1931 Proceedings - Grand Lodge of Missouri, Volume 1

ST. LOUIS,MO. GRAND MASTER,./930-/931

BIOG~AP-hIICAL

II

WI LLiAM R. GENTRY. Grand ,Master, 1930-1931.

Our 87th Grand Master is a Missourian to the manor born, possessed of many of those characteristics which are dear to and always held in high esteem by native Missourians. He first saw the light of day at Columbia, in Boone County, September 28, 1869. A glance at his ancestral line brings out those characteristics in unmistakable clearness, as the following .,. facts will amply corroborate.

His father, Thomas Benton Gentry, was born at Columbia, Missouri, and reared there. He was the son of Richard Gentry, a native of Kentucky, who gave his life to his country while leading the first regiment of Missouri Volunteers against the Seminole Indians in Florida on Christmas Day, 1837, and the grandson of Richard Gentry, (a native of Virginia) who served as a soldier in the American army in the Revolution of 1776. He was so determined that his service should not be forgotten that he exacted of his family a promise to have engraved upon his tombstone the statement that he was present at the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at the battle of Yorktown. That statement may still be seen on the stone.

The Gentry family in America may be traced back to two brothers, who came from England as soldiers in one of the French and Indian Wars and later settled in this country. There is a tradition which says that the Gentry's, being of Protestant faith, were driven out of France and fled to England at the time of the persecution of the Huguenots, but this has not been verified.

Brother Gentry's lineage may be traced back through his mother, (who before her marriage was Miss Mary Todd, born and reared near Columbia, Missouri, of parents who came from Kentucky) to the old Scottish -Covenanters who fought so bravely for the right to worship God according to the dictates of their own conscience.

Our Grand Master was educated in the Public School at Columbia and in the State University of Missouri, where he completed the literary course _and graduated with the degree of Bachelor

11

Biographical

of Letters.路 He had given special attention to the study of modern languages in his college course and, having made up his mind to be a teacher of languages, he went to Europe and studied literature at the Sorbonne in Paris and German literature at the University of Berlin. While in Europe, he was chosen by the Board of Curators to teach German and French in the University of Missouri.

Returning home, he taught those two languages for two years; and, having studied Spanish in his spare time, he spent part of a summer in Old Mexico, perfecting himself in Spanish and then spent one school year teaching all three of these languages at the University of Missouri. However, a man with such an ancestral background, and so many forces surging within his being, was not likely to be satisfied with the monotony路 of teaching, so it is not surprising that he gave up that profession and turned to the study of law, graduating from the University of Missouri with the degree of LL. B. in June, 1896, and was admitted to the bar in the Circuit Court of Boone County on the 8th day of that same month.

On December 26, 1908, he moved from Columbia, where he had begun his legal career, and settled in St. Louis, where he has since continued the practice of his profession. He first served two years as attorney for the 'public administrator of St. Louis and then engaged in private practice, in which he has represented both individuals and a large number of corporations, including manufacturing corporations, railroads, a large bank, and various insurance companies. He has been connected with many important cases, and his name may be found in many volumes of the decisions of the Supreme and Appellate Courts of Missouri and of the United States.

In May, 1930, the United States District Court of St. Louis appointed Brother Gentry Receiver for a large manufacturing and wholesale shoe company, which had become financially involved. He succeeded in paying off all the creditors in full in less than thirteen months of operation of the business by him as Receiver, kept many hundreds of employes at work in factory, office, and store and on the road, and turned the business back to the corporation as a going concern with every prospect of future success and with creditors, employes and stockholders alike satisfied and happy. So grateful were the employes for his courteous treatment that, after Brother Gentry had completed his work and had been discharged as Receiver, they presented him with a beautiful gold watch and chain, the inside of the watch case bearing an inscription testifying to their esteem for him. It goes without saying that he prizes the gift as one of his most cherished possessions.

Biographical

111

On October 1, 1896, our Grand Master was married to Miss Mary Lee Payne of Pattonville, St. Louis County, Missouri. To that union a son, William. R. Gentry, Junior, was born October 5, 1897. On October 6, 1901, the young wife died, and on December 9, 1903, Brother Gentry was united in marriage to Miss Anna L. Heidorn of Bridgeton, Missouri, who had been the roomate of the first Mrs. Gentry at Stephens College at Columbia, (where Brother Gentry met both of them) and who had been the devoted friend and bridesmaid of the first wife. Of this second marriage one son, Thomas Frederick Gentry, was born December 21, 1906. Both sons are now Master Masons, their father having had the great pleasure of Raising both of them in his Mother Lodge.

M. W. Brother Gentry is a staunch Presbyterian (no one would ever doubt that who had had the opportunity of reading the facts above recited concerning his ancestors) never bigoted, however, and always recognizing the right of others to choose their own church affiliations. He became a Sunday School teacher in 1892 and has taught in Sunday School almost continuously since that time. For more than thirty-two years he has been the Superintendent and Bible Class teacher in Mizpah Presbyterian Church at Pattonville, in which church he was elected a ruling elder in 1901. He has been repeatedly requested by large Sunday Schools in the city to relinquish his work in the little church at Pattonville and engage in a larger sphere of service in his denomination in the city. These requests have been invariably declined, he having expressed the determination to stick to the little church and his Mother Lodge as long as he lives,-and we verily believe that he will do so.

Brother Gentry has always been interested in religious work among young people. In 1895 he was elected and served one year as President of the Missouri Union of Young People's Societies of Christian Endeavor and was renominated, but declined to serve another term.

In politics Brother Gentry is a liberal Republican, always reserving the right at all times of refusing to vote for any candidate whom he believes to be dishonest or otherwise unworthy.

He has never held a political office.

The home life 'of our Grand Master is well nigh ideal. Mrs. Gentry is an enthusiast in all the causes with which her husband is identified, including Freemasonry. She has gone with him on many of his Masonic trips, especially when they were made by automObile, and she has the happy faculty of making friends with everybody, especially brethren of our ancient Craft. She has often been the recipient of beautiful flowers from the brethren of various Lodges, and is welcomed wherever she goes. The elder

IV

Biographical

son, William, is married and lives in his own home and is engaged in the practice of law with his father. The younger son, Thomas, is single, resides with his parents and is connected with a large shoe company.

Brother Gentry is an intense lover of outdoor life. In summer he lives on his farm in St. Louis County, where he greatly enjoys raising many varieties of fine fruits and caring for !Jis wonderful bird dogs, of which he has a large kennel. Hunting is his great delight, and fishing is his second choice of sports. Although he is sixty-two years' of age, he steadfastly refuses to take up golf, declaring it to be an old man's game and very much too tame for him.

Our Most Worshipful Grand Master first saw Masonic light in Bridgeton Lodge No. 80. He was Initiated September 16, 1899, . Passed October 21, 1R99, and Raised February 10, 1900. He served his Lodge as Worshipful Master three terms and has been its moving spirit throughout the years.

In 1903 he was appointed Grand Orator of the Grand Lodge by Most Worshipful Brother Wm. F. Kuhn, and in 1920 Most Worshipful Brother Julius C. Garrell appointed him Ch~irman of the Committee on JurisprUdence. In 1921, he was Chairman of the Appeals and Grievances Committee, and in 1923 Most Worshipful Brother Bert S. Lee appointed him in Line as Grand Marshal.

Since then .he has advanced regularly through the various stations, until in 1930 he reached the Grand East. Owing to the serious illnes of Most Worshipful Brother Samuel R. Freet, Brother Gentry, as Deputy Grand Master, had to assume the duties of p~esiding for the larger part of the session of 1930.

At our last annual communication, the Grand Lodge felt the impress of Most Worshipful Brother Gentry's outstanding personality, and he gave abundant evidence of his ability as a skilled Craftsman in the dispatch of the business which was before it. lt is needless to say that Brother Gentry is identified with all the regular Masonic Bodies and that he is everywhere recognized as a beloved brother, on whom one can always, with confidence, rely.

A. M.

ENTERTAINMENT. ,~,

iI' ,

Before the opening of the Grand Lodge, a delightful program was rendered by approximately 140 children from the Masonic Home, who were presepted to the audience by M. W. Bro. William R. Gentry; Grand Master. This program was under the general superintendence of William W. Martin, President of the Home, and Mrs. Wilmoth Waller, ably assisted by Mrs. Henry Falkenhainer at the piano.

Following the conclusion of the program' M. W. Bro. Gentry spoke as follows: "Ladies and gentlemen and friends: I am sure I voice the feeling of every member of this Grand Lodge in attendance here today, and of every visitor, when I say that we have been thrilled and pleased beyond measure with the beautiful entertainment that has bee'n furnished us by these dear children of our Home. The rpses touch me more than I am able to express. The beautiful gavel given me I shall ever remember. I shall take pleasure in wielding'it as I rule over the 'Grand Lodge at this time. My term as Grand Master ends tomorrow night. It has been a year of happy service. No brighter spot has been found anywhere in that service than the Masonic Home, where it has been my pleasure to go many times to attend meetings and to make visits. These children are dear to my heart. I rejoice that we have a home for them, that they are so well cared for, so beautifully trained; and may I say to you that I would be only too glad to put them up in competition with the children of any other home in the world and not be afraid that they would not ta~e first prize.

To everyone of the children who took part, and Sister Waller, and all who had a hand in training them for this entertainment, I, in behalf of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, express our most sincere thanks.

Eighty-one years ago in far-away Prussia a baby girl was born.

When five years old she came with her folks to this country, coming from what was then a kingdom, into the glorious repUblic of freedom of the United States of America. That little girl grew to womanhood. She was not ashamed of honest toil. She married one of her countrymen and with him day by day she toiled and they saved their money and bought a farm in St. Louis County, eighty acres of beautifully situated land, forty acres of which are

now included in the City of Kirkwood. That woman was not of a Masonic family. No member of her family ~elonged to this Order of ours, but as she has grown to mature -womanhood, she has looked about and planned to do some good while life is still hers.

Far wiser than many who have saved their money until they are dead and then leave it to do a work which they cannot seie and enjoy, this good woman has shown the good sense to use her property now, while she is here to see it enjoyed, and she has given 80 acres of land, conservatively estimated by real estate men to be worth anywhere from $100,000 to $150,000,. to the Masonic Home路 of Missouri. (Applause.)

It gives me great pleasure, ladies and gentlemen, (sustained applause)-it is with the greatest of pleasu;e that I introduce to you at this time the sweetheart of the Masonic Home of Missouri and of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Missouri, Mrs. Mary Huthmaker. (Applause.) Long may she live to enjoy the sight of these precious children in homes to be built upon that 80-a~re tract, playing beneath the shade of the magnificent trees growing there and enjoying God's glorious sunshine and fresh air, which she thus makes it possible for them to enjoy." (Applause.)

Thereupon Mrs. Mary' Huthmaker was presented amid sustained applause.

OFFICIAL PROCEEDINGS .q

I

OF THE

ONE HUNDRED AND ELEVENTH ANNUALCOMMUN~ATION

OF THE

GRAND LODGE. ANCIENT FREE AND ACCEPTED MASONS OF THE

STATE OF MISSOURI

HELD IN ST. LOUIS Commencing September 29, A. D. 1931, A. L. 5931

" ..1 ., •

.-'

,!

I

ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH ANNUAL COMMUNICATION

FIRST DAY.

The One Hundred Eleventh Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted IVlasons of the State of Missouri convened at the Scottish Rite Cathedral, 3637 Lindell Boulevard, St. Louis, l\1issouri, at 10 o'clock A. M. on Tuesday, the twenty-ninth day of September, 1931.

PRESENT.

M. W. Grand Master RAY V. DENSLOW, Trenton ... . R. W. Deputy Grand Master THAD B. LANDON, Kansas City . . R. W. Senior Grand Warden FRANK C. BARNHILL, Marshall . . R. W. Junior Grand Warden EDMUND E. MORRIS, Kansas City R. W. Grand Treasure1' ARTHUR l\1ATHf;R, St. Louis R. W. Grand Secretary JAMES R. McLACHLAN, Kahoka R. W. Grand Lecturer WALTER M. LANCTRY, Clayton R. W. Grand ~haplain EMMET L. RORISON, St. Joseph R. W. Grand Chaplain SAMUEl, THURMAN, St. Louis R. W. Grand Chaplain DUVAL SJ:\nTJI, St. Joseph R. fiV. Grand Senior Deacon JAMES W. SKI':LLY, St. Louis R. W,. Grand Junior Deacon GEo. W. WALI(}~R, Cape Girardeau. R.W. Grand Senior Steward H. L. READER, Webster Groves R. W. Grand Junior Stewm'd HENRY C. CIIILf;S, Lexington R. W. Grand Marshal ELWYN S. VVOODS, Springfield R. W. Grand J.1arshal KARL J\1:. VETSBURG, St. Louis. " .R. W. Grand Sword Bearer HARRY S. TRUMAN, Independence . . R. W. Gran,d Pursuivanl FORRf;ST C. DONNELL, St. Louis R. W. Grand Orator WALTER E. S]~]~WOSTER, St. Louis R. W. Grand Tiler

WILLIAM R. GENTRY, St. Louis

4

Proceedings of the

1931

OPENING.

At 10 o'clock A. 1\1., September 29, 1931, at the Sc;ottish Rite Cathedral, 3637 Lindell Boulevard, St. Louis, Missouri, the Most Worshipful Grand Master, William R. Gentry, opened the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Missouri in AMPLE FORM in its One Hundred and Eleventh Ann~al Communication, aided by the Grand Officers and supported by a large attendance of Representatives.

INVOCATION.

Following the opening of the Grand Lodge, R. W. Bro. Rev. Walter M. Langtry, Grand Chaplain, invoked Divine Blessing as follows: "Supreme Architect of the universe, by Whose wisdom all things were contrived; by Whose power all things were made; and by Whose laws all things consist!

"By Whom also the things that are shaken shall be removed; and by Whom the things that cannot be shaken may remain!

"We honor and reverence Thy majesty and Thy glory. The stars in their courses are symbols of Thine infinite majesty. And the sun in its glory is but the darkened image of the brightness of Thy face. When we see the greatness of Thy works, we can only fall down before The,e, and worship and adore.

"We come now to present before Thee the result of our labors for the year just past. Mistakes we no doubt have made, as what mortal has not!

"And yet we come with sincere hearts praying for Thine approval of all that was right, and for Thy gentle correction of that which was wrong. And we humbly ask that much of what we have done may receive Thine approval, and that the building on which we have labored may sustain the ravages of time and stand in all its beauty. " 'Till rolling years shall cease to move.'

"And so we thank Thee for Thy great kindness through the past year; for the health and strength bestowed upon our Grand Master; and for the wisdom which Thou hast given him; for the help of his brethren of the Grand Lodge. of the districts, and of the Lodges; and for the peace and harmony that have prevailed throughout this Grand Jurisdiction.

"Bless our Order still, we pray. May Thy favor be continued to us also in the coming year, and may the incoming officers be divinely guided in their work.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

5

"May the Lion of the tribe of Judah uphold every faIling brother.

May He be our Light ,in the darkness, and our Guide through the rough and rugged paths of human life, a Friend on Whom we can with confidence rely. And if 'perchance through our human frailties we fall byfthe way, may we be raised by the strong grip of the Lion's paw, and walk with Him in newness of life, in that holy way that leads to the perfect light!

"And through His name shall be praise to Thee throughout the Lodges of the jurisdictions of the world; and in the Grand Lodge above, where the Supreme Architect of the universe presides!

"To Whom be the glory. Amen."

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS.

M. W. Bro. William R. Gentry announced the presence of a number of distinguished guests, some of them being visitors from foreign jurisdictions, some serving at the head, or near the head of other Grand Bodies in this Jurisdiction. He requested that' all of those brethren holding such positions as he had mentioned retire, and he indicated that they would presently be escorted in, and officially recognized. He stated that the matter had been handled in this manner because some of the brethren _of some of the foreign jurisdictions desired to see the opening ceremonies of this Grand Lodge.

ENTERTAINMENT.

The Grand Lodge thereupon gave attention to a cornet solo, "The Lost Chord," played by Brother Thomas F. Gentry, a son of M. W. Bro. William R. Gentry, accompanied on the pipe organ by Brother O. Wade Fallert.

CREDENTIALS.

R. W. Bro. Walter A. Webb, Chairman of the Committee on Credentials, reported a constitutional number of Lodges represented, and the Grand Lodge thereupon proceeded to the discharge of its duties.

DISTI NGU ISH ED VISITORS RECEIVED.

R. W. Grand Treasurer, Edmund E. Morris, thereupon in.,. troduced the following distinguished visitors, who were

6

Proceedings of the

1931

cordially welcomed by the M. W. Grand Master, received with appropriate honors, and seated in the Grand East.

M. W. Bro.

J.

Forrest Ayres, Grand Master. of Kansas.

R. W. Bro. Chester G. Cole, Deputy Gran<t :Master of Iowa.

R. W. Bro. Charles C. Hunt, Grand Secretary of Iowa.

M. W. Bro. John X. Taylor, Grand Master of Kentucky.

M. W. Bro. John R. Tapste'r, Grand Master of,-Nebraska.

M. W. Bro. Lewis E. Smith, Past Grand Master and present Grand Secretary of Nebraska.

M. W. Bro. Bert S. Lee, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri, Past Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter R. A. M. of Missouri, Past Grand Master of the Grand Council R. and S. M. 6f Missouri, Past Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery K. T. of Missouri, and Past Grand Master of the General Grand Council Royal and Select Masters of the United States of America.

R. W. Bro. Ray V. Denslow, Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge A. F. and A. M. of Missouri, Past Grand High Priest, and Grand Secretary of the Grand Chapter R. A. M. of Missouri, Grand Secretary of the Grand Council R. & S. M. of Missouri, Grand Recorder of the Grand Commandery K. T. of Missouri, and General Grand Royal Arch Captain of the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the United States of America.

M. III. W. Ed Johnson, Grand Master of the Grand Council, R. and S. M. of Missouri.

R. E. Sir Albert Linxwiler, Grand Commander, Grand Commandery K. T. of l\ilissouri.

GREETINGS.

The Grand Master thereupon presented the following telegram from M. V\T. Bro. Orestes Mitchell, Past Grand Master of Missouri: "My injuries are such that my physician advises very dangerous for me to attend Grand Lodge; hence I am unable to be there. This is a great disappointment to me. Please convey to the brethren my greetings and best wishes and my prayer is that you may have

Grand Lodge of Missouri

1931

7

a happy and harmonious session, especially am I hopeful that steps are taken to relieve crowded conditi<)ll of Masonic Home that we may better fulfill our '~bligations to our distressed brethren, their widows and orphans."

I J /

The Grand l\1Jster then read the following telegram from M. W. Bro. Samuel R. Freet, Past Grand Master of Missouri: "One of the keenest disappointments of my life is my inability, because of illness, to attend this Grand Lodge session, at which you will preside. I congratulate you on your most successful year as Grand Master. May the blessings of the Supreme Architect rest upon you and the Grand Lodge."

The Grand Secretary then read the following telegram from M. E. Companion Leroi Beck, Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter, R. A. M. of Missouri: "Detained here. and brethren."

Regret it very much. ;Regards to Grand Master

The Grand :Master thereupon instructed the Grand Secretary to acknowledge receipt of these three telegrams, thank the brethren for their messages, express our regret for their inability to be present, and to convey to M. W. Brothers Mitchell and Freet our sincere hopes for their speedy recovery.

GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS.

Brethren: Altering slightly the lines of an old hymn, we may well say today: "Safely through another year, God hath brought us on our way."

I am happy to report that death has not come to anyone of our Past Grand Masters, to any line officer of tliis Grand Lodge, to anyone of my deputies, or to any member of any of our committees since our meeting of one year ago.

It is, however, sad to report that since that meeting a good many Missouri Masons have been called by the Supreme Architect of the Universe, to lay down the working tools of life and answer roll call, as we trust, in the celestial Lodge on high. It would take too much time for me to undertake now to enumerate all members of subordinate Lodges in this grand jurisdiction who have passed on, since our last session "to that undiscovered country, from whose bourne no traveler returns." Many faithful members who have served long and faithfully in their own Lodges have

8

Proceedings of the

1931

gone to their reward. But I shall mention two well known outstanding Masons whose faces we miss here today where they were seen for so many years-R. W. Bro. Louis Moller, and R. W. Bro. Victor H. Falkenhainer, 'both of whom served many years ago as District Deputy Grand Masters in the 33rd Masonic District of Missouri. Both served with distinction, both were much beloved, and are, and will be, greatly missed. I conducted the Masonic service at the funeral of R. W. Bro. Moller, and was requested by both the family and the Lodge to conduct the Masonic service at the funeral of R. W. Bro. Falkenhainer, but, much to my regret, I was prevented from so doing by a previous engagement which required me to be out of the city.

As a mark of our respect, esteem and brotherly love for the memory of these two and all other fellow workers in this jurisdiction who have been called away by death in the past year, let us stand with bowed heads and spend a moment in silent prayer for the loved ones whom they have been called to leave.

THANKS TO FELLOW WORKERS. I would that time and space might permit me to call by name, and express my thanks tO,all who have done so much to lighten my burdens as Grand Master.

I must mention a few of them: To my devoted wife for her constant encouragement, for her companionship on many trips when she was permitted to go along, and for her uncomplaining consent to my absence when I had to go away without her, I give sincere thanks. She has been the recipient of many beautiful flowers and other presents, for which I give thanks in her behalf.

To my sons who have assumed responsibilities at home and in my business in my absence, and who have always been ready to take me to trains and meet me on my return, I am grateful. To my deputies throughout the State, who have relieved me of many burdens, who have helped me solve many a problem, and many of whom have served me as "Grand Chauffeur" on many occasions and in many districts, I extend sincere thanks. To masters, secretaries ~nd members of many Lodges I extend thanks for kind invitations, enthusiastic receptions and transportation to and from Lodges. To my own deputies in St. Louis an.d St. Louis County, and to deputy lecturers in both places and to past deputies in both city and county, I am under peculiar obligations.

To many Brethren who have, at

my request, performed the

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

9

unpleasant task of serving as members of commissions in Masonic trials-often at great sacrifice of personal convenience and time, I also express my thanks.

There is one Grand Lodge officer to whom, individually, I must express my heartfest thanks. It" is our Grand Secretary, my warm personal friend, a perfect dynamo of energy, R. W. Bro. Arthur Mather. No Grand Master in any grand jurisdiction could possibly have a better friend, a more reliable adviser or a more dependable helper than he has been to me.

If the very excellent administration of M. W. Bro. John Pickard had been responsible for nothing else worth while,the appointment by him of R. W. Bro. Mather as Grand Secretary would have made it an outstanding success. This Grand Lodge is justly proud of Bro. Mather's whole hearted, thorough, fine service. He never meddles with the Grand Master's affairs, but is always ready, when called upon, to give reliable information and, sound advice.

As a Grand Secretary, he may well be described by the slogan once used extensively in St. Louis in advertising a now forbidden product: "Seldom equalled, never excelled!"

May his shadow never grow less, and may many Grand Masters in years to come have the privilege of association with him as I have had!

PEACE AND HARMONY. I am most happy to say that wherever I have been I have found peace and harmony prevailing in our Lodges. It is a matter of much satisfaction to me to report that I have not found it necessary to arrest the charter of any Lodge, as some grand masters have found it necessary to do. I have found Lodges generally very prompt to respond to orders and suggestions made by me and a fine spirit of co-operation is in 'evidence throughout the State.

Despite many hardships, the Lodges are struggling bravely on.

LODGE REPORTS TO GRAND SECRETARY. The Grand Secretary reports to me a marked improvement in the annual reports路 rendered by the Secretaries of our individual Lodges, which, as he points out, are of inestimable value in the perfecting of the rec~rds of the Grand Lodge and of far-reaching importance. More than three-fourths of these reports are typewritten, which adds greatly to the efficiency of the work in the Grand Secretary's office. An excellent form for the reports was worked out by our Grand Secretary, who is always business-

10

Proceedings of the

1931

like and thorough, and that form ~as made reports far easier for Lodge Secretaries than they formerly were.

OFFICIAL, yISIT ATIONS. I have not attached to this address a list of the Lodges to which I have paid official visits. I suppose I am about the poorest record keeper in the world. I have not kept a record of all the Lodges which I have visited. I can now recall a great many of them, but if I should undertake to write down the names of all of them and have those names published in connection with this address, and should omit one, as I might easily inadvertently do, some member of that Lodge who read the list might feel that I had slighted his Lodge.

I regret to say that I have not been able to visit as large a number of our 652 Lodges in Missouri as several of our Grand Masters have done. This was due to the fact that a multitude of duties had been laid upon me which made it impossible for me to get around as much as I greatly desired to dQ. Nevertheless, I have visited as far northeast as Memphis in Scotland County, as far northwest as St. Joseph, as far southeast as Hornersville in Dunklin County, and as far southwest as Neosho in Newton County, have visited many Lodges in St. Louis, including some in the northend, some in the southend and some in the westend, as well as many in the Masonic Temple, and have made visits to many counties nearer the' central part of the State and along the northern and southern lines of the State and in Kansas City, and Independence on the western border. Usually when I made a visit out in the 'State, the meeting which I was to address was advertised as a district meeting and Lodges from all over the district were represented in the gathering. Wherever I have been I have been treated most kindly and considerately, and have usually found a large attendance and a patient audience, anxious to hear more a'bout the subject of Freemasonry. I have spoken in both open meetings and closed meetings.

SPECIAL OCCASIONS. To comment on all the special occasions when I have been present, or upon all the extraordinary courtesies extended to me would require far too much time and space. Let me say that I have been splendidly received and entertained all over the State, and I must not be considered lacking in appreciation of any occasion or of the efforts 'of the Brethren and friends of the Order to add

Old Hall of Bridgeton Lodge No. 80, in which M. W. Bro. Wm. R. Gentry first saw Masonic Light.

1931

Grand Lodge of 1'v1issauri

11

to my pleasure and increase the good effects of my visits, because of failure to mention all of them.

But a few special occasions .were of such unusual type and brought so much pleasure to me, that It must not omit mention of them.

J,' My very first official visit was made in October to Acacia Lodge, No. 602, at Columbia, Mo., the town of my 'birth, which I left in 1898 when I went to St. Louis.

My reception in the tiled Lodge in Acacia Lodge hall, where I was introduced by M. W. Bro: Pickard was most courteous and cordial. I was then escorted to the hall of Twilight Lodge No. 114 where I addressed an open meeting, in which were many Brethren as well as others, including men and women, some of whom had been my school teachers in my boyhood days. and some schoolmates, neighbors and playmates over half a century ago.

A few days later Bridgeton Lodge No: 80, my dear old mother Lodge. in which I was made a Master Mason on February 9, 1900, gave me the most unique and the most delightful banquet I ever attended. It was in a large tent, stretched on the ground adjacent to the Lodge hall.

Fortunately we had fine weather. The Lodge members wired the inside of the tent for the occasion and it was ablaze with electric lights, the tables and the tent were beautifully decorated with flags, bunting and flowers, a bounteous repast was served, Wellston Bethel of Job's Daughters waiting on the tables, appropriate music was furnished, and so many kind things were said by my Brethren of the Lodge and visiting Brethren that I was almost too much overcome to speak when I was called upon. An enlarged photograph of me was unveiled for the Lodge and a duplicate of it was presented to me for my family. When I saw the light in that Lodge more than 31 years ago it was very small, and held its meetings in a tiny hall above a little negro school house. It is now a prosperous Lodge with a membership of 264, and has its own beautiful temple and large grounds, free from debt. That Lodge has, and will always have, a very warm spot in my heart.

A few days after that banquet a magnificent banquet was tendered me by the Masonic Service Association of the 33rd and 57th Masonic Districts at one of the large hotels in st. Louis.

No detail was neglected by the committee, and it was indeed, a thing of beauty. The present and past Deputy Grand Masters and Deputy Grand Lecturers of the two districts gave me a very beauti-

12

Proceedings of the

1931

ful present, and there were many kind words spoken which I shall ever cherish.

On January 17, 1931, I had an experience which was one of the most interesting and unusual of my whole life. With my elder son acting as senior warden, and my younger son, as junior warden, in Twilight Lodge No. 114, in Columbia, Mo., I raised ,to the sublime degree of Master Mason my only brother, who is three and one-half years my senior. A large number of Brethren from St. Louis and St. Louis County drove to Columbia, and took part in the proceedings on that happy occasion, the Governor of the State came over from the capital, and in the great throng which gathered in the Lodge hall there were Brethren from 47 Lodges and 5 States. Those who went up from the 33rd and 57th Masonic Districts gave the candidate a beautiful Masonic edition of the Holy Bible, which was presented to him in a characteristic speech by our dearly beloved silver tongued orator friend, Worshipful Brother Ben Weidel.

