USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Lancaster > History of Lodge no. 43, F. & A. M. : being the records of the first century of its existence > Part 9
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The proceedings of the meeting held at Washington, (District of Columbia,) were, at the request of the meeting, laid before the Grand Lodge, at its adjourned, Grand Quarterly Communi- cation, held on the 30th of April last, and referred to a Grand Committee, consisting of the Grand Officers and three addi- tional members. The committee, unanimously, reported against the proposition, but proposed a substitute, that might perhaps conciliate, recommending a Convention of Delegates from the different Grand Lodges; and that report was, after the most full and mature consideration, adopted, without opposition, by the Grand Lodge.
No suggestion for a postponement was made; you were ap- prised that such a communication would be made; you did not inform us, you felt yourselves interested in the question, but re- mained perfectly quiescent, until the decision had been an- nounced. The decision was in exact conformity with the ex- pressions of opinion reiterated by the Grand Lodge, on former occasions, and once when the question had been agitated among the subordinate Lodges, through the instrumentality of your own exertions. No other Lodge, under our jurisdiction, has ever expressed an opinion in favor of a General Grand Lodge, and had it been supposed, that after having recently abandoned the pursuit of the object, you yet wished to express your opin-
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ions, ample time would have been given. In your Communica- tion, you state that it was owing to the want of notice to the country Lodges, that the proposition for a General Grand Lodge had been negatived, and that a large majority of the Masons throughout the State are friendly to the measure. I have had recent opportunities of knowing the sentiments of the brethren in the western part of the State, and I never met with a single individual in favor of the measure. The decision of the Grand Lodge was made in the usual manner: it was even more deliber- ative than that of the highly respectable and intelligent Grand Lodge of New York, who had the communication from Wash- ington laid before them, at the Quarterly Meeting in June last, and, at the same communication rejected the proposition.
As often as the measure has been proposed, a large majority of the Grand Lodges, throughout the Union, have rejected it, and I am not aware that a single Grand Lodge has approved of it, since its last agitation.
I would willingly close on this point, but there is a part of your communication that affects me personally ; I mean, where it refers to the conduct of the Committee of the Grand Lodge, appointed to consider the resolutions offered by Brother Porter on the 27th December, 1819. I was appointed a member of that committee, and being the Grand Officer highest in grade on the committee, according to Masonic Usage, and not as has been intimated as a matter of favor, I became the chairman of the committee, and acted as such until the Right Worshipful Grand Master took his seat in the committee. The meeting of the com- mittee was agreed to be fixed at such time as Mr. Baldwin could attend. I very early wrote to Mr. Baldwin on that subject ; he could not fix the precise time when he would be in the city of Philadelphia. At length he was enabled to fix a time, and im- mediately, on receiving that information, I notified by the same mail, Brothers Darlington and Porter, of the time and place of meeting, and I believe there was ample time for Brother Porter to attend had he been at home. Brother Darlington did attend, though the means of communication to and from Lancaster, are known to be more frequent than those to and from West Chester.
Brother Porter's absence in the Western country might have been well known in Lancaster, but I do assure you and him, not only I, but every member of the committee in Philadelphia, was utterly ignorant of the circumstance; for Brother Porter I have always entertained the utmost regard and friendship ; these feel- ings are so entirely disinterested on my part, that I know not whether they are, in any degree reciprocated. I should have been then, and still shall be pleased, to witness his exertions in the Grand Lodge on this or any other subject ; and I do feel
HISTORY OF LODGE NO. 43, F. & A. M.
mortified that such an expedient should have been imputed to me. The report of the committee was printed ; it was distrib- uted among the Lodges, and the same publicity was given which on the last occasion you think would have produced a decision favorable to the establishment of a General Grand Lodge ; yet the proposition was rejected without opposition ; and I cannot conceive, how you suppose a special notification to the country Lodges, on the late occasion, would have produced a different result. I am the more confirmed in this opinion, when I recur to the minutes of the Grand Lodge of the 27th of December, 1819, and find that, in consequence of your circular of the 21st of September, 1819, circulated throughout the State, there were only six country Lodges represented, including those, from whom, Past Masters alone appeared.
