyard, was 
asked how he liked being a Christian, 
when he blandly replied : 1 ‘ Likee it awfee 
well. Me washee for the whole lot.” 

We must keep our ranks pure. Other 
societies may take in those of doubtful 
reputation — Masonry cannot. We have 
in our obligations and lectures all that 
should make men brighter and better, 
and we should insist that Lodges draw 
the line very clearly when accepting can- 
didates. There are many Lodges in this 
jurisdiction, into which none but the 
purest and best men can enter. There 
are others, who — it may be unawares — 
will take in men, whose records are 
smirched with stains that, in business life, 
would drive them through the gateway 
of the prison. — Toronto F? eernason. 

We should try to succeed by merit, 
not by favor. He who does well will 
always have patrons enough. 

— Charles Lord Field. 


1 >5 

Inquiry of the Nearest Lodge. 

When a profane desires to receive ini- 
tiation and membership in the Masonic 
Fraternity, there is no usage or custom 
of the Craft which requires him to pre- 
sent his petition to any particular Lodge. 
The field is the Masonic world. An 
applicant living in Philadelphia may, at 
his pleasure, present his petition to a 
Lodge in Pittsburgh, Pa., or Baltimore, 
Md., or Trenton, N. J., or New York 
city, or London, England, for example. 
He alone is the judge in this matter. It 
is his petition; he may present it where 
he will, and the Lodge so receiving it 
will, in due course, accept and act upon 
it. This right of an applicant to select 
his Lodge is unquestionable. There is 
no exclusive jurisdiction in any Lodge 
over the material for initiation residinu 
within its territorial boundaries, but there 
is concurrent jurisdiction, for the purpose 
of receiving petitions, in the Lodges of 
the Craft throughout the Masonic world. 
The place of residence,- however, must 
be correctly and truly stated. 

Now let us consider the Lodge action 
which follows. 

While the Masonic Fraternity recog- 
nizes, to the fullest extent, the right of a 
profane to choose which Lodge in the 
wide world he will petition, it never 
makes, or at least it never should make, 
a Mason of any applicant without first 
instituting proper inquiry, at his place of 
residence , concerning his physical, mental 
and moral character, his standing in 
society, and his general fitness to be 
made a Mason. 

This inquiry is made, not directly, but 
through the local Lodge — the Lodge of 
his place of residence. No Lodge pos- 
sesses the authority to make a Mason of a 
mere sojourner. It cannot do so without 
peril to the universal Craft. One who is 
a flitting traveler, and merely in transitu 
through a country, cannot be surrounded 
by those persons who are familiar with 
his real character, and able to impart 
reliable information to a committee of 
inquiry concerning his fitness to be made 
a Mason. All Grand Lodges which 
regard and maintain the universal Land- 


1 16 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


marks of the Craft, recognize this fact, 
and adopt the usage to which we refer. 
The Lodge of the place of residence of 
an applicant alone can determine whether 
he is qualified for Masonic initiation. 

We will suppose a Lodge to receive 
this inquiry, in due form, from a distant 
Lodge: Is there any Masonic objection 

to — — - Lodge, No. — , at , acting 

on the petition for initiation and member- 
ship of , age, etc. 

We will here premise, that such an 
inquiry, while proper to be addressed 
directly to a subordinate Lodge where 
both Lodges are in the same jurisdiction, 
if the inquiring Lodge is in an different 
jurisdiction, it should be sent through 
the Grand Lodge channel of the Grand 
Secretary’s office. 

How shall the Lodges inquired of pro- 
ceed to act ? The thoughtful and skillful 
Secretary at once makes the inquiry 
known to the W. M. of his Lodge, who 
directs the Secretary to place proper noti- 
fication of the inquiry upon the notices 
to the members for the next stated meet- 
ing of the Lodge. This expedites the 
inquiry. The Lodge may, at that meet- 
ing, if prepared to do so, directly vote 
upon the question, or, if there be a doubt 
in the matter, a Committee of Inquiry 
should be appointed by the W. M., to 
report at the next stated meeting, and 
the inquiring Lodge should be notified 
that proper action will then be taken. 

Note the significance of the inquiry. 
It is, is there any Masonic objection ? 
Not, would you prefer to have the appli- 
cant as an initiate for your Lodge ? but 
does he possess the requisite moral, 
mental and physical qualifications for 
initiation in any Masonic Lodge ? The 
members decide this question by their 
Masonic consciences. Mere jealousy of 
another and distant Lodge should never 
enter at all into the question. The inter- 
rogatory is, is there Masonic objection ? 
and not, is there objection ? Of course, 
we may not fancy losing local material, 
but we have no absolute right to it, and 
as we had the option to apply to any 
Lodge, we should accord that same 
option to all others. The provisions 
governing this class of cases in Pennsyl- 


• vania are fully set forth in the Ahiman 
Rezon, Article XVII, §§ 60, 61, 62, 63, 
64 and 65, to which we specially refer 
Pennsylvania Brethren. The principles 
we have outlined are enunciated therein, 
and by the usages and customs of the 
Craft incident thereto. The points are: 

1. The right of an applicant for initia- 
tion to petition any Lodge, anywhere. 

2. The duty of a distant Lodge to 
inquire of the Lodge of the place of resi- 
dence of the applicant: Is there a Masonic 
objection to the applicant ? 

3. The duty of the Lodge inquired of 
to acknowledge the receipt of the inquiry, 
notify its members of its details, inquire 
of the Grand Secretary, act promptly 
upon it, and as promptly notify the in- 
quiring Lodge of the result. 

These are the fraternal duties which 
Lodges and Freemasons owe equally to 
each other and to the Craft. — Keystone. 

♦^♦-4 

Right of Masonic Burial. 


In view of some recent events in this 
Jurisdiction, we quote the following de- 
cisions of P. G. M. Atkinson, with the 
comments thereon of Brother John D. 
Vincil, P. G. M. and present Grand Sec- 
retary and Reporter of Correspondence, 
in Missouri, as pertinent to the case: 

“In case of the death of a Mason sus- 
pended for non-payment of dues, and 
nothing else appearing against him, 
should the Master, at the request of any 
number of the brethren, call the Lodge 
together for the purpose of determining 
whether or not he should be buried with 
Masonic honors ?” 

“Yes; and without such request, if he 
believes that there would be a general 
disposition to pay the last tribute of 
respect to the deceased. ’ ’ 

There can be no mistake as to the 
meaning of the Grand Master in the 
above answer. The plain English of the 
ruling is: “A suspended Mason may be 
buried Masonically. ” I ask from what 
is a brother suspended ? It is usually 
said to be from ‘ ‘all rights and privileges 
of Masonry.” Masonic burial belongs 
to those “rights and privileges.” It may 
be assumed that “Masonic burial” is a 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


right to which every Mason in good 
standing is entitled. If suspended from, 
said -right while living, for good cause, 
how can that right inure to him when 
dead ? Does death revive the right, and 
thereby restore the brother to good stand- 
ing ? If so, we will have a large mass of 
resurrected dead-heads on our hands to 
look after. If death does not revive the 
rights of the suspended party, why bury 
him, granting a right from which he had 
been cut off by suspension ? What sense, 
or use, in suspending a party as punish- 
ment for derelictions, and holding him 
under legal disabilities while alive, when 
Masonry might do him some good, and 
then invest him with a forfeited right 
after death, when it could not benefit him 
or his family ? The procedure seems to 
be endowed with a good degree of incon- 
sistency, to say the least. 

Here is another ruling which I think 
should follow the one above noticed: 

“Is it lawful to use the funds of a 
Lodge to pay the funeral expenses of a 
Mason who has been suspended for non- 
payment of dues ?” 

“No.” 

Here is a party in the same category 
as the one above referred to. He is 
under suspension. So was the other. 
He dies. So did the other. Both had 
lost the right of burial, being under sus- 
pension. The rights of both were for- 
feited by suspension, unless suspension in 
California means less than anvwhere else. 

