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History Of Freemasonry In Ohio=
From 1791 to 1912 by W. M. Cunningham and John G. Reeves
THE HISTORY OF THE MOST WORSH=
IPFUL
GRAND LODGE
By W. M. CUNNINGHAM, M. A.,
VOLUME 2 Part I Copyright, 1914 By J. H. Brom= well Grand Secretary Cincinnati, Ohio
FOREWOR= D To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Free = and Accepted Masons of Ohio: In view of the numerous questions from Bret= hren in relation to the former attempts to prepare and publish a history of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, and the services of former Committees heretofore appointed in that behalf, your present Committee deems it proper to furni= sh a short sketch on that subject, as follows: At the Annual Communication of the Grand Lo= dge in 1849, Brother Cornelius Moore offered the following preamble and resoluti= on which, on motion, were adopted: 'Whereas, It is desirable, as far as possib= le, to rescue from oblivion, and perpetuate for future reference, the incidents connected with our early Masonic History in this State; "And, Whereas, whatever is done in thi= s work must be done quickly, while the materials are accessible, and a few of the early fathers linger among us; "Therefore, Resolved, That a Committee= of five be appointed by the M..·. W.·. Grand Master, to collect all such facts and incidents connected with the introduction, progress and history of Freemasonry in the State of Ohio, as may be deemed important f= or preservation; and especially, with reference to its influence upon the intellectual, moral and social condition of society; and that said Commit= tee report the result of its labors to this Grand Lodge at its next Annual Communication. "Resolved, That the members of the ord= er all over the State, be respectfully requested to render said Committee all the assistance in their power in carrying out the purposes of the Grand Lodge= as expressed in the above preamble and resolutions." The M.·. W.·. Grand Master appointed Brothers C. Moore, Wm. Fielding, Wm. B. Hubbard, H. H. Dodge an= d F. M. Keith, said Committee. At the 1850 Annual Communication of the Gra= nd Lodge the Chairman of the Committee reported that owing to the distant residence of the other members he found it necessary to proceed with the = work alone; that he had sent out circulars to all the Lodges in the State requesting assistance of the members in collecting data, etc., but they w= ere practically unheeded; and he had met with little success, assistance, or encouragement, and suggested the appointment of a Committee to push the w= ork, and on motion, Brothers C. Moore and John D. Caldwell, of Cincinnati, were appointed the Committee, and every Lodge and member of the Craft were urg= ed to assist in the work. At the 1851 session the Committee reported considerable progress and was continued another year. At the 1853 Communication the Committee rep=
orted
and was continued. At the 1889 Communication this Committee was given until the next annual session to prepare its report. At the 1890 Communication the Committee rep=
orted
recommending that steps be taken for the preparation of a Masonic History=
of
this Jurisdiction; that the histories of the six old Lodges be prepared, =
and
also the histories of all Lodges active or extinct and of the steps which=
led
to the organization of the Grand Lodge; and that a Committee on History be
appointed to have special charge of the work, and report to each Annual
Communication of the Grand Lodge; which was unanimously adopted. The Grand
Master appointed M.·. W.·. Bro. S. Stacker Williams, At the Communication of 1892 this Committee reported considerable progress had been made by the Chairman who has alre= ady prepared one hundred pages of manuscript for the proposed history. At the 1893 Communication the Committee, th= rough its Chairman, M.·. W.·. S. S. Williams, reported progress, = and asked for further time, which was granted; and this is the last report fr= om, or mention of this Committee in the proceedings. At the Annual Communication of 1905, the qu= estion of a Masonic History having been mentioned from time to time, but no defi= nite action taken, the M.·. W.·. Grand Master appointed a Commit= tee of five composed of M.·. W.·. Bro. Wm. M. Cunningham, P. G.= M.; R.·. W.·. Bro. J. H. Bromwell, Grand Secretary; M.·. W.·. Bro. Wm. A. Belt, P. G.; M.·. W.·. Bro. Leander Burdick, P. G. M., and Bro. T. C. Coates, District Lecturer, to take up t= his matter and push it to a speedy conclusion. This Committee sent out to each Lodge a pri= nted circular requesting information, and at the 1906 Communication reported t= hat 101 Lodges had complied and filed their reports; and the Grand Lodge orde= red compliance with their requests and instructed the District Lecturers to u= rge prompt responses. At the 1907 Communication the Committee reported that 2= 25 Lodges had filed reports and the Committee was continued for the purpose = of preparing the History. The Committee finding cooperative work unsatisfactory, the compilation and preparation was delegated to the Chai= rman of the Committee, who was appointed Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of Ohio by the M.·. W.·. Grand Master, which was approved by t= he Grand Lodge. At the 1908 Communication the Committee, th= rough its Chairman, reported that the Chairman and Grand Historian had compiled= and completed the first volume of the History, covering the history of a numb= er of the early Lodges chartered before 1825, and the history of the Grand L= odge from its organization in 1808 to and including the Communication of 1844,= and had the same ready for the printer; that bids had been received for the printing and binding of this volume, and recommended the preparation of t= wo additional volumes; which was approved by the Grand Lodge, and the Commit= tee directed to proceed with its labors. At this Communication Bro. T. C. Coates ten= dered his resignation from the Committee, which was accepted, and M.·. W.·. Bro. George D. Copeland, P. G. M., was appointed to fill the vacancy. M.·. W.·. Brother Cunningham supervised the printing of this first volume and it was practically his l= ast labor on earth; and will stand as a monument to his ability, learning, and high standing as a Masonic Historian. On August 16, A. D. 1909, M.·. W.&mi= ddot;. Bro. Wm. M. Cunningham departed this life full of honors, and mourned by = the entire Masonic Fraternity of this State and the world. His death was a great loss to the Craft of = Ohio, as his long service in and attendance at every Communication of this Grand Lodge for over fifty years, his experience as Chairman of the Committees = on Foreign Correspondence in the several Masonic Bodies for over a quarter o= f a century, and his ability as a Masonic author eminently fitted him to fill= the office of Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge and compile and prepare the remaining volumes of its History. The M.·. W.·. Grand Master appointed W. Bro. John G. Reeves, Past Master of Lancaster Lodge, No. 57,= as Chairman of the Committee, and Grand Historian of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, which was approved by the Grand Lodge, and the Committee designated him to compile, and prepare the remaining volumes and complete the work, and it = was decided that the History of the Grand Lodge proper from 1845 to 1908, inclusive, should be prepared and printed first, leaving the histories of= the Subordinate Lodges to follow. The Chairman commenced the preparation of t= he History, using as a basis the original proceedings of the Grand Lodge from 1845 to the present, including the Reports of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence The Masonic Review, the Voice of Masonry, the masonic-Voice-Review, published as Cincinnati and Chicago, the Freemason's Monthly, edited by Cornelius Moore, and such other Masonic publications as had as threw light on the subject. At the 1912 Communication the Committee rep= orted that the History from 1844 to 1909 had been prepared and complied, ready = to be placed in the hands of the printer; that bids had been received by thr= ee different publishers, but were defective and were returned for correction= s; and the committee was authorized to proceed to let the contract and conti= nue the work to completion. In compliance of this authority corrected b= ids were received, the contract for the printing and binding awarded to the lowest bidder and the manuscript copy placed in the hands of the printer.= It was decided to extend the work to includ= e the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge at its One Hundred and Third Annual Communication, 1912, and blind the same in two volumes of uniform size wi= th volume 1, which was prepared by M.·. W.·. Brother William M Cunningham, and covers the history of the Grand Lodge from its organizati= on in 1808 to 1844, inclusive; to issue volume 2, covering the period from 1= 845 to 1891, inclusive, and volume 3 from 1892 to 1912, inclusive. It was found that a considerable sum could = be saved by binding and distributing both these volumes at the same time, the second volume was held until the third was completed and ready for binding and distribution, and the same is herewith Respectfully submitted,
Volume = II HISTORY= OF THE GRAND LODGE FROM 1845 TO 1891 1845 M.·. W.·. WILLIAM B. THRALL, = GRAND MASTER The annual session of the Grand Lodge conve= ned in Mason's Hall, Columbus, Ohio, Tuesday, October 21, 1845; sixty-eight Chartered Lodges, and seven under Dispensations being represented. The Grand Master reports that, since the la= st Grand Communication, Dispensations have been granted constituting five new Lodges, as follows: February 15, Sparta Lodge, at Millersburg, =
Holmes
County. The Deputy Grand Master reported he bad gra= nted a Dispensation for a new Lodge in Preble County. The Grand Master refers to his attendance a= t two special communications of the Grand Lodge "of no ordinary Masonic interest." The first, June 4, at Cincinnati, at the instance of Nova Cesarea Harmony Lodge, No. 2, to lay the "head stone of the corner&q= uot; of the Masonic Hall built by said Lodge, and which the Grand Master descr= ibes as "an ornament to that beautiful City, and an enduring monument to = the munificence, taste, and Masonic spirit of the Brother-hood there," a= nd he also refers to his meeting Bro. Griffin Yeatman, the first initiate of= the above Lodge, on March 4, 1795, and still living, and at that time and unt= il his death a member in good standing in said Lodge. As stated, "he was probably the first upon whose vision the mysterious light of Masonry beam= ed, west of the Allegheny mountains." His portrait will be found facing = page 70 of the first volume of this History, and a cut of the old Masonic Temp= le mentioned opposite page 67. A description of the Temple will be found on = page 18, Vol. 1, Masonic Review, and a full account of its dedication June, 24, 1846, by Grand Master, William B. Thrall, on pages 217 to 224 of same vol= ume, also, a sketch of the Lodge on page 278 same volume. The other event was the special communicati= on of the Grand Lodge at Circleville, under the auspices of Pickaway Lodge, No.= 23, to dedicate the new Masonic Hall, on August 24; a full report of the serv= ices and proceedings will be found on page 13, Vol. 1, of Masonic Review. The Grand Master also calls attention to th= e fact that the edition of the Book of Constitutions was exhausted, and recommen= ds that the printing of a new edition be authorized, and urges the necessity= of uniformity in the work, and commends the system of Bro. Reed, Grand Lectu= rer, and refers to the National Convention held in 1843. The Committee on Ways and Means, and the De= bts and Credits of the Grand Lodge made a full report, which was approved, and the final report on page 54 shows the— Total debt of the Grand Lodge $4,580.25 a splendid showing for the year. Charters were granted to the following Lodg= es: Cincinnati, Amity, Sparta, Vinton, Rising Sun, Union, Libanus, and Tuscarawas. The following Lodges were authorized to cha=
nge :
their places of meeting, as follows: A number of Lodges were granted time to pay= their indebtedness to the Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge received greetings from the=
Grand
Lodge of Texas and an offer to exchange On Wednesday, October 22, at 1 p. m. the Gr= and Lodge formed a procession and repaired to Trinity Church where Grand Orat= or, Rev. Bro. Erastus Burr, delivered an eloquent and instructive address, wh= ich was printed and attached to the original proceedings. The Grand Lodge adopted a resolution commen= ding the Masonic Review, published at Cincinnati, by Bro. C. Moore, to the patronage of the Craft. The report of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence covering seven pages, 47 to 53 inclusive, is very interest= ing. They call attention to the small attendance at the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island, but commend their action in "dealing out even-handed justice= to eight delinquent Lodges;" score the Grand Lodge of New York for their dictatorial style and assumption of authority; comment on the practice in Maryland Lodges of conferring the degree of Past Master on all Master Mas= ons indiscriminately; commend the Grand Lodges of Indiana and Kentucky, and several other jurisdictions; comment on the subject of uniformity of the work; oppose sending Delegates to Europe to obtain Masonic information; a= nd call attention to the failure of the National Convention at Baltimore, in May, 1842, to accomplish the expected result, etc., and make many practic= al suggestions for the future. The Grand Secretary was ordered to prepare = and print with the proceedings a proper form for return to Grand Lodge and pr= oxy, which was done, and to have six hundred copies of the proceedings of this communication printed, and distributed as directed. At the election for Grand Officers, M.&midd= ot;. W.·. William B. Thrall, of Cireleville, was re-elected Grand Maste= r. 1846 M.·. W.·. WILLIAM B. THRALL, = GRAND MASTER The annual session of the Grand Lodge conve= ned Mason's Hall in the City of Dayton, October 20, 1846, with seventy-eight Chartered Lodges, and under Dispensations represented. Grand Master in his address congratulates C=
raft
that peace, tranquility, and prosperity in our Order, not only in our
jurisdiction, but throughout the habitable globe. He reports the Harrisville Lodge, at Harrisville, Medina C=