On May 3rd, a representative crowd of 300 Masons, most of them from Kansas City, some of them from Independence, came to St. Louis on a special train to pay me a fraternal visit. A great dinner was given by the Brethren of the Lodges of St. Louis and St. Louis County in the Scottish Rite Temple, followed by a fine entertainment in my honor and in h'onor of my immediate predecessor and warm personal friend, that outstanding Mason and Prince of good fellows, Most Worshipful Brother Samuel R. Freet, who headed the delegation of visitors, and who, for them, presented me with a beautiful token of affectionate regard in the form of an electric clock, which has proved itself both useful and ornamental. That occasion was a most happy one for all who were present. It was a great pleasure .to me to receive this fraternal visit from our friends from the West, as well as the ,token of friendship from the Brethren who went to so much trouble and expense to come clear across the State, and I rejoice in the splendid spirit of fellowship which prompted this evidence of their fraternal friendship. It was an equally great pleasure to me to note the warmth of the reception given to these visiting Brethren by the Brethren on the east side of the State. Never has this Grand Lodge had a more outstanding ambassador of good will than Most Worshipful Brother .Freet has been and is. I have learned with deep regret that he will be unable to be with us at this session of the Grand Lodge.

On June 11th, I took part in the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of Ivanhoe Lodge No. 446 in Kansas City. It was a great occasion in a great Lodge.

On June 18th, I went to Albany in Gentry County, where incidents of unusual interest transpired. Gentry County was named

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

13

by the Legislature of Missouri for my grandfather, Col. Richard Gentry. A fine oil portrait of my grandfather, presented to Gentry County by my father, hangs in the County Courtroom in the courthouse at Albany today. On arriving at the Lodge hall in Albany on the occasion of my .visit, I was delighted to find that the Lodge had borrowed that portrait and placed it immediately in front of the Worshipful Master's station in the hall of Athens Lodge No. 127 and, after my address had been delivered, my district deputy presented me, in behalf of all the Lodges in the district, with a beautifully framed photograph of' that portrait. A photographer was present and took a picture of me standing by the oil portrait in front of the Master's station.

It was in Athens Lodge No. 127 at Albany, Missouri, that that great old champion of Freemasonry, Most Worshipful Brother John D. Vincil, Grand Master of this Grand Lodge for two terms and Grand Secretary thereof for twenty-seven terms, first saw Masonic light. His old home in Albany is still standing, though vacant and badly in need of repairs. From a piece of the wood of that old house, one of the Brethren made a little gavel which was presented to me on the occasion of my visit to Athens Lodge.

With that gavel I called this Grand Lodge to order this morning.

In Missouri Lodge No. 1 I took part in the celebration of the 95th birthday of Bro. Louis Wagner. In Pride of the West Lodge No. 179 I presented for the Lodge, a Past Master's Apron to Bro. W. F. Hancock, 91 years old, who has since died.

On February 9th, Most Worshipful Brother R. B. Hope, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Tennessee, Most Worshipful Brother McDowell, a past Grand Master thereof, and about 25 members of Angerona Lodge No. 168 of Memphis, Tennessee, visited Hornersville Lodge No. 215 in the extreme southeast corner of Missouri, in Dunklin County, where I met them and spent the evening, greatly enjoying witnessing the work, as a fine team from Memphis conferred the third degree on a candidate according to' the beautiful and elaborate Tennessee ritual. Hornersville Lodge returned the Memphis Lodge's visit in May, and, by special invitation, I met the Hornersville Brethren in Memphis, where we were entertained with路 characteristic Tennessee hospitality by the Memphis Lodge, and I assisted the Missouri boys in conferring the third degree according to our ritual.

In May I was a guest of honor and a speaker at the meetings of the Grand Council of Royal and Select Masters and the Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons in Booneville, Mo., and at a meeting of the Grand Commandery of Knights Templar in Sedalia, Mo. In February, I attended the meeting of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association, in Alexandria, Virginia, and the meeting of the Grand Masters' Association in Washington,

14

Proceedings of the

1931

Do Co, and at the last mentioned meeting, by request of the president of the association, I made a talk.

I gratefully acknowledge the many courtesies enjoyed as a guest of the Grand Lodge of Kansas at Wichita in' February, and of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska at Omaha. in 1'Juneo I was invited to address both of those grand bodies, and did so.

Being ,in Minneapolis, Minn., on the occasion of the Triennial Conclave of the Orand Encampment of Knights Templar in June, I visited -Cataract Lodge No. 2 in that city and witnessed the conferring of the third degree by a team picked from the Wardens' Association of that city. I was most courteously received in the beautiful and commodious Lodge hall with the Grand Master of Minnesota, the Grand Master of York Rite Masons in Mexico, a Past Grand Master from Florida, and a Past Grand Master from Rhode Island. A crowd of approximately 400 Masons, made up of Brethren from all over the country, witnessed the ceremonies. " .'

DECISIONS. I have had requests for decisions on a great many matters.

Many of these dealt with such commonplace things that they could have been settled in a minute by the one making the request for a decision if he had only looked at the Grand Lodge ByLaws. Some Secretaries and Masters seem to find it easier to write a letter to the Grand Master and ask him for a decision than to read the plain letter of the law set forth in unmistakable terms in the By-Laws. It would be unprofitable to occupy space by giving decisions on all such matters; but some real questions were raised and decided, which I report here.

1. Question: Is it proper for a Lodge to appoint one of its members to represent it on a park board?

Decision: No. 2. Question: A member of a Missouri Lodge moved to the State of New York and established a residence there. Some years later' he wrote to the Secretary of the Missouri Lodge requesting a dimit for the express purpose of affiliating with the Lodge in the town in New York where he then resided. The Secretary issued the'dimit with the approval of the Lodge and it was presented with a petition for affiliation to the Lodge which the brother desired to join. He was rejected because of his age. Being a non-resident of Missouri, he cannot now petition for affiliation or membership in a Missouri Lodge. What is his status and what can be done for him?

Decision: Section 180 of the Grand Lodge By-Laws makes it the duty of the Secretary of a Lodge when a dimit is requested, not for the purpose of severing connection with our Order, but

1931

Grand Lodge of M issou,ri

15

in order to affiliate with another Lodge, to explain the situation to the Brother making application for the dimit and to issue to hiIiI a certificate of good standing instead of a dimit. If the Lodge to which he petitions for affiliation ,rejects him, then he is still a member in gooqJ Il'tanding in his mother Lodge. It has been decided under such circumstances that the action of the Secretary in causing a dimit instead of a certificate of good standing .to be issued was void, and that the dimit would be treated as a certificate of good standing. I therefore decided in this case that the Brother in question never severed his relation with the Lodge in Missouri by which a dimit was issued, that the dimit should be treated as a certificate of go~d standing, and that the Brother's name should be reinstated upon the roster of the Lodge. Of course, it is his duty to pay up all dues that have accumulated since the dimit was issued to him.

3. Question: While a Lodge of Instruction is being held under the direction of the District Deputy Grand Master, a person claiming to be a Mason and having proper receipt for dues, but being unknown to any Mason present, applies for admission to the School of Instruction, and being denied admission asks to have the District Deputy Grand Master appoint a committee to examine him. Has the District Deputy Grand Master authority to appoint such a committee a,nd to admit the person examined if the committee is satisfied with his examination?

Decision: Yes. 4. Question: Is there a Masonic law against the use of the emblem on the front of automobiles?

Decision: That depends uPOn circumstances. If the automobile is one used for business purposes, displaying an advertisement of the business in which it is used, then it would be highly improper under Section '204 of our BYJLaws to have a Masonic emblem displayed anywhere on the automobile. On the other hand, if the automobile is used for pleasure purposes only, with nothing whatever about it to indicate the business of the owner, then it would not be against the Grand Lodge By-Laws to display a Masonic emblem upon the automobile. A very serious question might arise as to the good taste of such an action; and in my opinion it is not good taste, but I find no Masonic law against it.

5. Question: A Brother petitioned for the mysteries at a time when the Grand Lodge By-Laws permitted the degrees to be paid for separately, and paid the amount required to receive the degree of Entered Apprentice, and received it. Years passed, during which he neglected to petition for advancement. The Grand Lodge By-Laws were changed so as to require the entire fee to be paid with the petition, and in the particular Lodge in

16

Proceedings of the

1931

question the fees were increased. The Entered Apprentice now wishes to petition for advancement, and the question arises as. to whether he must now pay only the balance that would have been required for the two remaining degrees at the time when he was accepted and received his First Degree: or whether he must now pay the amount the Lodge By-Laws now require, less what he paid for his First Degree.

Decision: In view of Section 46 of the Grand Lodge By-Laws and the decision reported in the Proceedings of 1897, page 15, I rule that the Brother must deposit with his petition for advancement the entire amount now required by the By-Laws of his Lodge for the three degrees, less what he paid for his First Degree.

6. Question: A Lodge occupied a Hall for many years under an agreement by which it paid a certain rental per month. The landlord made no restrictions as to the number of meetings that could be held, and the custodian of the Hall employed by the Lodge carried the key to the Hall. A Hall occupied in the same town by the Lodge of Odd Fellows burned down, and the Masons -many of whom belonged to the Odd Fellows Lodge-permitted the Odd Fellows to hold their meetings in the Hall first above mentioned. The Odd Fellows built a new building, and the Masonic Lodge rented quarters in the new building and moved into the same, paying in full the amount it had agreed to pay for rental of the old Hall up to the time it moved out. The landlord has asked the Masonic Lodge to pay additional rent to cover the use of the Hall by the Odd Fellows during the time when they held their meetings therein. Is the landlord entitled to be paid that additional rent by the Masonic Lodge?

Decision: No. 7. Question: A man residing in the jurisdiction of one of our Lodges petitioned for the mysteries some years ago, was accepted and received the degree of Entered Apprentice. Subsequently, he removed to a town in Illinois; and after having established a residence there, he petitioned路 his home Lodge for a dimit and the Lodge issued a dimit to him. He petitioned the Lodge in whose jurisdiction he lives in Illinois for affiliation, accompanying his petition with the dimit. The Illinois Lodge refused to recognize the dimit because the Brother was only an Entered Apprentice.

The Lodge in Illinois expresses its willingness to confer the two remaining degrees upon the Brother if requested by the Missouri Lodge so to do. What is his standing, and what can be done for him?

Decision: The action of the Lodge in issuing a dimit instead of a certificate of dismission in proper form to one who was merely an Entered Apprentice was null and void, and his name

\931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

17

should be reinstated upon the Lodge roster as an Entered Apprentice, a note being made in the records of the Lodge that this action is taken by order of the Grand Master. The Missouri Lodge can then request the Illinois Lodge to confer the remaining degree:s and conduct" proper examinations, notifying the Missouri Lodge when those things have been done. Then if the Brother desires to unite with the Lodge in Illinois at the place of his residence, he can procure a dimit and take that action. I feel that considerable leniency ought to be indulged in toward new members who are wholly unfamiliar with Grand Lodge laws and who get into a tangle because the Secretary of the Lodge does not take the trouble to look up the law and advise the路 Brethren how they should proceed.

8. Question: A Brother was suspended for non-payment of dues in June. Does the Brother owe dues only up to the date of his suspension or for the entire calendar year?

Decision: Dues are payable in advance on the first day of January. When a Brother becomes in arrears and is suspended he owes for the entire year, and if he subsequently desires to be reinstated, he must pay for that entire year before he can be' reinstated.

9. Question: A Brother who had petitioned Tranquility Lodge No. 275 for the degrees was accepted, initiated, and passed, the Second Degree being conferred upon him on August 29', 1906. He was to receive the Third Degree in September, 1906, but an objection was made and the degree .was not conferred. A committee was appointed and it investigated and reported that it found no ground for the objection. No charges were filed. Tranquility Lodge surrendered its charter some time ago, consolidating with Cambridge Lodge No. 63, which is in existence and in good standing. The Brother now desires to petition Arrow Rock Lodge No. 55 to receive the Third Degree, as he resides in the jurisdiction of that Lodge. What is the proper procedure?

Decision: By the consolidation of the two Lodges above named, all the members of Tranquility Lodge, including Fellow Crafts, were taken over by Cambridge Lodge; and the Brother in question is now a Fellow Craft in good standing therein. If he presented himself for advancement in September, 1906, as the question seems to indicate, then he complied with the requirement of our By-Laws fou~d in Section 115, and it is not necessary now for lrim to petition for advancement. He can now request Cambridge Lodge to issue to him a certificate of dismission in accordance with the provisions of Section 117 of the Grand Lodge By-Laws of 192'5; and upon receiving such certificate, he can present it to the Lodge in whose jurisdiction he now resides, with a proper petition.

A committee should then be appointed and the petition should take

18

Proceedings of the

1931

the usual course, and if he is elected, he can be given his Third Degree therein.

10. Question: A member of a Lodge was suspended for nonpayment of dues. It subsequently developed that at the time this action was taken the member had become 'in'sane and had been so declared by the probate court having jurisdiction of such cases and was confined in an insane asylum operated by the government in the State of Iowa. Under these circumstances, was the suspension valid?

Decision: The suspension was void, inasmuch as the Brother who had been declared insane was incompetent and therefore had no opportunity to be heard on the motion to suspend him. I ordered the Secretary of his Lodge to reinstate his name upon the roster of the Lodge as a member in good standing. His dues should now be remitted, he being destitute.

11. Question: A Brother who was a member of a Missouri Lodge from 1893 to 1902 was suspended in the latter year for non-payment of dues. He now resides in the State of Oregon and . has children scattered in various parts of the country and takes turns residing with them. He desires to be reinstated to membership in the Missouri Lodge. Has he the right now to'be reinstated upon proper proceedings, and how shall he proceed?

Decision: Although the Brother is now a non-resident of Missouri, the Lodge which suspended him for non-payment of dues still has jurisdiction over him to'the extent of entertaining a petition by him for reinstatement. He may file such petition, accompanying it with payment of all dues accrued at the .time of his suspension. A committee can then be appointed pursuant to Section 163 of the Grand Lodge By-Laws and can make investigation and report. If the report is favorable, a ballot may then be taken, and if the ballot is favorable, the Brother can be reinstated. This is according to the letter of the law.

Rare instances may be found where it would be appropriate to take back into the Lodge a member who has been out under suspension for twenty-nine years. Such cases ought to be scrutinized closely. Too often it will be found that a man who came into Masonry in the prime of life, took路 no interest in it, was of no service whatever to the Order, and dropped out rather than pay a few dollars a year for dues, when old age overtakes him and he sees that his days are numbered and there is a doubt about whether he will 'be able to take care of himself in the closing years of his life, decides he would like to get back into the Masonic Order, and eventually into the Masonic Home and finally have a Masonic funeral. Those who take no interest and render no service throughout the best years of their lives have no right to

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

19

expect to be taken back when路 the shadow of death is creeping over them in old age at a time when they are useless to themselves and will be useless. to the Order and want to come back merely to get out of the Order something that they do not deserve by reason of:,any service ,rendered when they were able to render it. Nine out of ten of such applications should be rejected and usually they are rejected by proper use of the ballot.

12. Question: A member of one of our Lodges was convicted of the crime of arson and sentenced to a term in the penitentiary.

On June 29, 1929, after a trial on proper charges in his Lodge, he was suspended for a period of five years. He has now been released from the penitentiary and is working in a town in Iowa.

He desires to be restored to good Masonic standing in the Lodge by having the period of his suspension shortened. The time when he would be automatically reinstated by the expiration of his period of suspension would be July 27, 1934. What can be done?

Decision: This case is covered by Section 273 of the Grand Lodge By-Laws, which provides that a suspended Freemason wishing to be restored before the expiration of his period of suspension shall petition the Lodge and the petition must be presented at a stated meeting and lie over until the next stated meeting, but need not be referred to a committee. Due notice of the time when the petition will be considered must be given to the members of the Lodge, and the vote shall be had by ballot. A two-thirds majority vote is sufficient to shorten the period of suspension and restore the Brother to his membership and standing.

While the above is the letter of the law, it seems to me that a man who is convicted in the criminal courts of a crime so serious as the crime of arson had better be allowed to stay out under suspension until the full period thereof passes, unless there are some most exceptional circumstances.

13. Question: A member of a Lodge in Missouri was expelled for un-masonic conduct in 1920.. In January of this year he petitioned the Lodge for restoration and was restored to Masonic standing, but not to membership in his Lodge, and was given a certificate of good standing. He now resides in Chicago, Illinois, and petitions for affiliation in the Lodge which expelled him.

Does Section 145 of the Grand Lodge By~Laws providing that a non-resident cannot affiliate with a Lodge in this state apply?

Decision: Yes, Section 145 does apply. The Brother cannot petition any Lodge in Missouri for affiliation unless he first moves to Missouri and resides here a year before he files such petition.

14. Question: A man petitioned one of our St. Louis Lodges for the degrees and was accepted on January 8, 1930. After more than a year had elapsed he expressed a desire to receive his First

20

Proceedings of the

1931

Degree, but in the meantime he had changed his residence to some point in the State of Ohio. What can be done in this matter and what should be done with the fees which accompanied the petition when the petitioner was elected?

Decision: Under Section 114 of our Grand Lodge By-Laws, since more than a year has elapsed since the petitioner was elected and no degree has been conferred upon him in that time, his election is now void, and he is in the same situation as if he had never petitioned the Lodge. Being a non-resident of the State of Missouri, he cannot now petition any Lodge in Missouri for the degrees. If he desires to proceed with his Masonic work, the proper place for him to petition is in some Lodge in the State of Ohio, in whose jurisdiction he resides. Under the circumstances, it seems to me that the fair thing to do would be for the Lodge to vote to return the fees paid by this petitioner who, through no fault of his own, is unable to get the degrees therein.

15. Question: Racine. Lodge at Seneca, Missouri, is right next . to the border line between Missouri and Oklahoma, but is in the jurisdiction of the Missouri Grand Lodge. Frisco Lodge, which is in the jurisdiction of Oklahoma, is the nearest Lodge to Racine Lodge. Two young men who reside just over the State line on the Oklahoma side, the line running between their home and their barn, and who receive their mail at Seneca, Missouri, because it is very near to their home, petitioned Racine Lodge at Seneca, Missouri, for the mysteries and were accepted and the degrees were conferred upon them. .Technically, they were just inside the jurisdiction of the Oklahoma Lodge, but the road they would have to travel led right through the village of Seneca and over the Oklahoma line to the little town in which Frisco Lodge in Oklahoma is located. A complaint was made by Frisco Lodge because Racine Lodge had invaded its jurisdiction. I had my District Deputy, Right Worshipful Brother Phipps, investigate the facts, and he reported them as above. The question was as to what settlement should be made between the two Lodges. Both Seneca Lodge and the two young men acted in good faith.

Decision: I took this matter up by correspondence with the Grand Master and the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma; and in view of all the circumstances, we reached a friendly settlement, under the terms of which it was agreed that the fees paid by these two young men to Racine Lodge in Missouri should be paid over by that Lodge to Frisco Lodge in Oklahoma, but the young men should be permitted to continue their membership in Racine Lodge. This settlement was agreeable to all parties concerned; Racine Lodge paid over the money to Frisco Lodge, and everybody is now happy.

16. Question: Does the Masonic Lodge By-Law路 prohibiting

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

21

soliciting men to become Masons prohibit a member of a Masonic Lodge from soliciting men, who have received the degrees and have been suspended for non-payment of dues, to pay up their uues and come back into the Lodge?

Decision: Section' 20,5 of the Grand Lodge By-Laws of 1925 is as follows: "Soliciting candidates. It is un-masonic to solicit membership from profanes."

This is all there is in the Grand Lodge By-Laws on the subject of soliciting candidates. I rule that it does not apply to soliciting men who were members of a Lodge and were suspended for non-payment of dues to pay up their dues and be reinstated.

If they are worthy men, it is commendable rather than otherwise thus to solicit them.

17. Question: A member of a Lodge in the State of Missouri moved from his home town to University City, Missouri, which is immediately joining the City of St. Louis, but is a separate corporation. The Brother has procured from his Lodge a certificate of good standing and has filed that certificate with the Secretary of one of the Lodges in the City of St. Louis with his petition for affiliation. That Lodge called upon the Lodge located in University City for a waiver of jurisdiction but the waiver was refused by University City Lodge on the ground that the Grand Lodge By-Laws contain no provision for a waiver under such circumstances. Was this action correct? How can the Brother become a member of the Lodge which he desires to join in St. Louis?

Decision: The attitude taken by University City Lodge is correct.

The B'rother has two courses open to him. First, he can return his certificate of good standing to his mother Lodge and request and receive therefrom a dimit. He, thereupon, becomes a nonaffiliate Mason, and may petition for affiliation with any Lodge in the State of Missouri, regardless of whether he resides in its jurisdiction or not. Thus, he can then petition the Lodge in St. Louis which he desires to join. If he should be rejected he cannot petition any Lodge again for a year.

Second, if he does not desire to take the chances on failure of electio~, he can move into the City of st. Louis and actually reside there until six months have passed and then, using his certificate of good standing, he can file it with a petition for affiliation in any Lodge in the City of St. Louis which he desires to join. Then if he is rejected he will still be a member of his mother Lodge instead of being out in the cold world.

18. Question: A Brother who was elected Senior Warden now works In a bank in a location outside of the jurisdiction of his

22

1931

Proceedings of the

Lodge, and the question is whether or not he is eligible to hold office.

Decision: He is eligible to hold the office. Section 93 of the Grand Lodge By-Laws:i'dealing with the removal of an officer, , refers to one moving outside of the State of Mtssouri, and declares that his station is thereby made vacant. This provision does not apply to an officer of a Lodge who moves from one location to another within this State. Of course if his new location is so far away that he cannot attent to his duties, then he ought to resign, as he can do.

19. Question: The Secretary of' a Lodge wr~tes me that when a petition for the mysteries had been lodged in his hands, and before the meeting of the Lodge at which it was to be presented, a member of the Lodge who had not given the petition to the Secretary came to him and requested him not to present the petition, and gave as his reason that some of the ladies of the Eastern Star' were afraid thatiif the petitioner should become a Mason his wife would want to' join the Eastern Star shortly thereafter.

The Secretary refused to entertain the request, and asks me whether his ruling was correct. i ~

. >~

.... 4

Decision: Yes, it was correct. While the petitioner himself could have asked to have his petition withdra:wn before any committee was appointed to investigate him, the Secretary had no right to refuse to present the petition simply because somebody thought that someboay in the Eastern Star might not like the petitioner's wife. The two Orders, Masonry an~ the Order of the Eastern Star, are separate and distinct and each one is quite capable of managing its own affairs. If a member of the Order of the Eastern Star feels that the wife of some Mason who wants to come into that Order ought not to be accepted, she has a perfectly good and practical way of stopping her, without meddling with the affairs of the Masonic Fraternity.

20. Question: A man who was regularly made a Mason in a regular Lodge in the State of Texas and who has moved into Missouri and taken up his residence here presents a dimit from his mother Lodge in Texas and desires to petition for affiliation in a Lodge in this jurisdiction, although he has not lived in the State of Missouri a full year. Must the petitioner actually reside in Missouri twelve months before his petition for affiliation, accompanied by his dimit, can be entertained?

Decision: Section 145 of our Grand Lodge By-Laws, dealing with the affiliation of a Master Mason, applies to this case. It provides that a non-affiliate Master Mason may apply for affiliation to any Lodge in this jurisdiction, but does not specify any length of time that must elapse after he comes to Missouri and

Grand Lodge of Missouri

1931

23

before he can petition. This is quite different from Section 121, prohibiting any Lodge from entertaining the petition for the degrees unless the petitioner shall have resided in Missouri twelve months. I rule that the Brother is eligible to petition for affiliatio~"'in Missouri as: soon as ,he becom~s a bona fide reside~t thereof, that is, a~' ';o~n as he actually moves into the State and tak~s up 'his abode here with the real intention of being a resident of Missouri.

21., Question: A member of a St. Louis Lodge, who was a member in good standing in the Catholic church died.. His wife (who is a Catholic) requested the Masonic Lodge to perform the Masonic burial service at the. ~ndertaking parlors before the body was taken to the Catholic church for funeral service there. The Catholic Priest was willing fOr that arrangement to be carried out. The Master of the Lodge was opposed to giving the Masonic service. What should be done?

Decision: I directed the. Lodge to hqld the Masonic service.

The deceased's choice of his church was his own business-not ours. We certainly ought not to allow the Catholic Priest to be more liberal about the funeral than the Lodge.

Article 2, Section 9, Subdivision L. of the Constitution of this 'Grand Lodge makes it the duty of the Grand Master at the close of his term to make a report to the Grand Lodge, setting forth an account of his acts as Grand Master, and provides that he may make such recommendations as he deems expedient and necessary. \ .

Therefore, various recommendations are herein set forth, as I deem them quite expedient and some of them, at least, necessary.

0

MASONIC TRIALS. For many years the Grand Lodge By-Laws provided for trial of an offending member by the entire Lodge membership. All of the members present constituted the trial body, and the majority decided the question of guilt or innocence, as well as the question of punishment, in the event that the accused was found guilty. This method of 'trial proved highly unsatisfactory.

Too many times it happened that when a popular member of the Lodge was accused, he packed the Lodge hall with his friends, and, no matter what the evidence was, he was acquitted. On the other hand, if he was very unpopular, the accused had great difficulty in scuring a fair decision from the members of the Lodge.

When our present trial code was adopted, the plan of trial was changed so that, instead of being tried by the entire Lodge membership, an accused Brother was tried by a jury of six members. Every effort was made to secure members who had not formed or expressed an opinion and whose relations and feelings

24

Proceedings of the

1931

toward the_accused were such that they were neither prejudiced against him nor biased in his favDr. In large Lodges like Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 40, of St. Louis, and Ivanhoe Lodge No. 446, of Kansas City, if the accused was not a prominent man, members could be found in the Lodge for jury service who were strangers to him and who knew nothing of the matters involved. in the. controversy. But in our small Lodges, such as路 are -found in many small towns and villages and in the country, it was often -difficult, if not entirely impossible, to select a jury of six men who could approach the trial of a case with their minds entirely free from bias towards, or prejudice against, either side of the controversy, because they were almost certain to know both the accusing member and the accused, and to have heard statements concerning the matters in controversy before the charges were preferred.

At last year's session of the Grand Lodge, an amendment to the trial code, known as Section 261 1h, was adopted,. which provides in substance that by giving notice two days before the time set for the trial, the accused may request the Grand Master to appoint a commission of three experienced Master Masons from outside of the LDdge, to try the case in place of a jury; or the Lodge, by a majority vote, may make the same request, in either of which events the Grand Master may appoint such a commission; orin a case in which the Grand Master has ordered the. prosecution to be had, he may appoint a commission to try the case, without a request from either the Lodge or the accused.

In my experience as Grand Master, I have had occasion to appoint quite a number of such commissions in cases in which I had ordered prosecutions to be instituted; and in two cases I have had requests from a Lodge to appoint such a commission.

In everyone of these cases I have designated a lawyer as the chairman of the commission, because lawyers are more familiar with the technical rules of evidence and procedure in Lodge trials than laymen usually are. In all but one instance, (and that in St. Louis) I have appointed commissions made up entirely of men residing outside of the toWn or city in which the Lodge trial was to be had, feeling that it was best to get men who knew none of the parties to either side of the controversy and who did not live in the same community in which the Lodge was located. The commission takes the place of a jury and the chairman presides.

I have found that the most excellent results follow the appointment of such commissions. The tendency of Masonic trials brought under the original plan and under the jury plan has always been to array members of a Lodge against each other to a -distressing extent, thereby causing ill feeling and dissention,

1931

",'.

Grand Lodge of Missouri

25

from which it is hard f~r the Lodge to recover. Several outstanding good features are noticeable in the plan of路 trial by commission. The accused is thereby assured of a trial by men who have not made up their minds against him in advance., The accuser is sure of a trial by men who are not in any wise affected .by close personal friendship with the accused. The members of 'the Lodge simply look on as spectators at the trial, and there is no occasion for them to be arrayed against one another, as happened too often under either of the old systems. Members of carefully chosen commissions are not apt to be swept off of their feet by eloquent argliments of counsel for either side, as juries and members of the Lodge holding the trial were often swept away by such eloquence; in fact the commissions usually hear no argument of counsel at all.

The objection has been urged that a Grand Master can pack a 'commission in order to carry out his own individual views. I think we are all justified in assuming that any man who has served long enough in the line of this Grand Lodge to be elected Grand Master, and who is chosen by his Brethren to that exalted position would not stoop to do so unfair and unjust a thing as to pack a commission to enforce his own individual ideas of guilt or innocence of the accused at a trial. We must assume that a Grand Master will be conscientious, honest and fair in his dealings with the members of the craft, and if we have any doubt as to the honesty or sense of fairness or justice of a man, he should never be' elected, Grand Master.