The merits of a General Grand Lodge are still open for exam- ination, discussion, and determination. It is in the power of any one of your Representatives, or Past Masters, to bring the subject before the Grand Lodge. I am not, however, aware that the proposed Grand Tribunal either was intended to be, or ever could be confined in its jurisdiction, as you seem to think, to the more important concerns, and to be deprived of its author- ity, in the most minute affairs of the fraternity. The case of an individual, or the most trifling incident, might, and often does involve the most important principles. In what manner you have ascertained the views of the Brethren who met at Washing- ton, to have been so limited, I am at a loss to know. I think it cannot be drawn as an inference from their Communication, and if we refer to your former sentiments on this subject, we find you contemplated " that to this body should be delegated such of the sovereign and independent powers as are exercised by the different Grand Lodges as would give it complete control of the Institution."
The analogy, between our political and Masonic government, altogether fails; the federal government was erected for the pro- tection of the people from foreign powers, and to regulate our commercial intercourse with them. Now the intercourse between us and foreign Grand Lodges, is confined to the receipt and transmission of each other's Annual Communications. It never has, nor do I know how, it ever can extend to any other objects. I refer you to an able and eloquent exposition of this subject in the Communication of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, adopted on the 31st ult., a copy of which, if you desire, shall be forwarded to you.
The allegation, that has been so often and so confidently re- lied upon, is the misappropriation of the funds of the subordi- nate Lodges. On a former occasion you informed the Brethren
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" that the expenditure of a very large sum of money in the erec- tion of a splendid Masonic Temple, was not the most judicious application of its funds," and you now repeat that your "money enriches" our " treasury," and that your " funds have been ap- plied to other objects" than the diffusion of Masonic light and instruction "in which, comparatively speaking," you " have no interest."
There has been so much error on this subject, that I feel it an indispensable duty to lay the whole truth before you ; these dis- closures are made with no unfriendly feelings towards you or any other country Lodge, but simply to repel a charge, made through misconception, and without the least shadow of foundation. The total number of Lodges, in the city and county of Philadelphia, is twenty-nine, in the remaining part of the State, sixty-three. By the official returns made to me, it appears the Average An- nual gross amount of the Revenue of the Grand Lodge, for the last sixteen years ending the 27th December, 1821, is $6108.57; of this sum the annual average amount paid by the 29 Lodges in the city of Philadelphia, is $3705.84; that of the 63 country Lodges $808.76; the remaining annual sum of $1593.97, being derived almost exclusively from the city of Philadelphia, com- prising the rent of the Hall, during that portion of the 16 years, it had been erected and the other contingent sources of revenue incident to the Grand Lodge. The annual interest on our debt has been heretofore $3900, the portion of the Hall not used for Masonic purposes has produced $1800, leaving the Masonic Hall an annual charge on the Craft of $2100 per annum, which sum has been paid by the city Lodges, and an annual surplus sum of $1605.84, a much larger annual sum than has been paid into the Sinking Fund.
The recurrence to so long a period, to produce the average amount, is adopted, in order that no advantage might be taken by selecting a particular period. The same statement, predi- cated upon the last six years, is still more favorable to the city Lodges. The annual average amount paid during that time, by the twenty-nine city Lodges being $5341.14, and that of the sixty-three country Lodges being $966.09, and the contingent revenue of the Grand Lodge, during that time, having been con- siderably increased. But the liberal exertions of the city Breth- ren have not rested. The old Hall, purchased with their funds, produced $7161.70, which was expended in the erection of the new Hall. The Insurance, on the Hall, in Chestnut street, the premium of which was paid out of the city revenue, at the time of its conflagration, added the sum of $20,433.85 to the same object. The donations for the original erection and subsequent rebuilding of the Hall amount to the large sum of $23,913.74,
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of which the sum of $60 was only subscribed by the country Lodges or its members. During the last year, a considerable charity fund has been created, by the voluntary donations of the Brethren of the city and county of Philadelphia ; and the sum of $2000 has been obtained, from the same source, for the per- manent repair of the Gas Manufactory, attached to the Hall. What has even been considered the liberality of our legislature, has been at the expense of the city and county of Philadelphia, and the annual exemption of the Hall from city and county tax- ation, is a larger sum in revenue, than the whole amount paid by the country Lodges.
