USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Lodge no. 61, F. and A. M., Wilkesbarr?, Pa. with a collection of masonic addresses > Part 8
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G. M. D .- " I am not in court."
Chairman-" Will you take the oath ? "
G. M. D .- " No, I will read a paper ! "
Chairman-" Mr. Dallas will do so in a respectful manner."
Brother Dallas then read a lengthy, manly and dignified protest.
When the name of Rev. Brother Sproul was called he advanced a step or two into the room, and complaining of the harsh treatment of the committee, exclaimed, " If you intend to become political oppressors, roll on your car of Juggernaut !" At this point, and as quick as lightning,
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chairman Stevens' hand came down on the table like a clap of thunder, and at the same time he cried out, " Silence !" Brother Sproul wanted to explain, but Stevens replied, " Not a word ! you have insulted the Legislature already," and did not allow him to say another word.
Eleven other witnesses were severally called before the committee, refused to testify, and handed in separate pro- tests.
January 20th a resolution was adopted in the House di- recting the Sergeant-at-arms to take into custody twenty- five witnesses named in the resolution, and bring them to the Bar of the House to answer for contempt committed against the House. The next day the Speaker informed the House that the Sergeant-at-arms had taken the wit- nesses named into custody, and had them at the Bar. Mr. Stevens then made a motion that the Speaker severally call the witnesses and require them to be sworn or affirmed that " the evidence they shall give before the House, touching the evils of Free Masonry, and other secret societies, shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth." The resolution was passed by a vote of 52 yeas to 40 nays, and the twenty-five witnesses were one by one called, but all refused to be sworn, for the reasons stated in their pro- tests. Thereupon, on motion, they were remanded to the custody of the Sergeant-at-arms. Later in the day Bro. George M. Dallas, permission being granted by the House, gave, in a forcible and eloquent manner, the reasons of him- self and the other witnesses for refusing to be sworn or af- firmed. He said, among other things :
"I am a citizen of Pennsylvania by birth and constant residence. * *
* I will not consent to consider as idle and nugatory the emphatic precaution, that 'the people shall be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and possessions, from unreasonable searches and seizures.' I will not consent to the validity of any ex post facto law. In a word, I will not consent to hold my rights and liberties of private intercourse, private sentiment, and private business, subject to the
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domiciliary visitations, the changeable majority, or the ideal policy of any body of men whatever. * * * I am a member of the Society of Free Masons. It is more than twenty years since I became so. * * I was received by this Association into its own confidence, upon my own application. I have been allowed a knowledge of the modes in which its members identify each other, and avoid deceptions upon their benevolence. At a time when neither law, nor public opinion, nor my own conscience, suggested a doubt of its correctness, I en- gaged myself to secrecy, and I cannot, without a sense of treachery and degradation which would embitter all my future life, prove false to my promise. Better, by far, endure the penalties of alleged con- tumacy, be they what they may."
After this speech the recalcitrant witnesses were again re- manded to the custody of the Sergeant-at-arms. And so, day by day, the whole number of Masonic prisoners, from all parts of the State, were paraded before the House, and made to hear all the silly diatribes of a parcel of weak- headed or bad-hearted men, and to be denounced as incipi- ent traitors.
"Astounded at the manifestation of moral heroism and personal integrity on the part of the witnesses whom they expected to frighten into a revelation of the secrets of Free Masonry, the inquisitorial committee began to quail in view of their violation of the supreme law of the Commonwealth ; and the investigation, from which great results were ex- pected, was prosecuted no further, and soon after the wit- nesses were permitted to return to their homes." Thus the miserable faction, which for a single election had obtained political power, and for a single year disgraced the State, was triumphed over by the recusant Masons.
Theirs was a glorious triumph of principle over prejudice, of freedom over bigotry and oppression. Tried by the fires of persecution, they came forth like gold, doubly refined. Well may Pennsylvania boast of producing such incorrupt- ible Masons, and long may she continue to rear such daunt- less defenders of our time-honored Fraternity.