I have been so well satisfied with the decisions rendered by the various commissions which I appointed that I have never ordered an appeal in a single case, although in some cases my own personal views differed somewhat from those expressed by the com路 -,.missjon: ,~,was careful to select men in whom I had full confidence, and when they heard all of the evidence in the case and;reached a conclusion, I was willing to abide by their decision and would always be willing to do so unless facts were brought to my attention which indicated that the decision was glaringly wrong, for I select commissions with great care and rely on their judgment after they hear all of the evidence on both sides, which I have no opportunity to hear. Some of these commissions have found the accused guilty and some have returned a verdict of not guilty. So far as I have learned, an appeal has been taken in only one case, and that was at the request of the accused who had been found guilty.

I deeply regret the necessity of ordering charges preferred against any Brother Master Mason; but I have felt it my duty, and have done so in a good many cases.

Such excellent results have been achieved in cases where

26

Proceedings of the

1931

commissions were appointed that I would gladly see trial by commission completely .take the place of trial by jury in all cases. But perhaps we have not yet tried the new plan of trial by commission long enough to take so important a step as to abolish jury trials altogether. I do feel, however, that is is advisable at this time to propose an amendment, under the terms of which the Grand Master would have discretion to appoint a commission instead of having a jury to try an accused Brother in any case in which the Grand Master deems it advisable to "1ake 路such an appointment, regardless of whether either side to the controversy requests the appointment of a commission, or whether the Grand Master has ordered the prosecution to be instituted.

A case might very well arise in which an accused member of a Lodge might be so popular and influential with his Lodge that a jury could not be found among the members of his Lodge who would convict "him if guilty. Under such circumstances he would never ask for a commis::;ion, nor would the Lodge do so. The Grand Master ought to have the authority to appoint a commission, if in his judgment it seems advisable so to do in the interests of justice.

A proper amendment to the by-law providing for .trial by commission has been prepared along this line and will be submitted to this Grand Lodge. Trial by commission will greatly reduce the number of appeals and thereby lessen the labors of the committee on appeals and grievances, and save the time .()f this Grand Lodge by shortening the reports of that important committee.

SUNDAY PICNICS.

I regret to note a growing tendency in some Masonic Lodges to give boisterous picnics with baseball games, races and other sports on Sunday. I recognize fully the right of every Mason to choose his own religious views. But while individual Masons whose religious views permit them to do so may attend and participate individually in such affairs, and I have no right to say, and would not presume to say that they shall not do so, I do strongly feel that it is very bad policy for any Masonic Lodge to sponsor such affairs or allow its name to be used in any way in connection therewith. The church is the ally of Freemasonry.

It is well worth while for us to have the good will of ministers of the Gospel and church officers and Sunday School teachers and Superintendents. No good can possibly come from incurring their ill will. They can be helpful to us in many ways. Many churches seriously object to Sunday picnics. When a Lodge gives a picnic on Sunday, it takes away from the church and Sunday School many men, women and children who are accustomed to attend such

1931

27

Grand Lodge of Missouri

services, -and the inevitable result is critidsm of the Lodge and a feeling on the part of those who should be our strong allies that we are opposing them, and that will surely result in prejudicing them against Freemasonry: The slight degree of pleasure gained by such Sunday picnics is more than offset by the danger of arousing ill feeling where good will would be' most helpful to us. Many Lodge members are church members who disapprove of such affairs on Sunday and are shocked by them. ! This tends to cause division in a Lodge that gives such a picnic. I believe it cheapens Freemasonry to give such affairs on Sunday.

By Section 206- of our By~Laws Lodges路 are forbidden to meet on Sunday except for funeral purposes; therefore, neither the Grand Lodge nor a subordinate Lodge can engage in the ceremonies incident to laying a cornerstone on Sunday, even if requested by a church so to do. (See Grand Lodge Provo 1921, p. 133). Nor can a Lodge meet to celebrateSt. John's day 'on Sunday (By-Laws Sec. 55). This Grand Lodge has disapproved of the use of the name of any Lodge in connection with baseball clubs or any other organizations promoting public amusements on Sunday; (Proc. 1922, p. 203). " Thus it will 'be seen that the traditions or" our Order are strongly ~gaiIist" 'the 'doing of anything 'by any Lo"dge Sunday except performing funeral services.' Expediency and our traditIons alike are. against Sunday picnics in the name of a Masonic Lodge. Let us refrain from the practice. There are other days in the week open to us when we can give picnics to our hearts' content without offending anybody. Let us choose one of them for our Lodge frolics.

on

CHAIN LETTERS. It is remarkable how superstition clings to some people even in this enlightened age, and how ignorant some of the Brethren still are on this subject, which has received the condemnation of this Grand Lodge so frequently over a period of many years.

A number of Brethren have sent to me silly chain letters which they have received from unknown sourc-es, urging them to copy a prayer to the Almighty to bless all mankind, and send a copy to each of a given number of persons, declaring that a blessing would come from 'so doing, and warning that a curse might follow failure so to "do, and strongly urging the Brethren not to break the chain. The Brethren very properly broke the chain by failing to copy the letters, and sent them to me for inspection, hoping I might find some way to curb the silly practise or get rid of it entirely. I am a firm believer in the efficacy of sincere, earnest prayer to the Supreme Being. I would not discourage it in any way; but I heartily disapprove of the foolish practice of sending

28

Proceedings of the

1931

out such form letters, coupled with a promise of blessing for the copying and sending thereof and a curse for failure so to do. I have not heard of disaster or pestilence of any kind coming upon the Brethren who "broke the chain" and sent me the letters they received. Such folly belongs in the class with charms which human beings have blessed and sold to keep away disease and accident when worn around the neck, and the rabbit's foot and other charms cherished by ignorant and superstitious negroes of the South who purchase them from Voodoo doctors.

All the Brethren will do well to destroy all such chain letters received by them, and wholly ignore the requests in them.

THE SHUT-INS. There are many Brethren who, because. of physical ailments, some incident to advanced years and some due to accidents or ill health are no longer able to enjoy all of the blessings of life, and who, because of their physical infirmities, are shut in their homes or in the hoines of those who are caring for them, and never have the opportunity to attend lodge, church, theater or other places where people are accustomed to gather and enjoy pleasant friendly, fraternal or social intercourse. In the hurry and bustle incident to our busy lives and in the pursuit of pleasures at times when we are not busy, we are only too prone to forget those who, by reason of their misfortunes, are shut up, away from the outside world and able to catch only such glimpses of it as are brought to them by those who remember to pay them visits.

There is in this city a Brother, a member of one of our St. Louis Lodges, who has been totally disa'bled for more than 22 years as a result of an accidental injury which he suffered without any fault on his part. For 22 years he has been unable to walk, his joints have gradually solidified and now he cannot even move so much as a finger, and now he has wholly lost an eye. I have known for some time of the affliction of this Brother. Recently I determined that before my term as Grand Master ended I would arrange to have a mutual friend take me to see him, hoping that the fact that the head of the Masonic fraternity felt sufficiently interested in him to call upon him might cheer him up in his sorrow incident to his great affliction. The visit was arranged and on a Saturday afternoon recently I went with 路my friend to the home of this Brother. I was greeted by him with great pleasure.

I found that his indomitable will, his fine spirit of enthusiasm, .his matchless optimism made it a real pleasure to call upon him. If anybody feels blue or discouraged or thinks he is down and out, let him call upon this good brother, whose name is Arthur Rump, a member of Anchor Lodge No. 443, A. F. & A. M., and who has justly earned the title that has been bestowed upon him, to-wit:

193\

Grand Lodge of Missouri

29

"The W<>rld's Greatest Optimist," and the visitor will feel so ashamed of himself for letting trifling things make him blue that he will rejoice that he has come in contact with this good brother who says he is down but not out, despite all the afflictions tnat have come upon him.

I have recently made another visit to an old brother whose ill health has long confined him to an institution. He was greatly pleased to have the Grand Master call upon him. If we will take the pains to look about us we can find many men, women and children who are shut up in their homes or in institutions, and who for years have been deprived of the joy that comes with mingling with others using their God given senses and powers, and who in sunshine and in rain, in winter and in summer are obliged to sit within the confines of four walls, shut out from all the world.

BrethreI}., we are entirely too prone to neglect one of our duties, which is to make the world happier by carrying a message of sunshine and gladness in visits to those of our Brethren, partic'ularly, as well as to others who cannot come out and mingle with us. Let us, even amidst the turmoil of business and the round of pleasure in which we seek relaxation from work, remember those who are so much less fortunate than we are, by going to them and visiting them, speaking words of cheerfulness and kindn~ss to them, and thus brightening their lives and bringing them untold happiness. When a Brother is stricken down by misfortune or accident, or confined by illness, his sickness or disability is mentioned in the lodge for a few meetings and then, too often, the subject is dropped, a few members who have called upon him a time or two become absorbed in other things, and the calls of the world soon absorb them, and the poor shut-ins are forgotten. This ought not to be. We can all say with one of Jacob's sons as he spoke of Joseph, "We are verily guilty concerning our brother." Let us mend our ways, refresh our recollections regarding those who are less fortunate than we are, and see to it in the future that they are not neglected by us as they have been all too often.

CHARGES TO CANDIDATES.

In each of the three degrees the charge to the candidate comes at the close of a long ceremony, the candidate is weary in body and mind, very frequently (I regret to say) nearly all the Brethren who were in the hall when the conferring of the degree began, have gone home, or have gone out to the social room to visit, smoke and swap yarns with each other, and only the officers and a bare handful of members remain in the hall while the candidate stands and listens to a long charge.

Throughout these charges the average candidate's tired mind is

30

Proceed拢ngs of the

1931

unable to grasp what is said in the charge, often delivered near midnight, and he is wondering when it will end.

I think it would be far better to omit the charges at the close .of the degrees, and deliver them just after the candidate has passed his proficiency lectures. When he is examined on the proficiency lecture in the first degree, leaves the hall, is voted proficient, and is brought back and stands at the altar while the Worshipful Master tells. him that he has been found proficient, would be a fine opportunity for the Worshipful Master to deliver the charge in the first degree. The same course could be followed as to each of the other lectures. The candidate would certainly get much more out of the charges under such an arrangement than he路 could get as the charges are now given. His early in the evening when the examinations occur, everybody, including the candidate, is wide awake and a good audience furnishes an incentive to the lYIaster to do his best and a candidate would thus receiye a far better impression than he does now.

I think some of the charges could be greatly improved by shortening them. In some, a sentence here and there could well be eliminated and in the charge in the second degree a whole paragraph might well be stricken out.

I recommend that all of the suggestions he1'ein relating to the charges be referred to the committee on ritual for consideration with路 instructions to make report at next year's session of this Grand Lodge, giving 'its recommendations for the action of the Grand Lodge.

"MASONIC" PAPERS. I regret to report that two Masonic papers published on opposite sides of the State have caused mea' great deal of'embarrassment and annoyance in the past year. Both of these papers have as a part of their names the word "Freemason," which gives the impression to the public generally, and to a great many Masons who are not fully informed, that they are official representatives of the Masonic fraternity in Missouri. This mistake has been made many times in connection with the paper published in St.Louis under the name "Missouri Freemason."

Both of these papers have published much matter which is objectionable from a Masonic standpoint. The one in St. Louis has published numerous articles setting forth the claims of a particular denomination. Page after page of reading matter in the nature of propaganda of that particular cult has been set forth in numerous editions of the paper. I regard this highly improper. It is not the purpose of Freemasonry to boost one religious denomination as against another. Every member has a right to select his own denomination, and no one could be more

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

31

liberal as to permitting or encouraging such a course of action than I am. But for a paper pretending to represent the cause of Freemasonry to take up one denomination and, in its columns, set forth the claims of that denomination in elaborate form, week after week, seems to me entirely improper.

This same paper published in St. Louis annoyed me greatly last spring by publishing an article in which it attempted to influence the votes of the Freemasons of St. Louis in favor of certain members of the order who happened to be candidates for political offices. In one issue .a large num'ber of notices bearing the names of candidates and the offices to which they sought election appeared in one part of the Missouri Freemason. There was nothing in these notices that violated any Masonic law, and while I deplore the idea of using columns of a Masonic paper at any time to carry advertising matter of candidates for political offices, because I deem that a prostitution of the purposes of such a paper, the advertisements contained nothing on account of which I could complain. But in another part of the same edition of the paper, the editor set forth a list of those candidates, referred to each of them by the term "Brother" and told all of their Masonic connections. The effect was precisely the same as it would have been if that information had been given in each of the paid advertisements.

No one can doubt that if a card bearing a candidate's name and the name of the office for which he was a candidate and the statement that he was a member of certain Masonic bodies had been published in the Missouri Freemason, it would have been subject to severe censure. If there was any difference between that plan and the plan adopted by the editor, the difference was that. it made the editor more culpable, even, than he would have 'been if he had published a card with the information therein as to the Masonic connections of a candidate for office.

I called the editor's attention to this incident and demanded an apology by him in the next issue of his paper on penalty of having charges preferred against him if he did not publish such apology.

A full and complâ&#x201A;Źte apology was set forth in the next edition of the paper with a promise to refrai.n from a repetition. of such an offense. Soon thereafter an election for members of the School Board occurred, and I was grieved to find that the same editor published an article in his paper, coming just as near to the forbidden line as he possi'bly could, thereby demonstrating the fact that he cared nothing for the spirit of the rule and was concerned only with escaping discipline for violation of the rule.

The editor of that same paper published in his account of the proceedings of the Grand Lodge last fall a full report of the action of the Grand Lodge on the report of the committee on jurisprudence, to which the Grand Master had referred certain ques-

32

Proceedings of the

1931

tions relating to violation of Section 204 of our By-Laws, dealing with the improper use of the word "Masonic". Though the editor correctly set forth a detailed account of that committee's report and of the action of the Grand Lodge thereon, he flagrantly violated the rule thus laid down by publishing in the very same edition of the paper an advertisement of a certain insurance company in which the forbidden language was set forth, and after I called attention to that violation and he promised that it should not be repeated, a later issue of the same paper carried the same advertisement except that stars took the place of the forbidden language and a foot note told where the readers could get the information suggested by the blanks filled in with the stars.

Violations of the proprieties relating to publications using the word "Freemason" for the title of such a paper have also been frequent in the "Kansas City Freemason." It will be found upon examining copies of that paper that very many issues contain little matter which is of any value to Freemasonry, while a great variety of stuff that is utterly without value and positively harmful may be found in its columns. Recently my attention was drawn to a copy of that paper containing articles endorsing the principles of a proposed new political party. According to my ideas, some of those principles are in harmony with the doctrines of Russian Bolshevism. But whether I am correct in that or not, it is certain that the matter published dealt with a political question which had no place in a Masonic paper.

Other Grand Masters have had experiences similar to mine with so-called Masonic papers. In the light of all that has transpired, my own opinion is that the publishing of so-called Masonic papers by individuals or private enterprises ought to be prohibited and that if any such paper is published, it should be published by the Grand Lodge. Such papers as are now pU'blished are a constant source of trouble and annoyance, resulting year after year in controversies and arguments between the editors and the executive officers of the Grand Lodge, and do far more harm than good.

The constant temptation to publish a lot of stuff that has no place in a Masonic paper in order to increase the revenue of the publisher is irresistable.

Masonic directories also are bad. They are used too commonly as "sucker lists" by scheming and unscrupulous men.

I recommend that the subjects of Masonic papers and Masonic directories be referred to a committee consisting of the incoming Grand Master and two Past Grand Masters to be appointed by him, and that the committee report its recommendations at the next session of the Grand Lodge.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

33

MASONIC FUNERALS. Under Sec. 217, p. 123, of the Grand Lodge By-Laws of 1925, and the decisions cited under that section, it is the established Masonic Law in this State that whenever a Master Mason, who is a member in good standing of one of our lodges, dies and his body is buried in the jurisdiction of that lodge and his family requests a Masonic funeral, tlie lodge has no option in the matter, but must accord to the deceased Brother, burial with Masonic honors. The character of life the Brother has been leading cannot be considered in passing on the family's路 request. It has been decided that although a Brother may have committed both murder and suicide, the request must be granted. It happens only too often in our large body of Masons that a Brother goes wrong, departs from the teachings of the order and leads a life that is a disgrace to the fraternity, but his Lodge is ignorant of his life or is charitable or neglectful, and the Brother is still in good standing in his Lodge when he dies, the family requests a Masonic funeral, and, however embarrassing it may be to the Lodge, it must turn out at the funeral and the same service that is accorded to the best of Masons must be given.

Some time ago a member of a Lodge in this State moved to St. Louis, but did not transfer his Lodge membership. He completely forsook all the noble teachings of our order, and became dissolute, grossly immoral and dishonest. His wife, iearning that he kept an apartment in which he kept a mistress, went to the apartment, lay in wait for him for several hours, and when he entered, she promptly shot and killed him. The newspapers gave great publicity to the case, and in the midst of all this scandal, the family insisted on a Masonic funeral, and it had to be given by his Lodge in the old home town where he was buried. What an advertisement for Freemasonry! How many mothers in that town would encourage their sons to join an order which had permitted such a man to continue a member to the day of his death and then buried him with Masonic honors! It was a disgrace to our order! I recommend that the following amendment be submitted to the committee on jurisprudence for their consideration, and if found to be in proper form, adopted -as Section 217A of our By-Laws, towit: "Section 217A. Same. If any objection is made by any member of any Lodge to the holding of a Masonic funeral over the remains of one of its deceased members, or over the body of any Mason it has been requested to bury, because of his character or the manner of his death, such objection shall be submitted promptly to the Worshipful Master and the two Wardens of said Lodge with a statement of the facts on which the objection is based.

The Worshipful Master and the two Wardens shall thereupon consider such objection, and if all three of them agree that it is

34-

Proceedings of the

1931

proper under Section 217 to hold such Masonic funeral and that the facts stated to them do not show anything in the life or death of the deceased which would make a Masonic funeral tend to bring reproach upon the cause of Freemasonry, then such Masonic funeral shall be held. If all three of such officers agree that it would, for the reasons stated, bring reproach upon the cause to have a Masonic funeral, then no such funeral shall be held; but, if the decision of such officers is not unanimous, then all the facts shall. imm,ediately be submitted to the Grand Master, whose decision shall be had and shall be final."

Only in very rare instances. will a condition arise which will bring forth an objection; but such cases have occurred, and others are likely to occur, and a Lodge ought not to be forced, in such a case as I have cited, to hold a Masonic funeral over the body of a man who was a disgrace to Freemasonry.

While I am on the subject of Masonic funerals, let me suggest that I believe our funeral service, which was adopted in the year 1862, could be greatly improved by a little revising. I think it is too long. It is usually delivered at the grave after a religious service at home or in a church. Members of the family are worn out by the long ordeal through which they have passed, and the service is usually had, at least in the smaller towns and in the country, out in the cemetery, often when the weather is frightfully hot or cold, rainy, snowy or windy, the ground is often damp, and it is hard to find a more prolific cause of colds or sickness than such occasions are. There are three places in the service where those who are unfamiliar with it are led to believe it is ended, only to find that it starts up again. The portion in these words: "It is an ancient and honored custom of the Order of Free and Accepted Masnns to perform the rites of burial over the remains of a departed Brother. In the character of Masons we are now assembled, and address ourselves to that solemn duty" ought to be placed at the beginning of the service, instead of two pages beyond the beginning of it, as it is now placed. I recommend that these suggestions be referred to the committee on ritual for consideration and that the committee report at next year's session. of this Grand Lodge its views concerning the advisability of revising the funeral service with such changes, if any, as it may deem it advisable to make therein.

TEMPLES DEDICATED. I have dedicated three new temples in the past year-one at Memphis, in Scotland County; one at Kirksville, in Adair County, and the ScottiSh Rite Temple in Kansas City. On every occasion when a temple was dedicated, I was greeted by a large and enthusiastic audience of men and women who gathered to rejoice

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

35

over the completion and the dedication of a magnificent structure dedicated to the cauSe of our great fraternity.

CORNERSTONES LAID. I laid the cornerstone of an addition to a Baptist Church at Hillsboro, in Jefferson County, in a pouring rain, but rain can't stop the Baptists, and it"failed to' dampen the ardor of a large number of Masons from all over the district, who marched in the procession and took part in the ceremonies of the cornerstone laying.

I laid the cornerstone of a new Courthouse at Houston, in Texas County. In spite of the intense heat which prevailed at that time, an audience, estimated at from a thousand to fifteen hundred people, gathered to witness the ceremony and hear the Grand Master's address.

I laid the cornerstone of a new high school building in Alton, in Oregon County, on a day when the weather was so intensely hot that the floor upon which I stood felt like the top of a hot stove. The audience stood in the intense heat of the sun and gave good attention to the entire ceremony, and to my address thereafter.

On September 18th I laid the cornerstone of a high school building at Maysville, in DeKalb County. The weather was still hot at that time. Masons should never let the weather stop important wOrk. Despite the heat a crowd of fully 1,200 men, women and school children stood and gave perfect attention to the ceremony 'and to my address which followed. The Shrine band from St. "Joseph 'furnished excellent 'music "for the parade and while the cornerstone was being laid, and later gave a fine concert in the courthouse yard.

I issued a dispensation to lay a cornerstone of a new cltypavillion at Eldorado Springs, Mo. M. W. Brother Corona H. Briggs laid the stone for me.

I refused a dispensation to lay a cornerstone of a new hotel building, because it was a commercial enterprise with which this Grand Lodge has no concern.

DISPENSATIONS. I have been requested to issue dispensations to do various things.

In a number of instances requests have come to issue dispensations to reballot on petitions for the mysteries when petitioners have been rejected. In a number of these instances it appeared that the officers of the Lodge hoped that if the petitioner was given another chance he might escape being black balled, but they could offer no facts from which I cq~ld conclude that an路y mistake

36

Proceedings of the

1931

had been made or that there was any reason to believe that a petitioner, who had been rejected, would be accepted if a re-ballot should be ordered. In every such case I refused the dispensation. In two or three instances, however, I was convinced from the facts placed before me that the petitioners had been mistaken for other persons of the same name or that those who voted against them had been misinformed as to certain facts related to them which caused them to cast black balls when the ballot was spread. In such cases-only a few in number-when the facts were very clear, I exercised the prerogative specially given to the Grand Master by Section 138 of our By-Laws, authorizing him to order a new ballot in such a case for good cause shown, and in each instance 1 have directed the secretary to see to it that notice of the new ballot at the next regular meeting was properly given to the resident members of the Lodge.

I think such dispensations should be granted very sparingly, and with the greatest caution. The right to reject an applicant for the mysteries of Freemasonry by the secret ballot is a right that should be very carefully safeguarded; but where it is apparent, not only that injustice has been done, but that it was done by one who was prompted by a mistake of fact and who having learned the true facts, regretted his action and desired an opportunity to cast a favorable ballot, then I think the Grand Master should issue such a dispensation.

In a number of instances I granted dispensations to hold elections at a date later than that specified in the Lodge By-Laws.

This was due to the fact that the lodges in question regulate their meetings by the moon, and in December, when it was customary to hold their Lodge elections, the moon's behavior was such that it was impossible to have an election on a meeting night provided for by the By-Laws.

I suggest to all Lodges, which still regulate their meetings by the light of the moon, that in view of the fact that we have good roads all over the state, and that nearly all the members come to meetings in automobiles having headlights that function in both the light and the dark of the moon, it would be a good idea to modernize the By-Laws so as to provide for meetings on specified nights such as the first or fourth Mondays, or the second or fourth Thursdays, or some other definite time instead of following the ancient and antiquated time of regulating meetings according to the moon.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC NATIONAL MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION. Under the present Grand Lodge law, the Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master, the Senior Grand Warden, the Grand Secre-

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

37

tary and the Grand Lecturer attend the annual meetings of this association at Alexandria, Virginia, and their expenses are .paid by this Grand Lodge.

In my opinion, the sending of so many Brethren every year to the meetings of this association constitutes an unnecessary burden upon the finances of this Grand Lodge. It is important for the Grand Master to go as a representative of the Grand Lodge, but I can see no reason for sending the Deputy Grand Master, the Senior Grand Warden or the Grand Lecturer. It costs about $150.00 for the trip for each person who is sent. In these times it would be well to save $450.00 by failing to send the Deputy Grand Master, the Senior Grand Warden and the Grand Lecturer.

There is a reaSon for sending the Grand Secretary, inasmuch as there is always a meeting of Grand Secretaries in the City of Washington at or about the time of the meeting of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association. I would not for anything belittle the importance of the work of the Memorial Association. I am very proud of what Missouri has done in connection with the contributions which our Grand Lodge has made.

We have far exceeded the quota assigned to us, and year after year weare making additional contributions for the carrying on of this excellent work. But I do feel that wherever we can do so without embarrassment to the Grand Lodge, or without unduly curtailing any good work, we ought to cut down expenses and use the money thus saved for purposes for which it is now so badly needed.

In this connection let me remind you that the George Washington Memorial is to be dedicated next May. The representatives of Grand Lodges from all over the country will be in attendance at that time and it is meet and proper that a sufficient number of representatives from our Grand Lodge should be present on that memorable' occasion. I think the Grand Master and Grand Secretary will be enough. Some mention has been made to me ofa plan to send all of the officers and all of the Past Grand Masters of this Grand Lodge to Alexandria, Va., to witness the exercises incident to the dedicating of that great memorial at the expense of this Grand Lodge.

While I would gladly see all of the officers of this Grand Lodge, all of the Past Grand Masters and a representative from every Lodge in the State attend that dedication, I do not feel that the sending of the officers and Past Grand Masters at the expense of this Grand Lodge is justified, in view of the great need for additional funds for charity at this time, and the limited resources of this Grand Lodge from which to draw funds for much needed charities. It is better to spend our funds for food, clothing and

38

Proceedings

0/

the

1931

shelter for the needy than for an excursion for a large number of Brethren, however pleasant that excursion might be. It is, therefore, my recommendation that we send only the Grand Master and the Grand Secretary to Alexandria, Virginia, on that occasion at the expense of the Grand Lodge, and let all others who go pay their own expenses. We can, by so doing, save about $2,500.00.

MASONIC HOME. ,Nothing could more deeply interest the Masons of this State than the welfare o~ the old people and the little children who comp,Ose the Home family in that great institution out on Delmar Boulevard known as "The Masonic Home of Missouri." You will have an opportunity, late this afternoon to visit that Home, and see for yourselves the contentment written on the faces of the ol!! men and the old women, who, as the shadows of evening gather about them, are freed from all cares by the provision made by the Grand Lodge of this State for their support in their declining years; and you will also see the, happy, smiling faces of the. children, who regard the Masonic Home, not as an institution in whIch they are inmates, but as a home in which they are memo bers of one ,great family. But for the provision which we have made for these old people and these children of, our deceased Brethren, Very many of them would today be out in the cold world, objects of charity, getting a scant sustenance wherever they could, many in poor houses. It requires but little investigation on your part to see how well cared for all the members of the Home family are. An old lady who had been in the home many years came to me one day when I had spoken at a service iIi the Chapel out there, and said: "Brother Gentry, I have been here fifteen years and 1 have never yet found anything to complain' about." Last New Year's Day, b) invitation of the President of the Home, I made a talk in the afternoon to the old people assembled in the Chapel. When the meeting had closed, and I was shaking hands with many of the old folks, an old lady came to me as mad as a hornet. She lit into me and gave me a good tongue lashing bec'ause I had not specifically complimented the matron in charge of the old people. Not content with giving me a piece of her mind for this thoughtlessness on my part, she looked up my wife, who was present, and told her that she had just given her husband a good "bawling out," and proceeded to tell her why she had bawled me out. Meeting me a second'time in a few minutes, she again took me to task for the same reason.

It was a genuine pleasure to get this scolding from this dear old lady, because it showed what a warm spot the matron in charge of those old people has in their hearts.

You will find the 'finest spirit of contentment and happiness in

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

39

that Home that you have ever seen inariy institution of any kind.

The teachers, the matrons, the attendants and the president are not held in awe by members of 'the Home Family, or looked upon with fear and trembling, but are held in genuine regard by those whose welfare is their chief concern. You will find the best trained, the most polite set of children you have ever encountered.

They are taught good manners and good morals, patriotism and many other good things. When a new child comes into the fold,· it is but a few days until the child has fully adapted itself to the new surroundings and is one of the happy members of the happy, .big family. They are sent to public schools.