J 

As the right of burial was forfeited by 
suspension both were buried contrary to 
law, unless, as before stated, death re- 
moved the disability and revived forfeited 
rights. If it did, why refuse “to pay the 
funeral expenses” of one whose rights 
were revived ? If the right to burial did 
not inure bv death, the disabilitv existed 
after death. Then why bury a suspended 
Mason ? If a suspended Mason is counted 
worthy of Masonic sepulture, he ought 
to have the full benefit of the funeral. 
Therefore, the expenses should be paid. 
But the Grand Master said (and the 
Grand Lodge approved) that it is not 
lawful to use Lodge funds for such pur : 
poses. How about the lawfulness of the 
funeral ? The tender sensibilities of the 


r i7 

heart in according a burial is one thing; 
the sensitive condition of the money- 
nerve is another. In the foregoing I have 
not discussed the justice, or the injustice, 
of suspension for non-payment of Lodge 
dues. That is a very different question. 
♦ « ♦ 

• “ Hi ! There ! ” 


We enjoy a good story when well told, 
even if at our own expense, therefore we 
cannot refrain from printing the following 
from the February number of the Ma- 
sonic Review : 

“On the 1 2th inst., at high-noon, the 
high Masons of the high latitude of Ohio, 
assembled in Grand High Convocation 
in the higher apartments of the high- 
arched, high-roofed, high-towering Ma- 
sonic Temple at Cleveland, for the 
purpose of exalting a high number of 
high -aspiring, high-browed, high-reared, 
high-resolved Masons, through the high- 
grades of the high-priced A. & A. S. 
Rite. The high-boasting, high-crowned, 
high-titled, high-mucky- mucks of the 
Order were all on hand, and won many 
high enconiums by the high-merit of 
their work. The high hats and gor- 
geous paraphernalia of the High Priest 
and other high potentates were highly 
praised by the visitors. The high-day 
of this high-occasion was on Wednesday, 
when the hilarity reached high-tide, and 
was high above high-water mark, as may 
be inferred, when it is stated, on good 
authority, that at one time during high- 
festivities, the high-commissary made a 
requisition for $350 worth ofhigh-flavored 
champagne alone. The high amount of 
high wines and other wet goods consumed 
by the high-bred, high-feeding brethren 
present, is not given, except in such 
general terms as being high in quantity 
and high in quality. It would be high- 
treason to detail the high-jinks played 
by these high-dignitaries, but they un- 
doubtedly put the High Grand Consis- 
tory of Northern Ohio in a high place 
among the high-bodies of high Masonry, 
and it weuld be highly improper to say 
that they did not have a high-old-time. 
Nevertheless, it comes high, but we must 
have it. Hi-ram.” 


1 18 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


Recitation. 


Tony the tippler, and Simon the sot, 

Were once two merry and healthful boys ; 

Do you laugh at the notion ? I tell you what, 

Two mothers once called them “loves” and “joy!” 

Then, with eyes all sparkling, and sunny hair, 

Their faces fair ana sweet to view ; 

But now to look at them who would care? 

Or who would be like them? “Not I,” quoth you. 

• 

There are boys all handsome and fair to-day, 

The light of homes and the pride of schools, 

Who will surely go, by the self-same way, 

Down to the mis’ry and shame of fools. 

Brows, pure enough for an angel’s kiss, 

By dishevelled locks will be matted o’er, 

And cheeks that bloom with the sea-shell’s pink, 

The blush of innocence know no more. 

Livid and stained in the wild carouse, 

The face will forfeit its charms divine ; 

Wild passions flash from the restless eye, 

Where lucid rays of truth now shine. 

Boys, shun the sparkling and tempting cup*, 

Which allures from purity heaven and God ^ 

Though “ moving aright ” as it bubbles up, 

Wine flung its suble aroma abroad. 

“ Look not,” although the color be bright ; 

“Taste not,” although the draft nectar should be ; 

“At last ” it will sting with venemous bite, 

And, kissing thy lips, it betrayeth thee! 

Take the temperance pledge, be steadfast and true, 
Hold steadily on, and, whatever your lot, 

Rum ne’er shall degrade and dishonor you, 

Like Tony, the tippler, and Simon, the sot. 


Lawful or Mature Age. 


There is no such period in the qualifi- 
cations of one seeking initiation as legal 
age. There is, however, the essential 
qualification of lawful age. This lawful 
age of a candidate is recognized as a pre- 
requisite for the action of a Lodge. That, 
in the language of the Landmark, is “of 
mature age.” Mature age is Masonic 
age. A Lodge must be satisfied that 
the candidate is of “ mature age." The 
Lodge works under defined powers. It 
has neither right nor prerogative to alter 
or change the prescribed form for its own 
action, for the operation of the principle 
requiring mature age is rigid, unbending, 
and absolute; because a Lodge has no 
inherent rights, those it possesses are “to 
make Masons,” and candidates must be 
of mature age, or the Lodge, acting on 
any other ground, violates the power to 
make Masons granted to it, in and by 
its charter. There are many reasons for 
this. If every Lodge had only its own 
discretion to guide it, there would be no 
uniform standard of mature age. What 
mature age may be, is possibly best deter- 
mined by the rule which has accepted 


legal age as the period when males are 
supposed to be of mature age. This is 
the best criterion, for it is universal 
almost in profane society. Only so. But 
‘ ‘ a youth under age, ’ ’ as Masonically con- 
sidered, may be of mature but not legal 
age. Lodges cannot take this refine- 
ment of physiological condition. They 
are, therefore, forced by the necessity of 
the case to interpret mature as legal. 

There are three standards of adultism: 
legal, lawful and mature age. Legal 
age is fixed at twenty-one years, because 
the consensus of profane legislative opin- 
ion has designated this conventional 
period as the time when adultism begins 
in the social relations. For the purposes 
of the operations of laws which regulate, 
assert and protect individual rights of 
males, this legal age is established. 

An adult may be of lawful age when 
no law exists which restricts or restrains 
his individual action, unless he is proven 
to be of legal age. An act of an adult may 
be lawful though not legal. What is 
prohibited until the adult is of legal age, 
makes his acts until then illegal. If no 
such restriction or assertion is in the letter 
of the law, the act may be lawful. A 
voidable act is not void, it may be. 
A male may marry before twenty-one, 
and the marriage is lawful. 

Mature age is a Masonic term. There 
is no such word as legal in the Masonic 
vocabulary. Mature age depends on 
psychological conditions. A mind may 
be mature, the physical condition may 
be mature, the moral fabric may be ma- 
ture, before the individual is of legal age. 
How many are immature long after 
reaching legal age! 

— P. G. M. Vaux, of Penn. 

. ■» » 4 

Church vs. Lodge. 


Commenting on some remarks in op- 
position to Masonry, recently made in 
an organization in Boston, calling them- 
selves “The Christain Conclave,” a cor- 
respondent of the Masonic Review says: 

“It is rather singular that this opposi- 
tion to Freemasonry should always orig- 
inate in some religious sect, who think 
their members are neglecting their Church 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


meetings, and bestowing their time upon 
their Lodge meetings. Does not this 
show that they do not make their Church 
meetings what they should be, that there 
is too much crimination and recrimina- 
tion mixed up with them, that they do 
not confine themselves to the beautiful 
teachings of religion ? In the Lodge 
room there are none of these things. 
The beautiful lessons here impressed upon 
the inmates are Love to God and Charity 
to all mankind. And while our Churches 
are thus shut up in sectarianism, and can 
see no good, and nothing but evil, in 
those who are not of their particular faith, 
so long will even those of their own 
Church seek an asylum where they are 
free from this fulsome laudation of self 
and wholesale condemnation of others. 
Masonry is too universal to suit the case 
of these Pharisees, they are not disposed 
to recognize the claims of mere humanity. 
They are not disposed to render any 
assistance from which no personal honor 
or interest is to be gained; but let an 
opportunity occur where the case will 
attract public notice, and how very hu- 
mane they become. Is it possible they 
can read the Bible and fail to perceive 
how applicable to them was the answer 
of our Saviour in the parable of the good 
Samaritan, when asked by the self-con- 
ceited lawyer, “Who is my neighbor?” 
They, as this lawyer, consider the word 
“neighbor,” confined to members of their 
own Church, and the rebuke which our 
Saviour gave to this lawyer as completely 
applies to them as it did to him, who 
supposed this self-righteousness was to 
meet the approbation of his Father in 
Heaven. These people are willing to 
give a handsome sum if it can be blazoned 
abroad, but would not give a sixpence to 
him who could only give them private 
thanks. They want their gifts to be 
blazoned forth to the world; but to the 
needy poor, whom our Saviour said, “Ye 
have always with you,” they would not 
give the small pittance of a loaf of bread. 
That high and holy lesson taught to the 
lawyer, who provoked the parable, is one 
which devolves on us as Masons. It is 
not enough that we do not steal, do not 

commit murder, or violate anv of the 

✓ 


119 

commands of God — these are the mere 
negatives , we must perform the positives. 
We must do what He requires without 
regard to sect, party or nation — feed the 
hungry, clothe the naked, comfort the 
afflicted, admonish the erring. These are 
the duties enjoined upon him who unites 
himself to our Order; not looking to the 
world for applause, or to any particular 
body or sect of men, but satisfied with 
the approval of Him who said, ‘Inas- 
much as ye have done it to the least of 
these, my brethren , ye have done it unto 


Kisses on Interest. 