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On January 27th, 1836, all of the Brethren who had been summoned before the Legislature issued a sworn statement to the public, justifying their action in refusing to take the oath tendered them, and denying that Free Masonry was an engine of political or religious sectarianism.
Governor Ritner, still laboring under the hallucination that Free Masonry was an Institution dangerous to the liberties of the country, in his Message to the Legislature on December 6th, 1836, (inspired possibly by the power behind the throne) called attention to the dangerous character of the oath-bound, secret-working, wide-spread and powerful Societies, " of which the Society of Free Masons is the fruitful mother." In addition to this he wrote and issued a pamphlet entitled, "A Vindication of General Washington from the Stigma of Adherence to Secret Societies." This he sent to the House of Representatives, and on May 13th, 1837, the House ordered " the usual number of copies to be printed for distribution."
In 1838 Joseph Ritner was again nominated for Governor by the anti-Masonic party, but he was defeated by David R. Porter by over 5000 votes. This was the last effort of anti-Masonry in Pennsylvania, and thus ended the grand finale of the anti-Masonic tragedy-" a tragedy in which were involved the civil liberty, the constitution, the rights of the people, and the free institutions not only of Pennsyl- vania, but of the whole country !"
The strongest anti-Masonic counties in Pennsylvania during " the Era" were Lancaster, Union, Somerset, and Huntingdon. The excitement reached Luzerne, but not until 1829 ; and that year Ritner received in the county 129 votes for Governor, and Wolf 1994. By 1832 the organi- zation of the party in Luzerne was completed and perfected, and Ritner received 1586 votes for Governor against Wolf's 2064. James Nesbitt, Jr., was elected Sheriff of the county
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and Chester Butler, Esq., was elected to the Assembly, as the nominees of the anti-Masons.
This year Elijah Worthington established at Wilkesbarré The Anti-Masonic Advocate, with the motto :
" Pledged but to truth, to liberty and law, No favor sways us, and no fear shall awe."
In 1838 the paper passed into the hands of Amos Sisty, Esq., who changed the name to The Wilkesbarre Advocate, and ultimately it became the property of William P. Miner, Esq., who published it for many years under the name of The Record of the Times.
In 1835 Governor Ritner received in Luzerne county 1488 votes for Governor, and Sheriff Nesbitt was elected to the Assembly on the anti-Masonic ticket. In 1837 Thomas Dyer, Esq., the anti-Masonic candidate for State Senator, was defeated by Ebenezer Kingsbury, Jr. At the election for Governor in 1838 David R. Porter received 3132 votes, and Joseph Ritner 2592 votes in Luzerne.
During the anti-Masonic Era Luzerne county was repre- sented in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives by the following gentlemen, members of LODGE 61: Garrick Mallery, 1826-29; George Denison, 1827-30; Benjamin Dorrance, 1830; B. A. Bidlack, 1834-35 ; Henry Stark, 1836-37 ; William C. Reynolds, 1836-37.
Among the prominent leaders of the anti-Masons in Lu- zerne were Hon. Oristus Collins, George C. Drake, Esq., Col. H. B. Wright, Thomas Dyer, Esq., Hon. Chester But- ler, James McClintock, Esq., and Sharp D. Lewis, Esq. Others who were active in the councils of the party were Dr. Lathan Jones, Benjamin Harvey, Dr. John Smith, Dr. Thomas W. Miner, and Nathan Beach. Years afterwards Messrs. Wright and Lewis became members of LODGE No. 61, and were both, until death, active and zealous Frec Ma- sons !
