USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Lancaster > History of Lodge no. 43, F. and A.M., 1785-1910, with biographical sketches of charter members, past masters and present officers, together with a complete list of members of the lodge > Part 10
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With sentiments of respect I remain W. Sir and Brother,
Yours fraternally,
GEORGE A. BAKER, Grand Sec'ry. Brother HENRY KEFFER, W. M. of Lodge No. 43.
The Letter of the R. W. Grand Master which was enclosed was as follows :*
To the Worshipful Master, Past Masters, Wardens, and Brethern of Lodge 43, held in the city of Lancaster:
Brethren, With pain and regret, I have received a Communica- tion from your Lodge, dated the 21st of August last, enclosing a report, adopted by the Lodges, at its stated meeting in that month.
The complaints it enumerates, the manner in which they are detailed and the remedy it proposes too plainly indicate an aliena- tion of feeling on your part towards the Grand Lodge, that, I think, could not be justified by any course of conduct it might pursue.
By the Great Masonic Constitution adopted by the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and as far as my knowledge extends, by every other Grand Lodge either in Europe or the United States, "the Grand Lodge has an inherent power and authority to make local ordinances and new regulations, as well as to amend and explain the old ones, for their own particular benefit and the good of Ma- sonry in general," "for the members of every Grand Lodge are the true representatives of all the fraternity in communication, and are an absolute and independent body, with legislative authority; provided as aforesaid, that the Grand Masonic Constitution be never violated nor any of the old land-marks removed." The same Charter declares "that the main business of the Grand Lodge,
*This letter is not upon the records of the Lodge.
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whether at quarterly communications or other meetings, is seriously to discourse and sedately to consider, transact and settle ALL MATTERS that concern the prosperity of the Craft and the fraternity in general or PRIVATE LODGES and SINGLE BROTHERS in particular.
Obedience to these principles, is the cardinal duty of the Order. Every Master Mason is bound by the strongest ties, that human ingenuity, under the blessing of Providence, has ever yet devised, to maintain and support them. They impose an obligation from which we cannot be relieved, even though the whole Masonic family, by one unanimous acclamation, should decree it; they prescribe a duty we owe to our brethern, our consciences and our God, and which, without guilt, can neither be evaded not set at defiance. What then my brethern is the measure you have propounded? A Con- vention of Delegates "to take into consideration the interest of the fraternity and to devise some mode of remedying the evils" and grievances, under which the subordinate Lodges labour, by means of the organization, the location & the general system adopted by the Grand Lodge. The only legitimate body in which any of these grievances (if they do exist) could be relieved, is the Grand Lodge itself. It is an absolute and independent body, endowed with legislative authority, to apply a remedy to all evils that do now or may hereafter exist, and the assemblage of any other persons, to review or pass upon its measures, is a direct and unequivocal in- fringement of its rights, and an absolute denial of its Supremacy over the Craft. I trust, this is a view of the subject that has not yet presented itself to your minds, because, if you agree in opinion with me, on this point, and I know not, how we can differ, there will be, on your part, a prompt relinquishment of the proposed convention, as I know you would not persevere in any course, which, you believed, was inconsistent with the solemn duties and obligations you have undertaken to perform. I urge these con- siderations more strongly, because, on a former occasion, you pro- tested against the power of a subordinate Lodge, in nothing your superiors, possessing neither the authority to investigate nor the power to punish, to pass a vote of censure upon your conduct; and at the same time you declared that to the Grand Lodge, under whose jurisdiction you were placed, you owed "duty and allegi- ance," and "when that August Tribunal shall say," you "have broken" your "allegiance, then, and not till then, will concessions be made."
If then the power of a coequal subordinate Lodge, to pass upon or censure the conduct of a sister Lodge, be denied, how much stronger does the principle apply to a subordinate Lodge, asserting
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its right to review the whole course of the proceedings of the supreme Masonic authority, to whom they owe obedience and fidelity un- limited, within the ancient land-marks, and from whom they have derived and continue to enjoy their very existence?
Waiving, for the present, the right to assemble, let us enter into a friendly and dispassionate examination of the alleged grievances. I will promise, that no Lodge, under our jurisdiction, has ever made any serious complaint to the Grand Lodge of its proceeding, except Lodge No. 43. While we have too often witnessed in you the most decisive evidence of hostility and opposition to our measures, the other Lodges have displayed, in their intercourse with the Grand Lodge, the most warm and sincere affection for the parent authority, and the most scrupulous obedience to its directions. That, such feelings may continue to govern them and shortly pervade your councils, is my most anxious desire.
The organization of the Grand Lodge does not receive your appro- bation. I would remark that the present organization of the Grand Lodge is the same that has subsisted for ages both in Europe and the United States. A subordinate Lodge is represented by its Worshipful Master and Wardens; the "Lodge when duly congre- gated, have the privilege of instructing their Master and Wardens for their conduct in the Grand Lodge," but the Past Masters have always holden seats in the Grand Lodge as "the true representatives of all the fraternity," and the right to disfranchise them might be well questioned, even if not totally denied. It is a privilege con- ferred on them, as a reward for their labour and services in promoting the interests of the craft, and none are more interested in preserving the ancient Usages than the Craft itself, as the disfranchisement of the Past Masters must deprive the Grand Lodge of a large portion of its Masonic intellect and experience. The injustice of giving the Past Masters and officers of each Lodge but one vote is equally obvious. It would amount, in a great degree, to a virtual dis- franchisement of the Past Masters; it would place the oldest and most numerous Lodge on a level with the youngest and smallest in number; it would be a stimulus to large Lodges to subdivide, in order to gain the ascendancy; and every five master masons, who could obtain a warrant, would have the same influence with a Lodge valued for its antiquity, its numbers and zeal in the interests of the craft. The complaint against the present system is, that there is not an equitable distribution of power, and the result of the alteration would, like its cause, naturally end in a contest for power, and be destructive of the good order and harmony of the craft. You refer to the principles of our government and intimate,
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that the doctrine of representation, in proportion to members, should be adopted; but how utterly subversive of those principles would be a system that would give to five masons just constituted as a Lodge, equal weight with an old and well established Lodge, consisting of from 75 to 120 members. The truth is that if the republican principles of our government were to be taken as the Masonic guide, our present system is much more consonant with them than the one proposed by your Lodge. I cannot forbear to add, that the project of a General Grand Lodge of the United States, as proposed by Brother Porter, in Grand Lodge, on the 27th of December, 1819, contemplated that it should consist of the Grand and Past Grand Officers of the different Grand Lodges in the United States, thereby continuing, in this particular, not only to follow, but even to enlarge upon, the present system of represen- tation in our Grand Lodge.