A father, talking to his careless daugh- 
ter, said: “I want to speak to you of 
your mother. It may be that you have 
noticed a careworn look upon her face 
lately. Of course, it has not been brought 
there by any act of yours, still it is your 
duty to chase it away. I want you to get 
up to-morrow morning and get breakfast, 
and when your mother comes and begins 
to express her surprise, go right up to her 
and kiss her on the mouth. You can't 
imagine how it will brighten her dear 
face. Besides, you owe her a kiss or 
two. Away back, when you were a little 
girl, she kissed you when no one else was 
tempted by your fever-tainted breath and 
swollen face. You were not as attract- 
ive then as vou are now. And through 
those years of childish sunshine and shad- 
ows, she was always ready to cure> by 
the magic of a mother’s kiss, the little 
dirty, chubby hands, whenever they were 
injured in those first skirmishes with the 
rough old world. And then, the mid- 
night kiss, with which she routed so main- 
bad dreams, as she leaned above your 
restless pillow, have all been on interest 
these long, long years. Of course she is 
not so pretty and kissable as you are: 
but if you had done your share of work 
during the last ten vears, the contrast 
would not be so marked. Her face has 
more wrinkles than yours — far more — 
and yet, if you were sick, that face would 
appear more beautiful than an angel’s as 
it hovered over you, watching even,' op- 
portunity to minister to your comfort, 


120 


THE TRESTLE BO ARE. 


and every one of those wrinkles would 
seem to be bright wavelets of sunshine 
chasing each other over the dear face. 
She will leave you one of these days. 
These burdens, if not lifted from her 
shoulders, will break her down. Those 
rough, hard hands that have done so 
many necessary things for you, will be 
closed upon her lifeless breast. Those 
neglected lips that gave you your first 
baby kiss, will be forever closed, and 
those sad, tired eyes will have opened in 
eternity, and then you will appreciate 
your mother; but it will be too late.” 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 

PUBLISHED MONTHLY BY THE 

TRESTLE BOARD ASSOCIATION. 

Terms — $1.50 per year. If paid strictly in advance 
$i.co per year. Single copies 15 cents. 

C. MOODY PLUMMER, Manager, 

408 California St., San Francisco, California. 


SAN FRANCISCO , April ?/, i8 9 o. 


Grand Council of California. 


The Grand Council of Royal and 
Select Masters of California, held its 30th 
annual assembly at the Masonic Temple, 
in this city, on the 14th inst. , M. P. Wm. 
Frank Pierce, Deputy Grand Master, 
presiding. 

The Grand Council of California was 
opened in ample form, with music under 
the direction of Samuel D. Mayer, Grand 
Organist. 

The Grand Master appointed the fol- 
lowing Committee on Credentials : David 
P. Marshall, George Penlington, Charles 
E. Gillett, who presented a report of offi- 
cers of five chartered Councils as being 
present. 

The Grand Master announced the ap- 
pointment of the following committees: 

On Jurisprudence— Franklin H. Day, E. A. Sherman 
and Jacob H. Neff. 

On Appeals and Grievances— Chas. L. Field, Eugene 
Cormeny and W. H. Davis. 

On Finances and Returns — James B. Merritt, Isaac 
S. Locke and Thomas Kyle. 

The annual address of the Grand 
Master was then read and referred to a 
special committee, consisting of William 
A. Davies, Stephen Wing and E. Win- 
chester for action. 


The annual reports of the Grand 
Recorder, Grand Treasurer, and the 
Committee on Correspondence, were pre- 
sented and referred to appropriate com- 
mittees. 

The Grand Council was then called 
off until 3 o’clock. 

In afternoon session the credentials of 
Stephen Wing, as representative of the 
Grand Council of Illinois, Wm. Edward 
O ugh ton of the Grand Council of Minne- 
sota, Cornelius Kellogg of the Grand 
Council of Ohio, Charles E. Gillett of 
the Grand Council of Rhode Island, and 
William A. Davies of the Grand Council 
of Vermont, as near the Grand Council 
of California, were presented and received 
as such accredited representatives. 

The election of officers for the ensuing 
year being next in order, the Grand 
Master appointed E. A. Sherman and I. 
S. Locke as tellers, and the election was 
proceeded with, resulting as follows: 

William Frank Pierce, of Oakland, Grand Master; 
David P. Marshall, of San Francisco, Deputy Grand 
Master ; George Penlington, of San Francisco. Grand 
Principal Conductor of Work ; Franklin H. Day, of 
San Francisco, Grand Treasurer (re-elected); Thomas 
H. Caswell, of San Francisco, Grand Recorder (re- 
elected). 

The Grand Master-elect announced 
the following appointments for the ensu- 
ing year: 

Charles D. Barrows. D. D. of San Francisco, Grand 
Chaplain; Charles E. Gillett, of Oakland, Grand Cap- 
tain of the Guards; George C. Knox, of Los Angeles, 
Grand Conductor of Council ; Charles L. Field, of San 
Francisco, Grand Lecturer; Wm. H. Davis, of Sacra- 
mento, Grand Steward ; Samuel D. Mayer, of San Fran- 
cisco, Grand Organist; Jas. Oglesby, of San Francisco, 
Grand Sentinel. 

The Grand Officers, both elected and 
appointed, were then installed by Frank- 
lin H. Day, P. G. M., assisted by Chas. 

L. Field, P. G. M. 

A special committee, consisting of Wm. 
A. Davies, Stephen Wing and William 

M. Petrie, was appointed to draft suit- 
able resolutions to the memory of James 
Lawrence English, deceased, Past Grand 
Master of this Jurisdiction. 

The Grand Master appointed the fol- 
lowing gentlemen as the Committee on 
Correspondence, to serve for the ensuing 
year: Thomas Hubbard Caswell, E. A. 
Sherman and Daniel P. Bystle. 

The Grand Council was then closed 
in ample form. 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


I 2 I 


Grand Chapter of California. 


The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch 
Masons of California commenced its 36th 
annual convocation at the Masonic Tem- 
ple, in this city, on the 15th inst., Wm. 
Vanderhurst, Grand High Priest, presid- 
ing. 

The Grand Chapter was opened in 
ample form, with music by the choir and 
prayer by the Grand Chaplain. 

The Grand High Priest announced the 
appointment of the following Committee 
on Credentials: M. R. Dundas, John C. 
Haskell and William Isbell. The com- 
mittee, after a brief recess, submitted 
their report, which was adopted. 

The Grand High Priest then delivered 
his annual address, which treats of official 
acts performed by him, and an allusion 
to the loss of prominent Companions 
since the last annual session. Their 
names are as follows: 

Carnot Courtland Mason, Deputy Grand High Priest, 
died at Chico, July 15, 1SS9; James Lawrence English, 
Past Grand High Priest, died at Sacramento, May 29, 
1SS9; James Witherspoon Bicknell, Past Grand King, 
died in Stanislaus County, June 27, 1SS9; Chas. Morton 
RadclifF, Past Grand High Priest (the first presiding 
officer of the Grand Chapter of California), died at Ala- 
meda, December 31, 1SS9, and Michael James Keating, 
Past Grand High Priest, died in this city. Jan 23. 1S90. 

The address was referred to a special 
Committee on Distribution, consisting of 
William A. Davies, Jacob H. Neff and 
Wiley J. Tin n in. 