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During the anti-Masonic agitation the Masons appear to have taken few steps to counteract it, in the certainty that the excitement would expire of itself. It is astonishing to see what open, careless lies the anti-Masonic party availed itself of to overthrow Free Masonry. The whole Masonic Fraternity was charged with guilt, and the whole social system of the country was thereby for a long time uprooted and dismembered. "Not content to make out the Institu- tion a dangerous one, the anti-Masons insisted that the Ma- sons were not merely bloody, depraved, and wicked, but devils incarnate! "
Those were, in very truth, the dark days of the Frater- nity's history. Those were the days when it was something to claim affinity to and stand by the Institution, and save it from the bankruptcy and ruin with which it was threatened. There were foes without, and there was despondency within. Writers of that period said : "The character, the usefulness and the respectability of the Order are now gone; its of- ficers and members would act wisely to bury all their tools and implements, and inscribe Ichabod upon their cope- stones !" " Its torpid body can never be reanimated! As well might they think of establishing Mahometanism in this enlightened land, as to cherish the idea of re-establish- ing Free Masonry. Public opinion is against it, and it is the height of folly to court disfranchisement and proscrip- tion, when no possible benefit can arise from the sacrifice."
A great many of the Brethren withdrew from the Lodges, the greater part excusing themselves by an honest desire to avoid strife. The dishonest and recreant Masons cowered at the storm, and many such pretended to renounce the Fraternity. An honest man cannot renounce Masonry, though a hypocrite may ! Lodges, by scores and hundreds, went down before the torrent, and were swept away. In the State of New York alone upward of 400 Lodges, or two-thirds of the entire strength of the Craft, became ex-
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tinct. In Pennsylvania the troubles had a curious effect, as they made the Grand Lodge a body of Democrats-the cru- sade driving out all members of the Fraternity holding con- trary political beliefs.
At a grand quarterly communication of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania in March, 1835, a Grand Committee of twenty-one, with Grand Master Dallas at the head, was ap- pointed to inquire into and report the most feasible course to be pursued by the Grand Lodge in the then state of its pecuniary concerns, for its strength had fallen off and its means were greatly diminished. From IS20 to 1830, cov- ering the period of the rise of the anti-Masonic crusade, thirty-nine Warrants were granted by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania. The next decade added but two subordinate Lodges to the Pennsylvania Register, while the Warrants of over seventy were vacated or surrendered. In June, 1838, there were only forty-six Lodges at work in Penn- sylvania.
One advantage grew out of all the persecution and oppo- sition to Masonry. It brought back into the Lodge many of the decaying Lights of the previous generation. It called back many retired Masons, and placed them around the old altar once more. Henceforth they were punctual to every meeting, nor neglected a single opportunity of expressing in public places, as well as in the tyled chambers of the Temple, their indebtedness to Free Masonry. The worst evil that can befall Masonry is in the house of its friends- it is the neglect of its votaries !
Where is the great anti-Masonic party now ? The hol- lowness of its principles became apparent, and it suddenly disappeared, leaving behind it nothing but public shame and contempt. Many of the persecutors of Masonry re- lented as the storm abated, admired the Institution, knocked for admission, and were received.
The wall which the anti-Masons raised, crushed them at
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last ! But the fair fabric of Masonic splendor was planned, and reared, and finished for durability, and having passed safely through the " Dark Age " of superstition and opposi- tion, is now, under one Constitution and another, spread over the whole habitable globe. Lodges exist where for- merly Masonry was a by-word, and a reproach; the num- ber of the Brethren has doubled and trebled ; the charities of the Fraternity are abundant, and never was there a time in the annals of Masonry when it was such a blessing to the Brethren at large, and in such general estimation among those who have not been admitted into communion.
Statistics show that there are now (March, 1885,) nearly 600,000 Masons in North America. In 1829 there were about 3000 Lodges and between 175,000 and 200,000 mem- bers in the United States. In 1859 there were 4854 Lodges and 211,538 members. Of these the largest num- bers-412 Lodges and 26,192 members-were in New York. In Georgia there were 13,256 members; in Ohio, 12,106 ; in Pennsylvania, 161 Lodges and 11,590 members. In Pennsylvania there are now (March, 1885,) 380 Lodges, with a membership of nearly 37,000.