ounty The last four of these Lodges occupy the pl= aces of Lodges formerly existing in the same localities, but long since become defunct. The remaining six were in new territory. The names of the Charter members of each of= these Lodges are given, but for brevity are omitted here. He comments on the developments of invention during the past few years, the cotton gin, the steam engine, the railroad car, and electricity, all made subservient to the uses of man, which "have touched, as if by magic wand the various pursuits of industry = and enterprise, and the policy of nations is changed by the contact;" and ascribes to Masonry proper credit for its influence in strengthening and upbuilding all that is good in humanity, and cites with approval the rema= rk of the venerable Gottlieb Steinman, of Lancaster Lodge, No.57, that "Masonry is Masonry all the while." Four special communications were held durin= g the year. June 10, at Lancaster, Ohio, to lay the cor= ner stone of the Evangelical Lutheran Church. June 24, at Cincinnati, to dedicate the Mas= onic Hall of Nova Cesarea, Harmony Lodge, No.2, a full account of which, with = the ceremonies and services is printed in the appendix. June 25, at request of Milford Lodge, No.54, Clermont County, to lay the corner stone of a new Masonic edifice. July 25, at request of Amity Lodge, No.131, Jackson, C. H., to dedicate their new Masonic Hall. A revised edition of the Book of Constituti= ons, embracing the Constitution, By-Laws, etc., of the Grand Lodge, was brought out by the enterprise of an individual Brother (Bro. Charles Scott) and a number of copies placed in the hands of the Grand Treasurer, subject to t= he order of the Grand Lodge; and during the session the Grand Treasurer was directed to purchase five hundred copies, send one copy to each Subordina= te Lodge and Grand Lodge Officer, and sell the balance at twenty-five cents = per copy. On October 21, at half past 2 o'clock P. M.= the Grand Lodge assembled, formed procession and marched to the Methodist Chu= rch, where the Grand Orator an appropriate and eloquent address. Past Grand Master Anthony, on behalf the Am=
erican
Bible Society, presented the Grand Lodge a Charters were granted to the following Lodg= es: Harrisville, No.137; Sharon, No.136; Chandl= er, No.138; Bucyrus, No.139; Coshocton, No.96; Hiram, No.18; West Union, No.4= 3; Xenia, No.49. Montgomery Lodge was resuscitated and autho= rized to resume labor under the old Number, 94; and Lafayette Lodge, No.79, was granted a duplicate Charter. The delegates from all the Lodges to which Charters were granted were admitted to seats in the Grand Lodge. Interesting and instructive reports were submitted by the Committees of Ways and Means; Credits and Debts of Grand Lodge; State of the Order; Property of Grand Lodge, and several Special Committees, but are too lengthy for insertion. Grand Lodge Certificates were abolished and= the By-Laws providing for them repealed, and the Grand Secretary ordered to g= ive immediate notice to the several Grand Lodges of this action, and all such certificates were recalled. "The Craftsman," compiled by Bro. Cornelius Moore, and published by Bro. Jacob Ernst, of Cincinnati, was submitted to a Committee for examination, and on their report was approve= d by the Grand Lodge and commended to the Subordinate Lodges. The "Masonic Review" was also approved and commended to the Craft for their suppo= rt. The Report of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence covering eleven pages (67 to 78) gives a general summary of the important questions raised and decided in the several Grand Lodges. It agrees with the Grand Lodge of Indiana in calling attention to the "reprehensible practice" of admitting temporary residents to the Order without proper information of their character, and, on frivolous pretexts, declaring cases of emergency and suspending the laws; with the Grand Lodge of Virginia, in opposing the recording of yeas and nays in the Grand Lodge Journal; and of innovations of the Grand Lodge of Missouri in "allowing the previous question, motion to adjourn, etc.; records its opposition to the proposed General Grand Lodge; discusses the question of "bodily infirmity," citing the action of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, in the case of Hon. John Pope, formerly a United States Senator, and a number of other Grand Lodges; commend the Craftsman, etc., by C. Mo= ore; and the action of the Grand Lodge of Mississippi, in condemning dueling, = and approvingly calling attention to the "very general abandonment of the use of refreshments in the Lodge room," and to the following definit= ions incorporated in the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin: 1. Ample Form- The Grand Lodge is declared =
to be
in Ample Form when the Grand Master presides. William B. Thrall was reelected Grand Maste= r, and the Grand Lodge voted to hold its next meeting at Zanesville. 1847 R.·. W.·. WILLIAM B. THRALL, = GRAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened in Hall of Lafayette, = Lodge No.79, Zanesville, October 19; ninety-four Chartered Lodges, and sixteen under Dispensation being represented. The Grand Master reported thirteen Dispensa=
tions
issued by him for new Lodges, as follows: January 1, Toledo Lodge, Toledo, Lucas Coun=
ty And the Deputy Grand Master for three Lodge= s, as follows: May 10, Dayton Lodge, Dayton Making in all sixteen Lodges. Three Special Communications of the Grand L=
odge
were held during the year, as follows: May Charters were granted to the following Lodg=
es: By resolutions Magnolia Lodge was assigned = No.20, and Western Sun 91. The Charter of Salem Lodge, No.87, which ha= d been arrested by the Grand Master, was restored. On recommendation of the Committee on Charters and Dispensations, Dispensations were granted for t= he following new Lodges: New Vienna, at New Vienna, Clinton County; Russellville, at Russellville, Brown County, and Hamer, at Wapakoneta, Al= len County. On October 20, the Grand Lodge was called f= rom labor, formed a procession and marched to the Episcopal Church where R.·. W.·. W. B. Hubbard, delivered an appropriate address.<= /p> Bro. Charles Scott presented a proposition = to reprint the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge from organization 1808 to 1847= , to be sold at $2.00 per copy. The Grand Treasurer was ordered to subscribe f= or fifty copies, and each Lodge recommended to subscribe for at least one co= py for use of the Lodge. The Grand Treasurer was authorized to procure a Squ= are and Compasses to correspond with the other Jewels of the Grand Lodge. The Secretary was ordered to hereafter omit the names of persons rejected from the reports. Bro. Samuel Reed, Grand Lecturer, presented= his resignation which was accepted with great regret, and a resolution of tha= nks for the able manner in which he had performed his duties adopted. The Committee on Ways and Means presented a report showing the Grand Lodge is free from debt, with a balance in the treasury, and congratulate that Body on its financial prosperity during t= he past few years, and make valuable suggestions as to the future. The Deputy Grand Master reported that on th= e eve of St. John, the Evangelist, he assisted in the dedication of the new Mas= onic Hall in Troy, and installed the Officers of Franklin Lodge, No.14. Several important questions were settled by= the Grand Lodge, among which are the following: 1. As to the qualifications of petitioners = for a Dispensation for a new Lodge, and whether if the petition was in due form, the Grand Master was compelled as a matter of course to grant the Dispensation and the Grand Lodge to approve and to issue a Charter which = was referred to a select Committee, whose able report will be found on pages 17-19 original, and pages 618-620 of reprint, and was adopted declaring t= hat the "Masonic qualifications" in addition to "moral character" required in Article XII, organic law, relates to the full number of eight named therein, and means that each understand the work of= the first three degrees. That the Standing Committee on Charters and Dispensations be instructed to report against granting a Charter for any = new Lodge that may be a burden on the Grand Lodge; that said Committee has the undoubted right to report in favor of, or against, issuing a Dispensation= or Charter for a new Lodge; that the Grand Master and Deputy Grand Master ha= ve the undoubted right to grant or refuse warrants for Dispensations for new Lodges, as in their judgment may appear for the best interests of Masonry= , even though the applications may be in due form; that each subordinate Lodge be required in its by-laws to provide that each applicant before advancement= be required to be examined in open Lodge and found qualified in the lectures= of the degrees by him then possessed. 2. At a meeting of Columbia Lodge, in July,= two colored men applied to be initiated, the petitions were referred to a Committee who reported favorably as to their character, but recommended t= hat before a ballot be taken the following query be propounded to the Grand Lodge: "Would it be practicable in Ohio to re= ceive colored persons into our Lodges? And would the Grand Lodge grant a Charter for a Lodge of colored persons, if the requisite number would apply?" which was referred to a select Committee of three. The Chairman of this select Committee propo= sed to the Grand Lodge for instruction the following questions: "1. Is this Grand Lodge prepared to
recognize a real or pretended Lodge existing within her jurisdiction, or =
even
others, previous to the recognition of the Grand Lodge under whose
jurisdiction the said real or pretended Lodge is chartered? The same evening the Chairman of the Commit= tee offered the following resolution which was adopted: "Resolved, That in the opinion of this= Grand Lodge it would be inexpedient, and tend to mar the present harmony of the fraternity to admit any of the persons of color, so called, into the fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons within the jurisdiction of this Gr= and Lodge." A motion calling on the above select Commit=
tee to
report early next morning, was tabled. Thus was disposed of an ill advised proposi= tion so fraught with danger to the peace, harmony, and prosperity of this Grand Lodge and its subordinates, and to the high standing and fraternal recognition among the legitimate Grand Lodges of the World. Rule 15 for subordinate Lodges was amended = so that no candidate shall be received in any but his nearest Lodge, except = by vote of said Lodge, or in a city or town in which he resides. Recommended, That no public festival be held unless demanded by, and will 'be producti= ve of, the interests of the Craft. The "Freemason" published at Boston, by Bro. C. W. Moore, recommended to the support of the Craft. M. Z. Kreider, of Lancaster, was elected and installed Grand Master. Columbus selected as next place of meeting, and 7= 50 copies of the proceedings ordered printed. 1848 M.·. W.·. M. Z. KREIDER, GRAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened in the Senate Chamber = in Columbus, September 25, one hundred and twenty-three Lodges represented.<= /p> The Grand Master reported thirteen Dispensa= tions issued by him for new Lodges, as follows: November 8, Clark, at Springfield, Clark Co=
unty And the Deputy Grand Master four, as follow= s: January, Cynthia, in the northwest part of
Cincinnati On invitation from the Grand Encampment of = Ohio Knights Templar, the Grand Lodge participated in the memorial services of= the late Bro. Bela Latham, Grand Master of the Grand Encampment of Ohio, at t= he First Presbyterian Church. The Deputy Grand Master reported that on Ju= ne 24, 1848, he laid the corner stone of a Masonic edifice, at Mt. Pleasant, Hamilton County, at the request of Marion Lodge, No.120, and on July 4, l= aid the corner stone of the Ohio Mechanics Institute, at Cincinnati. Ordered that hereafter in all cities and to= wns containing more than one subordinate Lodge, the Secretaries of the Lodges should give notice to all other such Lodges of all applicants for initiat= ion, stating age, occupation and place of residence. The Past Grand Wardens who were such at the
adoption of the present Grand Constitution, were The Treasurer was instructed to procure pro= per Jewels for the Grand Master, and Grand Chaplain, and repair the other Jew= els. The Grand Constitution, Laws etc., ordered published with the Proceedings; 5th Rule adopted at last session was amended, as follows: "That prev= ious to advancement all candidates shall be examined in open Lodge in the degr= ee they have taken, and be found to possess a knowledge, at least of what is called the work lecture of that degree." The Grand Secretary was authorized to subscribe for 250 additional copies of the Reprint of Proceedings, if those of the present session are included at no additional cost. Charters were granted to the following Lodg=
es: The Trustees of Worthington College, through James Kilbourne, President, submitted a proposition to the Grand Lodge for the transfer of the property of the College for use in funding a Masonic College; the Committee on Education submitted a lengthy report on the subject, but no final action was taken. The report of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence covering thirty-six pages, and reviewing the Proceedings, etc., of thirty-four Grand Jurisdictions, some of them for two or three years, is replete with valuable information on various subjects relating = to the history and status of the Order, but we can only mention briefly a fe= w of the most important, and refer the Masonic student to the report for the details. GENERAL GRAND LODGE This subject covers nearly ten pages, givin= g an interesting history of the various attempts to form a General Grand Lodge, from the first proposition by the Grand Lodge of Georgia in 1790, includi= ng the various Conventions held for that purpose to the year 1848, and a num= ber of the arguments pro and con on the subject, from the reports of the vari= ous Grand Lodges. TAXING MASONS NOT MEMBERS OF LODGES The action of various Grand Lodges assessin= g such tax is discussed, covering four pages, but our Committee enter their diss= ent to the proposition. GRAND LODGE CERTIFICATES "These seem to be going out of use,&qu= ot; but the Committee call attention to the circular sent out by the Grand Lo= dge of New York, (where certificates are still required of their members), stating that several clandestine Lodges exist within her borders, and suggesting refusal to examine any visitor from that State does not produc= e a proper Certificate, and the committee report no impropriety in requiring professed Masons who hail from jurisdictions where certificates are requi= red, "to show their papers." HONORARY MEMBERSHIP Attention is called to the proposed amendme=
nt to