The annual reports of the Grand Sec- 
retary, Grand Treasurer, Committee on 
Finances and Grand Lecturer, were pre- 
sented and referred to appropriate com- 
mittees for action. 

The report of the Committee on Cor- 
respondence, Thos. H. Caswell, Chair- 
man, reviewing the proceedings of fifty 
Grand Chapters other than this jurisdic- 
tion, was presented, and it was ordered 
printed in full in the annual proceedings. 

The Grand Secretary presented the 
credentials of the following representa- 
tives near the Grand Chapter of this State, 
from jurisdictions as follows: 

Thomas H. Caswell, Arkansas : Milton H. Myriek, 
North Dakota; Franklin H. Day, Illinois: Alexander 
G. Abell, Iowa: Jacob H. Neff, Maryland; Edward 
Coleman, Maine: William Vanderhurst, Mississippi; 
Benjamin F. Tuttle, Nebraska; Wiley J. Tinnin, Ohio: 
William T. Luther, South Carolina. 

The Grand High Priest appointed 
Ellison L. Crawford and Chas. E. Gillett 


to act as tellers, and the election of offi- 
cers proceeded, with the following result: 

Franklin H. Day, of San Francisco, Grand High 
Priest; Milton H. Myriek, of San Francisco, Deputy 
Graud High Priest; William B. Davis, of Sacramento, 
Grand King; Charles R. Gritman, ol Napa City, Grand 
Scribe; Hiram T. Graves, of San Francisco, Grand 
Treasurer (re-elected); Thos. H. Caswell, of Sail Fran- 
cisco, Grand Secretary (re-elected). 

An amendment to the Constitution of 
the Grand Chapter, reducing the mini- 
mum for the degrees to $30, was pre- 
sented and referred to the Committee on 
Jurisprudence. 

The Committees on By-Laws, on Re- 
turns, on Grievances and Appeals, pre- 
sented reports, which were concurred in. 

The Grand Chapter was then called 
off until the next morning. 

The Grand Chapter reassembled on 
the morning of the 16th. 

The special committee on the annual 
address of the Grand High Priest, pre- 
sented a report, which was concurred in. 

The reports of the Grand Secretary 
and Grand Treasurer were adopted. 

The Committee on Jurisprudence made 
verbal majority and minority reports 
upon the proposed amendment to Sec- 
tion 5, Article XVII of the Constitution 
governing Subordinate Chapters, reduc- 
ing the fee for conferring the degrees 
from $50 to $30, which amendment was 
lost, not having received a constitutional 
two-thirds vote. 

A resolution authorizing a sale of the 
stock in the Masonic Hall Association, 
was adopted. 

In afternoon session the Committee 
on Obituary made a report, which was 
adopted. 

The Grand High Priest-elect then an- 
nounced the appointments for the ensu- 
ing - year, viz: 

Alfred T. Perkins, of Alameda, Grand Chaplain; Edi- 
son L. Crawford, of Georgetown , Grand Captain of 
the Host; Adolphus Hewel, of Modesto. Grand Ro>al 
Arch Captain: Thomas H. Caswell, of San Francisco, 
Grand Lecturer: Samuel D. Mayer, of San Francisco, 
Grand Organist; Janies Oglesby, of San Francisco, 
Grand Guard. 

The newly elected and appointed 
Grand Officers were dulv installed bv 
M. E. Wm. Vanderhurst, P. G. H. P.', 
assisted by William A. Davies, P. G. H. 
P., as Master of Ceremonies. 

William Vanderhurst, P. G. H. P. , was 
requested to sit for his portrait, to be 


122 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


placed in the portrait gallery of the 
Grand Chapter. 

The Grand High Priest announced 
the appointment of the following Stand- 
ing Committees for the ensuing year: 

On Jurisprudence — Wm. A. Davies, Jacob H. Neff, 
Henry H. Knapp, Nathan W. Spaulding and Wiley J. 
T inn in. 

On Correspondence — Thomas H. Caswell, James W. 
Anderson, Trowbridge H. Ward, Joseph B. Cooke and 
Gilbert P. Ostrom. 

On Finance — Thomas Flint, Jr., William M. Petrie, 
Ianthis J. Rolfe, Isaac P. Kincaid and Chas. E. Gillett. 

By resolution, it was ordered that the 
Finance Committee be instructed to re- 
port, at the next annual convocation, the 
advisability and expense of procuring 
Past Grand High Priest’s jewels, for pre- 
sentation to all living Past Grand High 
Priests of this Grand Chapter. 

The Grand Chapter of California was 

closed in ample form. 



Grand Commandery of California. 


The Grand Commandery of Knights 
Templar of the State of California, com- 
menced its 3 2d annual conclave at the 
Masonic Temple, in this city, 17th inst., 
M. E. Sir Samuel H. Wagener, Deputy 
Grand Commander, presiding, and was 
opened in ample form with music by the 
choir and prayer by the Grand Prelate. 

The acting Grand Commander an- 
nounced the following Committee on 
Credentials: Thomas H. Caswell, Wm. 
M. Petrie and Joseph M. Litchfield, 
whose report was concurred in. 

The acting Grand Commander then 
read his annual address, which treats of 
official duties performed during his term 
of office, and a reference to the death of 
Carnot Courtland Mason, Grand Com- 
mander, who died during his term of 
office. 

The report was referred to the Com- 
mittee on Doings of Grand Officers, con- 
sisting of Edward S. Lippitt, Edward R. 
Hedges and Freeman G. Teed. 

The annual reports of the Grand Re- 
corder, Grand Treasurer, Committee on 
Finances and Accounts, were read and 
referred to the Committee on Finances. 

Thos. H. Caswell presented a -report 
on Correspondence, which was ordered 
printed with the proceedings of the Grand 
Commandery. 


The acting Grand Commander an- 
nounced the appointment of the following 
committees : 

On Appeals and Grievances — Andrew G. Booth, Fran- 
cis M. Casal, William D. Knights. 

On New Commanderies — William B. Davis, Clement 
T. Park and William L. G. Soule. 

On Returns — Levi Radcliffe, Joseph B. Cooke and 
Thomas Flint, Jr. 

On Pay of Delegates — Milo S. Davis, John L. Simp- 
son and James A. Day. 

In afternoon session the following cre- 
dentials of representatives near the Grand 
Commandery of California were received, 
and the Sir Knights named were ac- 
credited as such representatives: 

Hiram T. Graves, Alabama, Missouri and Vermont ; 
Thomas H. Caswell, Arkansas, Mississippi and Iowa; 
Alfred A. Reddington, Connecticut and Georgia; Tris- 
tam Burges, Illinois; Alexander G. Abell, Indiana; 
George C. Perkins, Maine ; Charles F. Lott, Massachu- 
setts and Rhode Island ; Phillip W. Keyser, Nebraska ; 
William C. Belcher, Pennsylvania; George A. Johnson, 
Tennessee. 

The Committee on Doings and Re- 
ports of Grand Officers made a report, 
which was concurred in. 

A special committe to draft suitable 
resolutions on the deaths of Carnot Court- 
land Mason, Grand Commander, and 
■ James Lawrence English, Past Grand 
Commander, was appointed, consisting 
of Reuben H. Lloyd, Willim O. Gould 
and George A. Johnson. 

The Special Committee on Ritual pre- 
sented a report, which was adopted. 

The acting Grand Commander ap- 
pointed Sir Knights Cooke and Higgins 
as tellers, and the election of Grand Offi: 
cers was proceeded with, resulting as 
follows : 

Samuel H. Wagener, of San Jose, Grand Commander ; 
George A. Johnson, of Santa Rosa, Deputy Grand Com- 
mander; Jacob H. Neff, of Nevada City, Grand General- 
issimo ; William Vanderhurst, of Watsonville, Grand 
Captain General; Hezekiali L. Hosmer, of Sail Fran- 
cisco, Grand Prelate; Frank W. Sumner, of San Fran- 
cisco, Grand Senior Warden; Edward S. Lippitt, of 
Petaluma, Grand Junior Warden; John F. Merrill, of 
San Francisco, Grand Treasurer (re-elected) ; Thomas 
H. Caswell, of San Francisco, Grand Recorder (re- 
elected). 