The Masonic Hall is, we hope, the pride and glory, as it cer- tainly is the property of the whole masonic family ; and when, by such unexampled exertions, the debt incurred in its original erection and subsequent rebuilding, shall have been paid, its revenues will, as you desire, shed its benign influence alike over all the Lodges throughout the Commonwealth.
I have reluctantly entered into these statements, and they have not been laid before you for the purpose of exciting any sense of inferiority. Those Lodges in the country, who have paid their dues, have done all that was required of them, and while they receive our warmest gratitude for their support of our noble institution, it is a consolatory reflection to know, that if we did possess the power, we totally wanted the inclination ever to oppress them. The irresistible result from these views is, that the country Lodges have never yet been asked for a fair proportionment of the mere ordinary expenses of a Grand Lodge, no matter how organized, with or without a Splendid Temple, whether located in Philadelphia, Harrisburg, Pittsburg, or any other place, and that they have never contributed more than the sum of sixty dollars towards the erection of the Masonic Hall, either before or after its destruction by fire. I have now, my brethren, in brotherly love and affection, furnished you with the facts drawn from official documents, and I trust, when next you shall hear your city Brethren charged with the want of lib- erality to the Masonic Institution, you will in truth and sincerity recapitulate the items of this statement, and say "Go thou and do likewise."
The last allegation against the Grand Lodge, is, that it has not given that Masonic Instruction to their brethren, nor paid that attention to their interests that were required by its duty.
During the last year, the State has been divided into separate Districts, and District Deputy Grand Masters have been ap- pointed, with the full powers of the Grand Master to grant dis- pensations, visit the Lodges, inspect their labors, correct their errors and give them all due Masonic instruction and admoni-
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tion. The appointment for the Middle District, including Lan- caster, was offered by me, some time since, to Brother Francis R. Shunk, Esq., and by him, on account of his many private en- gagements, declined. Since that time I have been waiting only to find a suitable Brother, residing in the central part of the District, to fill up the appointment. The Grand Lodge have established a grand committee of land-marks for the purpose of investigating and determining all questions relating to the Ma- sonic Constitution, the ancient land-marks, customs and usages of the order. They have established a Board of Finance who have been assiduously engaged in devising the means of paying our debt without oppressing the Lodges; the expenses of the Grand Lodge have been reduced one fourth, while the price of dispensations has been reduced from ten to five dollars. During the month of August and part of September, instant, I have been engaged in a visitation of the Western Lodges, commenc- ing at York and ending at Erie. These visitations were not, as they have heretofore been described by you "a matter of parade and show," but they were employed in the most laborious efforts on my part, to give Masonic light and instruction ; how far I have succeeded I leave the Brethren of the Lodges, whom I visited, to say ; it would ill become me to repeat the testimon- ials of regard and affection I received ; but I must add, the recol- lections of my Visitations will be to me a source of lasting grati- fication. In the Lodge at York, I announced my intention in the Fall to visit the Lodges in the Midland Counties, and desig- nated yours in particular. I mention this, lest, if I should carry my intention into effect, it might be attributed to cir- cumstances that have since transpired. In the Lodges that I visited, I likewise announced my intention to appoint a Lecturer who should visit all the Lodges for the purpose of assisting their labours.
The Grand Lodge have been equally attentive to their coun- try Brethren, and although the private merit, the exalted station, and the Masonic zeal of Brother John B. Gibson, were induce- ments to elect him to the station of Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, yet I feel justified in saying a powerful motive was, to gratify their Brethren in the interior, and none more than yourselves. During the present year, you have been visited by Brother Gibson, the Deputy Grand Master.