Grand Lodge, of New York, to create all Past AFRICAN RACE Attention is called to the fact that this question was raised for the first time, at the last Grand Communication, = and that much feeling was manifested on that occasion, showing the importance= of meeting the question fairly and determining it finally. After discussing the condition of the race = as a whole in the United States, the Committee state they "do not possess= the qualifications required by our ancient Constitutions. If there was a regu= lar and lawful Lodge of Colored Masons in the United States, the question wou= ld assume a different shape * * * but such is not the fact, as little doubt remains in our mind that all the colored Lodges in the Union are clandest= ine. As has been truly said: 'It can only be for the purpose of evil and not to strengthen and build up Masonry, that such inquiry (that of uniting the colored population in the bonds of Masonry) can be seriously and reckless= ly urged.' The Committee report that the resolution passed at our last Grand Communication, and found on page 41 of the Proceedings, is sufficient to = meet the question, and all the action this Grand Lodge ought to have in the premises." The Committee also call attention to the fact that the Gr= and Lodge of New York was not satisfied with this action and charged that our Grand Lodge had its attention called to the fact that clandestine colored Lodges existed in this State for some years, and that pretended Lodges ex= ist in New York and New Jersey claiming to hold Charters from the Grand Lodge= of Ohio. Our Committee courteously reply that no such Charters were issued or Dispensations granted by our Grand Lodge or its Officers, and might have added "a fact that was known, or should have been known by the Grand Lodge of New York, and its Officers," and further, that such insinuations came with bad grace from New York, whose Grand Lodge was on October 7, 1818, called in emergency session, and a Committee appointed to investigate the call, etc., of an African Lodge of Masons, which Committee reported on March 3, 1819, and the record shows "whereupon the report was accepted, and no further order taken on the subject." Also at the session of December 31, 1828, on the report of the Deputy Grand Master, a Committee was appointed to investigate (African) Boyer Lodge, No. 1, whic= h on March 4, 1829, presented a lengthy report to the session showing the existence of said Lodge, its pretended origin (which they declare illegitimate) and the further fact that Masters and members of Lodges subordinate to the Grand Lodge of New York, had visited this Lodge, and permitted its members to visit their Lodges during work, and concluding by declaring this and all similar Lodges clandestine and interdicting communication therewith, which report was adopted, but no action taken to punish the persons who had violated Masonic Law. See McClenachan's Histor= y of the Grand Lodge of New York, Vol.2, pages 284 and 596. Again at the session of 1845, Boyer Lodge, = No.1 made application for recognition, which was referred to a Committee which reported adversely, and report adopted; and this matter came up again in 1851, between the Grand Lodge of New York, and of Hamburg. See same Histo= ry, Vol. 3, pages 114, 119, and 430, to which the Masonic student is referred for a detailed statement of these matters, and which will be found interesting = in view of questions of similar import arising later in the history and proceedings of our own Grand Lodge, and which will receive attention in t= heir regular course. The Committee protests against the introduc= tion in several Grand Lodges of what it terms "new tests," which it declares is in direct contravention of the Ancient Constitution and Landmarks, and calls attention to the fact that our 6th Rule is precisely= in the language of the Ancient Constitution. Attention is called to the difficulty exist= ing between the Grand Lodges of Louisiana and Mississippi, by reason of the claimed unwarranted invasion of the jurisdiction of the former by the lat= ter, and an extended discussion of the matter, which will be found very instructive to the Masonic student. Our Committee admonishes the Grand Lo= dge of Mississippi that its action is contrary to established Masonic usage, = and exhorts it to rescind its action. The Grand Lodge of Vermont is again hailed = back into the galaxy of working Grand Lodges, after its long inactivity caused= by the anti-masonic excitement and persecution. As to the effect of the suspension of a Lod= ge by the Grand Lodge, the Committee is of the opinion it does not affect the standing of any member who does not participate in the cause of suspensio= n, or in disregarding the edicts of the Grand Lodge after knowledge of the s= ame. M. Z. Kreider was reelected and installed M.·. W.·. Grand Master, and Steubenville selected for next place of meeting. 1849 M.·. W.·. M. Z. KREIDER, GRAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened at Temperance Hall, in Steubenville, Monday, October 15, A. D. 1849, 138 Lodges represented. The Grand Master reported he had attended t= he laying of the corner stone of the Grand Lodge Hall of Indiana, pursuant to resolution passed at last session; announced the receipt of a copy of the Masonic Text Book of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, with certain resolution= s of that Grand Lodge, and asked for them an examination and response; called attention to the insubordination and trouble in the Grand Lodge of New Yo= rk; and to the report of Bro. William Fielding, the Grand Lecturer of this St= ate, which is inserted in full in his address, and covers thirty pages of the proceedings, every page of which contains highly interesting and instruct= ive facts relative to Masonic history, traditions, work and progress. Dispensations were issued for thirteen new
Lodges, as follows: The Deputy Grand Master reported he had been invited to dedicate the new Hall erected by Marion Lodge, No.120, at Mt. Pleasant, but being unable to attend had delegated Bro. J. L. Vattier, who had performed the duty assigned to him, on January 8; that on February 10= , he had dedicated the new Hall of Milford Lodge, No.54, and installed their Officers; that Companion Jacob Graff, Grand High Priest of Ohio, was pres= ent and installed the Officers of Milford Chapter R. A. M., and Brother W. H. Raper delivered an address. Rev. Brother Wm. T. Leacock, D. D., Preside= nt of the Masonic College of Kentucky, presented and read a letter from the Gra= nd Master of Kentucky to this Grand Lodge, introducing him, and asking frate= rnal consideration of the object of his visit, which letter was referred to a Committee, which reported commending Bro. Leacock to the subordinate Lodg= es of the State. Bro. Leacock on invitation, on October 17, delivered a Masonic Oration to the Grand Lodge, Grand Chapter, and Grand Encampment of Ohio, assembled in the Episcopal Church, for which a vote of thanks was tendered, and a copy of his address requested for publication.= A Resolution requesting the Grand Master to appoint a Committee of three to procure and forward in the name and on be= half of this M.·. W.·. Grand Lodge, a suitable block of Ohio mar= ble to be laid in the monument now being erected in Washington City, to the memory of our illustrious Brother, George Washington, was unanimously adopted, and Brothers C. Moore of Cincinnati, D. P. Leadbetter of Millersburg, and Isaac C. Copelen of Cincinnati, appointed. A preamble and resolution was adopted, That= a Committee of five be appointed by the Grand Master, to collect the facts = and incidents connected with the introduction, progress and history of Freemasonry in the State of Ohio, as may be important for preservation, e= tc., and the Grand Master appointed Brothers C. Moore, Wm. Fielding, Wm. B. Hubbard, H. H. Dodge and F. M. Keith. Harmony Lodge, No.8, and Rimmon Lodge, No.1= 46, were authorized to consolidate; ordered that a Charter be reissued to Med= ina Lodge to bear same date as one issued in 1843; Leesburg Lodge, No.78, was authorized to move the Lodge to Greenfield, Highland County; Wood County Lodge, No.112, authorized to hold their Lodge in Center Township near Bow= ling Green. Grand Treasurer reported he had procured Jewels for the M.·. W.·. Grand Master and Grand Chaplain, and had the other Jewels repaired, and the bill for same, $30.00 was ordered paid. Committee on Foreign Correspondence was given until next session to report. Cincinnati= was chosen as next place of meeting, third Tuesday of October, A. D., 1850. By resolution the Grand Lodge decided and ordered that a Subordinate Lodge w= hich had expelled one of its members, has the power, on good cause, to reinsta= te him, and that the Grand Lodge has the same right and power. A preamble and resolution was adopted rescinding the preamble and resolution adopted at = the 1843 session "approving and authorizing the Masonic work agreed upon= by the Baltimore Convention, which said work we do not now possess or abide by." Charters were granted to the following Lodg=
es: The Dispensations heretofore granted to the following Lodges were continued to next session: Saint Paul, at Saint Pau= l, Territory of Minnesota, and the Grand Secretary was directed to notify th= e W. Master this Lodge that one J. Hughes, acting as S.·. W.·. of that Lodge, is not a regular Mason but an impostor, and should be excluded from the Lodge; also the to Kreider Lodge, at Quincy, Ohio, and that of Cambridge, Guernsey County. M.·. W.·. M. Z. Kreider, was elected and installed as Grand Master for the ensuing year. The first name to appear on the Roster of o= ur Dead for this year (page 116 of original proceedings) is that of Griffin = Yeatman, of N. C. Harmony Lodge, No.2, who died March 4, 1849, and is the same Bro= ther mentioned by the Grand Master in 1849 as being present at the dedication = of the Masonic Hall that year, and whose portrait faces page 70 of the first volume of this History. He was born in Westmoreland County, Va., March 8, 1770, came to Cincinnati, June 20, 1793, where he resided until his death= , a period of nearly 56 years. N. C. Harmony Lodge, No.2, was organized under= a Charter from the Grand Lodge of New Jersey, December 27, A. D. 1794, and = G. Yeatman presented his petition February 4, 1795, and he was initiated Mar= ch 4, 1795, being the first initiate in that Lodge, and the first in the Gre= at Northwestern Territory, and was passed to Fellow Craft in April, and rais= ed a Master Mason, July 22, 1795, his death occurring on the 54th anniversary = of his admission to the order, aged 79 years, within four days. He became a member of Cincinnati Chapter, No.2, R. A. M. prior to 1812, of Cincinnati Council R. & S. M., and Cincinnati Encampment, No.3, K. T. in January, 1847. A sketch of his life and Masonic services will be found on pages 211 and 353, Vol.4, Masonic Review. 1850 M.·. W.·. M. Z. KERIDER, GRAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened at Masonic Hall, Cinci= nnati, Tuesday, October 15, A. D. 1850, M.·. W.·. M. Z. Kreider, G= rand Master, in the Chair; 161 Lodges represented. The Grand Master announces the death of Bro. Timothy Griffith, Grand Treasurer, and appointment of Bro. Leonidas Jewet= t, of No.25, to fill the vacancy; calls attention to the subjects of wilful absence from the Lodge meetings; advancement of candidates without proper examination in open Lodge; improper encouragement of persons to apply for membership; wearing of improper mourning badges at funerals, all of which= he deprecates, and urges compliance with the established rules of the Order. He reports Dispensations granted for ten new Lodges, as follows: Nov. 23, 1849, Hanging Rock, Hanging Bock,
Lawrence County The Deputy Grand Master reports granting the following Dispensations for new Lodges: January 9, 1850, Star, Cuyahoga Falls, Summ=
it
County March 5, 1850, to S. A. Wheeler and others = to establish a Lodge in a mining district of California. He also reports the facts and his conclusio= ns as to the Charters issued to Medina Lodge, No.58, and finds the Charter issu= ed in 1849 was only to Supply the original issued in 1843, which was lost. The Grand Master reports Special sessions o=
f the
Grand Lodge, as follows: He also calls attention to the purloining o= f the Charters of Carroll Lodge, No.124, and of Amity, No.132, thus arresting t= heir labors, and says "No language can be employed too severe in regard to such conduct, etc."; to the "proper hours for work"; suspension for nonpayment of dues; traveling mendicants and impostors; omitting of closing ceremonies, the so-called adjourning the Lodge from t= ime to time; the continued schism in the Grand Lodge of New York, and the act= s of what he terms "certain Philistines in that Body;" all of which = he declares opposed to and in violation of the Ancient Constitutions and Landmarks of our Order, and exhorts the Brethren of this Jurisdiction to = join in a united effort to eradicate these crying evils, and restore Masonry to its former purity and high standing. A donation of $150.00 from an English frien= d of Masonry, whose name was withheld, was presented to the Grand Lodge through Geo. Hoadly, Jr., as the donor's Agent, and accepted by a vote of thanks.= The Chairman of the Committee appointed last session to collect facts and incidents connected with the introduction, progress and history of Masonry in the State of Ohio, reported he had sent circulars to all the Lodges in the State requesting the assistance of all members in collecting information, facts, etc., but had met with little assistance or encouragement, and suggested the appointment of a Committee= to push the work, and on motion, Brothers C. Moore and J. D. Caldwell of Cincinnati were appointed, and every Lodge and Brother urged to render th= em all the aid in their power. The Committee appointed at last communicati= on to procure and forward a block of marble for the Washington Monument reported that after consulting eminent geologists they had selected a very choice block of Dayton stone, four feet long, two feet high, and about fifteen inches bed, the size required by the Monument Association, had the same prepared by Brother D. Boles, and it was ready to be forwarded as soon as= the rise in the Ohio will permit its transportation; an engraving of the face= of the stone accompanied the report and is printed in both the original and reprint of the proceedings. The Committee on the difficulties existing = in the Grand Lodge of New York made a report covering seven pages, review the ca= uses, claims of the different parties, etc., urging them to compromise and adju= st their differences in true Masonic Spirit, offering the services of this G= rand Lodge to that end, and stating that until the matter is amicably adjusted, this Grand Lodge could not recognize either organization. The sudden death, (by cholera), of Bro. G. = W. Canfield, Representative of Mt. Moriah Lodge, No.177, was announced, and appropriation made, and a Committee appointed to communicate with his fam= ily, at New Philadelphia, and ship his remains there; a Committee was appointe= d to prepare proper resolutions which were adopted, and Bro. Genl. L. V. Bierc= e, requested to deliver a proper eulogy, which was done, and is printed in t= he proceedings, pages 117-121. Among the visitors at this Communication wa= s Bro. Colonel John Johnston, a member of McMillan Lodge, No.141, of Cincinnati,= now the oldest Mason in Ohio, or the west, having been initiated in a Lodge at what was then called Bourbon Court House, but what is now Paris in Bourbon County, Kentucky, a few weeks earlier, in 1795, than Brother Griffin Yeat= man, in N. C. Harmony Lodge, No.2. He was introduced by Bro. S. Reed, welcomed= by the Grand Master, invited and took a seat in the east. Col. Johnston high= ly appreciated the courtesy, and addressed a letter of thanks to the Grand Lodge, in whi= ch among other he said, "Brethren, the frosts of seventy-six winters ar= e on my head, fifty-five of those have passed away since I became a Freemason.= My Masonic paternity belongs to the great Commonwealth of Virginia jurisdict= ion; and was therefore contemporary in the craft with the great and good Washington, having had the honor also of participating, in person, at his funeral ceremonies." A Committee was appointed to ascertain the = place of interment of the late Thomas Smith Webb, and the consent for the remov= al of his remains to Masonic grounds of Green Lawn Cemetery, near City of Columbus, and for the erection of a suitable monument to his memory. Early in the session the Grand Tyler prefer= red against one of the Representatives to the Grand Lodge, charging him having visited clandestine Lodges of colored persons, which was referred to Committee on Jurisprudence, who reported that the visiting of a clandesti= ne or illegal Lodge by a member of a regular Lodge, is an offense against Masonic laws, and while such charge exists it is incumbent on the person = so charged to purge himself thereof before being admitted to a seat in the G= rand Lodge; and the Subordinate Lodge of which he is a member should investiga= te, and if proven, administer discipline, etc., and presented as a part of th= eir report the following resolutions, which with the report, was adopted: "Resolved, That Lodges in Ohio, (if any there be), claiming to be Masonic Lodges, and not working under authority= of this Grand Lodge, are clandestine," which again declared all African Lodges, so-called and pretended, to be clearly clandestine. This representative did not take part in the deliberations of the Grand Lodge, and the matter was dropped. The Grand Secretary was authorized to purch= ase 300 copies of the Reprint of the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge, for its = use, and $300.00 was appropriated for that purpose. Decided that it is improper for an individu= al Mason to examine a traveling Brother to vouch for him without being appoi= nted by the W. M., and such vouching can not be accepted, and no Brother can v= ouch for another unless he has previously sat in a Lodge with such Brother. Charters were granted to the following Lodg=