The Grand Commandery then ad- 
journed until next morning. 

The Grand Commandery met morning 
of the 1 8th, at 10 o’clock. 

A fraternal greeting was read from the 
Grand Commandery of Texas, then in 
session, and the Grand Recorder was 
directed to telegraph a suitable reply. 

The Committee on Finances and Ac- 
counts made a report on the books, 
papers and accounts of the Grand Re- 


THE TEES 7 'L E B OARD. 


‘23 


corder and Grand Treasurer, finding 
them correct, which report was con- 
curred in. 

The Committee on Reports of Grand 
Officers presented a report recommend- 
ing their approval, which was adopted. 

The Committee on Pay of Delegates 
reported on the amounts due for mileage 
and per diem, which report was con- 
curred in. 

The Committee on Masonic Home and 
Orphanage was continued, and Wm. M. 
Petrie was appointed to the vacancy on 
said committee caused by the death of 
Carnot C. Mason. 

The Grand Commander-elect then an- 
nounced the following appointments for 
the ensuing year: 

Trowbridge H. Ward, of Los Angeles, Grand Stand- 
ard Bearer ; William B. Miller, of Sacramento, Grand 
Sword Bearer; George D. Metcalf, of Oakland, Grand 
Warder; SanTl D. Mayer, of San Francisco, Grand Or- 
ganist ; Jas. Oglesby, of San Francisco, Grand Captain 
of the Guards. 

The elected and appointed Grand Offi- 
cers, except the Grand Treasurer, John 
F. Merrill, who is absent from the State, 
were installed in their respective stations 
by William A. Davies, P. G. C. , assisted 
by Wm. O. Gould, P. G. C., as Master 
of Ceremonies. 

It was ordered that the Grand Treas- 
urer be installed in the Subordinate Com- 
mandery of which he is a member. 

It was ordered that the By-Laws of 
the several Subordinate Commanderies 
of this Jurisdiction, be referred to the 
Committee on Jurisprudence, and that 
that committee be authorized to revise 
the same and to report at the next an- 
nual conclave a uniform code of laws to 
be in force throughout this jurisdiction. 

The Grand Commander announced 
the appointment of the following stand- 
ing committees: 

On Jurisprudence — William C. Belcher, Reuben H. 
Lloyd and William A. Davies. 

On Finances and Accounts — Franklin H. Day, Wm. 
M. Petrie and Joseph M. Litchfield. 

On Correspondence — Thomas H. Caswell, Robert C. 
Broder and Joseph B. Cooke. 

On Ritual— Wm. O. Gould, Reuben H. Lloyd, Geo. 
D. Metcalf, Thos. H. Caswell, Frank W. Sumner, Tris- 
tam Burges and William H. L. Barnes. 

The business being completed, the 
minutes were read and approved and the 
Grand Commandery of California was 
closed in ample form. 


Fortieth Anniversary of the Grand 
Lodge of California. 


The celebration of the fortieth anni- 
versary of the organization of the Most 
Worshipful Grand Lodge, Free and Ac- 
cepted Masons, of the State of California, 
by the Masonic Veteran Association of 
the Pacific Coast, took place in King 
Solomon’s Hall, Masonic Temple, on 
Saturday evening, 19th inst. Colonel 
John D. Stevenson presided. 

The Colonel addressed the assembly 
with a voice enfeebled by old age, but 
every ear was strained to hear his remin- 
iscences of 1849 in this city. The vener- 
able gentleman has been a Mason for 
sixtv-nine years, and was born in New 
York in 1800. 

Past President Jas. L. Cogswell, Chair- 
man of the Committee of Arrangements, 
called the assemblage to order, and then 
introduced Wm. S. Moses, President of 
the Masonic Veteran Association of the 
Pacific Coast, who delivered the address 
of welcome, in which he stated that Col. 
Stevenson and himself were the oldest 
veterans present. 

The order of exercises included the 
opening address, by Most Worshipful 
Grand Master Morris M. Estee; an ora- 
tion, by Worshipful Grand Orator. Rev. 
Charles D. Barrows : a bass solo, bv 
Walter C. Campbell; music by the Grand 
Lodge Choir, and a poem, composed 
and read by Past President Washington 
Ayer. 

At the banquet the President of the 
Association presided as grand master of 
ceremonies, and after an invocation by 
Rev. Joseph H. Wythe, the brethren 
seated themselves to enjoy refreshment. 

The first toast was the “Most Wor- 
shipful Grand Lodge of Free and Ac- 
cepted Masons of California.” and was 
responded to by P. G. M. Wiley J. 
Timlin. 

The “Grand Lodge of Nevada. Cali- 
fornia’s Second Daughter.” was replied 
to by M. W. J. R. Kendall, of Nevada. 

The “Grand Lodge of Arizona. Cali- 
fornia’s Youngest Daughter.” was re- 
plied to by M. W. Alex. G. Oliver. 
Vice-President of the Association. 


124 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


The “Masonic Veteran Association of 
the United States” was replied to by 
Edwin A. Sherman, Vice-President of 
the National Masonic Veteran Associa- 
tion. He said there were two hundred 
grand and past grand members now en- 
rolled in the Veterans. A man who has 
lived twenty-one years in good standing 
in Masonry reaches a position where his 
word is as good as his bond, and the 
Veterans realize this fact. The bump of 
veneration in this generation is wofully 
diminishing, and the intolerance of the 
youthful members must be put down 
even if it is necessary to tap them on the 
head. It was because of this intolerance 
that the Veteran Association was formed. 
Another reason for the formation is to 
accumulate biographies of Masons who 
have gone to the unknoAvn land. 

President Moses and Colonel J. D. 
Stevenson spoke at length upon lodge 
life and work in the early days, and illus- 
trated by anecdotes the many charitable 
acts then performed by Masons. 

Other toasts were given, and were 
interspersed by singing by the Grand 
Lodge Choir — S. D. Mayer, W. C. 
Campbell, J. G. Baston, J. R. Ogilvie. 
The banquet ended by all singing “Auld 
Lang Syne.” 

The following are the officers of the 
Veterans’ Association: 

President — Wm. S. Moses; Vice-Presidents — Thos. 
G. Lambert of Monterey, Orrin W. Hollenback of Au- 
burn, Christopher Taylor of Oregon, Louis Zeigler, ol 
Oregon, Henry R. Comby of Montana, Alex. D. Rock 
of Nevada, Alex. G. Oliver of Arizona, Lawrence N. 
Greenleaf of Colorado, Joseph V. Cowan of New Mexico, 
James Lowe of Utah ; Secretary — Edwin A. Sherman of 
Oakland; Treasurer — William S. Phelps of San Fran- 
cisco; Marshal — Charles H. Hoile of Alameda; Chap- 
lain — Rev. O. C. Wheeler of Oakland; Tyler — Treat 
P. Clark of San Francisco. 


Fair Play. 


The Portland Masonic Joiirnal places 
us in a position we think our language 
about “Mighty Poor Masons” could not 
be construed to bear — that “it is a proper 
caper for a member of a Commandery or 
Chapter to be active in those bodies and 
at the same time rest under the ban of 
suspension in the Blue Lodge.” At any 
rate, we disclaim holding such an opinion. 
We offered something in justification or 
extenuation for the action of some breth- 