Another ground of objection to the present Grand Lodge is, its location. It is an important fact, and one that seems to have escaped your attention, that the City of Philadelphia is nearer to a majority of the Lodges within the State of Pennsylvania than the present Seat of the Government. As the oldest Lodges are generally the most numerous, the present location of the Grand Lodge is more contiguous to, and more convenient for a still larger majority of the Masonic Brethren throughout the commonwealth. . It is a still more important and conclusive fact on this subject, that a clear majority of the Contributing Brethren of the whole Commonwealth reside within the City and County of Philadelphia. Independent of these considerations, the Grand Lodge ought al- ways to be located in the most populous city. In England, the continuance of the Grand Lodge to meet at York after the South had become the seat of population, and London the great emporium of the kingdom, produced two distinct Grand Lodges, and the subsequent unfortunate division between the Ancient York and Modern Masons. The Seat of Government in the State of New York, has been for many years removed to Albany, yet the Grand Lodge have continued to meet in the city of New York, although the number of Lodges holden in that city, is about the same as those holden in our city; and the number of those, holden in the country, in the State of New York, is seven fold the number of country Lodges in our State. The Grand Lodge of Maryland con- tinued to meet in Baltimore, although the Seat of Government has been removed to Annapolis; and they have recently finished the erection, in the City of Baltimore, of a suitable Temple, in which they now hold their communications. The Grand Lodge
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of South Carolina still continues to meet in the city of Charlestown, although the Seat of Government has long since been removed into the Interior.
I proceed to the examination of those measures of the Grand Lodge of which you have complained; they seem to be confined to Ist, The rejection of a proposition for a General Grand Lodge throughout the United States; 2, The waste of the funds derived from the country Lodges; and 3d, The want of Masonic instruction to the subordinate Lodges.
I will not adopt the principle that a body co-equal, much less one inferior, in its authority, has no right to express its censure upon the conduct of the Grand Lodge. In order that we may discuss the grounds of complaint more fully, I will, for the present, concede to you, the right to censure the Grand Lodge, and to communicate that censure in the manner you have adopted.
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 Communication, held on the 30th of April last, and referred to a Grand Committee, consisting of the Grand Officers and three additional members. The committee unanimously, reported against the proposition, but pro- posed 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 apprised that such a communication would be made; you did not inform us, you felt yourselves interested in the question, but remained perfectly quiescent, until the decision had been announced. The decision was in exact conformity with the expressions 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 opinions, ample time would have been given. In your Com- munication, 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 indi-
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vidual in favor of the measure. The decision of the Grand Lodge was made in the usual manner: it was even more deliberative than that of the highly and respectable intelligent Grand Lodge of New York, who had the communication from Washington 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 committee 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 immediately, 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 mortified that such an expedient should have been imputed to me. The report of the committee was printed; it was distributed among the Lodges, and the same publicity was given which on the last occasion you think would have produced a decision favorable to the establish-
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ment 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 to 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 pro- posed 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 authority, 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 Washington, 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 trans- mission 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 Com- munication of the Grand Lodge of Kentucky, adopted on the 3Ist ult., a copy of which, if you desire, shall be forwarded to you.
The allegation, that has been so often and so confidently relied upon, is the misappropriation of the funds of the subordinate Lodges. On a former occasion you informed the Brethren "that the expen- diture of a very large sum of money in the erection 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 applied to other ob-
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jects" 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 Annual 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 ex- clusively from the city of Philadelphia, comprising 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, predicated 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 considerably increased. But the liberal exertions of the city Brethren 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, 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 dona- tions of the Brethren of the city and county of Philadelphia; and
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the sum of $2000 has been obtained, from the same source, for the permanent 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 institu- tion, 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 liberality 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 appointed, with the full powers of the Grand Master to grant dispensations, visit the Lodges, inspect their labors, correct their errors and give them all due Masonic instruction and admonition. The appoint- ment for the Middle District, including Lancaster, was offered by me, some time since, to Brother Francis R. Shunk, Esq., and by
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him, on account of his many private engagements, declined. Since that time I have been waiting only to find a suitable Brother, re- siding 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 Masonic Constitution, the ancient land-marks, cus- toms 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, commencing 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 empolyed in the most laborious efforts on my part, to give Masonic light and instruction; how far I have succeeded I leave to the Brethren of the Lodges, whom I visited, to say; it would ill become me to repeat the testimonials of regard and affection I received; but I must add, the recollections of my Visitations will be to me a source of lasting gratification. In the Lodge at York, I announced my intention in the Fall to visit the Lodges in the Midland Counties, and designated yours in particular. I mention this, lest, if I should carry my intention into effect, it might be attributed to circumstances 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.
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