In the three years during which I have been attending meetings of the Masonic Home Board, I have been greatly impressed with the spirit of self sacrifice that prompts the busy men from various parts of this State who compose that Board-physicians, lawyers, merchants and others-to lay aside their own business affairs and' attend a meeting every month in the year, and those who are on special committees devote much additional time to this work. All this is without any compensation whatever. The Home Board is· simply deluged at this time with applications for admission. Never before have so many applicants pressed their claims. The last bed available for man or woman is now occupied, and a considerable number of persons who have been found eligible must wait until openings occur before they can be admitted. But few openings remain in the children's quarters. The family has outgrown the old home, just as it happens sometimes wben a newly married couple buys a small cottage, and as years go by the family increases until the old cottage is entirely inadequate, and a larger house must be built or purchased for the home. Our Home family has grown by leaps and' bounds in the last few years. You· will soon have in your hands a printed copy of the report of its president. I urge you to read it with great care. In it you will. find· many details which it would be impossible for me to take the time· to relate now, even if I were personally familiar with all of them. Never have we had a man in charge of the Masonic Home of Missouri who was better .adapted to the work, or whose heart. and soul were more completely wrapped up in the work than Most Worshipful Brother W. W. Martin, ·nor have we ever had a man in that important position who was more capable of looking after the business interests of the Home and its family, or who had a, broader vision of the future needs of that institution. .

The needs of the Home are great at this time. Not only are the sleeping quarters crowded and the hospital filled tooverftowing, but the grounds of the inst~tution are wholly inadequate for the present number of children. It has been found by experience in many Masonic Homes, as well as in Homes of other fraternal

40

Proceedings of the

1931

orders, that it is a bad idea to crowd children and old people together in one home. The irrepressible exhuberance of youth makes the children playful and boisterous, whenever they are healthy. We all want healthy, happy children whose voices ring out with pleasure in their sports and games. But the noise which the children must make, and ought to make, if they are healthy, is disturbing to many old people who desire quiet, as is natural with people of advanced years. Furthermore, the sizes of the children in the Home vary greatly. When boys and girls around 14 to 16 years of age go out to play, that is no time for little fellows from 6 to 8 years old to be trying to play their games in the same yard. The result is that either the time must be divided up so that children of different ages can occupy the yard at different hours and thereby have their playtime curtailed, or they must all play together, and then the mix-ups that result are often very hard on the little fellows.

To remedy this situation,. the Masonic Home Board has long been looking for a suitable location near the City of St. Louis where a large tract of land could be purchased and the children could be accommodated in separate cottages built for them, thus leaving all of the present quarters of the Home to the old people, thereby greatly enlarging the accommodations for the old people and freeing them from the noise that that inevitably comes with the herding of children together in small quarters near them. The city is the place for old people, because they can get out more in the city; but children thrive best in the country.

The members of the Board have given much thought to this subject, and have examined various pieces of property ~hich have been offered to them. To purchase anything like the amount of ground necessary for the future needs of the children of the Home within the City of St. Louis would entail an expenditure of money which would be prohibitive. The same difficulty has been found as to large pieces of property near the city limits. Prices run from $2,000.00 to $3,500.00 an acre. In no event would it be wise for the Home to acquire less than 40 or 50' acres. It will be seen at once what a tremendous outlay of money would be required to purchase such a tract of land where water, sewers, light, good roads, sidewalks and schools would be available. These conveniences are necessary, hence cheap land far away from the city will not do. The members of the Board were almost in despair over the difficulties of the situation, when 10 and behold like a special messenger from kind Providence Himself, there appeared upon the scene that good woman who was introduced to the representatives attending this Grand Lodge this morning after the conclusion of the children's exercises and before the formal opening of this Grand Lodge, Mrs. Mary Huthmaker. Be it said to the

of

Grand Lodge

1931

Missouri

41

everlasting honor of this charitable, good woman that she desired to do something handsome for the Masonic Hom~, although she was not of a Masonic family, neither her father nor her husband ever having belonged to our order. Having no children of her own, she is deeply interested in the welfare of children who are of families that are unable to provide for them properly. The Masonic Home attracted her attention. She made a proposition to deed a tract of 80 acres of land to the Masonic Home of Missouri on certain conditions, which I shall presently relate. In my opinion, and in the opinion of other members of the Board, who are familiar with real estate values in St. Louis County, this land, which is situated partly within the suburban city of Kirkwood and partly adjoining that city is wen worth from $100,000.00 to $150,000.00. The land is beautifully located. The 40 acres within the City of Kirkwood afford beautiful building sites for cottages which can be erected for the use of the children, and when they are thus located the children will have the privileges of the excellent schools in the City of Kirkwood and light, telephone, sewers and abundant water supply from deep wells will all be available for those cottages.

A small piece of ground containing about 5 acres is separated from the rest of the tract by a roadway. The deed to the Home reserves a life estate in that small tract and provides that a dwelling at a cost not exceeding $7,500.00 to be agreed upon by the Home and Mrs. Huthmaker, shall be erected thereupon for her Use during the rest of her life. of course, at her death, the house and the small tract of land will be the absolute property of the Home. In designing that house, care will be taken to plan it so that it will be useful to the home after the death of Mrs. Huthmaker. The rest of the 80 acres has been deeded to the Home on condition that an annuity of $5,000.00 shall be paid to Mrs. Huthmaker so long as she lives. She is now 81 years of age.

The deed further provides that the property shall be known as the "Huthmaker Memorial" and a tablet shall be suitably placed with that inscription upon it to perpetuate the memory of this estimable woman who has done so much for the cause of Masonry in making this magnificent gift. That provision will be carefully carried out. The deeds have been accepted and the transaction is closed.

Those who are familiar with this piece of property and with the terms on which it has been deeded to the Home consider that an extremely handsome thing has been done for the Home by Mrs. Huthmaker. She expressed to me her desire to see her property used in such a way as to produce happiness to "the children, at a time when she is still alive and can know of the good that has been done and the joy that her gift is bringing to the hearts of the 째

o

째

42

Proceedings of the

1931

children of the Home. All honor to this good woman for the magnificent generosity which she has thus so graciously shown to that great object of our solicitude, the Masonic Home of Missouri.

May a kindly Providence watch over her for long years to come, granting her long life and happiness in the truest and highest sense of the word, and such comfort in her declining years as only our kind Heavenly Father can give.

Under the Charter of the . Masonic Horne, the administration of funds for charitable purposes to members of the Masonic fraternity and their dependents is limited to persons who are residing in that Home. In other words, a person may be eligible to路 the Masonic Home under all the ru]esand regulations and may be very greatly in need of money for the absolute necessities of life, but if there is a waiting list so that such a person cannot be admitted promptly to the Home when his or her eligibility has been established, no matter how great the need of such a person may be, none of the funds belonging to the Home can be expended for even his or her bare necessities of life. There are many cases, also, of old members of the fraternity or their widows or orphans who are able to establish eligibility to the Home, except for some' physical or mental disqualification. The Home has no place to take care of persons afflicted with mental diseases, and the rules properly prohibit the acceptance by .the Home of persons suffering from certain physical diseases. These rules are wi.se and are made for the benefit of the great number of members of.the Home family.

In many 1nstances a little financial help of, say, fifteen to twentyfive dollars a .month would enable a relative to take care of one of our old Brethren, or of one of the widows or orphans of one of our Brethren, and thus leave room in the Home for someone who is more needy or who has no one who could, with a little financial assistance, take care of him or her.

In view of these circumstances, I recommend that the Grand Lodge adopt a resolution declaring it to be the sense of this Grand Lodge that the Charter of the Masonic Home of Missouri should be so amended as to permit the Board of Directors of that Home to extend such charity with the funds of the Home (outside of the principal of the endowment fund) as to the Board, or a majority of the members thereof, may seem advisable in cases which the Board shall find to be such as are eligible to the Home except for physical or mental disqualification, or lack of room in the Home for ,such cases; and that the Board of Directors of the Home be requested to cause a. proper application to be made to the Circuit Court of the City of S~. Louis, which granted the charter to the Home, to amend the charter so as to permit such action on the part of . the Board of Directors.

Many y~ars Jtg9 this9rand Lodge provided that the. Grand Mas-

A reminder of the Grand Lodge Session of 1930, at Kansas City.

Bro. Gentry and the Floral Bouquet presented to him by his Mother Lodge.

P.

w.

{

,

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

43

ter, the Deputy Grand Master, the Senior Grand Warden and the Junior Grand Warden of this Grand Lodge should be ex-officio members of the Board of Directors of the Horne, but they were given no vote as such members·. - Their traveling expenses incurred attending the meetings are paid by the Home.

After serving as such an ex-officio member for several years, I feel that I am sufficiently conversant with the situation to make important recommendations concerning the same. I see no reason whatever to incur the expense of sending the Junior Grand Warden and the Senior Grand Warden from their respective homes to St. Louis to attend meetings of the Board, when they have no vote or voice in the proceedings of the Board. It is my opinion that the law should be so amended by this Grand Lodge as to remove the Senior and Junior Grand Wardens as such ex-officio ·members of the Board, thereby saving the Home a substantial sum in traveling expenses· every year. As to the Deputy Grand Master, it is, perhaps, well enough to send him through his term of office to the meetings of the Masonic Home Board, so that he may b.ecome familiar with the institution and its needs before he becomes Grand Master, and I think it well enough that he should continue to be merely an ex-officio member without a vote. As to the Grand Master, I feel very strongly that his status toward the Board should be changed. He is the head of the Masonic Fraternity of Missouri. He represents the· Grand Lodge as its presiding officer. Without the Grand Lodge the Home could not exist. It is not seemly or proper, in my opinion, for one occupying the exalted position of Grand Master, to have to go to the Board meetings for a whole year and sit there "like a bump on a log," with no right to say a word or cast a vote. Do not misunderstand me. I have been treated with the greatest possible courtesy by the President of the Board and all the members thereof, and have frequently been. invited to join in the discussion of questions that were before the Board. Nevertheless, I have always felt that when I talked I was talking by sufference merely, and not by right, as I should have ·been ·able to do, and that I should have bad a vote instead of being a dummy. Such a change as I propose cannot in any way a'ffEl.ctmy status, for I cease to be Grand Master tomorrow. The suggestion will affect only those who are to hold that office in the future.

I recommend that a resolution be adopted by this Grand Lodge declaring that it is the sense of this Grand Lodge that the person occupying the position of Grand Master shall, during the year in which he is holding that office, be a member of the Board of Direct.ors of the Masonic Home, with all the rights and privileges accorded to other members thereof; and that the Board of Directors of the Home be requested to apply to the Circuit Court of the City

44

Proceedings of the

1931

of St. Louis for leave to amend its charter by increasing the number of members of the Board in such a manner as to permit the Grand Master to be elected a member thereof for a term beginning at the first meeting following his election, and ending at the last meeting of the Board during his term of office.

And I recommend that the law of this Grand Lodge be so amended as to permit the Grand Master to be a full fledged member of the Board of Directors of the Masonic Home instead of an ex路 officio member as he now is, continuing the Deputy Grand Master as an ex-officio member and providing that the Senior and Junior Grand Wardens shall no longer be ex-officio members.

THE WELFARE COMMITTEE. The Welfare Committee, which was formerly known as the Charity Committee, has rendered invaluable services to this Grand Lodge in connection with the difficult task of trying to make $3,000.00, the amount appropriated last year, bring relief where $10,000.00 could have been used to excellent advantage without any extravagance on the part of the committee. The appeals for aid have been simply appalling. Bank failures in many parts of the State have caused Lodges to lose all the money in their respective treasuries, and many of the members of such Lodges have at the same time, by such failures, lost all of their savings. Vast numbers of our members are out of employment. Many families are in, dire need. In many such cases Lodges have been wholly unable to provide even emergency relief for old Brethren, their wives, widows or orphans who were in great need, and who for one reason or another could not be admitted promptly into the Masonic Home. I have. had some of the most pitiful appeals in such cases brought to my attention. I have refered them to the Welfare Committee, knowing full well that only meagre assist路 ance, if any, could be given by such committee, with its limited funds, but realizing that there was no other help to be had, as I could not use Grand Lodge funds for purposes for which they had not been appropriated.

How long this distressing condition will continue, it is impossible to foretell. I cannot believe that immediate relief will come over night. While exercising all the optimism of which I am capable, I feel that for months to come meritorious .~pplications for the relief of our members and their families who cannot be admitted promptly, if ever, to the Masonic Home Will. continue in great volume.

I, therefore, recommend that a much larger appropriation be mctde this year for the use of the Welfare Committee in its work of charity, and I think that the Grand Lodge would do well to

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

45

appropriate $7,500.00 for the use of that committee, if the committee on Ways and Means can see its way clear to recommend such an appropriation.

You will recall that I sent out notices before the beginning of this session of the Grand Lodge informing the Lodges that I was cutting the session down to two days instead of three, and I omitted the annual dinner for the Deputies. I took that action because I learned that by so doing, a sum of money probably between $3,000.00 and $3,500.00 could be saved to this Grand Lodge, as the representatives of Lodges attending can claim only two days' attendance instead of three, as heretofore. My purpose in taking this action was to save over $3,000.00 for the Grand Lodge and to recommend, as I now do, that whatever sum is found to have been saved by reason of having a two days' session instead of a three days' session, and by omitting the annual dinner to the District Deputies, be added by this Grand Lodge to the sum of $7,500.00, which I have above recommended as an appropriation for the use of the Welfare Committee. Brethren, I disliked to deprive any of you the pleasure of having three days away from home and cutting your absence down to two days. But I felt that you would join with me in approving this plan, fe'eling that you would rather see $3,000.00 or $3,500.00 distributed by the Welfare Committee to our poor and needy Brethren and their dependents than have the enjoyment of one additional day in attendance at this Grand Lodge.

On reflection, I believe a two days' session for the Grand Lodge is enough in any year. We can go through our business. expeditiously and be through in two days as well as in three days. I recommend that future Grand Masters arrange for two day: sessions: PUBLISHING PROCEEDINGS. In my opinion, our published proceedings are entirely too volumjnous and, therefore, we spend far too much to print them.

I do not mean that the printing costs too much per page, but that there are far too many pages. Entirely too much space is taken up in printing long excerpts from the printed proceedings of other Grand Lodges. This is usually in connection with the report of the Committee on Fraternal Correspondence. Consulting the printed proceedings of 1930, I find that report covers 118 printed pages. It is interesting reading, but I think most of it ought to be eliminated, because it is too expensive to print it, very few people read it, and these long excerpts from the proceedings of Grand Lodges of other States and countries seem to me wholly unnecessary, as they form no part of our proceedings.

Let the Committee tell us in a very few pages about actual correspondence on important subjects.

46

Proceedings of the

1931

recommend that this Committee be requested to abbreviate its report so as to leave out everything but correspondence. . I further recommend that the Grand Secretary be given authority so to edit this and other reports as to cut out all unnecessary matter, and print what is important. We can cut down the cost of printing proceedings about 40%, thus saving thousands of dollars every year.

COMMERCIALIZATION OF FRE-EMASONRY, AND USE OF IT路 FOR POLITICAL PURPOSES. This subject has been dealt with to a greater or less extent by a number of Grand Masters. It is a subject that causes much annoyance, due often to a failure on the part of some Freemasons to appreciate fully the nature of our organization, the high principles for which we stand, and the gross impropriety of attempting to use it for business or political purposes. Some members havefallen into the practice of using Freemasonry for commercial purposes rather innocently, not fully realizing the impropriety of it. Others have absolutely and intentionally disregar~ed all proprieties and have brazenly used Freemasonry and their connec-' tions therewith for the purpose of bettering themselves financially, . attending Lodges simply to get business. l The two classes of offenders which have been the best organized : and have been the most outstanding examples of impropriety have: been found among the cemetery associations and the insurance'" companies.

A number of cemetery associations have used names that were calculated to catch the attention of Freemasons and have advertised that lots were sold only to Freemasons, or, in some instances, to Freemasons and their friends. Masonic emblems have been used in conspicuous places in the grounds of such cemeteries, and, the impression that such cemeteries were Masonic cemeteries has been intentionally given out to the fraternity' at large.

As the results of efforts of previous Grand Masters, and my own efforts, the cemeteries in St. Louis County which were the worst offenders in this particular have dropped all of the offensive methods, removed their Masonic emblems and ceased to advertise that their cemeteries were for Masons or for Masons and their friends and have opened them up to the general public. I rejoice to find that the men operating these cemeteries have shown a fine spirit by taking that action, and thus co-operating, with the Grand Master.

It is much more pleasant to have such actions voluntarily taken as the result of conferences and requests which were heeded,

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

47

than by the only alternative of prosecution of those who offend by persisting in violations of the law.

I am sorry to say that I cannot make so encouraging a report so far as insurance companies are concerned. Quite a number of letters and various specimens of literature sent out by insurance companies seeking to enrich themselves by reason of the connection of their officers and agents with the Masonic fraternity have been brought to my attention. Some of these letters were exceedingly flagrant violations of Section 204 of our By-Laws dealing with this subject. I have called the attention of managers of insurance companies to such letters and they have promptly withdrawn them, but in some instances, they have followed them with other letters which, in a veiled way, contain hints of connection with Freemasonry. This subject has given me great annoyance throughout my year as Grand Master. It is most unfortunate to find any members of the fraternity who will do their utmost to violate the Grand Lodge By-Laws until caught in their efforts and then, instead of dropping the entire matter, as the cemetery associations have done, dodge from pillar to post in an effort still to get the business of the Masons because of th~ connection of the company's officers with the fraternity and to come just as near as possible to a violation of the law without actually being caught in it. Although the committee on. jurisprudence and this Grand Lodge by adopting its report last year, construed Section 204 so as to make. it a violation to state orally or in writing that any business enterprise limited its business to Masons, it has come to my ears repeatedly that representatives of certain insurance companies persist in telling members of the fraternity whose business they solicit that the business is limited to Masons. Throughout the year I have pleaded and urged and sometimes threatened in an effort to put a stop to this commercialization of Freemasonry. I found that one organization, and I may as well be perfectly frank about it, I mean the Acacia Mutual Life Association, formerly called Masonic Mutual was very flagrantly .violating our Grand Lodge By-Law which prohibits the use of the word "Masonic" or any other term, sign or symbol of Freemasonry for commercial or other business enterprises. I found that literature was being circulated as advertising matter by that company,which literature had upon the front of it the name of the insurance company and a picture of a sprig of acacia, which we all know is a Masonic symbol. On the inside of that and some other literature, I found excerpts from addresses delivered by Grand Masters of the District of Columbia, in which they praised that corporation, and by looking at a list of those Grand Masters from whose addresses those excerpts had been taken, I found that nearly all were directors of that identical in-

48

Proceedings of the

1931

surance company. All of this literature was withdrawn from circulation on my complaint. I found that in many Lodges it has Past Masters to get the names of candidates for their agents.

When I was in Washington, D. C., last February, the president of that insurance company called upon me, and we had a talk in which I explained to him fully our By-Law, my objections to the methods his company was following to get business from members of the Masonic fraternity and my reasons therefor, and assured him that I would do all in my power to enforce the Grand Lodge By-Law. A number of months passed and I finally called for a sample copy of the policy that is being issued by that corporation, and I found that, notwithstanding, my talk with the president in February, the company was still using upon its seal, representations of Jacob's ladder, the hour glass .and the scythe, and perhaps another Masonic emblem which I do not now recall. I immediately called to the attention of the company the impropriety of using such a seal with those emblems upon it and insisted that the seal should be changed so as to omit them all. Recently, in following this matter up with the agent in~t. Louis, I was told that he had received a letter from the president of the company, saying that the matter would ~e brought before the Board of Directors at its meeting in October, and he thought it probable that the seal would be changed so as to omit those emblems. I suggest to my successor in office that he follow this matter up, and if the seal is not then changed so as to omit all Masonic emblems, then he should order charges to be filed against every Mason in the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge who delivers any policy of reading matter with the seal of that company upon it bearing those emblems, or any of them.

At the conference of Grand Masters in Washington last February, at the request of the president of the association, I made a talk on the commercialization of Freemasonry and the means that could be adopted by the Grand Lodges to stop such commercialization. It is a matter that cannot be corrected in one year, so deep seated has the evil become. 路The offend.ers that I have mentioned are among the big offenders, but the 'small fry are numerous. A young man who had received his degrees in one of our St. Louis Lodges attended a few times and then ceased coming to the Lodge. A friend who missed him met him one day and asked him why he no longer attended Lodge. His answer was that the last time he was in Lodge a barber sitting on one side of him solicited his barber's trade, and a merchant tailor on the other side solicited the privilege of making his clothes for him. He became disgusted and ceased to attend Lodge.

As soon as I am out of office, the incoming Grand Master is going to find that some of these offenders are going to test him

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

49

out and see whether he will try as I have tried to break up these pernicious practices, or whether he will be indifferent and let them go on. My o.wn idea is that patience has ceased to be a virtue in this connection, and that as fast as we can find violations from now on, we ought to punish the offenders. I believe the time is quite or nearly ripe when this Grand Lodge ought to make it an offense for any Freemason within its jurisdiction to attempt to sell any insurance for any insurance company bearing any name so distinctively Masonic as the word "Acacia," or any other name referring to our ritual or any part thereof.

The sprig of acacia has a significance that is so sacred to the cause of Freemasonry and to Freemasons, that to use that name as a means of getting business and as a suggestion to Masons with the purpose of interesting them in such business, is, to my mind, the grossest kind of impropriety and shows an utter lack of appreciation of the fine things for which Freemasonry stands. It is going to require continued vigilance, and, I fear, a number of prosecutions, to make men realize that they will not be permitted in Missouri to prostitute the cause of Freemasonry for the purpose of enlarging their own bank accounts. I have been more lenient this year than I intended to be when I started out. But this was because I found that in a good many instances I could accomplish more by taking men into my confidence, explaining to them the evils of their practices. and requesting them to change their ways than I could by a few single prosecutions against certain individuals. But now I think the subject is quite fully understood, and I think that all has been done that should be done in the way of endeavoring to explain, conciliate and persuade, and I feel, that from now on the iron hand of the law of the Grand Lodge must be laid heavily upon one or two bad offenders in order to break up such practices.

Before leaving this general subject, let me say a word or two about the use of Freemasonry for political purposes. It is a well known fact that some Masons who are seeking political offices endeavor to use their Masonic connections as a means of greatly increasing the number of votes in their favor. How often do we find when a political campaign is on that a man. is extremely active in visiting. as many Masonic Lodges as possible and making himself just as conspicuous as possible, but when the campaign is over, his interest in Freemasonry and the welfare of the Lodges suffers a very sudden and severe decline.

Th~re is nothing that would make me vote against a man quicker than for him to seek my vote because he and I are Masons. If this sort of thing is encouraged, Freemasonry will become a hotbed of politics, and instead of accomplishing the noble aims and purposes 'which it is intended to accomplish, it will be used by

50

Proceedings of the

1931

designing politicians to herd the members together and lead them to the polls like sheep are hauled to market by a farmer. Let us do all in' our power at all times, not only to discourage, but absolutely to stop any attempted use of Freeniasonry for political purposes.

N~w, my Brethren, this address, which is too long, must be brought to a close. It is impossible for any man to be the head of an organization of approximately 111,000 men throughout the State of Missouri for one whole year and make as many rulings as a Grand Master is obliged to make in that time without displeasing somebody. I know there are some of our Brethren who differ radically with me as to some of the views that I have expressed and as to some of the rulings that I have made. "To err is human; charity is divine." No Grand Master was ever more intensely human than I am, and, therefore, it could not be expected that I would be infallible in my rulings. As I look back over my administration, I can see some mistakes I have made, but I assure you that they were mistakes of the head, and not of the heart. I have been actuated in all my rulings by but one motive, and that was to promote the best interests of Freemasonry in Missouri. It is highly probable that I have made mistakes which I have not yet discovered, and which have been discovered by others. I assure you that I have given great thought and study to the problems that have come before me. My duty has brought me face to face with many pleasant situations; but it has also brought me face to face with some very unpleasant situations, and in order to discharge my duty as I have seen it, I have had to do some things which it was very unpleasant to me, personally, to have to do. But I have made it a rule throughollt my life to try honestly, fearlessly and impartially to discharge every duty incumbent upon me, and not to shirk any duty merely because the performance of it might be unpleasant to me. I trust that mistakes which I have made may be forgiven; that any hard feelings that may have been engendered by my rulings may pass away in the light of fraternal love, and I earnestly request of all of you that you view my administration through charitable eyes, remembering that we are all human, and that any of you, if placed in my position as Grand Master this year, would have' made some mistakes, though they might not have been the identical ones that I made.

Freemasonry, along with many other ancient institutions, is facing a crisis today because of the unsettled condition of affairs throughout the world. The whole world seems topsy turvy right now. Within the past year terrible catastrophies of flood, fire, storm and earthquake have fallen upon various parts of the earth, and millions of people have lost their lives as a result thereof.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

51

China, with its teeming millions, has long been torn by the strife of civil war路 and the ravages of organized bands of men who are banded together to defy the law. Russia, with all its millions, is路 in the hands of a路 government run by a few unscrupulous, designing men, who are causing the most infamous doctrines to be promulgated throughout that country, and reaching out into other lands, forbidding the teaching of religion, and fostering the teaching of atheism and the abandonment of all ideas of right and wrong, marriage and the home' relation. The German Republic has barely escaped a complete collapse of its government in the last few weeks. The Great British Empire which boasted so long that the sun never set upon its dominions, is trembling under its problems, and its government has narrowly escaped complete financial ruin and failure, while revolution is threatening in various quarters and mutiny in army and navy threatens. In South America, the navy of one of the governments mutinied and had to be ~rought to terms by airplanes, operated by the government, dropping bombs upon its own battleships. Throughout the world is a spirit of unrest, dissatisfaction with. the existing order of things and demands for changes of all kinds. While other lands have suffered more than our own, it is, nevertheless, true that we are passing through the hardest times through which this Country' has passed in many years. Factories are shut down, wages have been reduced, millions of people tramp the streets in search of employment and the opportunity to make an honest living, farmers work a whole season and sell their produce at great loss. But worse than all these things in our country, is the breaking down of our judicial system under the skillful and tyrannical hand of organized crime. Good citizens have been asleep on the job, and dishonest men have silently slipped into offices formerly held by honest men, and these dishonest office holders have entered into league with the crooks of the land, and so complete is their organization that judges, police officers, prosecutors and other men in positions of trust have been found to be allied with those who defy the law, and they laugh at the law and at all who would enforce it. Never was such turmoil abroad in our land since Civil War days.

What is to be the outcome of all this confusion and turmoil and lack of fidelity to trusts imposed upon individuals in high places?

The only answer I can give to that question is that it depends upon you, and men like you. Shall we continue to go on in a listless fashion, as too many of us have done in the past, being too busy to take an interest in the affairs of our national, state, county and city governments, and allowing the dishonest and cor路 rupt to put in office men of their own choosing who will carry

52

Proceedings of the

1931

out their designs? Or shall we, as Masons, discharge the duties that are taught us in路 the various lessons which we learn as we pass through the degrees of Freemasonry? I understand that the records in our Grand Secretary's office now show that we have in good standing in our Lodges in this State at the present time something over 111,000 Master Masons. While radicals catch the ignorant with the fallacious and pernicious doctrines of their radicalism; and organized crime defies the law and officers betray their trusts. and while the rank and file of our good citizens are inclined to content themselves with complaining about present conditions and doing nothing toward the discharge of their duties as citizens, let me appeal to the 111,000 Masons in Missouri so to conduct themselves as to be models of good citizenship, giving faithful attention to every duty as citizens, whether it be th~ duty of the voter, the duty of the juror, the duty of an officer of any kind, or a duty in any sphere whatever in our daily lives.

Let us emulate the fidelity of our great hero of the tradition of our third degree, and stand unflinchingly for the teachings of our beloved order, of which it has been well s~id: "Unaffected by the tempests of war. the storms of persecution, or the denunciations of fanaticism, it still stands proudly erected in the sunshine and clear light of heaven. with not a marble fractured, not a pillar fallen. It still stands, like some patriarchal monarch of the forest, with its vigorous roots riveted to the soil, and its broad limbs spread in bold outline against the sky; and in generations yet to come. as in ages past, the sunlight of honor and renown will delight to linger and play amid its venerable branches."

Fraternally submitted,

Grand Master.

According to our usage, the Address of the Grand Master was referred to a Committee of all Past Grand Masters present, of which M. W. Bro. C. H. Briggs is Chairman.

LETTER TO MASONIC HOME.

M. W. Bro. William W. Martin: M. W. Grand Master and Brethren, I rise to a question of personal privilege. I have no desire to embarrass anyone, but I think the Grand Lodge is

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

S3

entitled to know the contents of this letter which the Masonic Home received yesterday.

(Reads) "My dear Brother Martin: "Herewith find check for One Thousand Dollars, which is the amount of the salary paid me by the Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. of Missouri, for my year's services as Grand Master.

