A history of freemasonry in Indiana from 1806 to 1898, Part 24

Author: McDonald, Daniel, b. 1833
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Indianapolis : By authority of the Grand Lodge
Number of Pages: 614

USA > Indiana > A history of freemasonry in Indiana from 1806 to 1898 > Part 24

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

It was resolved that no Master Mason residing without the limits of this State has the right to petition this Grand Bedy for a dispensation, and that lodges without the juris- diction of this Grand Lodge have no right to confer degrees upon any citizen within our territorial limits.

A resolution authorizing lodges to ballot for conferring the three degrees at the same communication was laid on the table.

It was decided that upon the restoration of a suspended brother to membership, it is not competent for the lodge to exact dues during the term of such suspension, and that upon the restoration of a brother to membership who has been suspended for non-payment of dues, the lodge, in its discretion, may demand payment of all arrearages, or may remit any or all of such dues at pleasure.

J. Adams Allen, Grand Master of Michigan, was re- ceived with the grand honors.

Twenty-three decisions of the Grand Master were con- sidered. amended and approved, among which are: The Grand Lodge only restores expelled Masons; a brother can-

293

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

not be tried for rejecting a candidate; no brother can be a member of two lodges and be compelled to pay dues to each at the same time; lodges must not confer degrees upon so- journers.

The Masonic year was made to begin January 1st.

The "Indiana Freemason," published at Fort Wayne by Grand Master Sol. D. Bayless, was recommended to the brethren throughout the State as eminently worthy of their confidence and support.

Sol. D. Bayless was appointed a committee to prepare a ritual for the installation of Grand Officers, and report next year.

The following was adopted:

"Resolved, That the subordinate lodges are hereby uncon- ditionally prohibited from conferring the several degrees upon any applicant who is habitually intoxicated, or who makes it his business to sell intoxicating liquors to be used as a beverage."

Charges were authorized to be preferred against mem- bers in the habit of becoming intoxicated, or engaged in the sale of liquors, and, upon the same being sustained, for the first offense reprimand in open lodge, the second, sus- pension or expulsion.

A suitable inscription was ordered to be placed on the tomb of the late Grand Secretary, A. W. Morris.

A proposition was presented and rejected providing for the election of officers in December.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 28, 1860 .- The death of Abel C. Pepper, Past Grand Master, was announced.

A lengthy report on foreign correspondence was pre- sented, in which is incorporated voluminous documents in relation to the formation of a General Grand Lodge of the United States.

Some lodges had regarded the unfavorable report of a committee on character as a rejection of the applicant. The Grand Lodge decided that the ballot determined the ad- missibility of the candidate, and must be spread without re- gard to the character of the report.

292

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

"Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed, as a standing committee, to whom shall be referred all questions of Masonic jurisprudence submitted to the Grand Lodge."

The Grand Master thereupon appointed Brethren E. W. H. Ellis, of Goshen, A. C. Downey, of Rising Sun, and J. C. Applegate, of Delphi, as such committee-being the first J committee of the kind ever appointed.

Brother Rob Morris, being present, addressed the breth- ren briefly, and closed by repeating the poem, "The Level and the Square." It is published in full on pages 91-2, proceedings 1858.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 23, 1859 .- It was resolved that such newspaper reporters as were Master Masons be permitted the privilege of reporting so much of the proceedings as may be proper.

Herman G. Reynolds, Grand Secretary of Illinois, and S. Blanchard, Grand Lecturer of Michigan, were present as visitors.

It was resolved that no Master Mason residing without the limits of this State has the right to petition this Grand Body for a dispensation, and that lodges without the juris- diction of this Grand Lodge have no right to confer degrees upon any citizen within our territorial limits.

A resolution authorizing lodges to ballot for conferring the three degrees at the same communication was laid on the table.

J. Adams Allen, Grand Master of Michigan, was re- ceived with the grand honors.

Twenty-three decisions of the Grand Master were con- sidered, amended and approved, among which are: The Grand Lodge only restores expelled Masons; a brother can-

293

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

not be tried for rejecting a candidate; no brother can be a member of two lodges and be compelled to pay dues to each at the same time; lodges must not confer degrees upon so- journers.

The Masonic year was made to begin January 1st.

The "Indiana Freemason," published at Fort Wayne by Grand Master Sol. D. Bayless, was recommended to the brethren throughout the State as eminently worthy of their confidence and support.

Sol. D. Bayless was appointed a committee to prepare a ritual for the installation of Grand Officers, and report next year.