es: On recommendation of Committee on Charters = and Dispensations, Dispensations were granted to the allowing new Lodges: Friendship, at Etn= a, Licking County; Venice, Butler County; Sarahsville, Morgan County; Bellefontaine, Logan County; the Dispensation of Rushville was continued = to next communication. The Committee on Foreign Correspondence rep= ort, covering 20 pages (46-68). Reviews the proceedings of 27 Grand Jurisdicti= ons in a very interesting and instructive manner. Our limited space only perm= its condensed sketch of the most important matters. Congratulations and the right hand of fello= wship extended to the Grand Lodge of California organized at Sacramento, April = 17, A. L. 5850, and our Committee say "Our Brethren of the new El Dorado, while searching for the gold of the earth, have not forgotten the golden principles of Masonry." The so called "Willard,"
"Phillips" and "St. Johns" Grand Lodges of New York,
receive their The "Supreme Grand Lodge" is also= a much discussed affair, pro and con by the several Grand Lodges with a gre= at diversity of opinion as to its utility, but sixteen of the Grand Lodge ha= ving failed to ratify the proposed Constitution, its formation on the plan fai= led. A number of Grand Lodges while seemingly approving the formation of a Sup= reme Lodge, opposed the Constitution and Laws adopted by the Baltimore Convent= ion, of 1847, and its ratification. Among these was Georgia, which in 1790 was= the first to advocate the formation of a "General Grand Lodge." Perhaps no other proposition has been the s= ubject of so much interest, discussion and contention and among the Grand Lodges= of the United States, and your Committee will endeavor in this volume of the History to give a sketch of the various Conventions held and proceedings = had in the furtherance of that object. The Chairman of this Committee has a f= ull set of the original proceedings of every Convention held for that purpose= . The Committee on republishing the Proceedin= gs of this Grand Lodge reported in favor of the same, and a proposition from Br= o. Charles Scott to republish the same if the Grand Lodge would sanction it subscribe for 100 copies, and appoint a Committee to revise and superinte= nd the same; which report was approved, the Committee appointed, and $300.00 appropriated. The 5th Rule of the By-Laws was amended, as
follows: William B. Hubbard, of Columbus, was electe= d and installed as M.·. W.·. Grand Master. Cleveland selected as next place of meeting= , on the fourth Thursday of October, A. L. 5851. The following statistics will be of interes=
t: 1851 M.·. W.·. W. B. HUBBARD, GRAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened at Kelly's Hall, Cleve= land, Thursday, October 23, A. D. 1851, 166 Chartered Lodges and 9 under Dispensation represented. The Grand Master reports Dispensations issu=
ed for
11 new Lodges, as follows: The Deputy Grand Master reports one Dispens= ation issued for St. John's, at Twinsburg, Summit County. The Grand Master reports the receipt from S= t. Paul's Lodge, St. Paul, Minn. U. D., of the sum of $100.00 on dues, to th= is Grand Lodge. He reports that he has only exercised the h= igh prerogative of "making a Mason at sight" with great care, and o= nly after receiving the consent of the Lodge which had jurisdiction of the applicants, and required the degrees to be conferred in a regular Lodge, = but does not give the names of the persons on whom he conferred the honor. He eloquently calls the attention of the Br= ethren to their duties as Masons, his remarks on this subject covering nearly fo= ur pages, and are commended to the careful perusal of every member of this Jurisdiction. Hebardsville Lodge, No.156, was authorized = to move to Albany, Athens County, and the name of the Lodge was changed to Albany. Rev. Salem Town, of New York, a distinguished Mason and author, w= as introduced by Bro. Hosmer, welcomed by the Grand Master, and invited to a seat in the east. The Grand Secretary was ordered to make and deliver to Union Lodge, No.71, of Ripley, a facsimile, as near as may be,= of the original charter granted in 1840 to supply one lost in fire. Ordered that hereafter the name of any Char= tered Lodge shall not be given to any other Lodge. The Committee on Masonic Jurisprudence repo= rted that the practice of admitting the Representatives or Delegates from Lodg= es under Dispensations to seats and active participation in the business of = the Grand Lodge as soon as their charters were granted, and paying them milea= ge and per diem, is contrary to the Constitution and Laws of this Grand Lodg= e, and masonic usage, both ancient and modern, and that hereafter this pract= ice should be discontinued, which was adopted. The committee to procure and forward the bl= ock for the Washington monument reported same had been forwarded, and accepte= d; that Lodge was the first masonic body in the United States to proffer its tribute, but others have followed its example. The freight on the block marble was $17.11. The Committee on Grand Lodge History reported progress= and was continued. Chillicothe was chosen to hold next session= , on third Tuesday of October, 1852. Committee appointed to examine the proceedings of past three years, and report if any resolutions were adopt= ed which conflict with the Constitution and Laws, or with each other. The Committee on Foreign Correspondence rep= ort covering 10 pages (22 to 32, and specials on 76 and 84), is an able docum= ent. The committee does not review each jurisdiction separately, but gives a summary, covering the subjects of general interest. Among others New York= and its troubles comes in for its share of criticism for its failure to fraternally arbitrate and settle their differences; its arrogant and dictatorial spirit toward this and other Grand Jurisdictions; its unwarra= nted attack on our Grand Secretary; its action in recognizing the Lodges formi= ng the St. John's Grand Lodge, which it had for over thirteen years declared= clandestine, to be now regular without explaining why or requiring any healing or form= al submission, and several like acts of omission and commission; and our Committee reported in favor of recognizing the "Willard" as the regular Grand Lodge; which recommendation was approved. Attention is also called to the difficulty in Louisiana where several subordinate Lodges claiming to derive their authority from a clandestine body which styles itself the "Supreme Grand Council of the 33d degree of the Scottish = Rite," but the Grand Lodge disregarded the pretended authority of this alleged "Supreme Council" and declared said subordinate Lodges clandest= ine and interdicted all intercourse with their members, which action is appro= ved by our committee, and Grand Lodge, which adopted this resolution. "Resolved, That in the opinion of this= Grand Lodge, the Grand Lodge of Louisiana has adopted the only proper course to maintain her authority, by excluding from the privileges of the Order, th= ose Lodges within her jurisdiction, that assume to derive their charters from= an unauthorized and spurious body." We will see, as this history progresses, that our own Grand Lodge, years afterward, and under like circumstances took the same firm stand for the preservation of the ancien= t constitutions, landmarks, and recognized usages, holding sacred occupied territory, and = the jurisdiction and prerogatives of organized Grand Lodges, and received the universal commendation and support of all legitimate masonic bodies. Brother W. B. Hubbard was re-elected Grand Master. Charters were issued to the following Lodge=
s: The following Dispensations were continued:
Hubbard, Muskingum County, St. Paul, Minn. The Grand Master's Decisions covering nearl= y ten pages, are printed as an appendix in the proceedings. The first is that all so-called Negro (Maso= nic) Lodges in Ohio are clandestine. 1852 M.·. W.·. W. B. HUBBARD, GRAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened at Atheneum Hall, Chillicothe, Ohio, October 19, 1852, 157 Lodges represented, 406 votes. The Grand Master in his address announces t= he death of the venerable John Snow, of Worthington, one of the early Grand = Masters of this State, who did so much for the advancement of the cause of Masonr= y in the days of its infancy when it needed strong hearts and willing hands to fight its battles. He also calls attention to the death of that illustrious statesman and earnest Mason, Hon. Henry Clay, of Kentucky, and pays proper tribute to his memory. He refers to the fact that the Grand Lodge = is now assembled at its birthplace, and the early capital of Ohio; gives an interesting account of the formation of the Grand Lodge; its early Office= rs, and members, its labors, trials, and final success, illustrating with the statement that at its formation the Grand Lodge comprised five subordinat= es and about one hundred and forty members, while at this time there is on t= he roster over two hundred subordinates with a membership of over twenty-five thousand. He reports Dispensations issued for ten new Lodges, as follows: Findlay, at Findlay; Hubbard, at West Jefferson; Van Wert, at Van Wert; Mt. Pleasant, at Mt. Pleasant, Jefferson County; Mt. Olivet, Champaign County; Hamer, New Boston; Cadiz, at Cadiz; Fort Stephe= nson at Fremont; Plainfield, at Plainfield; New Birmingham, at New Birmingham.= The R.·. W.·. Deputy Grand Ma= ster reports Dispensations issued for three new Lodges, as follows: Evergreen,= at Conneaut; Iris, at Cleveland; and Mahoning, at Youngstown. A copy of the "Mystic Circle" was presented by the author, Bro. G. H. Gray, of Clinton, Miss., which was accepted with thanks and a Committee appointed to report on its merits, w= hich highly approved the objects of the author, but from the hurried examinati= on did not recommend the Grand Lodge to officially endorse it. Ordered that the decisions of the Grand Mas= ter as published in last year's proceedings, including those as rendered since, = be published in this year's proceedings, which was done, covering 25 pages. = The Grand Master reports that Bro. K. H. Van Rensselaer was employed by him to collate and arrange these decisions. The place of holding the meetings of Union = Lodge, No.184, was changed from Irville, Muskingum County, to Nashport, in the s= ame county; and that of Hanging Rock Lodge, No.198, changed to Ironton, Lawre= nce County, and its name changed to Lawrence Lodge, No.198; and the name of K= ing Solomon's Lodge in Perfection, No. 83, changed to Akron Lodge, No.83. The matter of abolishing the office of Grand Lecturer was taken up, and it appearing that a large number of Lodges had failed to report; ordered that each Lodge be required and notified to sen= d up its vote for or against the proposition. Resolved, that Western Star Lodge, No.21, at Canfield, hereafter hold its meetings in Youngstown, and the petitioners = for the new Lodge at Youngstown have leave to withdraw their petition and fee= if this change is made. The Committee on Foreign Correspondence was granted leave to present their report at the next annual communication. The Grand Master reported the expense of finishing the stone deposited by the Grand Lodge in the Washington Monument, $10.00 and the same was ordered paid. Thursday, October 21, Grand Lodge met, form= ed procession and marched to the Methodist Episcopal Church where Grand Mast= er, W. B. Hubbard, publicly presented a Past Master's Jewel to Brother B. F. Smith, who had served as Grand Secretary since 1846. Said Jewel was award= ed him by the Grand Lodge as a partial recognition of his long service. By unanimous request of the Grand Lodge, the Grand Orator being absent, the Grand Master delivered an appropriate Masonic Address, and after the clos= e of the services the Grand Lodge returned to its Hall and resumed labor. On recommendation of the Committee on Chart= ers and Dispensations, Charters were granted to the following Lodges: Evergre= en, at Conneaut; Hamer, at Boston; Van Wert, at Van Wert; Fort Stephenson, at Fremont; Plainfield, at Jacobsport; Cadiz, to be called Harrison, at Cadi= z; Madison, at West Jefferson; Mt. Pleasant, at Mt. Pleasant; Mt. Olivet, at Addison; Hubbard, at Adamsville; Social, at Lena; St. Paul, at St. Paul, Minn., on payment of dues; Findlay, at Findlay, on payment of dues; and t= he Grand Master was authorized to grant a Charter to Iris Lodge, U. D. after inspection and approval by him. The Committee on Grand Lodge History made a report, and was continued with request to pursue their inquiries. W. B. Hubbard was reelected and installed as M.·. W.·. Grand Master, and Chillicothe selected as the pla= ce to hold the communication, Tuesday, October 15, A. D. 1853. Bro. B. F. Smith, Grand Secretary, declined= a reelection, and Bro. John D. Caldwell was elected and installed. Bro. Thomas Scott, was introduced as one of= the oldest Masons in Ohio and provided with a seat in east as a visitor. The Officers and Members of Scioto Lodge, N= o.6, submitted a proposition to furnish the Grand Lodge rooms sufficient for t= he annual meetings of the Grand Lodge and other Masonic Bodies, also suffici= ent Committee and Library rooms, and a fire-proof vault to preserve the archi= ves of the Grand Bodies, for their exclusive use so long as they may choose to use them, which was ordered spread upon the minutes. Confusion having arisen from the practice of allowing different subordinate Lodges to choose the same name, a Committee was appointed to examine the numbers and names of all subordinate Lodges = with instructions to cause all the names of such Lodges but one to be changed,= and to report the name and location of each Lodge in the State. 1853 M.·. W.·. W. B. HUBBARD, GRAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened at the Masonic Temple = in Chillicothe, Tuesday, October 18, A. D. 1853, M.·. W.·. W. = B. Hubbard, Grand Master, in the Chair, 199 Lodges represented. The Grand Master in his address called atte= ntion to the death of R.·. W.·. Deputy Grand Master A. D. Bigelow= , at New Orleans, of yellow fever. Reports he had received from St. Paul's Lod= ge the $32.00 arrearage dues, leaving a balance of $4.00 still owing. That the G= rand Lodge of the Territory of Minnesota had been organized and should receive= the right hand of fellowship, which the Grand Lodge approved and extended a fraternal welcome to the Grand Lodge of Minnesota. Dispensations were granted by the Grand Mas=