"With the greatest pleasure I present this sum to the Masonic Home of Missouri, an institution that is dear to my heart.

"I attach but one condition to this gift-':"it is to be kept in a separate fund to be designated as 'The First Cottage Fund,' and applied to the cost of the first cottage built at the expense of the Home for the use of its children on any part of the land given by Mrs. Huthmaker to the Masonic Home of Missouri.

"I hope that I may live to see that cottage completed and see happy children of the Home living in it.

"I pray that God's rich blessing may rest upon the Home, that others may be influenced by this small gift to make larger gifts, as those who have large means can do, and that in a few years the children will have the fullest enjoyment of the munificence of Mrs. Huthmaker and those who will supplement the funds of the Home by gifts that will make possible the building of all needed cottages.

"Fraternally yours, "WILLIAM R. GENTRY."

54

Proceedings of the

1931

REPORT OF GRAND SECRETARY.

R. W. Bro. Arthur Mather, Grand Secretary, presented his report covering official action in the office of the Grand Secretary for the period September 11, 1930, to September 15, 1931, which was received and ordered printed in the Proceedings.

DUPLICATE CHARTERS. Duplicate Charters were issued to the following Lodg-es: Pendleton Lodge No. 551. Charter faded. illegible; duplicate issued November 3. 1930.

IlImo Lodge No. 581, charter damaged by water; duplicate issued January 28. 1931.

Bayou Lodge No. 365. charter damaged by water; duplicate issued February 17, 1931.

Granby Lodge No. 514. charter damaged by fire; March 2. 1931.

duplicate issued

Malden Lodge No. 406, charter accidently destroyed; duplicate issued April 14, 1931.

PROCEEDINGS DISTRIBUTED. The 1930 Proceedings were printed and distributed as soon as possible after the Grand Lodge Session.

COMMISSIONS TO DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS. By order of M. W. Bro. Wm. R. Gentry. Grand Master. commissions were issued to the sixty District Deputy Grand Masters, by him appointed in the 59 Masonic Districts; the 33d district having two District Deputy Grand Masters.

CHANGI!~

IN DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS.

R. 'V. Bro. D. M. Foster of the Eleventh District having resigned.

R. W. Bro. Emsley C. James was appointed to fill the vacancy.

R. 'V. Bro. S. S. Cox of the Twenty-eighth District having resigned.

R. 'V. Bro. R. G. McKibben was appointed to fill the vacancy.

COMMISSIONS TO GRAND REPRESENTATIVES. M. 'V. Grand Master Gentry appointed the following as Grand Representatives of Missouri near their respective Grand Lodges: Delaware Nebraska.. __ Washington

__

'Veldon C. Waples Orville A. Andrews __ .John J. Preissner__

__ .__ __

Newarl<. Del. Lincoln. Neb. Yakima, Wash.

REPORTS OF DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS. Blanks for these reports were sent to the sixty District Deputy Grand Masters, and their reports have been turned over to the Committee on Reports of District Deputy Grand Masters.

BLANKS FOR ANNUAL RETURNS. Two copies were mailed June 12th with accompanying circular g-iving full directions to Secretaries. There were seven delinquent Lodg-es on August 1st.

55

Grand Lodge of Missouri

1931

DELINQUENT LODGES. No. 298 346 365 468 470 507 633

Lodge Samson Arlington Bayou Red Oak Nodaway Clearmont Archie

_ :

_ _

. Date Paid _ Sept. 1 Aug. 21 Aug. 25 Aug. 19 Aug. 31 Aug. 11 Aug. 18

Amount

District

$ 84.00

53 39 53 55 7 7 34

203.70 50.40 39.90 487.20 121.80 32.96

(These delinquencies due to disturbed financial country.)

309

conditions in the

King Hiram (Dist. 23) in process of consolidation.

STATISTICAL.

Number of Chartered Lodges In this Jurisdiction (1930)................

Ceased to exist (1930-1931) Nos. 280, 395, 428, 623........................

656 4

Non-reporting Lodge (King Hiram No. 309)........................................

652 1

Number of Lodges making Returns (1931 )

651

_

_

MEMBERSHIP RETURNS. Membership June 30, 19 30

113,171 1931.

Initiated Passed _ Raised Affiliated _.. __ Reinstated Corrections

_.. __

_ _.. _ _ __ .. _""'" ._ _ _ _ __ __

2, 290 2,253

_ _

2,383 _................ 930 813 14

4,140 117,311

Defunct Lodges (Members 00 121 Dimitted 926 Suspended U. 1\1:. C _.......................................................................

8 Suspended N. P. D 3,478 :ExpelJed _ _ :..................

19 Died 1 ,5 87 Net Loss Membership June 30, 1931 (including 51 members in King Hiram Lodge No. 309)

6,139 1.999 111, 172

Per Capita Tax on 111.121 M. M.'s from 651 reporting Lodges $ 2 33, 35 4.1 0 A.rrears _.. _ _...............................................

1,770.09

Overpaid, 1930

$235.124.19 114.20 $235,009.99

56

1931

Proceedings of the

Dues remitted

4.806.90

Balance Due

$230,203.09 401.08

Credit for 1930

$229.802.01 127.60

Total Per Capita Tax received to Sept. 15. 1931.. 路$229.929.61 (*$4.20 of above amount was paid by Hale City Lodge No. 216 on Feb. 19. 1931. and included in check to Masonic Home of $139.25. issued June 30. 1931.)

CHARTER SURRENDERED. Reeds Spring Lodge No. 280. located at Reeds Spring. Stone County. voted to surrender their charter on April 8. 1931. and the D. D. G. M., R. "V. Bro. G. J. Vaughan of the 54th Masonic District. accordingly took charge. and directed the sending of a list of members in good standing in the defunct Lodge (14 in number), to whom Grand Lodge Certificates of Good Standing were issued, their dues having been paid to December 31. 1930. R. V\T. Bro. Vaughan assisted in the distribution of the Certificates. Reeds Spring Lodge No. 280 had a membership of 28 on June 30. 1929.

LODGES CONSOLIDATED. Hatfield Lodge No. 395. located at Hatfield. Harrison County. voted to consolidate with Lodge of Light No. 257 at Eagleville, February 17.

1931, which was accordingly done.

Pittsville Lodge No. 428, located at Pittsville. Johnson County. voted to consolidate with Holden Lodge No. 262. at Holden. on February 27, 1931.

Maple Lodge No. 623, located at Neelyville, Butler County. voted to consolidate with Poplar Bluff Lodge No. 209, at Poplar Bluff, on November 11. 1930.

COURTESIES RECEIVED AND GRANTED. By direction of M. "V. Grand Master Gentry. 67 requests have been made to sister Grand Jurisdictions to confer degrees for Missouri Lodges, and 65 requests have been received to confer degrees for sister Grand Jurisdictions.

TRANSPORTATION AND HOTELS. On September 10th, circular the information that railroads trip tickets at reduced rates on hotels and locations and rates be found at Grand Lodge.

letters were mailed to all Lodges with in the State had agreed to sell roundthe certificate plan. Also list of leading was given. Copies of this circular may

SPECIAL DISPENSATIONS. Laying Cornerstones.

C. H. Briggs, City Pavilion. Eldorado Springs. June 16. 1931.

Dedications.

Curtis F. Smith, Temporary Hall of Jacoby Lodge No. 447. Darlington.

October 17, 1930.

Thos. D. Williams. New Hall of Lock Springs Lodge No. 488. Bois D'Arc, December 2. 1930.

1931

57

Grand Lodge of Missouri

Jewell E. Windle, New Hall of Bois D'Arc Lodge No. 449, Bois D'Arc, December 2, 1930.

C. E. Armstrong, New Hall of Bayou Lodge No. 365, Bakersfield, January 3, 1931.

D. V. Morris, New Hall of Golden Lodge No. 475, Golden City, December 30, 1930.

Winan 1. Mayfield, New Hall of Richland Lodge No. January 12, 1931.

385, Richland.

C. H. Briggs, New Hall of Urbana Lodge No. 421, Urbana, January 24, 1931.

C. Eo Armstrong, New Meeting Place for Robert Burns Lodge No. 496, Gainesville, March 21, 1931.

Winan 1. Mayfield, Temporary Hall of Linn Creek Lodge No. 152, April 9, 1931.

Election of Officers.

Lebanon (77), January 3, 1931.

Hale City (216), December I, 1930.

Pleasant Lodge (160), December 5, 1930.

Louisville (409), January 2, 1931.

Appleton City (412), January 3, 1931.

Pilot Knob (182), January 3, 1931.

Winigan (540), January 3, 1931.

New Hope (199), January 3, 1931. . Doric (300), February 28, 1931.

Valley Park (629), April 21, 1931.

Mt. Olive (439), January 30, 1931.

Lodge of Truth (268), January 19, 1931.

Equality (497), February 10, 1931.

Auxvasse (357), February 9, 1931.

Pee Dee (498), March 5, 1931.

Strasburg (604), March 3, 1931.

Riddick (361), March 27, 1931.

Social (266), May 8, 1931.

Rocheport (67). August 6, 1931.

Installation of Officers.

Clifton Heights Lodge No. 520. December 20, 1930. at Lambskin Temple.

Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 40, December 27, 1930, at Moolah Temple.

Beacon Lodge No.3. January 13. 1931, Commandery Hall. New Masonic Temple.

To Reballot.

Lamar (292), September 27, 1930.

Salem (225), December 19, 1930.

Paul Revere (330). February 13.

1931.

Paul Revere (330), April 10. 1931.

To Meet in Other Halls.

Olive Branch No. 576 in New Masonic Temple (Hall 3-A), April 14, 1931.

Olive Branch No. 576 in New Masonic Temple (Hall 3-A), May 12, 1931.

Purity No. 658 to hold its meetings henceforth in Hall of Lambskin Lodge No. 460, St. Louis, Mo. MASONIC HOME OF MISSOURI. 'Varrant No. 139 for $139.25 was issued to the Masonic Home on June 30, 1931, to cover five-sevenths of back-dues collected since September 11, 1930. The Per Capita tax for 1931, to and including September 15, 1931, amounts to $229,929.61, five-sevenths of which has been turned over to the Masonic Home.

Recapitulation.

Five-sevenths of back-dues to June 30. 1931..

$

139.25

58

1931

Proceedings of the

Five-sevenths of 1931 Per Capita Tax to Sept. 15. 193L

164.232.43

Grand Total paid to the Home on THIS account SINCE September 11. 1930 __

$164. 371.68

SUMMARY OF SPBCIAL INITIA'l'lON FUND. Total amount reported to September 11. 1930 Receipts. *From September 11, 1930, to September 15, 1931 __ Less check $20.00. Hartford Lodge No. 171, held up by closing of their Bank

$456.510.00

$25:250.00 __

20.00

25.230.00

Grand total paid to Masonic Home on this account from October 15. 1930, to and including September 15. 193L __ __ $481, 7 40.00 *For amounts paid by individual Lodges, see Grand Secretary's Tabular Statement in Appendix of Proceedings for 1931.

GEORGE WASHINqTON MEMORIAL FUND. Coilected from Petitioners. According to Standing Resolution-1927. which reads as follows: "THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVlDD BY THIS GRAI'<D LODGg NOW IN ANNUAL COMMUNICATION: That in order to maintain the Freemasons of Missouri in the One Hundred Per Cent Class and' that the Brethren coming in from now on shall have a part in this great Masonic Memorial, each Lodge shall require the petitioner for the degrees to pay at the time his petition is received the sum of one' dollar. which amount shall be forwarded to the Grand Secretary with the annual repoI路t on June 30th of eaeh year. this to remain in force until the completion of the Memorial."

Cash balance in Bank. September 11, 1930 $2,926.18 Receipts. *Amount received from September 11, 1930. to September 15. 1931, inc Less check $2.00 Hartford Lodge No. 171, held up by closing of their Bank __

$2,626.00 2.00

Net receipts for: year 1930-193L Interest on Bank Deposits..__

$2.624.00 15.73

2,639.73 $5.565.91

Payments.

Check paid to J. Claude Keiper, Feb. 24. 1930 Collection charges on checks

__

$3,350.00 9.04

3,359.04

September 15, 1931, Balance in Bank to credit on this account.. $ 2,206.87 *For amounts paid by individual Lodges. see Grand Secretary's Tabular Statement in Appendix of Proceedings for 1931 .c __ .$l52,427.01 THE DR. WM. F. KUHN LIBRARY FUND. Inaug'urated by donation of $500.00 by Bro. Marcus A. Loevy at Gran(1 Lodge Session. October 17. 1922.

1931

59

Grand Lodge of Missouri

This Fund since exchang~ of bond was made July 18, 1929, consists of: One $500 U. S. Treasury 3% Bond held in Grand Lodge Safe Deposit Box, Kansas City, Mo _ $500.00 Total Library Fund as reported September 10, 1930 Interest on Bond Interest on Savings Account as follows: December, 1930 June, 1931

$633.71 $16.87 1.97 1.66

20.50

Withdrew December 9, 1930....................................................................

$654.21 24.00

(For binding 6 volumes "AI'S Quatuor Coronatorum," donated

by Bro. Marcus A. Loevy.)

TOTAL FUND September 15, 1931..

$630.21

GRAND LODGE PROPERTY. Fully described in report of Auditor of Accounts of Grand Lodge.

GRAND LODGE FINANCES. September 11, 1930, to September 15, 1931.

Cash in Fidelity Savings Trust Co., Sept. 11, 1930

_ $ 83,544.25

Receipts.

1931 Per Capita Tax _ Back Dues-Balances _ _ $ 194.95 Sales of Manuals $ 907.50 Sale of Dues Receipts..................................

976.40 Sale of By-Laws............................................

81.00 Sale of 1930 Proceedings................................ 1.50 1,966.40

Interest on Daily Balances Interest on Government Bonds

$l,215.62 3,148.75

.4,364.37

Fine, Social Lodge No. 266 .

Refund by Fid. Say. Tr. Co. on 1nO Pay RolL ..

Refund (3) by Case, Thomas & Marsh on Ins .....

10.00 392.60 13.87

_

229,925.41

6,942.19 $320,411.85

Disbursements.

Pay Roll, 1930 $ 22,000.00 Proceedings, 1930 .

3,300.00 Salary Grand Master ._ .

1,000.00 Expenses, Grand Master _ .

1,500.00 1,800.00 Maintenance, Grand Lodge Offices ..

Masonic Service Association .

308.62 Masonic Temple Association of St. Louis .

8,000.00 Expenses, Grand Lodge Officers, order G. M ..

56.81 Salary, Grand Secretary ..

5,000.00 Office Help .

5,115.00 Printing, Postage, Stationery, inc.. _ .

941.10 Salary, Grand Lecturer .

4,200.00 Expenses, Grand Lecturer .

748.59 Salary, Grand Treasurer _ _ .

500.00

60

1931

Proceedings of the

Fraternal Correspondent .

750.00 Masonic Relief Ass'n, U. S. and Canada __ .

282.93 3,000.00 Committee on Charity .

Past Grand Master's JeweL .

200.00 Telephone-J Id'ferson 4877 l.~•••••••••• : .•••.

198.92 Committee on Necrology _.' : .

75.00 Bonds. Gr. Secretary and Gr. Treasurer '. ')rl350.00 Bond for Depository. Kansas City ' 247.59 Reporter ~ ,..

116.00 Chairman, Committee Mileage and Per Diem .

100.00 Chairman. Committee on Chartered Lodges .

50.00 District Deputy Grand Masters' Dinner .

179.50 Expense. Grand Lodge Session (1930) .

675.94 Exp. G. '\V. Mem'l and Cr. Masters' ConL .

700.00 Library Committee .

124.18 Perkins Audit Company..............•...............................

200.00 139.25 Masonic Home of Mo.. 5/7 Back Dues. 1930 .

Masonic Home of Mo.. 5/7 Per Cap. Tax for 1931.. 164.232.43 Mem'l Etchings. C. L.· Proc .

60.00 Underwood' T. W. Co __ _ .

68.00 Elliott Addressographing. Co .

7.25 Burroughs Adding Mach. Co .

8.90 Entertainment Dis. Guests (R. R. K.} .

10.00 ,Safe Deposit Box. Kansas City .

7.50 Postal Telegraph Cable Co _ .

10.83 C. H. Briggs. Exp. Meeting St. L. Mas. Temple Ass·n_ _ .

25.00 Laundry. Aprons ._ _ _ _ _ _ .

17.79 Exp. G. M.'s Conf.• J. Claude Keiper .

50.00 Victor Linen & Towel Supply Co __ .

13.50 Printing. Supplies. Rep.. etc.. Mendle_ __ _ .

3,672.28 Spalding, Dues Receipts .

1.114.77 Postage thereon _ ..

51.87 Printing and Supplies .

425.48 E. E. Morris; Grand Treasurer. Supplies .

8.45 ale D. D. G. M.'s Dinner (H. S. T.} .

54.80 Cash Balance, Grand Secretary's Cash

BOO!L

''''.

231.698.28 $ 88,713.57

RECAPITULATION. Total' Receipts to September 15, 1931..

Total Disbursements to September 15, 1931..

CASH BALANCE

$320.411.85 231,698.28 $ 88.713.57

ADDENDA. Grand Secretary's Cash Book, Balance, Sept. 15, 1931..............

Outstanding checks No. 162 ~ $282.93 No. 164 736.77 Agreeing with Fidelity Sav. Tr. Co. September '15, 1931

88,713.57 1,019.70

$ 89,733.27

The Grand Secretary, and his office staff, desire to take this opportunity of expressing appreciation for the excellent

1931

Grand. Lodge of Missouri

61

manner in which the Lodge Secretaries throughout our Grand Jurisdiction have co-operated in rendering their Annual Reports. Appreciation is also due to the many Secretaries who have written, commending the system of reporting which is now in use in the Grand Secretary's Office.

The Grand Secretary is also under many obligations for courtesies received from the M. W. Grand Master, Past Grand Masters, Grand Lodge Line Officers, District Deputy Grand :Masters, Lodge Secretaries, and many other brethren, who have invariably been ready to respond to any requests made upon them.'

Fraternally submitted,

Grand Secretary.

62

Proceedings of the

1931

REPORT OF GRAND TREASURER.

R. W. Bro. E. E. Morris, Grand Treasurer, presented his report covering the period from September 11, 1930, to September 15, 1931, which was received, together wi~ll report of Auditor, both of which were ordered printed in the Proceedings.

1930 Sept. 1.1

Sept.

Oct.

Nov. Dec. Jan.

Feb. Mch.

Apr.

May June

July

Cash on hand in Fidelity Savings Trust Co., Kansas City, Mo

RECEIPTS. ReceiptR No. 11 320 Arthur Mather, Grand Secy......... $ 11 321 6 322 16 324 18 325 1 326 18 327 2 328 16 329 5 330 5 331 16 332 2 333 17 334 3 335 11 336 20 337 1 338 16 339 20 340 1 341 14 342 1 343 13 344 22 345 22 346 27 347 27 348 2 349 2 350 3 351 3 352 6 353 6 354 355 7 7 356 357 8 8 358 9 359 9 360 10 361 362 10 363 11

_

__

180.60 24.95 52.50 56.50 998.75 28.75 34.00 37.60 40.73 29.40 60.05 53.12 125.30 78.25 49.20 392.60 86.95 47.00 57.20 998.75 75.80 791.00 38.35 13.50 1,151.25 76.15 34.08 1,350.80 19.42 4,307.10 41.67 6,021.97 20.92 2,931.00 24.87 3,774.23 29.70 6,995.20 20.29 5,117.70 24.68 5,881.60 20.48

$ 87,948.74

1931

63

Grand Lodge of Missouri

July 11 13 13 14 14 15 15 16 16 17 17 18 18 20 20 21 21 22 22

23 23 24 24 25 25 27 27 28 28 29 29 30 30 31 31 Aug. 1 1 1 3 3 4 4 5 5 6 6 7 7 10 10 12 12 19 20 22 25 26 Sept. 1

364 365 366 367 368 369 370 371 372 373 374 375 376 877 378 379 380 381 382 383 384 385 386 387 388 389 390 391 392 393 394 395 396 397 398 399 400 401 402 403 404 405 406 407 408 409 410

411 412 413 414 415 416 417 418 419 420 421

Arthur Mather, Grand Secy......... $

.,

.

~4

•

41,·· ~

4'

~

4,481.40 19.44 5,179.50 58.94 14,823.90 19.55 4,809.00 30.89 4,708.20 32.61 7,175.70 19.97 7,635.30 9.93 2,328.90 32.02 7,690.20 17.04 4,334.80 45.13 10,119.90 35.43 7,689.70 26.05 6,096.30 36.79 8,814.30 81.77 18,361.25 21.72 5,189.10 80.24 18,592.60 56.62 11,142.60 64.35 55.22 25,133.15 34.97 8,379.60 28.46 6,112.70 3.70 867.40 8.53 1,378.43 9.88 201.70 20.05 390.60 .53 128.10 74.98 46.00 203.70 27.30 52.50 503.70

64 Sept.

Proceedings of the 1 2 14 14

1930 Sept. 26 Oct. 27 Nov. 26 Dec. 26 1931 Jan. 26 Feb. 26 Mar. 26 Apr. 26 May 26 June 26 JUly 27 Aug. 26

422 423 424 425

Arthur Mather, Grand Secy......... $

...

.- .. ----

Interest on ,Bank BalanceFidelity Savings Tru'st Company........ $

1931 16.08 84.00 39.30 1.85 190.76 .,ri'103.96 88.52 75.31 63.40, 62.03 50.16 52.21 49.47 49.10 122.53 308.17

237,073.15 $325,021.89

DISBURSEMENTS.

Warrant 1930 Number Aug. 30 199 Masonic Relief Assn., U. S. and Canadayear ending 1-1-31.. $ 285.00 30 200 Pantagraph Ptg. Co., office supplies .' .

1.50 Sept. 8 .

201 Postal Telegraph Cable Co., Service 10.84 202 Victor Linen and Towel Co., Service .

8 13.50 203 S. W. Bell Tel. Co., Service .

19.05 8 204 D. W. Parker, Gr. Tiler, for four assistants 60.00 8 205 Arthur Mather, Grand Secty., Ptg., Postage 8 and Sundries .

200.00 206 Arthur Mather, Grand Secty., Exp. to 9 Kansas City , .

30.00 3,990.15 10 207 Masonic Home of Mo., ale Per Capita Tax ..

29 1 W. R. Shrodes, Chairman, ale Mileage and P. D. 1930 : ,.. 22,000.00 424.00 .

30 2 Arthur Mather, Salary ..

350.00 30 3 J. R. McLachlan, Salary .

150.00 4 Masonic Temple Assn., Maintenance 30 .

120.00 5 M. Gibear, Salary 30 .

120.00 6 F. Berger, Salary 30 .

200.00 30 7 C~ L. Munson, Salary ..

500.00 Oct. 16 8 Spalding Sta. Co., ptg. dues receipts 15.00 23 9 W. J. Barnes, Flowers to G. Master FreeL..

10 Hotel Muehlebach, Entertainment distin23 guished guest!; .

186.90 23 11 Gentry S. North, Chairman, ale Badges 1930 G. L. Session .

378.84 .

116.00 12 R. L. Blume, Reporting Proceedings 23 .

179.50 13 President Hotel Co., D. D. G. M.'s dinner 23 54.80 14 Harry S. Truman, Gr. L. Exp. 1930 Session .

23 23 15 Arthur Mather. Gr. Sec'y. Ptg., Postage and Stationery .

100.00 67.05 23 16 E. A. Ripley, Steno. for Jurisprudence Com. 17 W. F. Woodruff Chmn. Appl. and Gr. Com. 23 Expense .

20.60

Grand Lodge of Missouri

1931 Oct.

Nov.

31 31 31 31 31 31

18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25

31

26

31

27

31 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 31

28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41

23 23

4 12 12 17 25

25 25 25 29 29 29 29 29 29 Dec. 1 1 1 11

42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54

24 24 24 24 24 24

55 56 57 58 59 60 61

24

62

31 31 31 1931 Jan. 12 12

63 64 65

11

66 li7

65

Purity Cleaners, Cleaning Office Cur $ Gladys Skelly, Etchings ale 1930 Proc .

Wm. R. Gentry, Grand Master-Expenses .

Masonic .Temple Assoc., Maintenance .

Masonic Temple Assoc., Annual Donation .

Barr & Dunn. 'Grand 'Master's jeweL .

John Pickard, Chmn., ale Com. on N'crology W. R. Shrodes, Chairman, ale Com. on Mileage and Per Diem .

C. L. Alexander, Chairman, ale Com. on Chartered Lodges .

Perkins Audit Co., AUditing G. S. & G. T. books .

Arthur Mather, Salary . .

C. L. Munson, Salary F. Berger, Salary .

M. Gibear, 'Salary ..

J. R. McLachlan, Salary ..

Underwood Typewriter Co., Supplies .

Elliott Addressograph Co., Supplies ..

S. W. Bell Tel. Co., Service .

Burroughs Adding Mach ..Co., Repairs .

J. R. McLachlan, Gr. L., Expenses .

R. R. Kreeger, Chmn., ale Charity 1931.. ..

Fidelity Savings Tr. Co., S. D. Box rent .

Arthur Mather, Postage Proceedings .

Spalding Sta. Co., Bal. Dues Receipts and Postage .

Postal Teleg. Cable Co., Service .

Spalding Sta. Co., Office Supplies .

Aetna Casualty & S. Co., Depository bond ..

Masonic Temple Assn., Maintenance .

Arthur Mather, Salary .

C. L. Munson, Salary ..

F. Berger, Salary .

M. Gibear, Salary .

J. R. McLachlan. Salary ..

R. R. Kreeger, ale Gr. L. Expense .

J. R. McLachlan, Gr. L., Expense .

Mendle Ptg. Co., Ptg. and Supplies .

Mendle Ptg. Co., Printing "Civil War Masonry" .

Mendle Ptg. Co" Proceedings, etc ..

Arthur Mather, Salary .

C. L. Munson, Salary .

F. Berger, Salary .

M. Gibear, Salary .

J. R. McLachlan, Salary .

Arthur Mather, Gr. Secty., Ptg., Postage and Sundries .

Case, Thomas & Marsh, Agts., Bond Gr. Secty. and Gr. Treas ..

Masonic Temple Assn., Maintenance .

J. R. McLachlan, Gr. L., Expenses .

S. W. Bell Tel. Co., Service .

Wm. R. GentrYI Gr. Master, Expenses C. H. Briggs. Fraternal Correspondent

. .

18.00 60.00 500.00 150.00 8,000.00 200.00 75.00 100.00 50.00 200.<10 416.00 150.00 150.00 125.00 350.00 12.50 7.25 43.97 8.90 83.63 3,000.00 7.50 100.00 666.64 10.83 163.31 247.59 150.00 416.00 150.00 150.00 125.00 350.00 10.00 91.96 101.03 890.50 3,800.00 416.00 150.00 150.00 125.00 350.00 100.00 350.00 150.00 81.60 18.15 500.00 250.00

66 Jan.

Proceedings of the 27

68

27 27

69 70

27

71

27

72

27

73

31

74

?1

16 16 16 20

75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84

20

85

28 28 28 28

86 87 88 89 90 91 92

31 31 31 31

Feb.

3

28 28

28 Mch.

3

4

93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 108

22

109

22 30 30 30 30 30 30

110 111 112 113 114

20 20 20 24 24

27 31 31 31 31 31 31 31

Apr.

2

May 14

115

116 117

18 18

118

29

120

29

121

119

Arthur Mather, Gr. Sec路y. Ptg.. Stationery and Sundries $ C. H. Briggs, Exp. ale Masonic ~'mple Assn.

S. W. Bell Tel. Co., Ser:vice ~ .

Spalding Sta. Co..' Envelopes : .

New Market Hdwe. Co., Locks .

J. Arthur Anderson La'undry, Ser~!ce ..

Masonic Temple Assn., Maintenance.., .

Arthur Mather, Salary .

C. L. Munson, Salary .

F. Berger, Salary .

M. Gibear, Salary .

J. R. McLachlan, ,Salary .

J. R. McLachlan, Expense Gr. Lect .

Mendle Ptg. Co., Printing .

Wm. R. Gentry, Exp. Grand Master . .

S. W. Bell Tel. Co., Service Arthur Mather, Gr. Secty., Exp. Gr. Officers to Alexandria, Virginia .

J. Claude Keiper, Exp. Gr. Mas. Conference, Washington .

Masonic Temple Assn., Maintenance .

Arthur Mat'her, Salary .

C. L. Munson, Salary .

F. Berger, Salary .

M. Gibear, Salary .

J. R. McLachlan, Salary .

E. E. Morris, Gr. Treas., Exp. to Gr. Lodge of Kansas .

J. R. McLachlan, Exp. Gr. L~cturer .

S. W. Bell Tel. Co., Service .

Spalding Sta. Co., Stamped Envelopes ..