The following was adopted:

A suitable inscription was ordered to be placed on the tomb of the late Grand Secretary, A. W. Morris.

A proposition was presented and rejected providing for the election of officers in December.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 28, 1860 .- The death of Abel C. Pepper, Past Grand Master, was announced.

A lengthy report on foreign correspondence was pre- sented, in which is incorporated voluminous documents in relation to the formation of a General Grand Lodge of the United States.

294

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

"Resolved, That the subordinate lodges of this jurisdic- tion are hereafter permitted, in their discretion, to bury any non-affiliated Mason with Masonic honors."

"Resolved, That no Master Mason, member of a subordi- nate lodge, shall be eligible to the office of Junior Warden, Senior Warden or Master unless he is competent to confer the first three degrees of Masonry, with the lectures apper- taining to the same."

Isaac Bartlett, Past Grand Master, who had been ex- pelled by Tipton Lodge, was reinstated by the Grand Lodge.

The State was divided into eleven Masonic districts, Dis- trict Deputy Masters appointed, and a system of work adopted.

The Grand Secretary's salary was raised to $700 per annum.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 27, 1861 .- The opening of the meet- ing was about the beginning of the civil war between the North and the South, and the principal feature of the Grand Master's address was devoted to deploring the un- happy condition of the country.

Rob Morris, Past Grand Master of Kentucky, was pres- ent, and was received with the grand honors, after which he addressed the Grand Lodge in his usual happy style on the duty of Masons in the present disturbed condition of our country.

Brother William Hacker presented the Grand Lodge a printed copy of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge from 1817 to 1845, inclusive, finely bound in Turkey morocco, gilt-edged, and three other volumes of the proceedings, bound in the same style and material, embracing the com- plete proceedings from 1846 to 1860, inclusive, which were accepted with thanks.

An important report on the uniformity of work was made by the District Deputies, which may be found on pages 41-2-3, 1861.

A traveling military lodge was authorized to work, and from this a large number of dispensations were issued to Masons connected with various regiments to work as such until further notice.

295

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

It was "Resolved, That a committee be appointed whose duty it shall be to have a well dug on or about the premises of the Grand Lodge Hall, for the use of the Grand Lodge and the tenants occupying portions of the building, in which shall be placed a good and sufficient pump."

Four hundred copies of the printed proceedings of the Grand Lodge were ordered to be purchased from William IIacker.

A brother offered a resolution declaring that "the true and only badge of a Mason is the white lambskin apron, trimmed and bound with blue," but the proposition was laid upon the table.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 26, 1862 .- The Grand Master re- ported having issued twenty dispensations for military lodges during the year.

Past Grand Master Philip Mason presented a farewell address, which was received and ordered printed with the proceedings.

Charles Fuller, Past Grand Master of Tennessee, and Rob Morris, of Kentucky, were present and addressed the Grand Lodge.

Nearly the entire proceedings were taken up with a con- sideration of military lodges, District Deputies, uniformity of work, matters of grievances on appeal, Grand Lodge Hall and charters and dispensations. Most of these questions are treated separately elsewhere.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 25, 1863 .- The Grand Master an- nounced the death of Past Grand Master Henry C. Law- rence.

Seven dispensations for military lodges had been issued.

The Grand Secretary was directed to insert in the printed proceedings the names of all Masons in our jurisdiction who have entered the military service of the United States. and that he procure a parchment or good paper on which to place the names of all Masons who have or may enter the military service of the United States during the present rebellion, have it neatly framed and hung in the hall as a testimony of respect to our patriotic brethren.

20S

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 29, 1866 .- Grand Master Hazelrigg's address embraced a variety of subjects, such as the status of army-made Masons, the regulation providing for the trial of Grand Masters and Masters of lodges, foreign correspond- ence, work and rituals, Masonry a religion, intemperance and profane swearing.

The commissioner of the Grand Lodge Hall reported that the Supreme Court had decided that taxes must be paid on the property of the Grand Lodge.

A revised code of rules for the trial of Masters of lodges and Grand Masters was adopted.

The returns of Regimental Military Lodge of the 31st Regiment were presented, showing receipts for degrees, $455. After paying expenses, $226 remained, which the lodge appropriated for a monument to R. M. Watterman, who had died in the service.

The office of Grand Lodge Hall Commissioner was abol- ished and three trustees appointed. A full history of the building and management of the Grand Lodge Hall is given under "The Grand Lodge Hall."