ter
for the following ten new Lodges: He reports a number of visitations among wh= ich on June 3d to Scioto Lodge, No.6, when he presided at the laying of the corn= er stone of a new Hall. On each of these occasions he lectured the Brethren = on subjects relating to the Order, and the administration of the affairs of = the subordinate Lodges. His visit to Springfield was occasioned by information that some of its officers were conferring certain side degrees upon the wives and daughters of Masons, but on investigation found the pretended had been conferred by an itinerant member of the Order immediat= ely after a public Masonic meeting. Grand Master emphasized his disapproval proceeding, ordered charges to be preferred the Brother so acting, and ca= lled attention to opinions and decisions submitted with his report. The matter= was referred to the Jurisprudence Committee reported that the conferring of s= uch degrees is a modern practice unknown to ancient craft Masonry, the confer= ring of them as Masonry is an imposition the Ladies as well as upon the Craft,= and that any brother conferring them is a proper subject for Masonic discipli= ne; which was approved by "a large vote." Considerable space is devoted to a statemen= t of the misunderstanding and difficulty between Magnolia Lodge, No.20, and Columbus Lodge, No.30, which resulted in the Grand Lodge withdrawing from Magnolia its Charter and Jewels, and suspending work. This matter was bef= ore the Grand Lodge at several of its daily sessions, and resulted in animated discussions and was finally referred to a Committee to investigate and re= port to the Grand Master for adjustment. The Marietta and Cincinnati Railroad Company requested the Grand Lodge to lay the corner stone of its new depot in Chillicothe now ready to be commenced, which request was granted, and on = the afternoon of Thursday, October 20, Grand Master W. B. Hubbard, assisted by the Officers and Members of the Grand Lodge, in the presence of a vast concourse of spectators, laid and placed the corner stone of this new edi= fice in due and ancient form. At the close of the ceremonies the Fraterni= ty accepted the invitation of the Railroad Company and enjoyed a pleasant ri= de over a portion of the road. William Dennison, Jr., of Columbus, present= ed a communication suggesting that for the purpose of securing the regular meetings of the Grand Lodge at that place, a donation of ten thousand dol= lars to purchase the necessary grounds, and erect suitable buildings, etc., co= uld be readily obtained ; which was referred to a Committee to report to next annual Grand Communication. Grand Lodge ordered that with the proceedin= gs of this Grand Lodge at its present session there he printed the Constitution= and By-Laws, the most approved Ancient Book of Constitutions, the Decisions of the present M.·. W.·. Grand Master, Rules and Regulations a= nd all Resolutions in force of the Grand Lodge, all of which was done, furnishin= g to the Craft a fund of valuable information that should be carefully studied= by every member of the Order at the present day. The Committee to prepare a suitable memoria= l on the life, character, and masonic services of Past Grand Master John Snow, deceased, of Worthington, Ohio, presented a carefully prepared and eloque= nt testimonial covering four pages, which was ordered printed in the proceedings. Brother Snow was born at Providence, R. I., February 25, A. D. 1780; was initiated into Freemasonry in Mount Vernon Lodge, Providence, February 14, A. D. 1809; served as Master of this Lodge until 1817 when he moved to Worthington, Ohio. The first record of his appearance there is on the minutes of a special meeting of New England Lo= dge, No. 4, September 29, A. D. 1817, where he appears as a visiting Brother. = On October 17, A. D. 1818, he was elected Master of New England Lodge and se= rved as Master until 1823. Was again elected Master of the Lodge in 1827, afte= r he retired from the office of Grand Master of Ohio, and served until 1832 wh= en he positively declined further election. He was elected and installed Gra= nd Master of the Grand Lodge of Ohio, F. & A. M., in 1819 and served unt= il 1824 when he declined further election. He served as High Priest of Horeb Chapter, No.3, R. A. M., from 1818 to 1822, and 1827 to 1832, and as Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of Ohio, R. A. M., for the years 1818 and 1819. On March 15, A. D. 1818 under and by virtue of a dispensation from M.·. W.·. Thomas Smith Webb, Deputy General Grand Master of= the General Grand Encampment Knights Templars of the United States, with the assistance of Sir Thomas Smith Webb, hailing from the General Grand Encampment of the United States, and the Grand Encampment of Massachusetts and Rhode Island, and Sir Fredrick A. Curtis hailing from Encampment, Ireland, he organized and instituted at Worthington, Ohio, Mt. Vernon Encampment No.1, Knights Templars, and appendant orders, the first Encamp= ment of Christian Knighthood instituted northwest of the Ohio River, in the Gr= eat Northwestern Territory. The Charter for this Encampment was issued by the General Grand Encampment at its next session, January 27, A. D. 1820. Sir John Snow was elected the first Grand Commander, and served until 1830, w= hen he declined further reelection. At the formation of the General Grand Encampment of Knights Templars of the United States at New York City, Jun= e 20 and 21, A. D. 1816, Sir John Snow, then a member of St. John's Encampment, Providence, R. I., was elected M.·. E.·. General Grand Stan= dard Bearer. At the next assembly held at New York City, September 16, A. D. 1= 819, he was elected M.·. E.·. General Grand Generalissimo, he th= en hailing from Mt. Vernon Encampment at Worthington, Ohio; and he was prese= nt, in that capacity, at the next assembly held at New York City, September 1= 8, 1826. Sir John Snow and Thomas Smith Webb, author= of Webb's Monitor, and one of the most accomplished and active Masons of his day, were warning personal friends, business associates and earnest cowor= kers in the cause of Freemasonry. They were engaged in business at Worthington from 1817 to the death of Webb, and the writer of this history has in his possession a paper in the handwriting of Webb relating to their business. Webb went to Boston in August, 1818, to attend to some matters connected = with their business venture at Worthington, and was on his return trip when he= was taken suddenly ill and died at Cleveland, July 6, A. D. 1819. Brother John Snow died May 16, A. D. 1852, = aged 72 years, and his remains were deposited in Mother Earth at Worthington, = and a plain obelisk of white marble appropriately marks his last resting plac= e in the village cemetery. The Grand Lodge heretofore frequently allow= ed the charter members to select names for the Lodges without reference to the f= act that the name had been assigned to other chartered Lodges, resulting in m= uch confusion; and at the last communication a Committee was appointed to cor= rect this so that no two Lodges should retain the same name. This Committee reported it had performed the duty assigned to it as follows: Amity, No.132, at Jackson, changed to Trowe=
l The Committee further report that Lafayette, No.79 of Zanesville, and Lafayette, No.81 of Cincinnati both insist on retaining the present name, and refer the matter with the correspondence = to the Grand Lodge. They attach to their report a complete corrected list of= the 229 Lodges comprising the Grand Lodge at this time. Warrenton Lodge, No.114 gave notice to the = Grand Lodge that it had ceased to work, and a Committee was appointed to demand= and receive the Jewels and property of the Lodge, and the Lodge was stricken = from the roll of Lodges. Only sixty Lodges having returned their vot=
e on
the proposition to abolish the office of Grand Lecturer, ordered that the
Grand Secretary issue and send to every Lodge a Circular requiring them to
send in their vote on this subject at least 30 days before the next annual
communication. New Birmingham, No.231, located at New Birmingham; Lockbourne, No.232, located at Lockbourne; Eureka, No.233, located at Washington; Evergreen, No.234, located at Steubenville; Brown, No.235, located at Minerva; Winchester, No.236, located at Winchester; Rubicon, No.237, located at Toledo; Chester, No.238, located at Chestervi= lle; Erie, No.239, located at Milan; Groveport, No.240, located at Groveport; Celina, No.241, located at Celina; Bellpoint, No.242, located at Bellpoin= t. Also a Dispensation was granted for a new L= odge at Ohio City to be named Bigelow, and a duplicate Charter ordered issued = to Plainfield Lodge, No.224, in lieu of the one destroyed by fire. The members of the Mansfield Lodge, No.35, = and Venus Lodge, No.152, presented a proposition and request to consolidate t= he two Lodges, provided the Grand Lodge would authorize the members of Venus Lodge to become members of Mansfield by merely signing the By-Laws withou= t a ballot by Mansfield Lodge, which was referred to a Committee on Jurisprud= ence who reported, "That it is inexpedient for this Grand Lodge to make members for subordinate Lodges in any manner not known to the ancient law= s of our Institution, and that said Lodges have leave to withdraw their papers, which was concurred in by the Grand Lodge. The Committee on Foreign Correspondence sub= mits its report covering twelve pages containing many matters of interest to t= he Masonic student, well worth careful perusal and study. Among other items of interest the Committee= call attention to the organization of the Grand Lodges of Oregon, California a= nd Minnesota, welcoming them to the fold of Grand Lodges, and say, "Thu= s it will be seen there has lately been born to us three young sisters who bid fair to vie with us in wisdom, strength and beauty. The Masonic Arch now spans our Country; its canopy extends from ocean to ocean." Attention is called to the new troubles in = the Grand Lodge of New York, in the revival of the St. John's Grand Lodge, but the discussion is too lengthy for insertion here. The Committee might have added the difficulty between the Grand Lodge of New York and the Grand Lo= dge of Hamburg, which has been brewing since 1851, and resulted in the establishment of Lodges in New York by the Grand Lodge of Hamburg, and the attempts of recognition of colored Lodges in New York. The Masonic student desiring to investigate these matters is referred to the reports of Forei= gn Correspondence, and the third volume of McClenachan's History of Freemaso= nry in New York. The Committee transcribe from the able report of the Committee = on F. C. of Maine an important discussion of "The relations of Freemaso= nry to the moral and religions element in man, and its affinity for the relig= ions of the world," covering four pages, too lengthy for insertion here; = also from Georgia on the "Power of the Grand Master of a Grand Lodge, and= of the Grand Lodge," covering two pages, citing numerous ancient authorities proving that outside and in addition to authority of the Constitutions, the Grand Master has the inherent right to initiate and ma= ke Masons, fully answering the captious objections of those who found fault = with our Grand Master exercising that right under the authority of our Constitution. 1854 M.·. W.·. L. V. BIERCE, GRAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened at Mason's Hall, Chillicothe, Tuesday, October 17, A. D. 1854, M.·. W.·. Luc= ius V. Bierce, Grand Master, in the Chair, 138 Lodges represented, 467 votes.= The M.·. W.·. Grand Master announced the severe and dangerous illness of Past Grand Master M. Z. Kreider, and his request to be remembered at their devotions, whereupon t= he members of the Grand Lodge assembled around the Altar, at which Rev. Jos.= A. Roof, Grand Chaplain, invoked the Divine blessing upon the deliberations = and upon the absent and afflicted Past Grand Master. The Grand Master in his address congratulat= es the Grand Lodge on the manifest prosperity of the Order, citing its success in Turkey and China, and the fact that during the past year twenty new Lodges have been organized in England, and seventeen in Ohio, with similar activ= ity in other localities. He calls attention to the evil of members dimitting and continuing to visit and enjoy the benefits of Masonry witho= ut contribution to its support, and which he declares is in violation of the Constitutions and principles of the Order; and he issued an order to each Lodge in the State commanding them to summon every Master Mason residing = in their jurisdiction and not a contributing member of some regular Lodge to= show cause why he neglected to do so, and in default to suspend them from all = the rights and privileges of Masonry, which resulted in large numbers affilia= ting and becoming active members and workers among the craft. He issued this o= rder on his own responsibility, but cites that he is sustained by the Grand Lo= dges of Illinois, Iowa, Missouri, Kentucky, California, Indiana, Florida, South Carolina and others, although he says his order has been criticized, and looked upon by some as an innovation on the ancient landmarks of Masonry.= During the past year Dispensations were gra= nted for new Lodges by the Grand Master, as follows: Nov. 21, 1853, Monticello, located at Clyde=