Underwood Typ. Co., Repairs ..

Menke Ptg. Co., a/ c Gr. Lodge Bulletins .

Victor Linen & T. Sup. Co., Service .

Mendle Ptg. Co.. Ptg., Supplies & ReprinL ..

C. H. Briggs, Fraternal Correspondent .

Masonic Temple Assn., Maintenance .

Arlhur Mather, Gr. Seely., Salary .

C. L. Munson, Salary .

F. Berger, Salary .

M. Gibear, Salary .

J. R. McLachlan, Salary .

J. R. McLachlan, Exp. Gr. Lecturer .

Taylor B. Wyrick, Gr. Com., Exp. Disl. guests .

Spalding Sta. Co., Supplies .

S. W. Bell Tel. Co., Service .

Masonic Temple Assn., Maintenance .

Arthur Mather, Gr. Secty., Salary .

C. L. Munson, Salary .

F. Berger, Salary .

M. Gibear, Salary __ .

J. R. McLachlan, Salary .

J. R. McLachlan, Exp. Gr. L~cturer .

Mendle Ptg. Co., Office Supplies .

Arthur Mather. Gr. Sec'Y. Ptg., Postage. etc.

Masonic Temple Assn., Maintenance .

Arthur Mather, Gr. Secty., Salary .

1931 100.00 25.00 18.92 24.41 8;10 17.79 150.00 416.00 150.00 150.00 125.00 350.00 102.68 500.00 500.00 13.20 700.00 50.00 150.00 416.00 150.00 150.00 125.00 350.00 30.41 61.10 21.21 44.00 55.50 308.62 13.50 776.25 250.00 150.00 416.00 150.00 150.00 125.00 350.00 86.34 22.55 107.17 17.57 150.00 416.00 150.00 150.00 125.00 350.00 91.08 300.25 100.00 150.00 416.00

Grand Lodge of Missouri

1931 May 29 29 29 29 June 3 3 3 13

122 123 124 125 126 127 128 129

,t,

17 30 30 30 30 30 30 30

130 131 132 133 134 135 136 137

30 30 July 2 24 31 31 31 31 31 31 31 31

138 139 140 141 142 143 144 145 146 147 148 149

Aug.

150 151 152 153 154 155 156 157 158 159 160 161

5 12 22 22 22 31 31 31 31 31 31 31

31

Sept.

2

162 163 164 165

67

~.

150.00 L. Munson, Salary $ 150.00 F. Berger, Salary .

125.00 ..

M. Gibear, Salary J. R. McLachlan, Salary .

350.00 J. R. McLachlan, Exp.'路' Grand I.ecturer ..

95.20 124.18 Arth'ur Mather, Exp.Grand Librarian .

28.25 ..

S. W. Bell Tel. Co., Service E. E. Morris, Gr~ Treas., Exp. to Nebr.

Gr. Lodge ..

26.40 Spalding Sta. Co., Ptg. & Supplies .

37.79 Masonic Temple Assn., Maintenance ..

150.00 Arthur Mather, Salary _..

416.00 __ .__ C. L. Munson, Salary 150.00 150,00 F. Berger,' Salary __ .

125.00 : __ ..

M. Gibear, Salary J. R. McLachlan, Salary ..-__ ..

350.00 Arthur Mather, Gr. Secty., Ptg., Postage and Sundries __ :.

100.00 J. R. McLachlan, Exp. Grand Lecturer._ .

55.00 Masonic Home of Mo., 5/7 back dues to 6/30 139.25 C. H. Briggs, Fraternal Correspondent.. .

250.00 .

24.25 S. W. Bell Tel. Co., Service Masonic Temple Assn. Maintenance .. __ ..

150.00 Arthur Mather, Salary __ ' 416.00 __ ..

C. L. Munson, Salary 150.00 F. Berger, Salary __ ..

150.00 : : __ __ _.

M. Gibear, Salary 125.00 J. R. McLachlan, Salary __ .

350.00 E. E. Morris, Gr. Treas., Salary __ .

500.00 Arthur Mather, Gr. Sec'y, Ptg., Postage and Sundries ..

100.00 E. E. Morris, Supplies for Gr. Treas. Office .

8.45 Masonic Home of Mo., Per Capita Tax .. 163,495.66 Spalding Sta. Co., Supplies ..

48.80 Mendle Ptg. Co., Rep. a/c__ __ .

500.00 S. W. Bell Tel. Co., Service __ : ..

13.40 Masonic Temple Assn., Maintenance.. __ ..

150.00 Arthur Mather, Salary ..

416.00 __ __..__ ..

C. L. Munson, Salary 150.00 F. Berger, Salary __ __ __ ..

150.00 __ __ ..

M. Gibear, Salary 125.00 J. R. McLachlan, Salary __ __ .

350.00 Arthur Mather, Gr. Sec'y, Ptg., Postage and Sundries ' __ __ __ __ .

200.00

Mendle Ptg. Co., Supplies

__ ..__

104.25

Wm. R. Gentry, Salary Grand Master__........__

1,000.00

Cash on hand in Fidelity Savings Tr. Co.......

$235.288.62 89,733.27 $325,021.89

Respectfully submitted,

EDMUND E. MORRIS" Grand Treasurer.

68

Proceedings of the

1931

REPORT OF AUDITOR. September 24. 1931.

To the Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri: Gentlemen: Conforming with your instructions. we have examined and checked the book records of the Grand Secretary and Grand Treasurer of the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Missouri, for the period from September 11, 1930. to September 15. 1931; also, the Masonic Home Initiation Fee Fund, the George Washington Memorial Fund, and the William F. Kuhn Library Fund for the same period, and respectfully present the following as the result of our findings, viz: GENERAL FUND PER GRAND SECRETARY'S BOOKS. Balance. September 11, 1930 :..: $ 83,544.25 Receipts: Per Capita Tax. 1931.. __ ._$229,925.41 Back Dues _ _ _ __ ..

194.95 Sale of: Manuals _ __ $ 907.50 976.40 ~~~~a:sec~.~~.~.~.-.-..: _ ~.~.~.:.: ~-~ 81.00 1930 Proceedings .

1.50 1,966.40 路Fine , _ , .

Interest on Daily Bank Balances. $1,215.62 Interest on Government B?,nds 3,148.75 Refunds: Payroll Insurance

__ __ ..

10.00 4,364.37

$ 392.60 ,13.87

406.47

236,867.60 $320,411.85

Disbursemen ts: : Cheques Issued, Numbers 1 to 165 inclusive Bal'ance. September 15, 1931.. _

_

_

231,698.28 _

-

$ 88,713.57

GRAND TREASURER'S BOOKS. Balance, September 11, 1930: Fidelity Savings Trust Company, Kansas City, Mo.. _ Add-Receipts Forwarded by Grand Secretary Deposited in Bank, September 11, 1930, to September 15, 1931 , : $235,857.53 Interest on Daily Bank Balances __ _...

1.215.62

$ 87,948.74

237,073.15 $325,021.89

Deduct-Cheques Issued by Grand Secretary, Cleared by Bank, September 11, 1930, to September 15, 1931..

Balance, September 15, 1931, Fidelity Savings Trust Company, Kansas City, MissourL _ _

_. 235,288.62

__ ... __ $ 89.733.27

RECONCILI ATION. Balance per Grand Treasurer's Books, September 15, 1931..._$ 89,733.27 Deduct-Outstanding Cheque Number 162 $282.93 Deduct-Outstanding Cheque Number 164 _ 736.77 1,019.70 Balance per Grand Secretary's Books, September 15, 1931.... $ 88,713.57

1931

69

Grand Lodge of Missouri BONDS.

On September 19, 1931, in company with 'Mr.E. E. Morris, Grand Treasurer, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri, we counted and examined the following securities on deposit in the Grand Lodge safe deposit box of the Fidelity Savings'Trust Company of Kansas City, Missouri. All interest income accruing from these securities was accounted for. â&#x20AC;˘ PERMANENT FUND. 4%% 4%% 4%% 4'4 % 4%% 4 1,4 % 4%% 4~~ % 4%%

C02026283.... $ 1,000.00 D01306564.... 1,000.00 FOO141826 .... 5,000.00 A00264711.. .. 10,000.00 G01534387 .... 1,000.00 H01534388 .... 1,000.00 J01534389 .... 1,000.00 K01534390 .... 1,000.00 F00991756 .... 1,000.00

United States Treasury Bond 4 % United States Treasury Bond 4 %

C00000803 .... $ 5,000.00 C00002873.... 1,000.00

6,000.00

Fourth Fourth Fourth Fourth Fourth Fourth Fourth Fourth Fourth

Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty Liberty

Loan Loan Loan Loan Loan Loan Loan Loan Loan

Bond Bond Bond Bond Bond Bond Bond Bond Bond

$22,000.00 $22,000.00

United United United United

States States States States

Treasury Treasury Treasury Treasury

Bond Bond Bond Bond

4 % % G00026327 .... $ 5,000.00 4 1,4 % H00026328.... 5,000.00 4 1,4 % J00026329.... 5,000.00 4 % % K00038060 .... 10,000,00

25,000.00

United United United United United

States States States States States

Treasury Treasury Treasury Treasury Treasury

Bond Bond Bond Bond Bond

3%% C0001367 3 $1 0,000,00 10,000.00 3%% D00013674 3%% J00048489.... 1,000.00 3%% K00048490.... 1,000.00 4911 A.... 5,000.00 3%%

27,000.00 $80,000.00

THE WILLIAM F. KUHN LIBRARY FUND. United States Treasury Bond 3% %-No. 7451A

$500.00

MASONIC HOME INITIATION FUND. The Grand Secretary has received from the Masonic Lodges of Missouri, September 11, 1930, to September 15, 1931, the sum of $25,230.00 and has paid this amount to the Masonic Home semimonthly as evidenced by cancelled cheques for a like sum. Following is a 'summary of this acccount: Balance on Hand, September 11, 19~O , : ~$ 9.98 Receipts: Received from Masonic Lodges $25,230.00 Interest on Daily Bank Balances....................

2.31 25',232:31 $25,242.29 Disbursemen ts: Payments to Masonic .Home $25,230.00 Bank Collection Charges....................................

6.87 Balance, September 15, 1931..

25,236.87 $

5.42.

70

1931

Proceedings of the

-Represented by Balances at September 15. 1931: In Grand National Bank of St. Louis of In Franklin-American Trust Company.

St. Louis. of $162.96 Less: Outstanding Cheque ;.l 160.00 _ Total

$

2.46

2.96 $

5.42

GEORGE WASHINGTON MEMORiAL FUND. Balance on Hand. September. 1930

$2.926.18

Receipts: Collections of $1.00 per Initiate $2.624.00 Interest on Bank Deposits........................................

15.73

2.639.73 $5.565.91

Disbursemen ts: February 24, 1931. Remittance to J. Claude Keiper. Treasurer, George Washington Memorial Fund $3.350.00 Bank Exchange..............................................................

9.04 Balance, September 15. 1931, as shown by FranklinAmerican Trust Company. Certificate

3.359.04

$2.206.87

THE WILLIAM F. KUHN LIBRARY FUND. Balance, September 11. 1930 Receipts: Interest on Bond Interest on Savings AccounL....................

$633.71 $16.87 3.63

20.50 $654.21

Disbursements: December 9, 1930, Payment to Becktold Company for Binding Books....................

24.00

Balance. September 15, i931..

$630.21-

-Consisting of: Cash in Savings Account, First National Bank in St. Louis, Missouri..

United States Treasury Bond No. 7451A

$130.21 500.00

$630.21

The various items in the foregoing report have been taken from the books and records of the' Grand Secretary and the Grand Treasurer and refiect the recorded cash transactions of the Grand Lodge of Missouri from September 11. 1930, to September 15, 1931. and the securities on hand, in the above stated funds. as at September 15. 1931.

Respectfully submitted, PERKINS & COMPANY, Certified Public Accountants.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

71

REPORT OR BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF MASONIC HOME.

M. W. Bro. William' W. Martin presented report of the Masonic Home Board, which was ordered printed in the Proceedings. ( See_Appendix.) " REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON FRATERNAL CORRESPONDENCE.

M. W. Bro. C. H. Briggs, Ch~irman of Committee on Fraternal Correspondence, presented his report, which was ordered printed in the Proceedings. (See Appendix.)

STANDING AND SPECIAL COMMITTEES.

Appointed by the Grand Master, announced by the Grand Secretary and the full list posted for the information of the Representatives.

Here follows the list of Committees: CHAIRMEN OF STANDING COMMITTEES.

1931.

JURISPRUDENCE. JOHN C. ROBERTSON. St. Louis APPEALS AND GRIEVANCES WM. F. WOODRUFF, Kansas City WAYS AND MEANS DOUGLAS W. ROBERT, St. Louis CREDEN'.rIALS w ALTER A. WEBB, St. Louis PAY ROLL WALTER R. SHRODgS, Milan CHARTERED LODGES :.C. L. ALEXANDER, St. Louis LODGES U. D GIB. W. CARSON, St. Louis CHARITy T. W. COTTON, Van Buren REPORTS OF D. D. G. M.'s CHAS. J. FITZ-GERALD, Overland MASONIC BOARDS OF RELIEF ANDREW J. O'REILLY, St. Louis RITUAL J. C. GARRELL, Webster Groves MASONIC HOME (Visiting Com.) A. S. DEXHEIMER, St. Louis CORRESPONDENCE. CORONA H. BRIGGS, Springfiehl NECROLOGY JOHN PICKARD, Columbia A UDITING H. CLA,Y PERKINS, St. Louis GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS CORONA H. BRIGGS, Springfield UNFINISHED BUSINESS THOS. A. HARBAUGH, Webb City TRANSPORT ATION & HOTELS J AMES L. FLAVEN, St. Louis

COMMITTEE ON JURISPRUDENCE. JOHN C. ROBERTSON, Chairman HENRI L. WARREN JACOB CHASNOFF WALTER E. BAILEY R. E. KAVANAUGH

APPEALS AND GRIEVANCES. WM. F. WOODRUFF, Chairman A. H. MANN LEO T. JOHNSON RICHARD O. RUMER GROVER C. JAMES

72

1931

Proceedings of the WAYS AND MEANS.

DOUGLAS W. ROBERT, Chairman GEO. C. MARQUIS JAS. A. KINDER R C. HUNT TllO& ~ HARBAUGH

CREDENTIALS.

I

.lj

WALTER A. WEBB, Chairman FRED R HOWARTH FRED H. KNIGHT H. F. WOERTHER DAVID W. PARKER BYRON CHAPHE

PAY' ROLL. VI ALTER R. CHAS. F. DREHMANN DUNCAN G. MELLIER

SHRODES, Chairman ROY C. ROBERTS J. R. BAKER

LODGES UNDER DISPENSATION. GIB W. CARSON, Chairman E. L. HARRISON

CECIL C. REED

CHARITY. T. R. R. KREEGER THOS. H. REYNOLDS

'"v:

COTTON, Chairman W. S. CAMPBELL . ARCH A.' JOHNSON

REPORTS OF D. D. G. M.'s.

eRAs. GENTRY S. NORTH

A. FITZ-GERALD. Ch;~inl.{an LeROY A. WEIDLE

RITUAL. JULIUS C. GARRELL, Chairman J. R. McLACHLAN SAMUEL R. FREET GWYNN GOUGH JAS. A. KINDER

TRANSPORTATION AND HOTELS. JOHN D. SLOAT

JAMES L. FLAVEN, Chairman H. F. BECKER

SPECIAL COMMITTEES. MASONIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI-Thad R. Smith, Chairman; Ray V. Denslow, Secretary.

MANU ALS-Arthur Mather, Chairman.

MEETING OF DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS-F. L. Magoon, Chairman; Duncan G. Mellier, KlebcrC. Jones.

RECOGNITION OF 路FOREIGN GRAND LODGES-Ray V. Denslow, Chairman; Joseph S. McIntyre, C. H. Briggs, Van F. Boor, Orestes Mitchell.

MASONIC TEMPLE ASSOCIATION OF 8.T. LOUIS-Corona H. Briggs, Chairman; Sam Wilcox,Guy C. Million.

GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC NATIONAL MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION-Bert S.Lee. Chairman.

LIBRARY-W. B. Massey, Chairman; Wm. P.Mason, Robert S. Calder.

. CALLED FROM LABOR.

The M. W.. Grand Lodge was CALLED FROM LABOR to refreshment at 12 :30 o'clock p. m., to reconvene at 1 :30 o'clock p. m. of the same day.

1931

Grand Lodge oiMiss 0 uri

73

FI RST DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION.

At 1 :30 p. m., the oM. VV. Grand Lodge was CALLED TO LABOR by the M. Vl. Grand }\1aster. Prayer was offered

by R. W. Grand Chaplain Emmet L. Robison.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON NECROLOGY.

M. W. Brother John Pickard presented the Report of the Committee on Necrology, which was adopted and is as follows: To the Most Worshipful GrG1td Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri: Brethren: The Committee on Necrology begs leave to present its report.

During the current Masonic year thc Grand Lodge of Missouri suffered the loss of two distinguished and beloved Past District Deputy Grand Masters, R. W. Bro. Louis A. Moller, who died on December 5, 1930, and R. W. Bro. Victor H. Falkenhainer, who died on May 6, 1931.

R. W. Bro. Moller was appointed at the Grand Lodge Session of 1905, by Grand Master Leroy B. Valliant, as District Deputy Grand Master for the then 33rd Masonic District.

R. W. Bro. Falkenhainer was appointed in 1903 by Grand Master William F. Kuhn, as District Deputy Grand Master for the same District. Both Brother Moller and Brother Falkenhainer attained to high positions in numerous Orders. of Freemasonry and each of them will be deeply missed by a wide circle of brethren.

Below are listed the honored names of distinguished men and Freemasons of sister Grand Jurisdictions, who have been summoned into the Unseen during the Masonic year just ending.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF ALAMABA. ROBERT JAMES REDDEN, Grand Master, 1902-1904.

Born June 16, 1848.

Died March 13, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF ALBERTA. JUDGE HEDLEY C. TAYLOR. Grand Master, 1907.

Born September 20, 1864.

Died February 23, 1931.

NORMAN EPHRAIM CARRUTHERS. Grand Master, 1925.

Born , 1872.

Died January 20, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF ARKANSAS. 路WILLIAM M. KENT, Grand Master, 1926 to 1927.

Born November 29, 1846.

Died May ]5, 1931.

HAMP WILLIAMS, Grand Master, 1928 to 1929.

Born , 1860.

Died May 15, 1931.

DAVID 1. MILLS, Grand Master, 1913 to 1914.

Born September 20, 1857.

Died July 6, 1931.

74

Proceedings of the GRAND JURISDICTION OF COLORADO. WILLIAM DARLINGTON PEIRCE, Grand. ¥aster, 1895.

Born April I, 1859.

Died November 17, 1930.

JAMES RUMNEY KILLIAN;'Grand Master. 1903.

• I.· Born May 28, 1867.

Died April 19, 1931.

CHASE WITHROW, Grand Master, 1866.

Born November 7, 1839.

Died January 19, 1931.

H. WADSWORTH WOODWARD, Grand Master, 1911.

Born June 24, 1864.

Died November 6, 1930.

HORACE HILTON MITCHELL, Grand Master, 1930.

Born May 11, 1856.

Died November 5, 1930.

GRAND !JURISDICTION OF CONNEc'rICU'r.

HUGH STIRLING, Grand Master, 1891-1892.

Born January 16, 1848.

Died May 12, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. GEORGE W. BAIRD, Grand Master, 1896.

Born April 22, 1843.

Died October 4, 1930.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF INDIANA. JOHN WASHINGTON HANAN, Grand Master, 1913-1914.

Born July 10, 1860.

Died March 12,' 1931.

OMAR BISHOP SMITH, Grand Master, 1921-1922.

Born November I, 1868.

Died November 27, 1930.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF KENTUCKY. GEORGE BOOROM WINSLOW, Grand Master, 1914-1915.

Born June 6, 1868.

Died September 30, 1930.

FRANK C. GERARD, Grand Master, 1895-1896.

Born October 21, 1848.

Died June 11, 1!J:n.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF LOUISIANA. GEORGE W. BOLTON, Grand Master, 1893.

Born September 15, 1841.

Died August 2, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF lUA.INF..

SILAS BRA'DLEY ADAMS, Grand Master, 1918-1919.

Born October 17, 1863.

Died December 4, 1930.

1931

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri GRAND JURISDICTION OF MICHIGAN.

FRANK T. LODGE, Grand Master, 1899.

Born February i2, 1859.

Died December 10, 1930.

HERBERT MONTAGUE, Grand Master, 1908.

Born August 29, 1849.

Died June 15, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF MINNESOTA. WILLIAM PRESTON ROBER'rS, Grand Master, 1908.

Born June 16, 1845.

Died July 21, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF NEW YORK. ROBERT JUDSON KENWORTHY, Grand Master, 1910-1911.

Died June 8, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF NORTH DAKOTA. THOMAS EVANS FOX, Senior Grand Warden, 1901-1902.

Born April 13, 1862. ."

Died October 4, 1930.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF OHIO. BENJAMIN F. PERRY, Past Grand Master.

Born October 25, 1858.

Died January 13, 1931.

FRANK S. HARMON, Past Grand Master.

Born November 15, 1857.

Died January 10, 1931.

CLIFFORD G. BALLOU, Past Grand Master.

Born September 10, 1864.

Died March 13, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF OKLAHOMA. WILLIAM MOSES ANDERSON, Grand Master, 1900.

Born January 3, 1866.

Died December 23, 1930.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF OREGON. EARL B. HUGHES, Senior Grand Deacon.

Born April 17, 1872.

Died November 1, 1930.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF SOUTH CAROLINA. FRANCIS EUGENE HARRISON, Grand Master, 1905-1907.

Born February 9, 1863.'

Died June 15, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF SOUTH DAKOTA. ROBERT S. LOCKHART, Grand Master, 1924.

Born January 8, 1865.

Died April 7, 1931.

CYRUS BURTON WARNE, Deputy Grand Master, 1930.

Born June 17, 1879.

Died November 1, 1930.

75

76

Proceedings of the

1931

EDWARD ASHLEY, Grand Chaplain, 1906-1931.

Born December 13, 1853.

Died March 30, 1931.

GRAND ,JURISDICTION OF 'CEXAS. ANDREW L. RANDF:LL, Grand Master, 1921.'

Born August 15, 1880.

Died March 14, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF VERIUONT. FREDERICK HERBERT BABBITT, Grand Master, 1926-1927.

Born November 23, 1859.

Died July 29, 1931.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF WEST VIRGINIA. ADRIAN COLLINS NADENBOUSCII, Grand Treasurer.

Born April 10, 1865.

Died June 19, 1931.

Past

Grand

Master

and

ARTHUR DE WITT STRICKLER, Past Grand Master.

Born December 26, 1855.

Died November 16, 1930.

GRAND JURISDICTION OF WYOMING. ELIJAH P. BOWMAN, Grand Master, 1899.

Born February 2, 1860.

Died September 27, 1930.

SAMUEL CORSON, Grand Master, 1901-1902.

Horn June 15, 1857.

Died August 17, 1931.

Among the names listed are those of men who have borne the heat and burden of the day and swung true to the ideals and teachings of our great Fraternity, and exemplified these in lives of outstanding service in their sevel'al spheres of usefulness.

We have not been able to obtain many details concerning these brethren, but their names are recorded in the celestial Lodge on High, and their works do follow them.

Some Grand: Lodges have suffered more severe losses than others, and among these we note that of Colorado, which lists the deaths of five Past Grand Masters. The best known of these to Missouri Freemasons is Chase Withrow, who was Grand Master in 1866. Brother Withrow was the last living link between the early and the present Freemasonry in Colorado, who for nearly three score years and ten had been a Mason, having been made in Colorado before the Grand Lodge was established there.

Brother Withrow had known every Grand Master of Colorad;o, forty-three ,of whom had preceded him to the grave. He had participated in the installation of many Grand Masters, who had not been born at the time that he presided in the Grand East ; and to the end he was deeply interested in our cause, having been present at the Grand Lodge session immediately preceding his demise.

The passing of Most Worshipful Brother Hamp Williams, Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Arkansas, removes a most prominent figure from that state, who n路ndered service alike to his country

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

77

and to Freemasonry. the influences of which will abide in the years to come.

The District of Columbia mourns the loss of the late Admiral George W. Baird, who was a most distinguished flgure in that Grand Lodge for many long years. As the writer of the report on Fraternal Correspondence, Admiral Baird is known throughout the Masonic world. his reports always ha\-;ing been of a very high order.

George B. Winslow, Past Grand Master of Kentucky, was a man of high ideals and great usefulness, alike in the larger citizenship of his state as in all the branches of Freemasonry.

The Grand Lodge of Michigan is greatly bereaved in the loss of its Past' Grand Master, Frank T. Loclge, who' was an outstanding flgure in Masonry for many years. The following poem, written by Brother Lodge, was read by the Grand Chaplain at the Funeral services, and is worthy of being read by every member of the Craft.

AFTER MY DEATH. After my death (if Life's Gateway may be called death), Let those who love me wear no sodden crepe, Nor go about with bated breath To testify their grief at my escape.

After my death, let no bell toll with solemn knell To tell its hearers that my passing Soul, With sorrow, fear and trembling that no one may tell, Has reached, dismayed, a coward's tragic goal.

After my death. when friends and brethren come to claim Their last look at the face of him who loved them well, And words are said consigning to the earth or flame The fragile house wherein he used to dwell.

Let no tears fall upon his bier; rather, by Bright smiles of joy irradiate the face; For he whose outworn, ca.st-off garment there will lie Has, after years of -longing, reached his place.

No litany of grief be chanted at my rites But Te Deums of hope and faith and joy That, freed from fleshly trammels which shut out the heights, ~y ,Soul its unchained future may enjoy.

Do I fear Death? Does eageri6ver fear the way . That leads him to his :sweetheart's -tender arms? .

Does toiler fear the Angelus at close of day?

Does warrior fear surcease from War's alarms?

That world of joy in which my journey ends Holds all that ma'de my life a Summer day Of tender love, affection, all that sends The blood swift bounding on its heartward way.

'Oh, well-loved friends of mine, who love me and who meet ,With ,flowers and eulogy and funeral rite To testify your grief for him whose weary feet Have brought him out from darkness into light.

78

Proceeding$ of the

1931

Forget to weep or grieve, remember to rejoice That he you loved has reached the home he sought; And, were he here, or could he raise his silent voice, He'd ask his friends to'grieve for' him in naught.

The Grand Lodge of New York and world~:v'!!de Freemasonry is greatly bereaved through the passing of M. W. Robert JUdson Kenworthy, Grand Secretary and Past Grand Master of the Grand LodgE: of New York, who laid down the working tools of this life on June 8,' following a brief illness in Atlantic City, where he had sought a much needed rest. The funeral was held on June 10, in the Brooklyn Masonic Temple; the Episcopal service was conducted by R. W. Nathan A. Seagle, Grand Chaplain; the eulogy was delivered by R. W. S. Parkes Cadman, Sr., Grand Chaplain; and the Masonic services were conducted by R. W. Arthur E. Delmhurst, District Deputy Grand Master, First Kings District, and Past Master of Montauk Lodge No. 286, of which the deceased was a member. M. W. Brother Kenworthy was Raised in Montauk Lodge No. 286 on April 17, 1889, becoming Master in 1895. Then came the District Deputyship (1896-1897); Committee on Hall and Asylum Fund (19041905); Grand Marshal (1905-1908); Election as Deputy Grand Master in 1908, and re-electi;;n in 1909; elevation to the Grand East in 1910 and re-election in 1911. In 1918 he was appointed to fill the unexpired term of the late M. W. Edward M. L. Ehlers, Grand Secretary, a position which he served with signal ability and devotion to the end.

On the Grand Master's pag-e of the Masonic Outlook for July, 1931, Charles H. Johnson, M. W. Grand Master of the Grand Jurisdiction of New York, pays an eloquent tribute to our late distinguished brother. He was indeed an outstandirig man, and all who came in contact with him soon realized that Masonry to him was a very real thing.

The Grand Lodge of Missouri is under obligations for many courtesies received at his hands. It will be a long time before we see his like again.

Brother Kenworthy always signed his name in full, "Robert Judson Kenworthy," but to the host's of his Brethren he was affectionately known as "R. J. K." William M. Anderson, Past Grand Master and Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Oklahoma, known everywhere as "Mose," passed to his reward on December 23. 1930, amid the regrets of his Brethren, and after having exercised a mighty infiuence in Masonry in the State of Oklahoma for many years.