Unbroken peace and prosperity reign throughout all our borders! Hereafter the Ancient and Honorable Fraternity of Free and Accepted Masons, like fabled Atlas,
" When storms and tempests thunder on its brow,
And ocean breaks her billows at its feet,
Will stand unmoved, and glory in its height ! "
LODGE NO.
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18 1794
PA
(Present Seal of Lodge No. 61.)
CHAPTER IV.
SECOND PERIOD (1844-1884) OF THE HISTORY OF LODGE 61 .- HISTORY OF MARK LODGE, WORKING UNDER THE WARRANT OF LODGE 61 FROM 1822 TO 1824.
" Hail, Masonry ! to thee we raise The song of triumph, and of praise. The Sun which shines supreme on high, The Stars that glisten in the sky, The Moon that yields her silver light, And vivifies the lonely night, Must by the course of Nature fade away,
And all the Earth alike in time decay ; But while they last shall Masonry endure, Built on such Pillars solid and secure ; And at the last triumphantly shall rise In Brotherly affection to the skies."
On the 18th of September, 1843, A. L. 5843, the follow- ing letter was sent from Wilkesbarré to the Grand Master at Philadelphia :
"At an informal meeting of the Brethren of the late LODGE 61 at
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Wilkesbarré, on the occasion of the death of an aged and worthy member of that Lodge,* the undersigned were appointed a committee to correspond with the Grand Lodge on the subject of a renewal of our Masonic franchises, unhappily interrupted by an unfortunate mis- understanding in reference to arrearages of Grand Lodge dues-which interruption has been prolonged through the influence of the fell spirit of anti-Masonry !
" We are instructed to ask if the Grand Lodge will renew our fran- chises and authorize the members of the late LODGE No. 61, without a recurrence to past difficulties, to work under their ancient Charter, which is looked upon by them with a kind of sacred regard from its having been the Warrant of their Masonic privileges for nearly half a century."
[Signed.]
" ANDREW BEAUMONT."
"GEO. M. HOLLENBACK."
" HENRY PETTEBONE."
* Major ELEAZER BLACKMAN, son of Elisha Blackman who died at Wilkesbarré in September, 1804, aged 87 years. The Blackman family immigrated to the Wyoming Valley from Lebanon, Conn., in 1773. They were firm and true in the hour of danger ; prompt at the call of duty ; and deep sufferers when the overwhelming calamity fell on the people of Wyoming. During the troubles incident to the In- dian incursion of 1778 Eleazer was of course too young (13 years of age) to go forth with the fighting men, so he was employed with other boys and the old men in strengthening the fort at Wilkesbarré, for the protection of the women and children. He drove oxen to haul in timber, dug in the trenches, and labored constantly until the fort was finished. His brothers Elisha and Ichabod-both under 18 years of age-were in the field, and were of the few who escaped with their lives at the time of the massacre.
After the capitulation, Eleazer, with his mother and two sisters, ac- companied the women in their flight to the Delaware river, through the wild swamp and the dreadful "Shades of Death." After the Val- ley was restored to quiet he returned and grew up to manhood among the hardy frontiersmen.
In the progress of the settlement and opening up of the country he mingled actively in the business of life, held public stations-both civil and military-and during his entire life enjoyed the respect and esteem of all who knew him.
In September, 1800, he was elected and commissioned Captain of the "First Troop of Horse," 2d Brigade, 8th Division, Pennsylvania
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September 22d, 1843, the Grand Secretary replied to the communication of the committee, and instructed them how to proceed.
October 3d, 1843, " the members of LODGE 61 convened at the Lodge-room, and in pursuance of directions from Grand Lodge proceeded to elect
BRO. ANDREW BEAUMONT, W. M.
BRO. HENRY PETTEBONE, S. W.