The following Dispensations were issued by = the Deputy Grand Master: to Hoffner, Amelia, and Buford. The Grand Treasurer's Report shows a balanc= e of $6,818.80 in his hands. The select Committee to which was referred = the complaint of Bro. Platt Benedict against the proceedings of Mt. Vernon Lo= dge, No.64, in relation to a belief in the truths recorded in the Holy Scriptu= res, reported the following resolution, which was adopted: "Your Committee believe that the truth= of the Bible is an essential article in the creed of Masonry, and that he is= not sound in the faith who questions the authenticity of that book of books." "Resolved, That Masonry as we have rec= eived it from the fathers, teaches the Divine authenticity of the Holy Scriptur= es; and that the views of candidates on this subject should be ascertained by= the Committee of Enquiry, or otherwise, as well as their other qualifications= and fitness to be received into the Order." This action is in strict accord with that o= f the Grand Lodge at its sessions of 1820 and 1824, and the reasons therefor are fully set out in the able report of this Committee covering two pages. The name and number of Western Reserve Lodg= e was changed to Old Erie, and it was assigned No.3, being the name and number = of the extinct Erie Lodge. The Committee appointed at the last annual session to cause a suitable inscription and appropriate emblems to be engraved upon the obelisk erected to the memory of our late Past Grand Ma= ster John Snow, reported it had performed that duty. The devices consist of a = star indicative of the standing of Brother Snow in an Encampment of Knights Te= mplars, in the center of which is an exact copy of the Jewel worn by Brother Snow while presiding in this Grand Lodge, and also appropriate emblems of the symbolic degrees and the orders of Christian Knighthood. The inscription is in the words following:<= /p> "The Grand Lodge of Ohio, inscribes th= is Testimonial of Fraternal regard to the memory of an early and eminently distinguished Grand Master, John Snow, who died May 16, 1852, in the 73d = year of his age." A loan of $4,000.00 was made to the Chillic= othe Masonic Building Association to be secured by Mortgage on Lot No.48, with= the Masonic Building thereon. N. C. Harmony Lodge, No.2, requested the Gr= and Lodge to amend its By-Laws so that a Master Mason presenting to a Lodge a dimit from a regular Lodge shall have his name enrolled as a member witho= ut being subjected to a ballot; but the Jurisprudence Committee reported, "That it is inexpedient to amend the By-Laws as suggested," whi= ch report was adopted. On recommendation of the Committee on Chart= ers and Dispensations, Charters were granted to the following Lodges: Bigelow, No.243, Cleveland The name of Evergreen Lodge at Steubenville= was changed to "Meridian" and that of Bellpoint Lodge to "Equality." Dispensations were granted for new Lodges, = as follows: Floral, at Fitchville, Huron County; North Fairfield, Huron Coun= ty; Emery, at Loveland, Clermont County; Mineral, at Hamden, Vinton County; a= nd the Dispensations to New Lisbon, and Germantown were continued to the next convocation. New Charters were granted to Chandler, No.1= 38, and Wellsville, No.180 in lieu of those destroyed by fire, and a new Char= ter was ordered issued to Ohio Lodge in lieu of the old mutilated one, on pay= ment of the fee therefor. The Grand Secretary was authorized to endor= se on the Charter of any Lodge whose name had been changed by the Grand Lodge t= he name by which the Lodge is now known or recognized on the records of the Grand Lodge. The annual Grand Dues from Subordinate Lodg= es were reduced from fifty to twenty-five cents. W. B. Dodds was elected Grand Master, and t= he next communication on of the Grand Lodge was fixed at Mansfield, October = 23, A. D. 1855. Jerusalem Lodge, No.19, was authorized to r= esume work under its old Charter and the location was changed from Vernon to Hartford. 1855 M.·. W.·. WILLIAM B. DODDS, G= RAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened in Melodeon Hall, Mans= field, Ohio, October 23, A. D. 1855, M.·. W.·. W. B. Dodds, Grand Master, in the Chair, 135 Lodges represented, 455 votes. The Grand Master in his address calls atten= tion to the death of Past Grand Master Henry Brush, which occurred at his residence near London, Madison County, January 19, 1855, in the seventy-eighth year of his age; and that of Past Grand Master M. Kreider = at his residence in Lancaster, July 20, 1855, in the fifty-second year of his age, and also to that of Brother James D. Caldwell. Committees were appoi= nted to report suitable memorials to these departed Brothers, and their reports and memorials to Fast Grand Masters H. Brush and M. Z. Kreider, will he f= ound on pages 218 and 247 of the original proceedings, and 426 and 447 of the reprint; the report on James D. Caldwell being continued to the next sess= ion. The Grand Master reports he granted eleven Dispensations for new Lodges, as follows: Carroll, at Carroll, Fairfield County He comments at length on the diversity that exists in the work and Lectures of the Degrees in various Lodges, even wh= ere different Lodges meet in the same hall, and says: "Even there, wide = and radical differences exist; so much, indeed, that one would suppose that t= he curse of Babel had fallen on them or that they, like the Jews and the Samaritaus, had no dealings one with the other. That many expedients have been adopted and tried, including that of a Grand Lecturer, but all signa= lly failed; and recommends dividing the State into Districts, and appointing a District Lecturer for each, the Grand Lodge to adopt and legalize one, and only one mode of work, and require every Lodge to conform thereto and have the District Lecturer enforce the requirement. This recommendation or suggestion was refer= red to a special Committee which later in the session submitted a report approvi= ng the same, which after discussion was laid on the table and ordered to be printed in the proceedings, and will be found on pages 238, 239 original proceedings, and 440, 441 reprint. This was the first suggestion and action le= ading to the Division of the State into Districts, and the appointment of Distr= ict Lecturers. The Grand Master also recommends the amendm=
ent of
the Grand Lodge Constitution so as to require the consent of all Lodges w=
hose
jurisdiction is by granting a Dispensation for a new Lodge, and also call
attention to the fact that some Lodges provided proper and safe halls in
which to R.·. W.·. Deputy Grand Master= , B. F. Smith, at on April 25 he dedicated the new Masonic Hall erected by Han= over Lodge, No.115, at Loudonville and he had issued the following Dispensatio= ns for new Lodges: January 3, Bellevue Lodge, at Bellevue, Hur=
on
County Making four Dispensations issued by him; an=
d had
refused to issue Dispensations for Lodges Grand Master calls attention to the fact th= at the 15th Rule of the Grand Lodge was amended in 1847, but by oversight the amendment was not inserted in the last edition of the Constitution. This amendment provides that "No candidate shall be received in any Lodge= but the one nearest his residence," except by a vote of said nearest Lod= ge, or in a city or town where any Lodge therein may receive any resident of = said city or town. Bro. C. Moore offered a resolution to resci= nd the resolution by which the report on pages 59, 60 and 61 (original proceedin= gs 305, 306 reprint) of proceedings of 1853, as to certain decisions of the Grand Master being the law of this jurisdiction, etc., which was referred= to jurisprudence Committee, reported back, laid on the table, and afterwards taken up and adopted (pages 206-246, proceedings 1855, reprint 446). The Committee on Jurisprudence reported tha= t the term "Past Master" as used in Article XII of the Constitution, properly applies to all who have received that degree in a legal manner, whether conferred under authority of a Royal Arch Chapter, or by a convocation of Past Masters. 2. That it is highly inexpedient for the Gr= and Lodge to grant a Charter to a new Lodge before it proves its workmanship under a Dispensation, both of which were adopted. The same Committee also submitted a lengthy report fixing the status of members of a Lodge who petition for a new Lod= ge; that their membership for the payment of dues, etc., remains in the old L= odge until the new is constituted, which is still the recognized rule. Section XVIII of the By-Laws was amended increasing the per diem of the Officers and Members of the Grand Lodge fr= om $1.50 to $2.00 per day. The Uniform Code of By-Laws for Subordinate Lodges as amended, was adopted, and is printed in the Appendix of the Proceedings. The Charter of Hamer Lodge, No.142 was decl= ared forfeited. The Grand Master was authorized to employ a= Olerk to assist him, at a salary of $200.00 per year, and the Grand Master and Grand Secretary were authorized to secure a safe and suitable room for the storage of the archives and property of the Grand Lodge, at not to exceed $50.00 per year. An amendment to the Article XII of Grand Lo= dge Constitution requiring the consent of all Lodges whose jurisdiction would= be affected to consent before a Dispensation can be granted for a new Lodge,= was adopted and sent to the Subordinate Lodges for their concurrence. On recommendation of the Committee on Chart=
ers
and Dispensations, Charters were granted the following Lodges: The Dispensation to New Lisbon Lodge, was continued to the next annual communication, and Dispensations were issued= to Clemente Amitie Lodge, to he located at Unionville, Morgan County, and fo= r a Lodge at Danville, Knox County. M.·. W.·. W. B. Dodds was ree= lected Grand Master, and the Grand Lodge fixed Zanesville as the place, and Octo= ber 21, A. D. 1856, as the time of holding the next annual communication. 1856 M.·. W.·. WM. B. DODDS, GRAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened in Nevitt & Dickso= n's Hall, Zanesville, October 21, A. D. 1856, with M.·. W.·. Wm= . B. Dodds, Grand Master, in the Chair, 241 Lodges represented. The Grand Master reported the death of P. D= . G. M. Absalom Death, in Cincinnati, September 17, and the special communicat= ion of the Grand Lodge on occasion of his funeral; also a special communicati= on June 18, to lay the corner stone of a new Lodge Hall of Aurora Lodge, No.= 48, at Portsmouth, and that he had granted Dispensations for the following new Lodges: January 26, Rock Creek, at Morgan, Ashtabula
County Also a Dispensation to Summit Lodge, No.213= , to continue their labors as a Lodge, they having lost their Charter and furniture by fire on December 18. He calls the attention of the Craft to the = great necessity for secret Societies such as the Masonic Order, their popularit= y, resulting in a great influx of membership and establishment of new Lodges, and cautions the Officers and Members of existing Lodges to exercise care, prudence and strict scrutiny and investigation as to all applicants for membership or in granting consent to new Lodges, and urges stricter supervision by the Grand Lodge over its Subordinates, and more uniformity= in the work. He calls attention to the fact that some of the provisions of o= ur Grand Lodge Constitution and By-Laws are in direct conflict with the "Ancient Constitutions," and recommends this be remedied. Ho recommends that the early proceedings of the Grand Lodge be reprinted, and arrangements be made to celebrate the semi-centennial of the formation of= the Grand Lodge which will occur in January, 1858. The Deputy Grand Master reports he granted Dispensations for the following new Lodges: February 20, Central Lodge, at Calais, Monr=
oe
County Past Grand Master L. V. Bierce presented the Grand Lodge a setting Maul manufactured from the wood of an olive tree th= at grew on the Mount of Olives, near Jerusalem; the handle being of American hickory denotes the intimate connection existing between American and Jew= ish Masonry. A cordial vote of thanks was tendered Bro. = Bierce for his appropriate and valuable present. The memorial of the Masonic life and servic= es of Past Grand Secretary, James D. Caldwell, deceased, prepared by Past Grand Master Wm. J. Reese, of Lancaster, was presented and adopted, and spread = upon the minutes. The Committee appointed at the last Grand Communication to collate the Resolutions now in force, and the amendments= to the By-Laws etc., of the Grand Lodge, presented their report covering sev= en pages of very interesting matter, and the same was approved and ordered printed in the proceedings. (Original Proceedings pages 434 to 440, Repri= nt 491 to 495.) A Committee was appointed to mature and pre= sent to the Grand Lodge at its next annual communication a suitable plan for t= he celebration of the semi-centennial anniversary of the organization of the Grand Lodge, which occurs in January, A. D. 1858. The Grand Secretary presented the returns o= f the vote cast in the Subordinate Lodges on the proposition to amend Article X= II of the Grand Lodge Constitution, showing 135 Lodges voting, 129 for the amendment and 6 against it. The Grand Lodge ordered that Utica Lodge No= .183 be stricken from the Roll, and its Charter destroyed by the Grand Master,= and that its funds, furniture, Jewels and effects be forfeited to the Grand L= odge and turned over to the new Lodge at that place as soon as constituted. The State was ordered to be divided into six Districts by the Grand Master, and a District Deputy Grand Master, who sh= all have supervision over the work in his District, etc., appointed for each District. A Committee was appointed to prepare and re= port to the Grand Lodge at its next communication a Code of Masonic Jurisprude= nce. On recommendation of the Committee on Chart= ers and Dispensations, Charters were granted to the following Lodges: Rock Creek, No.277, Morgan, Ashtabula Count=
y (Memorandum) The Committee on Charters and Dispensations on October 22, 1856, reported in favor of granting Charters= to above Lodges 277, 281, 282, 283 and 284. The printed proceedings of the G= rand Lodge does not show any action taken on this report. (Original, page 422, Reprint pages 483, 484), but on the last page of the cover of original th= ey are included in the List of Lodges Chartered October, 1856, and Charters = were issued to them, as subsequent reports show, and this must have been an omission by the Grand Secretary to enter the approval of the Grand Lodge = on the minutes. On recommendation of the same Committee Dispensations were issued for new Lodges, as follows: Licking Lodge, at Utica, Licking County And the following Dispensations were contin=
ued to
the next Grand Communication: A new Charter bearing the same rank and num= ber of the old one destroyed by fire December 18, 1855, was issued to Summit Lod= ge, No.213, at Twinsburg, Summit County. The Committee on Foreign Correspondence mad= e a report covering forty pages, reviewing the proceedings of twenty-three states, twenty-nine volumes, and covering three thousand seven hundred and thirty-four pages. Many subjects of interest are discussed, the action of= the different Grand Lodges and Grand Masters thereon commented, and much valu= able information as to the Masonic history of and procedure in the various Gra= nd Jurisdictions imparted. The report of the Delaware Committee is severely criticized. Among the important subjects noted and the action of the Grand Lodges thereon discussed are Immorality, Non-affiliation, Making Masons at sight, Past Master's Degree, Can a Lodge Officer resign after being installed, and the Invasion of New York by the Grand Lodge of Hamburg, and the establishment of illegitimate Lodges therein. These discussions, decisions, and precedents are valuable to the Masonic student, as they resulted in many of the questions being settled by adoption of amendments= to the Constitutions and By-Laws of various Grand Lodges. B. F. Smith, of Mt. Vernon, was elected and installed M.·. W.·. Grand Master, and M. D. Brock, of New Salem, Fairfield County, R.·. W.·. Deputy Grand Master. The next annual convocation of the Grand Lodge to be held at Masillon, October 20, A. D. 1857. 1857 M.·. W.·. B. F. SMITH, GRAND = MASTER Grand Lodge convened at Madison Hall, Massi= llon, October 20, A. D. 1857, R.·. W.·. Deputy Grand Master Merid= eth D. Brock, in the Chair; M.·. W.·. Grand Master B. F. Smith, being absent from the State, 154 Lodges represented. M.·. W.·. Solomon D. Bayless,= Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Indiana was introduced, received with Grand Honors and conducted to a seat in the east. The Grand Master in his address regretted t= hat an unforeseen change in his private business had made it necessary for him to leave the State for the far west and that about the first of May he had notified the Deputy Grand Master that it was necessary for duties of Grand Master during his absence, and that owing to circumstances entirely beyond his control it was impossible for him to return an be present at this convocation of the Grand Lodge. He reports that the Trustees of Hamer Lodge= had conveyed the property belonging to the Lodge to the Grand Lodge in accord= ance with the orders of the Grand Lodge. That as his proxy, Bro. Rufus Spauldi= ng, of Cleveland, on January 14, dedicated the Masonic Hall erected by Golden Gate Lodge, No.245, At Chagrin Falls, and highly commends the officers an= d members of No.245 for their zeal in erecting and handsomely furnishing their sple= ndid home. That he also issued his proxy to Bro. Stanley Matthews of Cincinnat= i to dedicate the new Masonic Hall erected by Bethel Lodge, No.61, on June 24.= That as required by the Grand Lodge (page 4= 46 of 1856) he had divided the State into 6 Districts, as follows: First District - Adams, Highland, Brown, Clermont, Hamilton, Butler, Warren, Clinton, Ross, Fayette, Greene, Montgomery and Preble - 13 Counties. Second District - Darke, Mercer, Auglaize, Shelby, Miami, Clark, Champaign, Logan, Hardin, Marion, Union, Delaware, Franklin, Pickaway and Madison - 15 Counties. Third District - Van Wert, Paulding, Defian= ce, Williams, Fulton, Henry, Putnam, Allen, Hancock, Wood, Lucas, Ottawa, Sandusky, Seneca and Wyandot - 15 Counties. Fourth District - Huron, Erie, Lorain, Cuya= hoga, Medina, Wayne, Stark, Summit, Portage, Geauga, Lake, Ashtabula, Trumbull, Mahoning and Columbiana - 15 Counties. Fifth District - Crawford, Richand, Ashland= , Monroe, Knox, Coshocton, Holmes, Tuscarawas, Carroll, Harrison, Jefferson, Belmon= t, Guernsey, Muskingum and Licking - is Counties. Sixth District - Monroe, Noble, Washington, Morgan, Athens, Meigs, Gallia, Lawrence, Scioto, Pike, Jackson, Vinton, Hocking, Fairfield and Perry - 15 Counties; and that he had appointed the following District Deputy Grand Masters: Fifth District, Bro. Win. B. Dodds, P. G. M=