ren, and had no expectation that our 
opinion would be misunderstood. Indeed, 
we have often declared the contrary. 
But we will say that it would be best to 
permit nominal or inactive membership 
in the “higher” bodies than to suspend 
because the Lodge has done so for non- 
payment of dues on account of inability 
to bear the burdens of the Lodge, or is 
refused affiliation by a blackball, although 
applying with a dimit and recommenda- 
tion from his former Lodge and associ- 
ates. The facilities for change of mem- 
bership in all the bodies are not free 
enough, and too many impediments 
exist in the rules and regulations which 
tend to make brethren not permanently 
located, who are liable to change resi- 
dence, disgusted with the Institution 
We believe brethren should go unre- 
stricted from one Lodge to another, 
always requiring membership in some 
Lodge in the jurisdiction where they re- 
side. We believe that fees, dues, and 
assessments, should be equal, throughout 
the United States, and to make it so, 
there should be but one General Charity 
Fund for the whole nation. We believe 
with the Journal that debtors to the 
Lodge should be treated as other debtors 
are who are unable to pay their debts, 
not expelled, for they then are virtually 
so, and cannot be reinstated even with 
payment of the debt unless with a ballot. 
When a brother refuses to pay his Lodge 
dues from indisposition, and becomes 
suspended, and then parades as a Knight 
Templar, incurring the necessary expen- 
ses therefor, we would make an example 
of justice with such. He should be re- 
turned to the Fellow Craft Lodge and 
have the 13th chapter of Corinthians 
read to him until he acknowledges the 
error of his ways. The matter of expense 
seems to enter into the merits of most all 
cases of suspensions for non-payment of 
dues. A brother came to us a few days 
since, saying he was affiliated in Lodge 
and Commandery, but not in the Chap- 
ter. He had been informed that he 
must affiliate with a Chapter or be 
dropped from the rolls of his Command- 
ery. He said he could not afford the 
luxury of all, and thought it a little hard 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


that he must relinquish his membership 
in the Commandery, to which he was 
most ardently attached and enthusiastic 
in its good work and principles. We 
would require membership in the Lodge 
always , even if the dues every year, 
through inability to pay, were unpaid 
and obliged to be remitted. But we are 
not so certain that we would not vote to 
waive some requirements for the ‘ ‘higher’ ’ 
degrees and Orders. 

The Masonic Advocate copies the arti- 
cle of the Journal in its April issue. Will 
it please copy this in correction of our 
statement. 



Publishers’ Complaints. 


Editors and publishers of Masonic 
iournals obtain a varied knowledge of 
the Craft through the experience that 
comes to them in their respective call- 
ings. They find the class of reading 
Masons to be less numerous than they 
had supposed, and that the duty of sup- 
porting" a Craft publication rests very 
lightly on the conscience of the average 
member of the Fraternity. They soon 
come to learn that the best work done 
on the pages of a Masonic periodical is 
appreciated by only a very few brethren, 
while a much larger number are ready 
to criticise and censure whenever oppor- 
tunitv offers. Publishers are forced to 

j 

the unwelcome conclusion that all Ma- 
sons are not prompt-paying subscribers 
to the Craft publications which they 
patronize. A recent examination of the 
subscription list and accounts of the Re- 
pository shows nearly seven thousand 
dollars due from brethren in arrears — 
some of them owing for a number of 
years. The publishers have never used 
the pages of this magazine to press the 
payment of bills due to them, nor will 
they now; but the mere statement of a 
fact sometimes affects the willing mind. 

— Freemasons' Repository. 

The Repository is not alone in such 
experiences. An examination of our 
books reveals the fact that there are over 
one thousand dollars due us after only 
three year’s of life. We hope the effect 
desired by our contemporary will be 


manifest in our patrons minds. We have 
never dunned our .subscribers through 
our columns, but of late have had serious 
thoughts about so doing. We prefer 
the direct method of sending a bill, 
although occasionally a subscriber gets 
angry because we dun him. 

♦ * ♦ — ■■ 

Editorial Chips. 


We are in receipt of the printed pro- 
ceedings of the following Grand Bodies, 
for which they have our thanks: Grand 
Lodges of Utah, Florida, South Caro- 
lina, New Jersey, Louisiana, Michigan; 
Grand Council of Michigan ; Grand Con- 
sistory of California. 

The Masonic Advocate appears with 
new type, and as may be supposed, is 
justly proud of its improved appearance. 

The Masonic Chronicle has discovered 
that “the cat is now out of the bag,” 
after about one- third of the American 
Grand Lodges have denounced Cerneau- 
ism as illegitimate. With its accustomed 
aptness, it misquotes our language, but 
we expect that. Now that "the cat is 
out,” the rodents will have to look out 
for shelter. Recentlv several other Cer- 

J 

neans have also discovered that the "cat 
was out,” and have sought shelter in 
good season. The signs are ominous 
for Cerneauism. 

In 1798, 1799 and 1S00. John Jacob 
Astor was Grand Treasurer of the Grand 
Lodge of New York. 

Articles of incorporation of the Ma- 
sonic Temple Association of this city 
have been filed. The amount of the 
capital stock is $1,500,000, divided into 
75,000 shares. Trustees — Asa R. Wells, 
F. P. Masson, F. J. French, W. S. Phelps, 
F. W. Van Sicklen, Mendel Esberg, H. 
J. Sadler, James H. Jennings, H. N. 
Tilden, C. P. Robinson, Aaron Doud, 
Columbus Waterhouse, A. Drucker, 
Antonio Daneri, John I. Sabin, W. G. 
Winter, John Center, Chas. F. Crocker, 
James G. Walker, H. T. Graves, John 
Hammond, S. W. Levy, Chas. L. Field, 
E. V. Hathaway, George C. Perkins, 
Edward Coleman, R. H. Lloyd, B. P. 
Flint, F. W. Sumner and A. Powell. 


126 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


The expenses of the Grand Encamp- 
ment of the United States for three years 
ending September 2, 1 889, was $7, 269. 63. 
A National Grand Lodge would cost no 
more in proportion. 

Brother John H. Van Pelt, of Golden 
Gate Lodge, No. 30, after an absence of 
thirty-six years, or since 1854, has re- 
turned to this city, and visited his Lodge 
at its last stated communication. He 
was unknown to all present except Bros. 
Geo, J. Hobe, Adolphus A. Hobe and 
Wm. S. Moses, by whom he was cordi- 
ally and affectionately received, particu- 
larly by the last named, which meeting 
we witnessed. Brother Van Pelt has, in 
his absence, been all over the world, as 
he expressed it, but retains his member- 
ship in Golden Gate, No. 30. 

The Masons of Indiana, as we learn 
from the Masonic Advocate , are contem- 
plating the building of a Widows’ and 
Orphans’ Home. We would suggest that 
before they begin this, that they make 
restitution to a widow, Mrs. Laura Page- 
Graham and her children, for her hus- 
band’s life insurance money, which was 
borrowed to build the Masonic Temple at 
Lafayette, in 1871, and which, at last ac- 
counts, she was pleading to have repaid 
her. 

The Masonic Advocate , whose editor 
is a 33 0 and member of the N. M. J. of 
the Scottish Rite, complains that the 
printed proceedings of their last session 
make no recognition of the “valuable” 
aid rendered that branch of Masonry by 
the Grand Lodges, saying that not even a 
vote of thanks was tendered them, and 
that the Grand Lodges deserved the 
silent rebuke they have received for med- 
dling, unasked, with Cerneauism. True 
it is, they were unasked to interfere, but 
the Grand Lodges that have interfered, 
have done so from self-interest and not 
otherwise. If Brother Rice desired such 
recognition for valuable aid to be given, 
he was himself in a position to render it, 
being himself a member, for his name 
appears as such in the printed proceed- 
ings. We cannot understand the con- 
sistency of Bro. Rice’s language with his 
position in the Rite. 


The Grand R. A. Chapter of Indian 
Territory was constituted at McAllister, 
February 15th. 

In Missouri, and also in Maine, an 
installed officer cannot resign or dimit 
during the term of his office. 

Of the 158 Lodges in New York city, 
65 meet in the new Temple, which con- 
tains eight Lodge rooms beside the 
Grand Lodge room. 

The Kansas City Times says the Ma- 
sons of that city “have fully made up 
their minds to build a Temple which will 
cost half a million dollars. ’ ’ 

Bro. Rev. Dr. John D. Vincil, P. G. 
M., present Grand Secretary and Grand 
Reporter of Correspondence of the Grand 
Lodge of Missouri, is announced as chief 
editor of the Masonic Constellation. 

The ceremony of the dedication of the 
monument to the memory of Brother 
James A. Garfield, at Cleveland, Ohio, 
will take place on May 30th next, under 
the auspices of the Grand Commandery 
of Ohio. 

The library of the Grand Lodge of 
Iowa, collected by the labor of Brother 
T. S. Parvin, contains books written by 
over three hundred authors of that State, 
some of them having written as many as 
ten books. 