William Sheets, Grand Lodge Hall Commissioner, pre- sented his farewell address. (See page 54, 1866.)

A lengthy report on a proposition to donate $2,000 out of the funds of the Grand Lodge to the Sailors' and Sol- diers' Home was laid on the table.

A proposition to appoint a Master Overseer of the Work, or Custodian, was deemed inexpedient.

A new edition of the Constitution and By-Laws was or- dered printed.

The Grand Secretary's office was ordered to be kept open every day in the year, except Sunday, from 9 a. m. to 4 p. m.

Lodges were earnestly recommended to insure their lodge property.

No brother was allowed to lecture without a certificate of qualification, countersigned by the Grand Master.

The Master of each lodge in the State was requested to present the claims of the Indiana Soldiers' and Sailors' Home.

299

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

Brother Sol. D. Bayless was appointed a committee to draft a uniform code of by-laws for subordinate lodges.

The increase in membership during the year was 2,784, the largest during any year since the formation of the Grand Lodge.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 28, 1867 .- This was the fiftieth an- nual communication of the Grand Lodge. Nicholas D. Grover and John B. Rose, who participated in the first meeting, were present and, on motion, were made honorary members. Both responded feelingly. Jeremiah Sullivan sent a letter of regret. Their addresses and letter may be found on pages 30-1-2 and 45 of the printed proceedings, 1867.

The ceremonies of celebrating the semi-centennial anni- versary of the organization of the Grand Lodge then took place according to programme, the address being delivered by the Grand Orator, IIon. Richard W. Thompson. It was a masterly effort, and is printed in full as an appendix to the proceedings of the session.

A uniform code of by-laws for the government of subor- dinate lodges was presented by Sol. D. Bayless and printed as an appendix for the information of the brethren.

The State of Indiana having provided for a Soldiers' Home at Knightstown, the appropriation made for that pur- pose by the Grand Lodge was ordered to be invested in a permanent library for that institution.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 26, 1868 .- Grand Master Hazelrigg's address was mostly devoted to general subjects, and is a doc- ument well worth perusing.

During the year he had granted dispensations for the formation of twenty-two new lodges.

He earnestly recommended the importance of preserving and presenting to the Craft a written history of the intro- duction, progress and present high standing of Masonry in this jurisdiction.

Howard Matthews, Grand Master of Ohio, was present and cordially received.

The death of Isaac Bartlett, Past Grand Master, was an- nounced.

300

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

Brother Hacker, Grand Secretary, offered his thanks to the Grand Lodge for the honors and favors heretofore con- ferred upon him in the last twenty-five years, and requested to be relieved from the position of Grand Secretary.

The "making of Masons at sight by Grand Masters" hav- ing been referred to the Committee on Jurisprudence, that committee made a lengthy historical report, in which they emphatically declared that Grand Masters had no such pre- rogative, and the Grand Lodge concurred.

It was resolved "That the Grand Master be and he is hereby authorized and required to procure a suitable and competent person that is willing to procure the proper in- formation and write a history of the Craft in Indiana, and on what terms he will undertake the work."

The Grand Lodge declined to modify the rules so as to permit the Odd Fellows to occupy Masonic halls.

A committee on charters and one on dispensations, and one on grievances, was ordered to be appointed, with author- ity to meet at Indianapolis the Thursday previous to the meeting of the Grand Lodge next year.

William T. Clark resigned as one of the Grand Lodge Hall Trustees.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 25, 1869 .- The death of Andrew J. Holmes, Junior Grand Warden, was announced. On the Monday previous, while acting as marshal of an Odd Fel- lows procession, he was thrown from his horse, and received injuries which resulted in his death.

A resolution was referred to the Committee on Juris- prudence asking a special dispensation authorizing lodges, as such, to participate in Decoration Day exercises. The committee did not believe it in the power of the Grand Lodge to issue a dispensation authorizing lodges to violate their own rules and regulations. They believed the rules to be right in themselves, and entirely consistent with the ancient usages and customs of the Fraternity, and should be strictly adhered to.

The following resolution was adopted:

"Resolved, That the payment of all dues for which a brother may stand expelled, or a majority vote of all the members present of the lodge inflicting the penalty of sus-

301

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

pension or expulsion for any other cause, shall restore the brother to all the rights and privileges of a non-affiliated Master Mason, but it shall require a unanimous ballot to restore to membership in the lodge any brother so suspended or expelled for any cause whatever."