During the last year a Brother was deputed by the then Right Worshipful Grand Master to inspect your labours, which duty, I understood, he had performed to your great improvement and satisfaction. A few years since, I had myself the honor to ac- company a Grand Officer to a Visitation of your Lodge, and if no good resulted from the exertions he then made for your in-
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struction, it was because you showed a decided, though a re- spectful indisposition, to conform to the old mode of work, as recognized by the Grand Lodge ; and, in his opinion, an unjust partiality to a new system, neither sanctioned by antiquity nor authority.
It is at such a period as this, which might be always termed a new Era in Masonry, that you have arraigned the Grand Lodge for neglect and indifference towards their Brethren in the country.
I have thus recapitulated the grounds upon which you have complained. I trust I have convinced you there is no justifica- tion for the measures you have adopted, that they are neither authorized by the circumstances of the case, nor if so, are they within the sphere of your legitimate powers. What then, you will ask, is the remedy for oppression, should the Grand Lodge ever exercise it over the subordinate Lodges? It is ample and obvious whenever the case should occur. A clear and decided majority of the Members of the Grand Lodge belong to the country Lodges, they are all similarly placed, they are united by a common feeling, and whenever oppression is practiced upon them, they will, by simultaneous concert, attend at least a single meeting of the Grand Lodge, and secure a restoration of their rights and privileges. There is reason to believe that period has not yet arrived. I fervently hope it never may; but should it ever come to pass, no permanent evil could long exist without the application of an appropriate remedy.
That the blessings of Heaven may descend upon you, my Brethren, the craft throughout the globe, yea upon the whole family of mankind, and that these refreshing blessings descend- ing " as the small rain upon the tender herb and as the showers upon the grass," may secure your temporal happiness here and eternal felicity hereafter, is the prayer of
Your sincere friend and brother
JOSIAH RANDALL, Grand Master. Philadelphia, September 20, 1822.
Lodge No. 43 was convened in extra meeting on October 2, 1822, and the proceedings of the Grand Lodge, together with the Grand Master's Letter, were read and referred to the com- mittee which had the subject in charge, to report. At the stated meeting of the Lodge held October 9, 1822, the committee pre- sented the following report, which was unanimously adopted, and ordered that the report, with the resolutions thereto attached, be printed and copies thereof forwarded to the different Lodges throughout the State and the Grand Lodge.
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The committee to whom was referred the communication from the Rt. W. G. Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, ac- companied by certain resolutions of the said Grand Lodge, adopted at a special meeting of the Grand Lodge, held on the 20th of September, A. D. 1822, submit to this Lodge the follow- ing report :
That we have devoted all that attention to the subject referred to us that its importance requires, and the extraordinary charac- ter of the communication would seem to command. And while we express our surprise at the course pursued by the Right Wor- shipful Grand Master, and the Grand Lodge, we are seriously of the opinion that the same is not only a novelty in the annals of Masonry, but contrary to the principles of our Institution.
It appears that the Grand Master has entered upon the field of discussion with a view to refute the complaints of this Lodge, and for that purpose has laboriously produced a copious disserta- tion upon the subject of a circular letter addressed by this Lodge to the Right Worshipful Grand Lodge of this commonwealth, and to all the subordinate Lodges under its jurisdiction. And although we admire the indefatigable zeal and Masonic knowl- edge of our Worshipful Brother, we cannot subscribe to his creed nor adopt his principles.
Your Committee do not think this a proper time to enter upon a discussion of those complaints which this Lodge has made, nor can that discussion be carried on satisfactorily by written com- munications, nor can we perceive that any benefits would result to this Lodge from such discussion ; for if we were so fortunate as to convince our Right Worshipful Brother that our grievances do actually exist, and have become intolerable, he might sympa- thize with, but could not relieve us. And while we duly appre- ciate his disinterested and paternal affection in condescending to reason with us upon the subject of our complaints, we do most heartily recommend to our Brethren, to persist in the course which they have already begun.