BRO. JOHN TURNER, J. W.
BRO. HEZEKIAH PARSONS, Treasurer.
BRO. HENRY COLT, Secretary,
and framed a petition to the Grand Lodge, which was signed by the members present."
January 16th, 1844, Grand Master William Barger issued his dispensation to Past Master Gen. Isaac Bowman, author- izing him to call to his assistance a sufficient number of Past Masters and " re-open and re-constitute LODGE No. 61 at Wilkesbarré under its old Warrant," and to install as of-
Militia. This position he held for a number of years, and in 1812 he attained the rank of Major in the militia. From 1801 to 1803 he was one of the Commissioners of Luzerne county ; and from 1808 to 1810 Treasurer of the county.
He was made a Mason in LODGE 61 November 2d, 1795, and was Secretary of the Lodge in 1797, Senior Warden in '98, '99, 1800, '01, '02, '03, '13, '14, '15, '16, Treasurer in 1806, and Worshipful Master in 1804 and 'og.
He died at his residence in Wilkesbarré township (on the tract of land near Ashley, on which the Franklin mine is now located) Sep- tember 10th, 1843, in the 78th year of his age. He was buried Sep- tember 12th with the honors of Masonry, a large number of the Brethren being in attendance.
Elisha Blackman, 2d, son of Ichabod and nephew of Eleazer Black- man, was made a Mason in LODGE 61 March 5th, 1821. He was one of the Charter members, and the first Secretary, of St. John's Lodge No. 233, constituted at Pittston, Luzerne county, May 17th, 1848. He died at Pittston October 7th, 1881, aged nearly 90 years, and was buried with Masonic ceremonies.
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ficers thereof those Brethren chosen on the 3d of October.
In pursuance of the foregoing, on the 27th of January, A. L. 5844, at 6 o'clock P. M., the Brethren convened at the Lodge-room in the residence of Bro. Andrew Beaumont, corner of Union and Franklin streets, Wilkesbarré, "when the officers were installed and the Lodge re-opened and re-constituted in due form." (This was, to a day, within one month of fifty years after the original institution of the Lodge.)
The following-named were present : Bros. Gen. Isaac Bowman, James Barnes, Henry Pettebone, Andrew Beau- mont, and Lyman C. Kidder, Past Masters; Bros. John Turner, Hezekiah Parsons, Thomas Davidge, Oliver Helme, Henry Colt, and William S. Reddin, Master Masons. The following Brethren had joined in the petition to the Grand Lodge, and were counted among the " re-organizers," but for various reasons they were unable to attend the meeting on this occasion : Benjamin A. Bidlack, Freeman Thomas, Pierce Butler, Jonathan Bulkeley, Daniel Collings, Archippus Parrish, John L. Butler, and Ezra Hoyt-all Master Masons. Fourteen of these nineteen Brethren were members of "61" in 1834.
Brothers Beaumont, Pettebone and Davidge were ap- pointed to " revise " (?) the By-Laws of the Lodge. They made their report in October, and it was adopted. Some of the more striking paragraphs of the By-Laws thus adopted were as follows :
* No person shall be admitted a member of the Lodge unless he be of good report, free born, of mature age, hale and sound, capable of gaining a livelihood for himself and family, and to perform the work of a member of the Lodge. He should have some visible means of an honest livelihood."
The hours of labor shall not extend after 10 o'clock P. M., at which time the business of the Lodge shall close, and the mem- bers return quietly and peaceably to their homes."
* * The ordinary dues payable by each member at the
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regular monthly or quarterly communications shall be 1212 cents ; and each member shall pay annually the further sum of one dollar as Grand Lodge dues."
* The Secretary shall receive one dollar for each initia- tion, in full for his compensation."
" * * * The Tyler shall receive for the performance of his duty, and for delivering summonses, one dollar for each initiation.".