Rule 32 was changed to read as follows:

"No brother shall hereafter be eligible to election to the office of Worshipful Master unless he shall have been pre- viously duly elected, installed and served as a Warden or Master of a legally constituted lodge, or been annointed and served as such in a lodge under dispensation."

A committee was appointed to revise and codify the rules and regulations and report next year.

The death of Past Grand Master Philip Mason was an- nounced. He had served more years as Grand Master than any other prior to his death, and was universally loved and respected.

The following resolution was adopted :

"Resolved, That the authorized work of this State is declared to be the Webb work."

An appropriation of $200 was made to Past Grand Mas- ter Blair for his services in connection with a compilation of a history of Masonry in Indiana, and a resolution was adopted authorizing the Grand Master to inquire into the probable expense of procuring a complete compilation of the history of Masonry in Indiana from Brother Blair and securing a copyright of the same.

The Committee on Jurisprudence reported against chang- ing the rule requiring unanimous consent to admit a visitor.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 24, 1870 .- The deaths of Fergus M. Blair, editor of the "Masonic Home Advocate," and Past Grand Master of Illinois, and Howard Matthews, Past Grand Master, of Ohio, were announced.

The Grand Master announced the formation of several Masonic mutual benefit associations during the year, one each at Cambridge City, New Albany, Plymouth and In- dianapolis. This was the beginning of the innumerable benefit societies, Masonic and otherwise, that found their way into every phase of human society during the succeed- ing twenty-five years.

302

HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

Deputy Grand Master James Seymour, of Canada, was present.

A lengthy report on the trouble between the Grand Lodge of Louisiana and the Grand Orient of France, grow- ing out of the recognition by the latter body of a spurious Supreme Council conferring the symbolic degrees of Ma- sonry within the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Louis- iana, was presented by the Committee on Foreign Corre- spondence. Our Grand Lodge recognized "the cause of the Grand Lodge of Louisiana as our cause," and dissolved all furth Masonic intercourse with the Grand Orient of France.

A revised code of rules and regulations was presented, adopted and printed with the proceedings.

The widow of Past Grand Master Philip Mason pre- sented the Grand Lodge with three bound volumes of his autobiography and essays.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 23, 1871 .- The death of William T. Clark, Senior Grand Warden, was announced.

Brother Frank S. Devol submitted a plan for a widows' and orphans' home, which was referred to a select com- mittee, who subsequently reported that it was inexpedient to take any action on the subject at that time.

Thomas R. Austin presented a very complete review of the proceedings of other Grand Lodges, which is printed as an appendix to the proceedings.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 28, 1872 .- The death of Past Grand Master William Sheets was announced. It was mainly through his energy and foresight that the Grand Lodge is now possessed of its splendid Temple and property.

Frank S. Devol offered a plan for a widows' and orphans' home-the same as the one offered by him last year, which, on motion, was laid on the table.

The Grand Officers were ordered to exemplify the work in the three degrees during the present meeting.

The following, which had been adopted in 1823, and accidentally omitted from the rules, was readopted:

"No lodge can legally work at any time with less than seven members present."

303

IHISTORY OF FREEMASONRY.

A rule was adopted providing that the payment of all dues for which a member had been suspended, or a majority vote of the members inflicting the penalty of suspension or expulsion for that or any other cause, should restore only to the condition of a non-affiliate, and requiring a unani- mous vote to restore to membership.

Intercourse with the Grand Lodge of Hamburg was dis- solved for interfering with the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey.

Grand Master Henry Chamberlain, of Michigan, was present as a visitor.

The Grand Lodge accepted an invitation to lay with Ma- sonic ceremonies the corner-stone of the Marion County Court House, June 11th.

John Caven presented the report of the Committee on Foreign Correspondence, covering sixty printed pages.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 27, 1873 .- Dispensations for the es- tablishment of twenty-two lodges were granted during the year. District Deputies had been appointed for the eleven districts.

The Grand Master decided that a man who is superin- tendent of a brewery, under the regulations, is not eligible to the degrees. The committee to whom the decision was referred stated that, how far a man who had no interest in the manufacture or sale of liquors, and was employed only as a laborer, was amenable to the rule was "too metaphysical and fine-spun to be distinctly visible to the naked eye!"

It was decided that in all business transacted in a lodge, a majority should rule.

Upon counting the ballots for Deputy Grand Master, it was found that Lucien A. Foote had been elected. Where- upon, it having been ascertained that Brother Foote had never been elected and served as Master of a lodge, and was therefore, under the Constitution, ineligible to the office of Deputy Grand Master, the Grand Master declared the elec- tion void.