There is a seeming inconsistency in the 
fact that M. W. Bro. Clifford P. McCalla, 
Grand Master of Pennsylvania, and editor 
of the Keystone , which jurisdiction has 
interdicted intercourse with members of 
the Cerneau bodies, should visit a Lodge 
in New York city, and sit with brethren 
thus proscribed. It is agreeable with the 
old adage that “when among the Ro- 
mans, do as the Romans do, ’ ’ but we do 
not see much consistency in it. 

Brother Daniel Seagrave, of Worces- 
ter, Mass., has kindly sent us an account 
of the observance of Easter Sunday by 
our Fraternity at that place, under the 
auspices of Lawrence Chapter of Rose 
Croix. An address by Bro. Rev J. F. 
Lovering, with music followed by a ban- 
quet, at which two hundred and seventy- 
five gentlemen and ladies sat down, clos- 
ing at midnight, constituted the order of 
ceremonies. 


THE TRESTLE BOARD. 


California Commandery, No. i, at- 
tended service at Trinity Church on 

, _ _ 

Easter Sunday morning, in full regalia. 

Golden Gate Commandery, No. 16, 
attended divine service at the First Con- 
gregational Church, on the evening oi 
Easter Sunday, Rev. Dr. Barrows offi- 
ciating. 

The returns of the Chapter, O. E. S. 
of Iowa, reports 2,624 members, a gain 
of 305 in the year. 

In the case of the Cerneaus against 
the Grand Lodge of Iowa, the court de- 
cided that they can grant them no relief. 

Cceur de Lion Commandery, No. 9. 
K. T., of Los Angeles, made a pilgrim- 
age to Pasadena on Easter Sunday after- 
noon. to attend divine service at the 
church of Frater Rev. Dr. E. L. Conger. 
A special train was chartered and the Sir 
Knights, together with ladies and friends, 
made up a party of more than three 
hundred. An excellent discourse was 
delivered by Sir Conger, acting Prelate. 
Beautiful and appropriate music was ren- 
dered by the Harmonic Quartette of Pas- 
adena, also by Meine Brother’s Band of 
Los Angeles. 

By a table printed in the Dakota re- 
port, we learn that in 1888, Hartford 
Lodge, No. 88, of Connecticut, and 
Ashlar Lodge, No. 91, of Detroit, Michi- 
gan, each raised 36 Master Masons, 
being the highest number in forty Ameri- 
can Grand Jurisdictions: Lafayette Lodge, 
* No. 52, of Montezuma, Iowa, comes 
third, with 34 ; Columbus, No. 30, ol 
Ohio, fourth, with 30; Shiloh, of Fargo, 
Dakota, fifth, with 29. Bro. Frank J. 
Thompson is Master of the last named. 
Of the Pacific Coast States, Coronado 
Lodge, of Clifton, Arizona, raised 22; 
Denver Lodge, No. 5, Colorado, 25; 
Lemhi Lodge, No. 11, Salem City, 
Idaho. 8; Healdton Lodge, No. 23, In- 
dian Territory, 16; St. John’s Lodge, 
No. 25, Omaha, Nebraska, 24; Gate 
City Lodge, No. 11, Raton, New Mexico, 
7 ; Ellensburg Lodge, No. 39, Washing- 
ton, 10; Rawlins Lodge, No. 5, Wyo- 
ming, 1 1 ; California Lodge, No. 1, San 
Francisco, 20; all of which are the largest 
number in the States named. 


1 27 

Acacia Chapter, No. 21, O. E. S. , held 
its regular meeting on Saturday e\ cuing, 
5th inst., at Los Angeles, at which time 
eleven candidates were initiated and one 
member received by affiliation. The work 
was well done, all the officers being .it 
their best. After the Chapter was closed, 
those present partook of a nice collation, 
and a right pleasant time was had. Dep. 
Grand Matron of District No. 9 — Sister 
M. Guthrie — was present, and seemed 
much pleased to be there. This Chap- 
ter, under the able guidance of Sister 
M. J. Parker, Worthy Matron, has be- 
come one of the live institutions of the 
city and numbers 214 members. 

The Grand Lodge of Ohio objects to 
the representative that the Grand Lodge 
of Tennessee selects to represent it near 
that bodv, on account of his “Cerneau” 
proclivities, and the Grand Chapter of 
New York has returned the credentials 
of the representative of the Grand Chap- 
ter of Louisiana, because a regulation of 
that Grand Chapter restricts the appoint- 
ment of representatives of other Grand 
Bodies to affiliated members of Chapters 
of the New York J urisdiction. Thus diplo- 
matic intercourse is suspended between 
these jurisdictions. \Ye hope no serious 
results will follow. What is the use ol 
these representatives, anyhow ? It is said 
that no man can serve two masters. We 
know one who represents seventeen juris- 
dictions. and all to their entire satisfac- 
tion. During the communication of the 
Grand Lodge he enjoys the supreme 
honor and felicity of being presented to 
that august body seventeen times, althoug h 

he is as well known as the Grand Sec y. 

♦ • ♦ 

DEATHS. 

In this city, 2Sth ult., Leander Quint, a native of Bath. 
X. H., formerly a member of Doric Lodge No. 21 , 
aged 63 years. 

"in this city, 30th ult., Jacob Karmecleuski, a nati\ e of 
Warsaw, Poland, a member of Mulino Lodge, No. i> . 
at Tehama, aged 39 years. Hi" funeral was attended 
by Mission Lodge, No. 160. 

In this city, 1st inst., Captain Charles WiN n, ama- 
tive of Odense, Denmark, a member of C* lden Gate 
Lodge. No. 30, aged 62 years and ^ months. 

In san Pablo, Tst inst., Osborne C. Swuder, a native 
of Clarenda, Iowa, a member of Minion Lodge, No. 
169, aged 30 years and 11 month". 

In Santa Rosa, 3d inst., Ernest A. Seegelken, a na- 
tive of Scharmbeck, Germany, a member of Santa Rosa 
Lodge, No. 57, and Santa Rosa Commandery, No. 14. 
aged 39 years and 5 months. His fun era was attended 
in this city by Doric Lodge, No. 216, and Golden Gate 
Commandery, No. 16. 


128 


THE TRESTLE BOARD . 


Abstract of Returns to the Grand 
Chapter of California. 


No. of Chapter. 1 1 

Name of Chapter 

and Location 

Exalted. 

Affiliated. 

Restored. 

Withdrawn. 

Excluded. 

ISuspVd N. P. D. 

Died. || 

No. Members on 

Jan. 1, 1890. 

1 

San Francisco, San Fr’isco 

42 

13 

1 

5 

: 2 

! 

9 

383 

2 

Sonora, Sonora 







45 

3 

Sacramento, Sacramento . . 

15 

4 

2 

2 



5 

287 

4 

♦El Dorado, El Dorado. . . 







5 

6 

California, San Francisco . 
Nevada, Nevada 

28 

3 

8 

1 

5 


8 

12 

3 

448 

60 

7 

Benicia, Benicia 

2 







33 

8 

{Columbia, Columbia . . . 








9 

Shasta, Shasta 






2 

2 

52 

10 

♦Forest, Forest City .... 








ii 

Sutter, Sutter Creek .... 

2 





1 

2 

39 

12 

Merced, Merced 

. 

2 


2 



1 

44 

i3 

Washington, Marysville. . 

7 

2 





1 

116 

i4 

Howard, San Jose 

3 

5 





2 

137 

i5 

Cvrus, Yreka 

6 




I 


1 

43 

16 

St. James, Placerville . . . 

2 

1 






4i 

i7 

Libanus, Iowa Hill 




1 


| . 

2 

28 

18 

Grass Valiev, Grass Valley 

3 

2 

1 




2 

80 

i9 

Trinity, Weaverville . . . . 








30 

20 

Franklin, Oroville 

5 







80 

2l 

Sierra, Downieville .... 

2 






2 

39 

22 

Petaluma, Petaluma .... 


# 

1 

5 




73 

23 

Oliver, Forest Hill 

1 



1 

2 


1 

17 

24 

La Favette, Camptonville . 







1 

20 

25 

Georgetown, Georgetown . 








22 

26 

IfOakland, Oakland .... 









27 

Delta, Auburn 

2 

1 




1 

1 

33 

28 

Stockton, Stockton .... 