The time will come when everything contained in the Grand Master's communication shall be fully and fairly answered ; until then we shall desist from any comments upon the Grand Mas- ter's communication, except those parts of it which state that this is the only subordinate Lodge which has ever complained of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge, and the only one which has ever desired the establishment of a general Grand Lodge.
That the former of those assertions is altogether unfounded, we refer to the words of the Grand Lodge itself, if complaints against the proceedings and inattention of that body to the country Lodges are entered upon their minutes, if not, we refer to the records of Lodges 146, Meadville, 159, Danville, and 21,
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Harrisburg, and also to a circular from the Grand to the subor- dinate Lodges in this state, dated October 20, A. D. 1817; and having attached to it the name of the present Right Worshipful Grand Master.
That a great many of the Lodges in the interior of the State are in favor of the establishment of a general Grand Lodge, is an undeniable truth. The evidence of which, under the hands of the officers and the seals of a number of the most respectable Lodges in the State, has been in the possession of this Lodge ever since December, 1819, by the committee who upon that day represented this Lodge.
If all the complaints which have been made, or which were intended to have been made by our sister Lodges, have not reached the ears of the Grand Lodge, it must in a great degree be owing to the remoteness of the country Lodges from the Grand Lodge, or from a supposition (how well founded, we will not undertake to say), that complaint or supplication would be alike unavailing.
The communication from the Grand Lodge, imposes on us a more solemn and serious duty. If the course pursued by the Right Worshipful Grand Master amuses with its novelty, the measures of the Grand Lodge are calculated to awaken the feel- ings of every member of the masonic family.
That body has declared that Lodge No. 43 shall lose its char- ter on the first Monday in November next, unless before that time the members thereof return to their allegiance. It would have comported much better with the tenets of Masonry, if the Grand Lodge had condescended to point out wherein the mem- bers of this Lodge had swerved from their allegiance, and called upon them to answer the complaints before the forfeiture should take effect.
The members of this Lodge thought proper to complain of certain abuses which they allege have imperceptibly crept into the Masonic Institution, and to correct those abuses, have rec- ommended a convention in which every Lodge may be fully and fairly represented, and for this conduct we are to forfeit our chartered privileges. If our rights as a Lodge are held by such a precarious tenure, we care not how soon they are taken from us ; we most sincerely recommend the immediate surrender of them.
In this happy country where every citizen has an undoubted right to examine with scrutinizing eye the conduct of his rulers ; to complain of grievances and to resist oppression ; to propose amendments or alterations in the form of government, and rec- ommend the assembling of a body of representatives of the people to effect that purpose, shall it be said that in the Masonic
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society which is emphatically styled free, that liberty is not tolerated, and these principles are not recognized ? Shall we, who from our infancy have been taught the language of genuine liberty, and that all men are born equally free; that the power delegated to an individual, or set of men, is for the good of the constituent members of the community, shall we learn a different lesson, and subscribe a different creed, in that society where all meet upon the level ?
The principles of liberty have been too ably discussed, and too forcibly impressed both in the senate and in the field, to be so easily forgotten ; and if at other times, and in other countries, the conduct of our Lodges would have been treasonable and rebellious, we are sure that in the 19th century, and in our own happy country it cannot be so considered.
If experience has proved that the constitution of our Grand Lodge is defective, it might be questioned whether the Grand Lodge has power to amend or alter it. To that constitution the Grand Lodge owes its existence. A grand convention of Masons on the 25th of September, 1786, adopted it, and every amend- ment or alteration since made, ought to be carefully examined ; and surely the Grand Lodge can have no reason to complain, if made amenable to those to whom it owes their existence.
No person ever thought that the ancient land-marks of Masons were violated by a grand convention in 1786, to form a Grand Lodge ; and we are sure that no person, who is influenced by the benign spirit of Masonry, will pretend to say that a conven- tion of Masons in 1823, to examine into the proceedings of that Grand Lodge and to endeavor to effect those alterations and amendments to its constitution which experience and a change of times and circumstances may suggest, will be an encroach- ment upon the ancient land-marks of the order, or a violation of Masonic ties.
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