., of
Cincinnati That he called these Deputy Grand Masters together at Columbus, on January 20, all being present except W. B. Dodds, who had been called to New Orleans on important business, and he appointed Bro. Horace M. Stokes of Lebanon, in his stead. That spent 12 days most faithfully in the discharge of their duties, when he was called in to ins= pect the work, which he did, assisted by M.·. W.·. Past Grand Ma= ster Win. B. Thrall and "was gratified to find that they had come so near= the work I first saw and heard practice in a Masonic Lodge * * * that I gave = it my approval and official sanction, which was which was concurred in by P.= G. M. Thrall" and he recommends it s adoption, and states that since the appointment of the District Deputy he has heard but little complaint "itinerant lecturers," and takes a rap at them and the Masonic = journalists who insist "in using the word 'regalia,' stolen from Odd Fellowship, instead of the Masonic term 'clothing."' He recommends a decided increase in the amo= unt of fees charged by the Subordinate Lodges for conferring the Degrees, and ca= lls attention to the necessity of perfecting the arrangements for celebrating= the semi-centennial anniversary of the organization of The Grand Lodge. The select Committee appointed to prepare a= nd report a Code of Masonic Jurisprudence, met in Columbus, preformed their duties, and will make a full report to the Grand Lodge. He approved the contract of the select Comm= ittee to reprint the early proceedings, and after the work had progressed issue= d an order in part payment of price. During the recess had several applications = to make Masons at sight, but in all cases declined exercising that high power conferred by our Constitution. Being in Columbus when the remains of the lamented Dr. Kane passed through that city, he opened a special convocati= on of the Grand Lodge, and "united with the Executive Officers of the State, both branches of the General Assembly, and others, in paying a pro= per tribute of respect to the lamented and honored dead, whose eventful life,= and Masonic history is well known to the Grand Lodge." He issued Dispensations for the following n= ew Lodges: December 23, Western Phoenix Lodge, at Park=
man,
Geauga County The Charter of Trowel Lodge, No.132, having= been accidently destroyed a Dispensation was issued authorizing it to continue their labors until the next annual convocation of the Grand Lodge. The R.·. W.·. Deputy Grand Ma= ster presented his report, stating that about May 1 the Grand Master notified = him of his intention to leave the State and directing him to assume charge as Grand Master, which he did, and congratulated the Grand Lodge on the heal= thy tone, cheerful conformity to Masonic law, and the solid proofs of Masonic zeal and fidelity evidenced during the past year, and called attention to= the fact that the Grand Lodge of Ohio is now the second largest in the United States, numbering near three hundred Lodges. That he issued special proxies to Bro. J. T= . Fallen, to dedicate Bethel Lodge Hall; to Bro. George R. Morton, of Columbus, to dedicate Harmony Hall; and to Bro. Geo. Morton, of Sandusky, to dedicate Evergreen Lodge Hall; all of whom performed the duties assigned them. Tha= t he dedicated Halls for Lithopolis, New Lexington and Monroe Lodges, and laid= the corner stone for a new Masonic Hall in Zanesville, on July 4. That he issued Dispensations for the follow=
ing
new Lodges: August 19, Flushing, at Flushing, Belmont C=
ounty None of these Dispensations were issued unt= il he was fully satisfied the petitioners were qualified to confer the Degrees,= and provided with proper Halls in which to hold their Lodge meetings. That he refused to issue a Dispensation for= a Lodge at Thornville, Perry County, on account of its close proximity to Salem, Fairfield County. That he had received petitions for Lodges at Yellow Springs, Greene County; Birmingham, Erie County; Porter, Gallia County; and Richwood, Union County; but on account of informalities and failure to comply with the requirements of the Grand Lodge, he was holding them until the defects could be remedied. That he had issued orders in favor of the publishers of the Reprint in part payment on their contract to the amount= of $1,710.00, and that he had received a copy of the first volume containing= the entire proceedings from 1808 to 1847, and says it is well arranged, print= ed on good paper with good binding. He suggests that the Grand Masters in the f= uture be required to report their decisions, and that the same be published in = the proceedings, thereby affording the Craft the benefit thereof; and also recommends that the fees for the Degrees be increased, and made uniform throughout the State. The Committee in charge of reprinting the
transactions of the Grand Lodge from 1808 to 1847, inclusive, report that
they have attended to the duties assigned to them, and submit a specimen
volume of the work making a volume of 664 pages; that the entire cost of =
the
edition of 1,500 copies, including paper, printing and binding, is $2,024=
.00
- say $1.35 per volume; that the contractors have been paid on account
amounting to $1,950, leaving a balance of $74.00 still due the contractor=
s,
and the Committee report a bill for expenses incurred amounting to This report was referred to the Committee on Accounts which reported in favor of the payment of the balance of $74.00 = in full to the contractors, the bill for $25.90 expenses incurred, and the payment of the sum of $300.00 to Bro. W. B. Thrall in full for his servic= es in collating, editing, and superintending the publication of this volume = of the Proceedings, which report was approved by the Grand Lodge and the Gra= nd Master directed to draw orders for the payment of said sums. A resolution was adopted continuing the sel= ect Committee on Reprint of the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge, with instruct= ions to collate, arrange, and have reprinted the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge from the same restrictions Lodge 1847 to the present, under the same restrictions and instructions, and to be bound so as to be of uniform size and appearance as the present volume just completed. The Grand Treasurer submitted his report sh= owing the cash balance in the treasury to be $6,792.67. The District Deputy Grand Masters appointed= by the Grand Master exemplified the Ritual and Work of Masonry as the Grand Master exemplified the Ritual and Work of the three Degrees of Masonry as adopted by them at the meetings in Columbus, January 20 as reported by the Committee on Revision of the Ritual, on the completion of which, the Grand Lodge approved the work and authorized the District Deputy Grand Masters = and others who may be authorized by the Grand Master, to communicate the same= to such Lodges as desire to receive it; the question of approving the Ritual having been submitted to a vote by Lodges and 257 Lodges and 10 Grand Officers making a total of 267 voting in favor, and 87 Lodges and 1 Grand Officer a total of 88, voting against it. A copy of the reprint of 1808-1847 was pres= ented to the Grand Master of Indiana, and one copy to the Grand Lodge of Indian= a, for which M.·. W.·. Grand Master Bayless returned thanks. Bro. Kent Jarvis reported he had received a quit-claim deed from Hamer Lodge, No.142, at Bethlehem, Stark County, for= the lot and building occupied as a Lodge room, and the same has been filed for record; that he had sold certain personal property and paid the proceeds = on the debts of the Lodge, and herewith presented the Charter, Jewels, books, etc., and also statement of resources and liabilities. The Committee on Memorial to the late P. D.= G. M. David Spangler of Coshocton, reported, a= nd the memorial was adopted and spread upon the minutes, and printed in the Proceedings. The rule of the Grand Lodge passed in 1842 = (see Proceedings 1856, page 435) requiring the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge = to be read in the Subordinate Lodges the first meeting after their receipt, = was repealed by unanimous vote. Bro. W. B. Thrall, P. G. M., announced the = recent organization of a Grand Lodge of F. & A. M. in the territory of Nebra= ska (most of the Grand Officers formerly of Ohio) and offered a resolution of fraternal salutation and congratulations, which was unanimously adopted.<= /p> The first of the Resolutions on page 446 of printed proceedings of 1856 was amended so as to change style and designa= tion of the District Deputy Grand Masters therein provided for to "Distri= ct Lecturers," and to restrict their powers to instructions in said rit= ual. It was recommended that the Subordinate Lod= ges, on the death of a member leaving a widow, furnish her with a diploma or certificate of the membership of her husband. Bro. L. V. Bierce was allowed $28.00 for his services as Chairman of Committee on Foreign Correspondence. The Committee on Ways and Means reported th= at it was inexpedient to appropriate any of the Grand Lodge funds for the purpo= se of celebrating the semi-centennial of its organization, which was adopted= . The Special Committee to whom was referred = the votes of the Subordinate Lodges on the proposed amendments to the Constitution and By-Laws of the Grand Lodge reported that the amendment to abolish the office of Grand Lecturer had been adopted by a vote of 203 Lo= dges in favor to 14 against, in which action the Grand Lodge concurred, only o= ne member voting "Nay," and the words "Grand Lecturer" w= ere stricken from Article II and V of the Constitution, and the whole of sect= ion XVII of the By-Laws was stricken out; thus after a long and persistent struggle the office of Grand Lecturer was abolished. Also, that Article X= II of the Constitution was amended by a vote of 199 Lodges in favor to 19 against, by striking out all after the words "recommendation of,&quo= t; in the third line, and inserting the following: "all the Lodges whose jurisdictions will be affected by said dispensation, one of which shall v= ouch for the moral character and Masonic qualifications of the petitioners,&qu= ot; the Grand Lodge concurring by more than the legal number of votes, said amendment was declared adopted. The Grand Master announced that the Subordi= nate Lodges had cast 105 votes in favor of, and 117 votes against the proposed amendment of Article 11 of the Constitution to strike out the words "= ;and Wardens," and that as two-thirds of the Lodges had not voted in favo= r of it, the amendment was lost. The Grand Lodges of Canada and Kansas were = each recognized and welcomed into the Brotherhood of Grand Lodges. The proposition to raise the fees for the D= egrees was considered and the sum of $20.00 agreed to, but the vote not being unanimous, the subject under the rules was laid over to the next annual communication for further action. The select Committee as to the distribution= of the Reprint of the Grand Lodge Proceedings, 1808-1847, reported that three copies be sent to each Subordinate Lodge in this Grand Jurisdiction for t= he use of the Officers and members of said Lodge, one copy to each Past Gran= d Master of this Grand Lodge, one copy to each Grand Lodge in correspondence with = this Grand Lodge, a sufficient number reserved for Lodges hereafter to be chartered in this state, and the remainder to be sold to any member of Lo= dges in this State at $1.50 per volume, which was adopted; and the Grand Secre= tary was ordered to take charge of the Volumes of the Reprint and distribute t= hem in accordance with the instructions of the Grand Lodge. Section VIII of the Grand Lodge By-Laws whi= ch required the "Grand Master at each stated communication of the Grand Lodge to appoint a Grand Steward, Grand Sword Bearer, and two Grand Pursuivants" was unanimously repealed. Charters were granted to the following Lodg= es: Versailles, No.290, at Versailles, Darke Co=
unty The Dispensations to Aurelius and Stafford Lodges, U. D., were continued to next annual communication, and a Dispensation was granted for a Lodge at Birmingham, Erie County, to be na= med and the Dispensation to Edenton Lodge, at Edenton, U. D., was recalled. Brother Horace M. Stokes, of Lebanon was el= ected and installed M.·. W.·. Grand Master; Bro. Jonathan N. Burr= , of Mt. Vernon, R.·. W.·. D. Grand Master; and Bro. Reuben R. Bourn, R.·. W.·. Senior Grand Warden. Brother Bourn being o= ne of the District Deputy Grand Masters, the question was rais= ed and submitted to the Committee on Jurisprudence whether he was eligible, this Committee reporting he was, and he was installed. Columbus was selected as the place of holding the next annual Grand Communication, and the time fi= xed October 19, A. D. 1858. The Committee on Foreign Correspondence sub= mitted its report covering five pages, which was ordered printed with the proceedings as "Appendix A." The transactions of thirty-three of the thirty-four sister Grand Lodges, (Oregon omitted), covering 4,879 pag= es, are reviewed in an able and interesting manner. This Committee calls attention to the fact = that to Ohio belongs the credit of introducing the reviewing of the transactio= ns of the various Grand Lodges by the appointment of a Committee for that purpose at the annual Communication held at Columbus, January 1828; also = for the practice of the Grand Master submitting to the Grand Lodge a written report of his doings, which was inaugurated by M.·. W.·. Wm= . J. Reese, Grand Master, at the annual Communications of 1839 and 1840, at wh= ich Communications it was made the duty of the Grand Master to thereafter make such reports. In addition to the reviewing of the transac= tions of the Grand Lodges, the Committee discusses numerous subjects suggested therein, among which are "Uniformity of work;" "Right of dismission," "The right to ballot;" and "National Gra= nd Lodge," but space will not permit us to notice these able articles, except to call attention to them and to the fact that the present Committ= ee refer to the action and report of the Committee of this Grand Lodge at its annual Communication of 1823, to which was referred the proceedings of the meeting held at Washington, D. C., March 9, 1822, and which will be found= on pages 135 to 137 of the first volume of the Reprint, in which they report= : "That the establishment of a General G= rand Lodge of the United States, is at this time inexpedient," (which was adopted), and the present Committee say: (page 49 appendix to proceedings= of 1847), "Thus spoke our Masonic fathers a third of a century ago, and their counsel now comes to us strengthened by years and confirmed by observation. We still regard it wholly unnecessary, and therefore inexpedient, to form a National Masonic Organization." 1858 M.·. W.·. HORACE M. STOKES, G= RAND MASTER Grand Lodge convened at Columbus, Ohio, in Concert Hall, October 19, A. D. 1858, M.·. W.·. Horace M. Stokes, Grand Master, in the Chair, 166 Lodges represented. The Grand Master read his annual report sta= ting he had issued special proxies to competent Brethren authorizing them to constitute the Lodges receiving Charters at the last convocation, and had received reports showing that Boggs, No.292, Western Phoenix, No.296, For= est, No.294, Grand River, No.297, Flushing, No.298, had been duly constituted,= but had no reports from the others. That he had issued proxies to open the Grand Lodge for the following purposes: To Bro. John M. Parks, to lay the corner st= one of a public building at Gallipolis; to Bro. Rufus P. Spaulding to dedicate t= he new Masonic Temple of Temple Lodge, No.28; to Bro. R. H. Sedwick, to dedi= cate and consecrate the Hall of Mt. Vernon Lodge, No.64; to R.·. W.&mid= dot;. M. D. Brock, to dedicate and consecrate the Lodge Hall of Rushville, Lodge No.211, all of which duties were promptly and satisfactorily discharged.<= /p> The following dispensations were issued for= new Lodges: December 15, Lake Shore Lodge, at Madison, =