The first new member admitted to the Lodge was Elijah W. Reynolds (a son of Benjamin Reynolds, who was made a Mason in LODGE 61 in January, 1819), who was initiated February 12th, 1844. In October, 1844, a committee was appointed to interview Brother Reynolds with reference to procuring for a Lodge-room a room in his store building on South Main street, near the Public Square. The room was secured at a rental of $30 per annum, and the sum of $198.0712 was expended by the Lodge in fitting up and furnishing it; and early in 1845 the Lodge moved into it from the room in the Beaumont building, which they had been occupying since their reorganization.
On St. John the Baptist's Day (June 24th), 1845, the members of the Lodge and sojourning Brethren met at the Presbyterian Church in Kingston, where a very admirable address on Free Masonry was delivered to them, and the invited citizens present, by Bro. Henry Pettebone, Worship- ful Master of the Lodge, and District Deputy Grand Master. This was the first public demonstration of the revived Lodge. After the address the Brethren adjourned to the hotel of Bro. Oliver Helmé, in Kingston, where they dined together.
At the regular stated meeting of the Lodge held Febru- ary 9th, 1846, the following communication was received :
"Worshipful Master, Officers, and Brethren of LODGE No. 61, Wilkesbarré. Brethren: I have been a member of your Lodge about forty years. When it suspended business in consequence of anti-Masonry, I lamented its suspension, and had a strong desire to live to see the Ancient Order revived. Through the forbearance of all-wise Providence I have lived to see it accomplished, and I rejoice
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to see the Lodge in so prosperous a condition. But as I am old, it is not convenient at all times to attend the regular meetings of the Lodge, therefore I request permission to withdraw my membership from the Lodge. And may the all-wise Creator and Upholder of all things direct and keep you in the path of virtue, which leads to happi- ness, is the prayer of
"Your aged Brother, " OLIVER HELME." * " Feb'y 9th, 1846, A. L. 5846.
OLIVER HELME was born in Kingston, Rhode Island, October 12th, 1769. When a young man he removed to Balston, New York, where he married. He immigrated to Wilkesbarré in March, 1798, and, erecting a shop, engaged in " the making of Windsor chairs, and painting in all its branches." About the year 1803 he removed to Kingston township, Luzerne county, where he resided for a number of years-for several years previous to 1819 (when the Wilkesbarré bridge was opened for travelers) keeping the old Wilkesbarré and Kingston ferry. [See sketch of Abel Yarrington, post.] The follow- ing advertisement appeared in the Wilkesbarré Gleaner of March 6th, 1818:
"PAY THE FERRY-MAN!"
"All persons indebted to the subscriber for ferriages are informed that an immediate settlement of their accounts is indispensably neces- sary. Would such as are indebted to him manifest the same anxiety to pay they generally have to " go over," the subscriber would be en- abled to put his flats and skiffs in complete repair, on the breaking up of the ice to accommodate his customers-and himself. Delays are dangerous !
" OLIVER HELME." " Kingston, 20th Feb'y, 1818.
In 1824 Brother Helme succeeded Bro. Archippus Parrish as pro- prietor of the " White Swan " hotel, Wilkesbarré, which he kept until April, 1829.
From 1828 to 1831 he was Sheriff of Luzerne county. From 1832 to 1836 he lived in the village of Kingston, Luzerne county, and kept hotel in the building now called the " Exchange " hotel. From 1836 to 1839 he lived in Susquehanna county, Penn'a. In 1839 he returned to the Wyoming Valley, and from 1840 to 1847 again kept " open house " in the village of Kingston.
In 1814 Mr. Helme was commissioned Major in the Pennsylvania
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Early in 1846 monthly or evening dues were dispensed with, and were superseded by annual dues of $1.50, payable quarterly. The initiation, passing and raising fees were in the aggregate $14. The fees and dues remained at these figures until 1865, when the initiation fee was made $30 (including passing and raising) and the annual and Grand Lodge dues fixed at $3.
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