3 

1 


2 



2 

103 

29 

Manzanita, North San Juan 
Napa, Napa Citv 







3 

50 

3° 


1 


2 


1 


39 

3 1 

Martinez, Martinez .... 

2 






1 

48 

3 2 

fQuincy, Quincy 








33 

Los Angeles, Los Angeles . 

9 

2 




3 


67 

34 

Alturas, Quincy 


1 




. 

1 

27 

33 

Naval, Vallejo 

3 



3 


1 

3 

87 

36 

Oakland, Oakland 

5 

6 

3 

1 


3 

3 

223 

3? 

3 b 

Siloam, Colfax 







2 

35 

Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz . . 

3 

1 


1 



3 

38 

39 

Donner, Truckee 

3 


1 

2 




36 

4° 

Red Bluff, Red Bluff .... 

2 







74 

4 1 

Temple, Watsonville. . . . 

3 





2 

1 

44 

4 2 

Chico, Chico 

4 

1 

3 

2 



2 

74 

43 

Solano, Suisun 

2 



1 


2 

1 

57 

44 

Visalia, Visalia 




1 


4 

1 

60 

45 

Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa . . 

14 

4 

1 

1 


8 

2 

123 

4 6 

Woodland, Woodland . . . 



3 



1 

51 

47 

Lassen, Susanville 

1 

1 






51 

48 

Dixon, Dixon 

3 






2 

53 

49 

Modesto, Modesto 


1 


1 



3 

46 

5° 

Ventura, San Buenaventura 


2 


1 


2 

I 

30 

5 1 

Corinthian, Santa Barbara . 

5 



1 




5° 

5 2 

Humboldt, Eureka .... 

6 

1 


2 



1 

79 

53 

Ukiah, Ukiah 

11 

2 




1 

2 

77 

54 

fLakeport, Lakeport. . . . 








55 

♦Bodie, Bodie 









5 6 

Keystone, San Bernardino . 

# 

1 





1 

45 

57 

Signet, Los Angeles .... 

13 

22 


2 

2 

♦ 

• 

189 

58 

fPlumas. Guerneville . . . 





. 1 

. 

59 l Salinas, Salinas 


1 


1 




70 

60 Colusa, Colusa 






1 


39 

61 San Diego, San Diego . . . 

10 

4 


1 


3. 

. 

1 

81 

62 San Luis, San Luis Obispo 

9 

3 


2 


1 

83 

63 St. Helena, St. Helena . . . 

6 







36 

64 Acacia, Adin 

3 




2 



19 

65 Antioch, Antioch 

2 

1 


1 


1 


23 

66 Doric, Livermore 

2 



1 


2 


27 

67 Riverside, Riverside. . . . 

, 




I 



53 

68 Hollister, Hollister .... 

2 



1 




23 

69 Trigo, Fresno 

2 

3 




12 

3 

7i 

70 

Alameda, Alameda .... 

5 

1 





1 

43 

7 i 

Tulare, Tulare 

6 



I, 




32 

72 

Crown, Pasadena 

11 

3 






44 


Totals 

273 101 

14 

55*10 

58 

89 

4650 


♦Charter surrendered, f Charter revoked. J Con- 
solidated with Sonora No. 2. Consolidated with 
Alameda, No. 36, under name of Oakland, No. 36. 


Abstract of Returns to the Grand 
Council of California. 


|No. of Council. 1 

Name of Council 

and Location. 

Greeted. | 

Affiliated. 

Restored. 

Withdrawn. 

Excluded. 

Q 

Oh* 

£ 

V 

a 

C/3 

3 

tfl 

Died. 

No. of Members 

Jan. 1, 1890. 

iJSacramento, Sacramento . . 

25 


1 


. 

4 

6 

221 

2 California, San Francisco . . 

19 

2 

. 


3 


7 

352 

3 Marysville, Marysville . . . 




. 


. 

1 

74 

4 *Sierra Nevada, Placerville . 









5 

Sonora, Sonora 




2 




26 

6 

Shasta, Shasta 

7 

1 • 


1 


2 

1 

60 

7 

♦Virginia, Virginia Citv . . . 




1 





8 

I ♦Yreka, Yreka 




1 . 





9 Helena, Helena, Montana . . 

9 



1 


1 


5° 

10 Stockton, Stockton 




. 


. 

. 

7i 

11 Los Angeles, Los Angeles . . 








83 

12 Oakland, Oakland 

9 

• ] 

• 

2' 

. 

• 

1 

78 


Totals 

70 

2 1 

1 

6 

1 3 

7 

16 

1015 


* Charter surrendered. 


♦ 

Abstract of Returns to the Grand 


Commandery of California. 


No. of Commandery] I 

Name of Commandery 

and Location. 

Knighted. 

Affiliated. 

Restored. 

Dismissed. 

Excluded. 

SuspVd for N.P.D. 

U 

S 

0 

u 

<8 

V 

a 

C/3 

3 

t n 

0) 

5 

No. of Members 

January 1, 1890. 

1 

California, San Francisco 

23 

1 


2 




8 

260 

2 Sacramento, Sacramento 

12 

2 


2 




8 

194 

3 

Pacific, Sonora 

2 








43 

4 El Dorado, Placerville . . 





1 

2 


. 

44 

5 Oroville, Oroville .... 

8 



1 





54 

6 Nevada, Nevada City . . 

4 

1 

2 

1 


. 


5 

no 

7 Marysville, Marysville . 

5 

3 


1 


. 


2 

105 

8 

Stockton, Stockton. . . . 

4 

1 

1 

4 


2 

• 

i| 

1 95 

9 

Coeur de Lion, Los Angeles 

23 

36 


2 


4 ♦ 

. 

211 

10 

San Jose, San Jose . . . 

10 

2 


3 



1 

. 

96 

11 

Oakland, Oakland*. . . . 

13 

3 


1 

. 



1 

143 

12 

Chico, Chico ...... 

3 


1 





2 

63 

13 

Lassen, Susanville. . . . 




1 


2 


1 

57 

14 

Santa Rosa, Santa Rosa 

18 

3 


2 

• 

1 


1 

104 

15 

♦Bodie, Bodie 









. 

16 

Golden Gate, San Fr’icso 

18 

5 






1 

243 

17 

Red Bluff, Red Bluff . . . 

6 








58 

18 

Ventura, San Bu’aventura 

1 

1 


4 





28 

19 

Naval, Vallejo 

4 



4 




1 

90 

20 

Mount Olivet, Petaluma 

3 



1 

. 

. 



49 

21 

Woodland, Woodland . . 





1 

. 



53 

22 

Watsonville, Watsonville 

4 

1 


1 

• 

♦ 


3 

74 

23 

St. Bernard, S. Bernardino 

3 

1 


2 

. 

. 



26 

24 

Colusa, Colusa 





. 

. 



27 

25 

San Diego, San Diego . . 

4 

7 







63 

26 

Visalia, Visalia 









63 

27 

San Luis Obispo, S. L. O. 

3 

2 







44 

28 

Riverside, Riverside . . 









40 

29 

Fresno, Fresno 

5 





1 


2 

4i 

30 

St. Omer, Santa Barbara 

3 








27 


Totals 

1179 

69 

4 

33 

2 13 

1 

36 

2475 


* Charter surrendered. 


Officers for 1890. 


Calaveras Lodge, No. 78, San Andreas — W. A. Wal- 
lace, W. M.; William Casey, S. W.; H. Bode, J. W.; 
D. Cassenelli, Treas.; A. H. Coulter, Sec’y; F. J. Solin- 
sky, S. D.; J. C. Early. J. D.; William Jenkins and J. A. 
Nuland, Stewards; T. A. Box, Tyler. 


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One Dollar a Year. 

GEO. THORNBURGH Editor, 

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THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN 
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Issued Weekly and circulated among 25.000 of the 
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JOHN H. BROWNELL, Editor and Proprietor. 


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Monthly, $1 per annum. The only paper devoted ex- 
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The only paper devoted to the interests of the Order. 
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Nettie Ransford, M. W. G. M. 

Kate Metcalf, Past Matron. 


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THE MASONIC TIDINGS, 

An eight-page Monthly , devoted to the 
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Published by M. L. YOUNGS, Grand Lecturer, and 
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