The Grand Lodge of West Virginia mourns the passing of Past Grand Master, Adrian C. Nadenbousch, one of the outstanding pillars of Masonry in that state. His place will be most difficult to fill.

REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON MASONIC HOME INITIATION FUND.

R. W. Bro. James W. Skelly presented the following Re.. port of the special Committee on Masonic Home Initiation Fund, which was adopted:

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

79

c']'

A. M. of Missouri:

To the Most Worshipful Gr011d Lodge, A. F.

Your Committee appointed to ascertain the present status of the Masonic Home Initiation Fund: begs leave to report as follows: We have continued the work assigned to us two years ago, and have dealt with 561 Lodges. 274 of these have been cleared, and the remainder are in process' of adjustment. As yet. 91 Lodges have not completed their investigation.

The adjustments made thus far have resulted in the sum of $3,990.00 being t4rned over to the Masonic Home, together with a further sum of $2 380.00 whicn has come in as a result of our work.

The work involved in this inquiry has necessitated the drawing up of long exhibits of initiates in the individual Lodges. throughout the Jurisdiction. and the checking of these exhibits, which extend over a period dating back from October 15, 1920, to the present time.

Your Committee now suggests, inasmuch these adjustments are of necessity made in the Grand Secretary's office and will yet take considerable time to complete. that it now be discharged and the work left for consummation by the Grand Secretary.

We desire to acknowledge the cordial co-operation of the individual Lodges with which we have been in correspondence and to tender our cordial thanks to the Secretaries for the willing assistance which they have rendered.

Fraternally submitted,

as

JAMES W. SKELLY, Chairman, JULIUS C. GARRELL, Committee.

INVITATION.

R. W. Bro. James W. Skelly presented the following invitation to the M. W. Grand Lodge: To the M. W. Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missolwi: Dear Brethren: On behalf of the Scottish Rite Cathedral Association of St. Louis, I 'desire to tender this Grand Lodge a most cordial and fraternal invitation to hold its session beginning September 27. 1932, in the Scottish Rite Cathedral in St. Louis.

Cordially and fraternally.

LEWIS T. TUNE, President.

REPORT OF SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON HURRICANE AND FLOOD RELIEF.

R. W. Bro. Andrew J. O'Reilly presented the following report of the Committee on Hurricane and Flood Relief, which was adopted: :;) To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M., Missouri: The Committee on Hurricane and Flood Relief reports: . Balance on hand as of Aug. 30, 1930

$2.887.82

80

1931

Proceedings of the There were no expenditures.

Interest allowed by U. S. Bank & Trust Co. for period ending June 30, 1931.-......................................

21.97

Balance on hand, June 30. 1931.. __ __ __$2,909.79 Fraternally submitted,' A. J. O'REILLY, ARTHUR: MATHER, GEORGE W. WALKER, Committee.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON

CHARTERED

LODGES.

To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Ma,wns ,of Missouri: .

Your Committee on Chartered Lodges submits the following report: There are 652 Chartered Lodges in this jurisdiction, four less than last year, the decrease on account of three consolidations and one surrender of charter.. Maple Lodge No. 623 consolidated with Poplar Bluff Lodge No. 209, November 11, 1930. Hatfield Lodge No. 395 consolidated with Lodge of Light. No. 257, February 17, 1931, and Pittsville Lodge No. 428 consolidated with Holden Lodge No. 262, February 27, 1931. Reeds Spring Lodge No. 280 surrendered charter April 8, 1931.

Returns were received from all Lodges on time, with the follOWing exceptions.: DELINQUENT LODGES. No. Lodge Date Paid District路 298 Sampson Sept. 1 -53 346 Arlington _ : Aug. 21 __ __ 39 365 Bayou : Aug. 25 -53 468 Red Oak __ Aug. 19 55 470 Nodaway __ Aug. 31 .-7 507 Clearmont _ Aug. 11 __ : __ 7 633 Archie Aug. 18 ,路 , 34 309 King Hiralu Sept. 28 23 These lodges were delinquent on account of the disturbed business conditions at this time. .

PER CAPITA TAX. Amount of Per Capita Tax collected in 1930 $235.582.41 Amount of Per Capita Tax collected in 1931 __ 229,929.61 Decrease

$

5.652.80

REPORTED BY CHARTERED LODGES. 1930 2,949 Pass~d .., 2.944 Raised 2.983 Affiliated ' __ 914 Reinstated 845 Total Memllership, 19 30 Total Me'mbership, 1931

Initiated

Net Loss

1931 2.290 2,253 2,383 930 813

_

__ .__

1930 Died 1,478 Expelled 13 Suspended U. M. C... 10 Dimitted 860 Suspended N. P. D 2,920 o __ :' , :~ :

__

__

~ __

1931 1,587 19 8 926 3,478 113,171 111.172 1.999

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

81

The number Raised this year is 600 less than last year. The number suspended for non-payment of dues is .158 more than last year. It is sad to relate that the suspension for non-payment of dues is 1,095 more than were Raised.

184 lodges show increase in membership, 392 lodges show loss, and 76 lodges breal{ ev~n.

MEMBERSHIP IN LARGE CITIES. Total Suspended Dues Net Members N. P. D. Outst'd'g.

Loss Raised St. Louis, 46 lodges ........ 26,530 288 127 $12,253 467 Kansas City, 18 lodges.. 17,799 745 11,664 307 371 St. Joseph, 5 lodges........ 2,975 3,073 41 65 76 Spring-field, 3 lodges....... 2,372 1,165 116 85 36 St. Louis County shows an increase in membership of 56. Jackson County, outside of Kansas City, shows net loss of 17. The total membership in St. Louis City and St. Louis County is 30,428. The total membership in Kansas City and Jackson County is 19,698.

The aggregate membership in the fOUl' largest cities is 49,676. about 45 per cent of the membership of the state.. The net loss in these four dties is 560, but the loss in the rest of the state is 1,439, or almost three times as great. We regret, of course, that these cities have lost membership, but they can stand their losses now. and when normal times return will regain their membership. It is with much greater regret that we note many lodges in small towns, whose membership is less than 100 have lost from 10 pcr cent to 20 per cent of their membership.

The largest. gain was made by Orient Lodge No. 546, of Kansas City. This lodge raised 80 and has net gain of 129. Ivanhoe Lodge No. 446, of Kansas City, has net gain of 100. The most notable gain, considering the population of the town and size of the lodge, was made

by Perseverance Lodge No. 92 of Louisiana. This lodge raised 23 and has net gain of 25. Other lodges showing substantial gains in proportion to membership inclUde four. lodges in St. Louis County, Kirkwood No. 484, University City No. 649, Garuenville No. 655, and Bridgeton No. 80. Also Jefferson No. 43 of Jefferson City, Carthage No. 197, Mack's Creek No. 433, Rock Hill No. 663 of Kansas City, arid Marlborough No. 569 of Jackson County.

OUTSTANDING DUES. Total amount outstan~ing dues reported 1931.__ __ __ Total amount outstanding dues reported 1930. __ .. __ Increase_

__ ._ ..

:

$115.372 99.586 __ $ 15,766

This is a very large amount and comes to $1.00 per capita for the entire membership of the state, and it does not tell the whole story, for there are several lodges that failed to report ,the dues outstanding.

In our opinion, failure to act promptly on delinquent members is one 'of the causes for the large number of suspensions for non-payment of dues. If you are too lenient in granting further time to an indifferent member, it simply means that the following year he owes two years' dues, therefore becomes more indifferent and allows himself to be suspended. If he had been pressed for payment when he only owed one year's dues. he might have paid. thereby keeping himself in good standing and saving the dues for the lodge.

This may be demonstrated in the returns of many lodges that had

82

ProceedÂŁngs of the

1931

large amounts of dues outstanding in 1930. This year the outstanding dues have been cleaned UP, but in order to do this it was necessary to suspend a large number of members. It is a puzzle to this committee why some iodges can collect all of their dues. while other lodges of the same size and in the 'same districts have large amounts outstanding. For instance: There are three lodges" in the same county; each has more than 600 members. In two of these lodges the dues of every member are paid. but the third lodge has 25 per cent of its members in arrears for dues. Fifty~two lodges report no outsta.nding dues, as follows: Carthage No. 197, Nos. 114 and 602 of Columbia, Jefferson No. 43 of Jefferson City, Nos. 5 and 271 of Springfield. Nine lodges in St. Louis, Nos. 25, 95, 163, 218, 499, 505, 641, 652, and 661.

Thirty-five lodges in smaller towns, Nos. 11, 24, 52, 107, 110, 127, 133, 160, 169, 173, 187, 223, 230, 276, 277, '279, 290, 292, 304, 312, 343, 358.

367, 370, 407, 450, 482, 483, 513, 531, 532, 534, 570, 581 and 618. Also 656 of Kansas City. There is one lodge that is entitled to particular mentiop. That lodge has more than 1,600 members and for the fourth year in succession reports no dues outstanding. Furthermore, its suspen Ions and remissions of dues are relatively small. That lodge is Gate City Lodge No. 522 of Kansas City.

REMISSION OF DUES. The sum of $4,806 was deducted from the per capita tax on account of remissions of dues. This means that the dues of almost 2,300 members were remitted. Grand Lodge law permits the remission of dues for inability to pay, but the returns indicate too much leniency in this matter. There are several instances of lodges' remitting dues of 15% to 25% of their membership. Twelve lodges remit the Tiler's dues, seven remit Chaplain's dues, one remits the dues of its Marshal, and one remits the dues of its Junior Past Master. Rockville Lodge No. 341 remits the dues of its Secretary. .Anderson Lodge No. 621 remits the dues of its Treasurer, Secretary and Tiler.

ANNUAL DUES. We submit below a table of' the Annual Dues charged by the Lodges in this jurisdiction: One lodge charges_ __ .$ 2.10 just the amount of Per .Capita Tax One lodge charges_ . 2.25 to Grand Lodge. . 2.50 6 lodges charge 2 2.75 49 3.00 3.25 6 42 3.50 3.75 5 142 4.00 4.50 13 5.00 223 5.75 3 6.00 62 7.00 $7.50 $8.00 $9.00 and $10.00 56 12.00 25 15.00 5 The average annual dues per lodge lodges charging in excess of $6.00, and average for the remaining 566 is only whose dues are $3.00 or less. A $3.00 the Grand Lodge has only 90 cents left.

Is $5.22, but there are 86 if these are eliminated, the $4.50. There are 59 lodges lodge after paying $2.10 to There are 195 other lodges

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

83

whose dues are $4.00 or less. A $4.00 lodge has only $1.90 left after paying its per capita tax. How can a lodge have a worth while program for its activities or charity on 90 cents or $1.90 per member?

Of course, we realize that some revenue is derived from fees, but we are prohibited from ~oliciting candidat~~, and' therefore your fees are uncertain. Many lodges had no candidates the last fiscal year. It is said that a Mason'~', charity should know no bounds. What a noble sentiment. It stirs the heart. It falls pleasantly on the ear. But sentiment, alone, never fed the hungry nor clothed the naked. The fact is that the charity of a lodge is bound by its ability to raise funds to provide that charity. This committee recommends that the lodges charging less than $5.00, consider an increase in their dues. Yes, we know you will say that now is ~ot a propitious time to increase dues.

But now is the time to consider the matter. If you are willing to consider this, your members should be advised of your reasons. Let them know the amount of the per capita tax to the Grand Lodge and what portion goes to the Masonic Home. You may be surprised to know how little your members know of this subject. The writer of this report has recently talked with ,Masters of Lodges. who do not know the amount of t~e per capita tax nor what portion goes to the Masonic Home. There are lodges in this state today whose financial condition is bad. Some have not been able to pay the full amount of their per capita tax to the Grand Lodge. If their dues had been higher during the prosperous years just past, they might now have a reserve fund from which to meet their obligations. The Grand Master, in a recent communication, said he had curtailed this session of the Grand Lodge from three days to two days, in order to save funds so that the Charity Committee of 'the Grand Lodge might have a larger appropriation this year. An increase of Fifty Cents or One Dollar in dues is a small matter to an individual member, but in the aggregate it might mean the difference between success or failure to a lodge. If the privilege of holding membership in a Masonic Lodge is worth anything at all, it should certainly be worth two cents per day, and the average dues of $5.22 is less than two cents per day. Think it over.

AFFILIATIONS AND REINSTATEMENTS. We find this note on one of the reports: "Bro. Blank was elected to membership from Blank Lodge in October, 1925, and, owing to his age, his dues were remitted and it was our intention to remit yearly."

We are not acquainted with the facts in this case, but it seems strange that a lodge will elect a man to membership, knowing that he cannot pay his dues. We also find several instances of elderly men transferring from one lodge to another. In our opinion, a man who is advanced in years should retain his membership in the lodge which has had his support in his younger years, and this is partiCUlarly so if he comes from another jurisdiction. Such affiliates may become liabilities instead of assets.

We find men being restored to good standing, who have remained suspended for non-payment of dues for fifteen years, twenty years, yes, even thirty years. Why restore men to good standing in their old age, who have not contributed during the productive years of their lives?

ERRORS AND OMISSIONS. The most common errors found in the returns are the omissions of names or dates, or placing names under wrong headings. For example: one lodge reported several suspended for unmasonic con~

84

Proceedings of the

1931

duct, instead of for non-payment of dues. Some Secretaries cannot understand that the fiscal year of the Grand Lodge doses on June 30, and include events occurring in July, 1931. If lodges failed to act on delinquents prior to June 30, 1931, it was just too bad fOI those lodges, for the Grand Secretary could not allow any deducti-on of the per capita tax for remissions and suspensions that occurred in July, 1931. As usual some lodges failed to .comply with Sec. 74, Grand Lodge Law,. providing for payment of the per capita tax on reinstatement of members suspended for non-payment of dues. The Grand Secretary was obliged to write many letters to collect these arrears.

One lodge reports a member expelled, and then says certificate of good standing was issued to him. One lodge reports remission of dues of three members and suspension of four members for nonpayment of dues, in June, 1931, but says the lodge has held no meetings for several months.

How explain?

Some reports are not signed by the officers. This may not seem an important matter, but the Annual Return is the official report of the transactions of the lodge and the law says it must be signed by the Worshipful Master and Secretary under seal of the lodge. Many of the reports are typewritten and are in excellent shape; and on the whole, we think, show a great improvement compared with those of former years. l!'IFTY YEARS' SERVICE AS SECRETARY. Early in 1931 Anchor Lodge No. 443 of St. Louis, celebrated the fiftieth anniversary of its Secretary, Bro. R. H. Caffall. It would be interesting to ascertain if there is a lodge in any other Grand J路urisdiction which has had the same Secretary for fifty years. We hope that Anchor Lodge will enjoy the services of Bro. Ca~al1 for many more years.

Respectfully submitted,

(Adopted)

C. L. ALEXANDER, Chairman.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS.

M. W. Brother C. H. Briggs, Chairman, presented the following report for the Committee. (Adopted).

To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Missouri, A. F. & A. M.: Dear. Brethren: Your Committee on Grand Master's Address submits the following report: We believe that all who have' heard the Grand Master's Address wlIl agree with us, that he has given a year of earnest, wise and faithful service to the Craft. . The Address shows that he has ever kept before him the best interests of the Fraternity, and contains much that calls for our careful consideration.

His many Masonic visits to different parts of this Grand Jurisdiction have been helpful to our Order in many ways, and we feel that, in reviewing his administration, we can say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

We heartily approve his condemnation of Sunday picnics and chain letters. We recommend that his decisions, the suggestion that the Grand Master be made a voting member of the Board of Directors of the

1931

Grand Lodge of . Missouri

85

Masonic Home, the proposed amendment concenllng' trials by commission, and other portions of the Address in which he names the Committee on Jurisprudence be referred to that Committee and also the portion of the' Address referring to the Washington Memorial Association. We recommend that matters relating to the' Masonic Home be referred to the Committee on the Home.

We recommend that the portions of the Address referring to the Charges to the Candidates and the Funeral Serviee be referred to the Committee on Ritual. We' recommend the reference to the Committee on Ways and Means of the part of the Address referring to the Washington Memorial Association. Also the request for an increased appropriation to the Welfare Committee.

We recommend that the portions of the Address referring to Masonic papers and Masonic directories, and the commercialfzatlon of Freemasonry and the use of It for political purposes be referred to the incoming Grand Master and two Past Grand Masters, to be appointed by him, to report at the next communication of this Grand Lodge.

We recommend that the portion of the Address referring to "Publfshing Proceedings" be referred to a Special Committee of five Past Grand Masters, to report at the next Grand Lodge Communication.

The generous gift of a tract of land to the Masonic Home is a ray of sunshine in a period of depression and we recommend that a Special Committee of five be appointed to express to Mrs. Huthmaker our appreciation of the service she Is rendering to humanity by that gift. and to report to the Grand Lodge.

Fraternally submitted, JOHN PICKARD, C. H. BRl GGS, T. W. COTTON, R. R. KREEGER, BYRNE E. BIGGER, W. W. MARTIN, W. A. CLARK, ARCH A. JOHNSON, A. F. ITTNER, JULIUS C. GARRELL, J. S. McINTYRE. BERT S. LEE,

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MASONIC TEMPLE ASSOCIATION AT ST. LOUiS.

M. W. Brother C. H. Briggs, Chairman, presented the following report. (Adopted) .

To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of MiSS01tri, A. F. & A. M.: Dear Brethren: Your Committee on Masonic Temple at St. Louis submits the following report: During the year the Association has retired $62,000.00 First Mortgage Bonds. This reduces the bonded debt from one million dollars to $473,000.00. The Association expects to make another payment on the debt in December. We commend the Association for its success In reducing the indebtedness. Your chairman has attended every' annual meeting of the Association since he was appointed a member of the Special Committee of the Grand Lodge. He has urged upon the Association the importance of clearing the indebtedness from the Temple as speedily as practicable and has always found that body earnestly working toward that end.

Fraternally submitted, C. H. BRIGGS.

86

1931

" Proceedings of the

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MASONIC BOARDS OF RELIEF "AND MASONIC EMPLOYMENT BUREAUS.

R. W. Bro. Andrew ].O'Reilly, Chair,man, presented the report of the Committee on Boards~of Relief, which was adopted as follows: To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M., State of Missouri: Your" Committee on Boards of Relief and Employment Bureaus fraternally reports that it has before it reports from the St. Louis Masonic Employment Bureau, Kansas City Masonic Board of Relief, Springfield Masonic Board of Relief and the St. Louis Masonic Board of Relief.

The St. Louis Masonic Employment Bureau reports: FINANCIAI~

STATEMENT.

R]~CEIPTS.

Balance on hand July .1 .. 1930 $2,0:l5.17 Receipts to June 30, 1931..

6.798.00 Railway Exchange Bldg. Account Moving................

50.00 Int'ereston Deposits to JU!le 30th....................................

66.24 . $8.849.41 DISBURSEMENTS. Salaries $5,321.00 Office Rent 600.00 Telephone Service 217.50 Printing Stationery and Supplies........................................................

150.55 Postage. Equipment and General Expense.........

544.80 $6,833.85 Their work shows 1,354 applicants placed In employment at $5.04 each. Of these 403 were placed in permanent positions. representing a total yearly salary of over four hundred thousand dollars. This report shows many other creditable acts. especially that of the Secretary's visits to many places in the interest of Masons out of employment. It Is. however. regretable that they failed to give the total number of applicants for employment.

The Kansas City, Mo., Board of Relief makes the following financial report: Total receipts from Lodges $2,807.50 Fraternal assistance 2,671.71 Bank Interest 1.81 Refund on Telephone............................................................

1.98 Bal. as per statement rendered July 1, 1931................

348.09 $5,831.09 Total

Receipts

$5,831.09 DISBURSEMENTS.

Fraternal asslstance Other disbursements

$2,229.21 2,501.83 $4,731.04

Cash balance JUly 1. 1931..

$4.731.04 $1.100.05

Grand Lodge of Missouri

1931

87

They fail to give us any idea of the actual work performed by the Board. A Standing Resolution of the Grand Lodge requires more details than is shown.

The Springfield Masonic Board of Relief makes the following financial statement: ~ c. RECAPITULATION. Balance cash on hand JUly 1. 1931. in Farmers and Merchants Bank $ 388.27 Time'deposit in McDaniel Nat'l Bank July 1. 1930...................... 550.00 Receipts during year..............................................................................

117.00 ,.

I

Grand Total Less warrants from 108 to

~.16

inc.â&#x20AC;˘ amt.................................

Leaving balance on hand, July 1. 1931..

July 1. 1931, money deposited in banks as follows: Time Certificate in McDaniel Nat'l Bank Checking account in Farmers and Merchants Bank Total

$1.055.2?

129.07 $ 926.20 $550.00 376.20 $926.20

During the past year the Board has conducted only one Masonic funeral. that of Brother George Browne, member of Keystone Lodge No. 102, A. F. & A. M. of Coffeyville, Kansas. on November 8, 1930.

Funeral was conducted by Solomon Lodge No. 271. Burial in Maple Park Cemetery.

We have had numerous calls for relief during the year, which the Board has taken up with the Lodge of the applicant and relief sent direct to the applicants from their Lodges. .

We have also cashed several checks for transient Brethren, but have In all cases wired their lodges for their approval before cash¡ ing their checks. ;'The St. Louis Masonic Board of Relief reports a bUsy and expensive year of eight hundred and seventy-tw{} applicants, 320 of which were worthy and assistance rendered.

Funeral services wer'e arranged as follows: July 7, 1930, C. D. Tolar, Ionic Lodge No. 154, Desloge, Mo., by Pride of the West Lodge No. 179.

July 16, 1930, John T. Herod, Forest Hill Lodge No. 655, E. Cleveland, Ohio, by Euclid Lodge No. 505.

July 17, 1930, M. M. Clemons, Milton Lodge No. 270. Milton, Ill., by Progress Lodge No. 657.

July 19, 1930, Benj. C. Simmons" Osage Valley Lodge No. 24.

Osawatomie, Kansas, by Magnolia Lodge No. 626.

July 23, 1930, James M. Tucker, N. Judson Lodge No. 438, North Judson, Ind., by Purity Lodge No. 658 (Service by Pomegranate Lodge No. 95).

August 28, 1930, Chester H. Corbett, Craftsman Lodge No. 521, Detroit, Mich., by Geo. Washington Lodge No.9.

September 27. 1930, Geo. A. Gadd, Ivanhoe Lodge No. 446. Kansas City. Mo., by Tower Grove Lodge No. 631.

October 1, 1930, John W. McCullum, Lone Star Lodge No. 403, Denison, Tex., by West Gate Lodge No. 445.

October 7. 1930, Otto Black, Clay City Lodge No. 499, Clay City, Ill., by Cornerstone Lodge No. 323.

October 15, 1930, W. H. Hammond, Tannehill Lodge No. 52, Dallas, Texas, by Pomegranate Lodge No. 95.

November 8, 1930, Johnson H. Bucher. Granite Lodge No. 272, Sedalia, Mo., by America Lodge No. 347.

88

1931

P1'oceedings of the

October 29, 1930, Walter J. Platt, Jefferson Lodge No. 368, Opdyke, Ill., by Naphtali Lodge No. 25.

November 11, 1930, Herman A. Gunther, Beacon of the West Lo"dge No. 628, Los Angeles, Calif., by Occidental Lodge No. 163.

November 29, 1930, Geo. H. Edick, Lawn Lodge No. 815, Chicago,: Ill., by Paul Revere Lodge No. 330.

December 12, 1930, Albert Eckman, Armourdale Lodge No. 271, Armourdale, Kan., by Pyramid Lodge No. 180.

December 12, 1930, John H. Ecoff, McKinley Lodge No. 318, Pittsburgh, Pa., by Trinity Lodge No. 641.

December 17, 1930, Arthur W. Wilcutts; Capitol City Lodge No. 312, Indianapolis, Ind., by Shaveh Lodge N路o. 646.

December 26, 1930, Thomas Cutter, Cedar Lodge No. 103, Chanute, Kan., by Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 40.

January 20, 1931, E. B. Watson, Hebron Lodge No. 354, Mexico, Mo.,

by Anchor Lodge No. 443.

January 22, 1931, Dr. V. McMullen, South Gate Lodge No. 547, Kansas City, Mo., by Benj. Franklin Lodge No. 642.

February 8, 1931, M. W. Wisdom, Hoxie Lodge No. 692, Hoxie, 路Ark.,

by Tuscan Lodge No. 360.

February 17, 1931, Warren Selbe, Williamsport Lodge No. 38, Williamsport, Ind., by Apollo Lodge No. 529.

March 17, 1931, Sanders Goodman, Elvins Lodge No. 599, Elvins, Mo., by Beacon Lodge No.3.

March 23, 1931, H. D. Geyer, Wahouma Lodge No. 763, Birmingham, Ala., by Aurora Lodge No. 267.

April 13, 1931, Luther H. Hughes, Ashlar Lodge No. 306, Commerce, Mo., by Polar Star IJodge No. 79.

April 15, 1931, Henry G. Holler, Ionic Lodge No. 312, Decatur, II 1.,

by Lambskin Lodge No. 460.

April 20, 1931, Frank P. Mead, Wm. B. Warren Lodge No. 209, Chicago, 111., by Meridian Lodge No.2.

April 24, 1931, Gottfried Haur.i, Constantia Lodge No. 783, Chicago, Ill., by Theo. Roosevelt Lodge No. 661.

May 26, 1931, Thomas H. Johnson, Pantagon Lodge No. 1080, Dallas, Tex., by Itaska Lodge No. 420.

June 16, 1931, John B. Schoback, Weston Lodge No. 53, Weston, Mo., by Olive Branch Lodge No. 576.

June 23, 1931, Rev. A. R. Hammer, United Lodge, No.5, Springfield, Mo., by Forest Park Lodge No. 578.

June 30, 1931, Barney Harris, Nodaway Lodge No. 470, Maryville, Mo., by Erwin Lodge No. 121.路 There were three graves opened in the Masonic Board of Relief Lot' in Valhalla Cemetery for the following Brethren: No. 75 Geo. H. Edick, Lawn Lodge No. 815, Chicago, Il1.

No. 99 Chas. A. White, Itaska Lodge No. 420, St. Louis No 100 Warren Selbe, Williamsport Lodge No. 38, Williamsport, Ind. FINANCIAL STATEMENT. RECEIPTS. Balance on hand June 30, 1930 Refunds Initiations __ Donations __ __.. __ '.'

In terest __ .. __

$ 346.72 $2,200. 78 2,125.00 10.00 10.89

4,346.67 $4,693.39

1931

89

Grand Lodge of Missouri

DISBURSEMENTS. Bonds-Treas. & Secy Donations ;:..1.: : Error : :: : : Expense Funeral Expense Office Expense '.~.t .'

Relief Secretary's Salary Stationery ..

Total Disbursemen ts Balance 6n hand June 30, 1931.................................

$

. . .. . ..

. ..

5.00 115.00 1.00 90.75 62.90 150.00 3,753.37 260.00 67.40

$ 4,50 5. 42

187.97 $4,693.39

$4,693.39

It may be noted that on June 30, 1931, the funds to the 'credit of this Board was $187.97, but we are informed that since that date many of the Lodges in the 33rd Masonic District paid up amounts they were in arrears at the end of the Masonic Year. It is our opinion that each Lodge should make payments at as early a date as possible after a candidate receives his first degree. However, payments should be made at least four times a year, or oftener, as the Masonic law requires that Boards of Relief and Relief Committees assist any applicant for relief if found worthy and delay of lodges in keeping the funds of the several Boards intact causes the officers and members of the Board to advance cash out of their own pockets.

Fraternally submitted, A. J. O'REILLY.

Following the presentation by R. W. Bro. O'Reilly of the report of the Committee on St. Louis Masonic Board of Relief, M. W. Bro. Gentry said: "Brethren, I want to tell you what a wonderful man our brother, who has just read that report, has been, and is. He doesn't make a big fuss about things, but when brother is in need of relief and he comes to that Masonic Board of Relief, he always finds Brother Andrew J. O'Reilly right on the job, and Brother O'Reilly knows how to bring the relief where needed, and not only has he served in our city and state, but he has long served as the secretary of the National Board of Relief, and he only just retired at the recent session just a few days ago in Toronto, Canada. It was a great loss when they had to give him up, but he saw fit to retire; I don't blame him after all the years he has given.

He is now honorary secretary of that organization, but he is still working here with us in Missouri, and his services are simply invaluable." (Applause.)

a

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON RITUAL.

To the M. fV. Grand Lodge) A. F. & A. M. of the State of Missouri: Brethren: Your Committee on Ritual beg leave to report that they have had nothing before them during the past year.

Fraternally submitted,

(Adopted)

JULIUS C. GARRELL. Chairman, J. R. McLACHLAN, SAMUEL R. FREET, J. GWYNN GOUGH, JAMES A. KINDER.