Lake
County That he had on December 30 issued a Dispens= ation for a new Lodge at Portsmouth, and in a few days for a new thereafter received a remonstrance and recalled the Dispensation, and had since rece= ived a memorial urging the restoration of the Dispensation, all of which he submits ti the Grand Lodge for action, also the petitions for new Lodges = at Harveysburg, warren County, and Pleasant Valley, Madison County, which we= re recently received. He calls attention to the prompt action of = the Grand Lodge Michigan in forbidding the initiation of residents of other States in Lodges in that State in which the applicant resides, and recomm= ends similar action by our Grand Lodge. Reports the surrender of its Charter by Equ= ality the circumstances leading up to the same. That on May 11 he had received a communicat= ion from R.·. W.·. John Dove, Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodg= e of Virginia, and member of the permanent committee of the United States of t= he Universal Congress presenting ten propositions of said Congress, With arguments in their favor, which is submitted to the Grand Lodge for its action. Announces the gratifying intelligence that =
the
Grand Lodge of Canada, and the "Ancient Grand That on July 24 he received from the W. M. = of Cincinnati Lodge, No.133, notice of the prevailing habit of inserting business advertisements in newspapers emblazoned with Masonic emblems, and addressed to the fraternity, and calls on the Grand Lodge to enact proper legislation to prevent this evil and also reports the fact that a Masonic Lodge in this State had been guilty of un-masonic conduct in uniting with another secret association in celebrating the anniversary of St. John, the Baptist, and recommends legislation on the subject. He visited the Grand Lodge of Indiana durin= g its session in May, met a large number of Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, and commends Grand Visitations. On June 24, he dedicated and consecrated the beautiful Hall of Corinthian Lodge, No.111, at McConnelsville, and participated with the Brethren of Corinthian and Valley Lodges, in celebrating the festival of St. John, the Baptist. On July 22 assisted the Brethren of N. C. H= armony Lodge, No.2, at Cincinnati, to lay the corner stone of their new Masonic Temple, Brother Bellamy Storer delivering the address. Attention is called to the state of the Gra= nd Lodge finances, to the loan made to Scioto Lodge, at Chillicothe, and the Grand Lodge real estate at Lancaster; that the work of reprinting the Gra= nd Lodge proceedings from 1848 to 1857 inclusive, is completed and he had dr= awn orders to the amount of $1,700.00 in part payment' for the work. Refers to the Masonic Code, presented at la= st session, and cautions against "innovations" and says: "It should be our aim in legislating f= or Masonry, to restore the old ways, not to seek out new devices." Obje= cts to the "order of procession" as reported in the Funeral Ceremon= y, in mentioning and giving precedence to Royal Arch Masons, Select Masters, Knights Templars, and insists that in a Lodge or Ceremony of Master Masons none but Master Masons and brethren holding posts of honor as such should= be known and considered. The R.·. W.·.Deputy Grand Mas= ter reports that on November 26, 1857, he constituted Licking Lodge, No.291, = and installed its officers; on February 5, 1858, issued Dispensation for a new Lodge at Richwood, Union County, to be named Mt. Carmel; on February 22, = 1858 dedicated and consecrated the new Masonic Hall in the city Mansfield and installed the officers of Mansfield and Venus Lodges; on October 8 receiv= ed petition for dispensation for a new Lodge at Bolivar, Tuscarawas County, which is referred to the Grand Lodge for action. The Grand Treasurer's report showed a balan= ce in his hands October19, $4,485.28. The Grand Secretary reported the amount of = the pay roles for each year from 1848 to 1857 inclusive, and the number of Lo= dges represented, and the rate per Delegate for each year. The following propositions reported by the Jurisprudence Committee at the 1857 session = were taken up and adopted: "That it is not competent for a Warden= to resign during his term of office," and the Seventh Rule was amended making the minimum fee for the first degrees twenty dollars. The Committee on reprinting the proceedings= of 1848 to 1857 inclusive, report they contracted with Follett, Foster & Co., of Columbus, on January 2 for furnishing all material, printing and binding 1,500 copies for $1,924.99, that the work was completed, the sum = of $1,700.00 paid thereon, leaving a balance due of $224.29, and in consideration of the right to print additional copies the printers would = pay the Chairman of the Committee for editing, and collating the volume. The expense of the work, exclusive of contingent expenses is $1.28 1/3 cents a volume. The Grand Master was authorized to have the proceedings of other Grand Lodges in possession of the Grand Lodge bound = in volumes of convenient size for preservation. An appropriation of $200.00 was voted to Re= lief Lodge, No.1, of New Orleans, for aid furnished distressed Brethren of this jurisdiction, and returned thanks for the relief furnished by this Lodge = and the Masonic Board of Relief of San Francisco. The Grand Lodge by unanimous vote sustained Tuscarawas Lodge No.59 in expelling a member for "striking his wife = with a whitewash brush." Three copies of the second volume of the Re= print were order distributed to each subordinate Lodge for the use of the Lodge, one copy to each Grand Lodge in communication with this Grand Lodge, and = one copy to each Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ohio. Bro. W. H. Robinson reports that he had dep= osited the charter and books of Thornhill Lodge, No.173, with the Grand Secretar= y. An order for $224.99 was drawn in favor of Follett, Foster & Co., balance due on contract for volume 2, Reprint,= and the sum of $300.00 fixed as the sum to be paid by them to P. G. M. W. B. Thrall for his services in editing, compiling, and superintending the wor= k, and a further order was drawn for incidental expenses of the Committee. The select Committee to prepare a form of r= ecord for Subordinate Lodges reported a form which was adopted, and ordered pri= nted in the proceedings. The Committee on "hasty work" mad= e a lengthy and instructive report as to modern and ancient usages, and recommends for adoption that one full lunar month must elapse from the pr= esenting a petition and the ballot thereon, and between the conferring of degrees, which was approved and laid over until the next annual session under the rules, as was the proposed amendment to Article XVI of the Constitution.<= /p> Thanks were tendered to the Grand Lodge of = Iowa for a bound volume of its proceedings from 1844 to 1853, and to the Grand Lodge of California for a copy of its proceedings from 1850 to 1854. A proposition was made by the Masonic Build= ing Association of Chillicothe to convey to the Grand Lodge the Masonic Hall subject to the liens thereon, including the $4,000.00 mortgage loan held = by the Grand Lodge, which was not accepted, and the Grand Master and Grand Treasurer were directed to collect the debt owing the Grand Lodge when du= e. The Committee of Jurisprudence reported tha= t a Brother who has not been elected and served as a Warden in a regular Lodg= e is not eligible to election or installation as Master of a Lodge. That a "Past Master" as used in Article XII of the Constitution refers= to Master Masons elected, and who have presided over a Lodge, and have been installed by a convocation of Past Masters, or by any other society of Ma= sons having a Constitutional right to perform such ceremony. That the examinat= ion of candidates for advancement must be in open Lodge in the degree in whic= h he is being examined; all of which was approved by the Grand Lodge. The Grand Master was requested, at his convenience, to visit sister Grand Lodges, and was authorized to appoint = and commission suitable Brethren to represent this Grand Lodge in other Mason= ic Grand Bodies, provided no expense be incurred by this Grand Lodge by reas= on thereof. The following resolution reported by a sele= ct Committee was adopted: "Resolved, That it is a violation of a= ncient usage, and un-masonic, for Masons to join with other Orders in any Masonic celebration." The special Committee on the subject of "Masonic Charlatanism" reported at length strongly condemning t= he practice of using Masonic emblems in connection with business cards and advertisements, and offered the following resolutions: "Resolved, That the use of Masonic emb= lems on cards, or by way of advertisement, except for to Masonic purposes, be = and the same is hereby disapproved." "Resolved, That any member of the Craf= t, guilty above resolution, is a proper subject of discipline;" which report and resolutions were adopted. The committee to home the question of Rule = V for the Government of Subordinate Lodges was referred, report that said rule = was abolished at the session of 1848, and by mistake inserted in the last rep= rint of the rules, and on their report a resolution abrogated was adopted. A resolution was adopted directing all Lodg= es in this State not to initiate or admit to membership any resident of another State without the consent of the subordinate Loge within whose within who= se jurisdiction he resides. Wellington Lodge, No.127, having sustained = a loss by fire, an order was drawn in its favor refunding the Grand Lodge dues, $24.00. The Grand Master was authorized to procure = an appropriate official implement to be presented in the name of the Grand Lodge, to Bro. Joseph B. Covert as a testimonial of his ten years faithful service as Grand Tyler. On recommendation of the Committee on Chart= ers and Dispensations, Charters were granted the follow Lodges: Amelia, No.299, at Amelia, Clermont County<=
br>
Stafford, No.300, at Stafford, Monroe County Dispensations were granted for the followin= g new Lodges: Harveysburg, at Harveysburg, Warren County. Urania, at Pleasant Valley, Madison County. The Dispensations of the following Lodges U. D. were continued to the next annual communication: Tiffin, at Tiffin City, Seneca County Petitions for new Lodges refused: Sullivan, at Sullivan, Ashland County The same Committee in reporting on the By-L= aws of several Subordinate Lodges struck out By-Laws providing for the remission= of fees for the degrees to Ministers, on the ground that no degrees can be conferred without the payment of the prescribed fee; also a By-Law provid= ing that any member of a Lodge could, with the consent of the Lodge, object to any member if another Lodge sitting in the Lodge on the ground that every Brother has the right on his own objection to prevent a member of another Lodge from sitting in his Lodge; both of which rulings were sustained by = the Grand Lodge. The Committee to whom was referred the communication from J Dove, R.·. W.·.Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge Virginia, in relation to the establishment of a Universal Mas= onic Congress," a report "That it inexpedient for this Grand Lodge to aid in the formation of a Universal Masonic Congress,"which was adop= ted. Brother Horace M. Stokes was re-elected and installed Grand Master, and Columbus, October 18, A. D. 1859, was fixed as the place and time for holding the next annual communication. The proposed Code was taken up and the furt= her consideration thereof postponed until the next annual grand communication= . The Committee on "Masonic Qualifications" reported defining the term, deploring the fact that = many Lodges are started and continued in unskillful hands and offering a resolution that the M.·. W.·. Grand Master and the R.&middo= t;. W.·. Deputy Grand Master shall, before granting a Dispensation hereafter, be fully satisfied that the petitioners are qualified to confe= r the degrees of E. A., F. C., and M. M., in a legal and proper manner; which w= as adopted. The M.·. W.·.Grand Master was authorized to procure suitable collars, of blue color, for the Jewels of = the Officers of the Grand Lodge. The Committee on Foreign Correspondence rep= orted a resolution hailing with pleasure the union recently effected between the Ancient Grand Lodge and the Grand Lodge of Canada; also the reconciliatio= n of the Grand Lodge of New York with the body known as the Phillips Grand Lod= ge of that State, which was adopted. The Committee also submitted their repo= rt and review of the proceedings of the sister Grand Lodges, covering twenty-three pages, which is printed as an appendix to the proceedings. Under the heads "New York" and "Canada" brief statements of the difficulties and dissensions, = and the final adjustment of their differences are noted. Attention is called = to the action of the Grand Lodge of Missouri in voting thirty dollars for the relief of a destitute Brother from Ohio, and to enable him to reach his h= ome and kindred, as an act of true charity and an exemplification of the principles of Masonry; and of similar action by the Masonic Board of Reli= ef of San Francisco. A diversity of opinion seems to exist in the various Grand Lodges on the question of requiring candidates to affirm a belief in the "Divine authenticity of the Holy Scriptures," a number agreeing with Ohio in that requirement, and some claiming the only test is a belief in the existence, attributes and perfection of the Deity= . A number also join with Ohio in requiring that petitioners for a new Lodge shall be able to properly confer the first three degrees of Masonry.
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