90

Proceedings of the

1931

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON LODGES UNDER DISPENSATION.

No report was presented by the Committee on Lodges Under Dispensation, and it was reported by the Grand Secretary that there are no Lodges und'er dispensation.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON WELFARE.

M. W. Bro. T. VV. Cotton presented the following Report of the Committee on Welfare, which was adopted and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

To Ihe Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons in the State of Missouri: The Committee on Welfare, appointed by M. W. Bro. William R. Gentry. Grand Master, in accordance with the provisions of the Grand Lodge By-Laws, as amended at its last annual communication, respectfully submits the following: The Grand Master, having designated M. VV. Bro. T. W. Cotton as Chairman, he called the first meeting of such Committee at the Masonic Home, 5351 Delmar Boulevard, St. Louis, Mo., on November 7, 1930.

There were present at this meeting, M. W. Bros. T. W. Cotton, R. R. Kreeger, A. A. Johnson, W. Bro. W. S. Campbell and R. W. Thos. .H. Reynolds. the entire membership. The working organization of the Committee was effected by electing M. W. Bro. R. R. Kreeger as Secretary and W. Bro. W. S. Campbell as Treasurer.

At this first meeting. by unanimous action. the Committee directed its Secretary to request the Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge, R. W. Bro. Arthur Mather. to issue a check or warrant in favor of the Committee on Welfare for the entire sum, $3.000.00, appropriated by the Grand Lodge at the annual communication held in Kansas City on September 30. to October 2, 1930. In due course such check was received and placed to the credit of the Committee on deposit in a St. Louis bank. This was a departure from the methods pursued by former Committees and it is believed it resulted in more expeditiously meeting the requests for assistance from the various lodges.

Eleven meetings were held during the year and applications for assistance were all acted upon and contributions made in each case, in accordance with the requirements to meet the situation.

The aggregate funds at the disposal of the Committee were '$3,167.79, received from the following sources: The Grand Lodge $3.000.00 Kansas City Lodge No. 220, as a refund on a previous appropriation. but not required for use....................

150.00 From interest on daily balances............................................

17.79

The total disbursements were

$3,167.79 2,613.90

Leavin2' a balance on hand at this date

i;

553.Rll

路 1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

91

The total contributions to lodges amounted to $2,610.00 and $3.90 was expended out of the interest received on daily balances for a record book for usc of the Committee's Treasurer. No other expense of any nature has been incurred by the Committee.

Contibutions were made to twenty-four different lodg-es for use in the care of indigent members thereof, whose names are omitted for the reason it is not deemed necessary to give them. The following schedule gives the name. number, location and amount paid to each lodge :making. application for assistance: Lodge No. Location Amt. Gate City .__ ... _... .. __ . ... . .. .522 ... _.. __ .Kansas City ... $180.00 Perseverance ..__... .. __ . . ... !I2. .. Louisiana .. .... __ 240.00 Somerset .... . ._._.. . ... ._. 206. .... Powersville . ._._..... 30.00 Mountain Grove . ... .. .. .. _.. __ 158._..

Mountain Grove .__ . ...., 135.00 South Gate .....__. . ... ._.. _.!i47 _.. ._. Kansas City __ ... .__ .._.. 22:>.OU Lexington . ._. ._.. .. ... __.. __ 149.__ ..

Lexington ...._..__ . 100.0 a Samaritan ......_...... .__ .... __. ...,42-L. . Eonne Terre _...._ _. 200.00 Pine ._..__ .... .. .. .__ .. _ __ .. __ .. 214 .... _: __ .... Eardley ..... __ _ 50.00 Composite .__... __ .. . . .. _ 369 .. ._. __ .. Doniphan .. .. 180.00 Bucklin __. ...... _233. .

Eucklin . _ __..... __ .. _. 60.00 Cardwell . .. _... .. _:__ . ... __ 231 .... .. __ Cardwell __ . .. __ ... __ . 180.00 Middle Fabius . .. . ... 24L .__ Downing ..__.__.. _.... __ ....__.__ . 180.00 St. Francois . ... . .234.__ .. __ . Libertyville .. __. ..

50.00 Twilight . ... __ .... . .. .__ lli ....

Columbia .. . ... 85.00 Galena . ._. .__._.. ... _._ .... __ .__ G1:i ..

Galena .. . 100.00 Callao ....__ __ .. .. . .. 38.. .__ Callao _ . . 80.00 Centralia ._ __.. .. ... .. .. 59 Centralia ._ 120.00 Rockbridge __ .. .. .. __ .435. ... _. Rockbridge .... 140.00 Gate of the Temple__ .... __..._.. .. __ .,422 Sprlngfield .__ .. _.. .. . 30.00 Fairfax . .. .. ... .,48 3 .. .__ .Pairfax .. __. .. ....._. 30.00 Nodaway . __ _.. .. __ . .470.__ .

Mar路yville .__ . 75.00 Puxico ... .. .. _ .. __ ._ _. .__ ._59 6.__ .

Puxico .....__ .. .. .____ 95.00 St. John's .. ...__ .. . . .__. 28_ __ .IIannibal .. ..... 35.00 Trowel . _. __ .. __...... _.... ..440 .. __.__ __Marble Hill . . ..__.__ .. 15.00 The maximum amount per month allowed to any applicant during the year was $20.00. In a few cases only $5.00 per month was requested; the difference depending on conditions surrounding applicants and beneficiaries. .

In all cases where contributions were made to lodges, the information was given the Master that the Committee expected the lodge to contribute a like amount toward the support of the unfortunate member or dependent.

This was for the purpose of conserving the resources of the Grand Lodge, set apart for this work, and at the same time enable the lodge to assist, in a measure at least, with the Grand Lodge in this splendid service of helping their worthy and distressed brethren.

The officers of the various lodges have uniformly been sincere and frank in their dealings with the Committee, and apparently co-operated to the fullest extent possible in every way in caring for the unfortunate membership and its dependents. So far as is known to the Committee, checks which were not needed by the applicants, or which were received by them after the necessity of further assistance ceased, were returned to the Committee.

The balance on hand shown in our report will be required to meet necessary payments for Which the Committee has made appropriations.

The opportunities for service and the calls upon the Committee for

92

P1'oceedings of the

1931

additional payments to relieve distress would require a much larger sum than the amount heretofore appropriated by the Grand Lodge.

The Committee is of the opinion that this is a most commendable work and ti)at an additional appropriation can be used to excellent actvantagenot only for the relief of indigent and distressed brethren and their dependents, but in a way that will save a very .considerable amount to the Fraternity in the discharge of its duty toward these deserving people.

The Committee is pleased to report a donation by Dr. H. H. Blackledge, a member of Ashlar Lodge No. 306, A. F. & A. M., Commerce, Missouri, for the use of the Welfare Committee. This evidence of appreciation of the work in which your Committee is engaged is greatly appreciated and we trust that other members of the Fraternity will follow his good example.

Assuming that the number of applicants will be greater during the incoming year than they were during the year now closing, it is believed that the Grand Lodge should appropriate a larger sum. 'Yeo therefore, recommend that an adequate amount be set aside for the use of the Committee during the incoming year.

Respectfully submitted, T. W. COTTON, Chairman, KREr~GER, Secretary, W. S. CAMPBELL. Treas.

ARCH A. JOHNSON, THOMAS H. REYNOLDS.

R. R.

REMARKS

FROM

DISTINGUISHED VISITORS.

At the invitation of the Grand Master, M. W. Bro. J. Forrest Ayres, Grand Master of Kansas, addressed the Grand Lodge. His remarks are as follows: "M. W. Grand Master and Brethren: It affords me great pleasure to meet with you today for the reason it is kind of like coming horne.

You know, if there is anyone thing that a child likes more than another it is to get home and see the parents. The Grand Lodge of Kansas received its charter from the Grand Louge of Missouri, and we feel like we wanted to pay homage to your Grand Lodge by our visit at least once a year. These visitations bring Masonry closer together in fellowship. We gain much knowledge by co-operation. We gain in Kansas, with our 80,000 membership, and likewise you gain in Missouri, by visiting our Grand Lodge. We were pleased to have your Grand Master, Grand Treasurer, and Grand Secretary with us at our annual communication last year at Wichita, and it gave us great pleasure to entertain them.

"I was struck very much with the entertainment supplied by the children of the Masonic Home this morning-that fine bunch of children, those small girls and boys with their beaming faces-the coming generation, and the coming mothers of the country. I think it is a wonderful work that is being done. We, in Kansas, of course, have our Masonic Home in Wichita. We. have at the present time some 250 inmates, boys and girls and old folks, that we are trying to take care of in the same way that you folks are doing over here. During the last two years, we have added to the Home some $200,000, making about $400,000 there for the taking care of the old folks, and the children. As I say, I think it is a wonderful work.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

93

"One regret I have in laying down the scepter of my office next February is that I retire fwm my activity In connection with the Masonic Home Board. We, in Kansas, advance on the Board from the Grand Junior Warden. The Grand Junior Warden each year is made a member of the Board. The four principal officers are members of the Board, together with five other members, one member being a lady from the Eastern Star. One of the real joys of my heart has been the service I have been able to give to the Masonic Home Board, and its deliberations.

"Another point of the Grand Master's Address that impressed me very favorably was the Masonic Trial Commission. Since 1926, we have conducted Masonic Trials in Kansas through the medium of a Commission. I have had occasion to serve on that Commission for four years. and we have been very much pleased with the handling of the Masonic Trials under that system. Formerly, we handled it through the Lodge when the brethren were summoned to the trial; and, of course, they all appeared. Very much of the proceedings got out on the street, unintentionally many times. but it was peddled from mouth to mouth and in the small town the people knew that the Masons were having a trial. This disgusted us, and we have been handling that work on the Trial Commission basis during the last five years. We have been very much pleased with that procedure in our Masonic cases.

"We, In Kansas, of course, practice the same Masonic teachings, uphold the same landmarks as you brethren do in Missouri. We believe in Masonry and we try to live MasonicaJly. Two years ago I served as Chairman on the Commission and out of all of our eighty thousand Masons we had only sixteen cases, which, I think, was very good.

You know, a brother sometimes hates to come up before a committee, when he can manipulate his Lodge and perhaps get by.

"I visited the Grand Lodge of Colorado two weeks ago in their deliberations at Denver, and I was very much interested in their procedure. They had three members who were in the penitentiary and they couldn't get them out of the Lodge until it came to the Jurisprudence Committee. Think of that! I think a brother who has transgressed the laws and disgraced Masonry should be expelled and should be expelled promptly.

"Now, Brethren, I don't feel that I should take up a lot of your time In your deliberations this afternoon and, with these few remarks, I will ask at this time to be excused. I thank you."

At the invitation of the Grand Master, M. W. Bro. John R. Tapster, Grand Master of Nebraska, then addressed the Grand Lodge. His remarks are as follows: "M. W. Grand Master and Brethren: I just want, at this time, to express my very sincere appreciation for this kind invitation that brings us here today. We appreciate very much the privilege of visiting In Missouri, since one of the Lodges that form the Grand Lodge of Nebraska received its charter from the Grand Lodge of Missouri under the name of 'Gidding's Lodge No. 156.' There is a peculiar tie under such a condition, alld we certainly feel like we are coming home when we come to Missouri.

"Now, Brethren, I don't want to take up much of your time. There has been a good deal said about depression and about the loss of membership here today, and you know, I sometimes feel that it is a good

94

Proceedings of the

1931

thing. Being a llruggist, I know that a good purging is a good thing for a man occasionally, and I am sure that it is for a Grand Lodge.

"I get a good deal of comfort out of Kipling's words. He entitles his poem 'If.' I saw it quoted under the title of 'Control,' and I believe it may be well to repeat it-if I can: 'If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you, If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,

But make allowance for their doubting, too; If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don't deal in lies, Or being hated, don't give way to hating, And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise: 'If you can dream-and not make dreams your master; If you can think--and not make thoughts your aim, If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two imposters just the same; If you can bear to hear the truth )'ou've spoken,

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, And stoop and build 'em with worn-out tools: 'If you can make one heap of all your winnings;

And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss, And lose, and start again at your beginnings And never breathe a word about your loss; If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew To serve your turn long after they are gone, And so hold on when there is nothing in you Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on !'.'

'If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings-nor lose the common touch, If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you, If alI men count with you, but none too much;

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds' worth of distance run, Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it, And-which is more-you'll be a Man, my son!'

"As I study the principles of Freemasonry, I am more and more impressed with their grandeur and nobility; and as I contemplate the lives . that we as Masons live, it filIs the heart with humor to think how far we fall below our standards, and I sometimes fear that as our fraternity has grown venerable that we, the children, have lost some of that stern integrity and devotion to genuine Masonic principles which characterized our fathers in that faith. Reverence towards God and purity of heart to represent faithfulness in word and deed, obedience to constituted law and authority, charity for the needy,- these, Brethren, are some of the standards and tenets that are emblazoned upon our standards. Profanity and falsehood and slander and disobedience to constituted law 'and authority, and vice of every kind, are denounced as un-masonic and unworthy of him who has knelt at our sacred altar. So, Brethren, let us keep the faith and let us continue in love, for as the poem goes:

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

95

'Vve deem his faith the best Who daily puts into loving deeds Done for the poor, the sorrowing, the oppressed For these are more than creeds.

And, tho overblind reason oft may err The heart that loves is faith's interpreter.

'One hanrl outstretched to man In helpfulness, the other clings to God; And thus upheld, he walks through time's brief span In ways that Jesus trod; Taught by His spirit and sustained and led, That life like His, by love is perfected.

'Such faith, such love are Thine!

Creeds may be false-perhaps misunderstood; But who so rends the autographs divine Of goodness doing good Need never err therein; come life, come death It copies His, the Christ of Nazareth: 路'M. W. Grand Master and Brethren. I want to thank you for the privilege of meeting here and enjoying this session with you all:'

At the invitation of the Grand Master, M. W. Bro. Lewis

E. Smith, Grand Secretary of Nebraska, also addressed the Grand Lodge with appropriate remarks.

GREETINGS TO BROTHER ARTHUR RUMP.

The Grand Master thereupon spoke as follows: "Brethren, there is a matter that you will find mentioned in my address-there is an article in there, or a heading entitled "Shut-Ins." I wish all of you brethren would read that carefully, and particularly the account I gave there of a visit to a brother in this city named Arthur Rump, who for twenty-two long years has been fiat on his back, his joints slowly solidifying as the result of an accident he suffered some twenty-three years ago. That has progressed to a point now where he can't even move one joint of his finger or one joint of the toe. He lives there, day after day. hour after hour, and year after year, as life is slowly passing from him; and now to make matters worse, a cancer developed near his eye and ate into his eyeball, and just recently the eye has had to be removed.

"I called on that poor brother a couple of weeks ago; and how do you suppose I found him? As cheerful and bright and happy as anybody you ever saw in your life. He runs a little business of his own, there fiat on his back, and he has a sign on the front of the house in these words, 'Arthur Rump, down, but not out: "Brethren, such rare courage, such a splendid, indomitable spirit deserves recognition. That brother is a member of Anchor Lodge of this city. I suggest, at this time, that a messenger be sent to him with a message from this Grand Lodge, commending him for his indomitable spirit, carrying words of comfort to him, and a few fiowers from the Grand Lodge to cheer him in his awful affliction. (Applause.)

96

Proceedings of the

1931

"If there be no objection I will order the Grand Secretary to see that it Is attended to, and I will write and sign the message myself, in behalf of the Grand Lodge of Missouri."

At the suggestion of the Grand Secretary, Brother R. H. Caffall, Secretary of Anchor Lodge No. 443, was commissioned by the Grand Master to carry the letter and flowers to the home of Brother Rump.

NEW SECTION

TO

BY-LAWS PROPOSED.

M. W. Bro. Tolman W. Cotton presented the following: "We recommend the adoption of the following new section to be known as Section 74-A: "'Section 74-A. Pa,'ment of Masonic Home Fund.

The $1.50 of the annual dues paid by each chartered Lodge to the Grand Lodge to be used for the support of the Masonic Home, as provided for in Section 74, shall be paid over weekly, as collected, to the Masonic Home of M'issouri. .

ARCH A. JOHNSON, T. W. COTTON, R. R. KREEGER, C. H. BRIGGS, J. R. McLACHLAN, W. A. CLARK.' ..

OTHER PROPOSED AMENDMENTS.

At the request of the Grand Master, the Grand Secretary read to the Grand Lodge the following two Resolutions and five Amendments, which Resolutions and Amendments were proposed by the Grand Master: RESOLUTIONS: (1) "RESOLVED, that hereafter, regardless of any resolution heretofore adopted, only the Grand Master and the Grand Secretary of this Grand Lodge shall attend meetings of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association at the expense of this Grand Lodge.

WM. R. GENTRY, RAY V. DENSLOW."

This resolution was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

(2) "WHEREAS, the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Missouri and certain other officers of the Grand Lodge are ex-officio members of the Board of Directors of the Masonic Home of Missouri without right of vote or debate on any question considered by the Board of Directors; "AND, WHEREAS, it is the sense of this Grand Lodge that the Grand Master, during his term of office and while an ex-officio member of the Board of Directors of the Masonic

/

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

97

Home of Missouri, should have the right of vote and debate On all matters considered by the Board of Directors; "THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Board of Directors of the Masonic Home of Missouri be requested to take such steps as are necessary to have the Articles of Incorporation and the By-Laws of the Masonic Home of Missouri amended so as to give to the Grand Master during his term of office the right to participate in the business of the Board of Directors with power of vote and debate on all matters presented to and considered by the Board of Directors.

WM. R. GENTRY, C. H. BRIGGS, ARCH A. JOHNSON, T. W. COTTON, R. R. KREEGER, W. A. CLARK."

Said Preambles and Resolutions were referred to the Committee on Jurisprudence.

AMENDMENTS:.

(1) "To amend the Grand Lodge By-Laws of 1925 by adding after Section 217, a new Section to be known as Section 217-A, and reading as follows: "'Section 217-A. Same. If any objection is made by any member of any Lodge to the holding of a Masonic funeral over the remains of one of its deceased mem路bers, or over the body of any Mason it has been requested to bury, because of his character or the manner of his death, such objection shall be submitted promptly to the Worshipful Master and the two Wardens of said Lodge with a statement of the facts on which the objection is based. The Worshipful Master and the two Wardens shall thereupon consider such objections, and if all three of them agree that it is proper under Section 217 to hold such Masonic funeral and that the facts stated to them do not show anything in the life or death of the deceased which would make a Masonic funeral tend to bring reproach upon the cause of Freemasonry, then such Masonic funeral shall be held. If all three of such officers agree that it would, for the reasons stated, bring reproach upon the cauge to have a Masonic funeral, then no such funeral shall be held; but, if the decision of such officers is not unanimous, then all the facts shall immediately be submi tted to the Grand Master, whose decision shall be had and shall be final.'" .

(2) "To amend Section 22 of the Grand Lodge By-Laws by inserting in the seventh line thereof after the words 'and a resident of such District' the words 'or an adjoining District,' so that when amended said Section shall read as follows: "'Section 22. District Deputy Grand Masters. The Grand Jurisdiction of Missouri shall be divided into such number of Masonic Districts as may be, from time to time, ordered by the Grand Lodge, for each of which there shall be ap_ pointed and commissioned by the Grand Master, a District Deputy Grand Master, who must be a Past or present Master of a Lodge in this Jurisdiction, and a resident of such district or an adjoining district. Districts which have, or may

98

"If"

Proceedings of the

1931

hereafter have, forty or more Lodges, shall have two District Deputy Grand Masters of equal rank, over separate divisions of such district. The Grand Master may convene the District Deputies in regional conferences at such times as he may deem best, the expenses of such meetings to be defrayed. by the Grand Lodge.' " (3) "To amend Section 24 of the Grand Lodge By-Laws by inserting in the third line thereof between the words 'a resident of such District' and the words 'who shall,' the words 'or an adjoining District' so that when amended said Section shall read as follows: "'Section 24. District Lecturer. There shall be appointed and commissioned by the Grand Lecturer, for each Masonic District, a District Lecturer, a resident of such District or an adjoining District, who shall be a Past or present Master and who shall be competent to teach the work of this Jurisdiction, and who shall hold his office until the next succeeding session of the Grand Lodge, unless removed by the Grand Lecturer. He shall visit, officially, the Lodges in his District as far as practicable, and for holding Lodges of Instruction shall receive Five Dollars per day and his actual expenses, to be paid by each Lodge instructed.'''

(4) "To amend Section 26172 of the Grand Lodge By-Laws by adding thereto the following words: 'provided that in any case in which a Masonic trial is to be had the Grand Master may, in his discretion, require that the trial shall be had by a commission to be appointed by him,' so that when amended, sa id section shall read as follows: "'Section 261 %. Trial b}' Commission. The Lodge (by a majority vote), or the accused may make request, in writing, that the case be tried by a Commission, which request shall be voted or filed with the Worshipful Master not less than two days before the day fixed for trial. "'When said vote is so taken or said request so filed, the Worshipful Master shall refer the matter to the Grand Master, . who, if he approves the request, shall appoint a Trial Commission to take charge of and try the case, and pending the determination of the 路Grand Master, the trial shall be postponed to a time fixed in the order of postponement. "'Each Trial Commission appointed by the Grand Master shall consist of three disinterested and experienced brethren, members of Lodges in Missouri, residing outside the jurisdiction of the Lodge interested, excepting that in the cities having three or more Lodges, such Trial Commission may be appointed by the Grand Master from brethren residing in the respective cities, not members of the Trial Lodge. "'The Trial Commission shall hear all evidence submitted and make a shorthand record of such evidence and testimony.

They shall observe the same rules of evidence and practice as are prescribed by the Grand Lodge By-Laws for Trial Committees. "'The Commission shall prepare a brief statement of the facts found, its conclusions thereon, and the punishment, if any, fixed by it, which shall be filed with the Lodge in the same manner and with the same effect as is provided for a verdict by jury.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

99

"'The Trial Commission shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Lodge for actual expenses paid. "'In trials ordered by the Most Worshipful Grand Master, by the Grand Lodge or any Committee of the Grand Lodge with the approval of the Grand Lodge, such Grand Master, Grand Lodge or Committee may designate that the trial is to be had. by Commission, provided that in any case in which a Masonic trial is to be had the Grand Master may, in his discretion, require that the trial shall be had by a commission to be appointed by him.' " (5) "We propose the adoption of the following new Section of Article 19 of the By-Laws to be known as Section 222-A: "'Section 222-A. Ex-officio IUembers.

The Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge by virtue of their office, during their term of office, shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Directors of the Masonic Home of Missouri, with such rights and powers as may be conferred upon them by the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Masonic Home of Missouri.'

WM. R. GENTRY, C. H. BRIGGS, ARCH A. JOHNSON, T. W. COTTON, R. R. KREEGER, W. A. CLARK."

There were also read to the Grand Lodge, by the Grand Secretary, the following preamble and resolution: To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Missouri:

The following Resolution is hereby offered: "WHEREAS, it appearing to the undersigned that, wholly for the reason of accessibility to them, the best interests of Freemasonry would be served by transferring Belle Lodge No. 373, A. F. & A. M., Belle, Mo., and Vienna Lodge No. 94, A. F. & A. M., Vienna, Mo., from the 58th Masonic District to the 39th Masonic District.

"THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that such transfer be ordered at this communication of the Crand Lodge, effective immed ia tely.

Fraternally submitted, CHARLES L. WOODS, D.D.C.M., 39th Masonic District, Rolla, Mo. E. J. KOCH, D.L., 39th Masonic District, Rolla, Mo. K. C. JONES, D.D.C.M., 58th Masonic District, Versailles, Mo."

Said preamble and resolution were referred to the Committee on Jurisprudence.

100

Proceedings of the

1931

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON GEORGE WASHINGTON MASONIC NATIONAL MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION.

M. \".T. Bro. Bert S. Lee presented the following report of the Committee on George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association, motion for incorporation of which report in the printed Proceedings was adopted.

To the Grand Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons: The Twenty-first Annual Convention of The George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association was held in Alexandria, Va., on February 23rd and 24th of this year.

Forty-four of the Grand Lodges were represented. Missouri was represented by a number of the Grand Officers and the State Chairman.

By action of the Convention the Board of Directors was increased from eighteen to twenty-one members and Missouri was honored in the election of one of our Past Grand Masters, M. W. Brother Anthony F. Ittner, as one of the new directors.

The work on the Memorial is progressing very sa tisfactorily. The date for the Dedication has been definitely fixed for Thursday, May 12, of next year. The Annual Convention of 路the Association being held on Wednesday, the 11th.

The Ceremonies of Dedication will bring together the largest concourse of Freemasons ever assembled at one time and many, if not most, of the Grand Lodges will have all their Grand Officers present as well as large delegations of the brethren. Your action last year in voting unanimously to send our Grand Officers has had quite an influence in determining other Grand Lodges to do likewise.

Arrangements are being- made with all railroads for special rates and many Lodges are arranging for special trains.

The United States Government Committee has designated the Second week in Mayas Masonic Week and the Memorial Association has set apart Thursday of that week on which to dedicate the greatest Masonic Memorial ever erected and to honor in a special way this great Patriot and Freemason.

Missouri should, and we believe will, have a very large representation of brethren present at Alexandria to take part in the dedicatory ceremonies.

Fraternally sUbmitted, BERT S. LEE.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON TRANSPORTATION AND HOTELS.

The following report of the Committee on Transportation and Hotels was presented, and motion to approve it was adopted: To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri: Your Committee on Hotels and Transportation begs leave to report as follows: The usual list of Hotels and Identification Cer-

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

101

tificates was sent to each Lodge according to custom, and reservations made as -requested. We regret our inability to fill the many requests we had for World Series Baseball Tickets.

JAMES L. FLA VEN, Chairman.

REPORT OF GRAND LECTURER.

R. W. Bro. James R. McLachlan, Grand Lecturer, presented the following report, which was adopted: To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Missouri: Kahoka, Missouri, September 28, 1931.

Brethren: I am pleased to report that the work of the year, as planned by myself immediately after the meeting of the Grand Lodge, was followed without interruption by sickness or any other caUSe during the entire year. Every section of the State was visited and in some instances, where conditions seemed to justify, more time was given. in certain sections to Lodges that were more urgently in need of instruction. Two or three Districts were passed by. But as considerable time was given them the year before, and the District Lecturers were particularly active, I am sure that they are progressing.

While many of our Lodges were inactive on account of having no material with which to work, there was generally a good attendance at these meetings, sometimes beyond my expectations. The quality of work being- done is very praiseworthy. Of course, there are instances where the rendition of the ritual is of a very mediocre character, but taking into consideration the small membel'ship and the lack of capable workers among them, it is to be expected.

Special attention has been given these Lodges by myself and deputies and in some of them with very good results.

Nearly all of my deputies deplored the fact of a dearth of work throughout their Districts. This was mainly attributed to the prevailing conditions, but they were hopefully looking to the future for a revival. I believe that a reasonable amount of work in every Lodge is very essential to maintaining an active interest and to firmly establish ourselves in the ritualistic work, but our anxiety for initiates should not lessen our vigilance in guarding against the admission of the unworthy. I am pleased to }<now that the brethren, generally, exercise very good judgment in their selections. Our strength is not to be measured by great numbers. but in the earnest, honest and conscientious efforts of our membership.

Notwithstanding the depression which has spread to ali lines of endeavor, the most of the Lodges are hopeful for the future. While the financial situation has caused considerable diminution in the work accomplished, I am convinced that in many instances, the Lodges are woefully lacking in leadership. A Lodge having officers, who are not only efficient in the duties of their respective off.ices, but men of prominence in the community and are active workers in civic affairs, is generally found to be thriving, if not in active work, the interest is maintained and the attendance is good.

I visited and held Lodges of Instruction at the following places: Monroe, Shelbina, Callao, Elmer, Bethel, Plattsburg, Cosby, Whitesville, St. Joseph, Tarkio, Graham, Ravenwood, Maryville, Lexington, Independence, Platte City.... Hardin, Carrollton, DeWitt, Moberly, Els-

102

Proceedings路 of the

1931

berry, Milan, Meadville, Bucklin, Bethany, Stanberry, King City, Trenton, Princeton, Altamont, Canton, Louisiana, Wellsville, Mexico, Mokane, Washington, Jefferson City, Centertown, Salisbury, Keytesville, KirksVille, Hamilton, Wheeling', 'Polo, Higbee, Huntsville, Fayette, Sturgeon, Centralia, Columbia, St. Louis, St. Louis Co., Kahoka, Memphis, Wayland, Liberty, Miami, Nelson, Marshall, Harrisonville, Eldorado Springs, Stockton, Bolivar, Springfield, Ash Grove, Marshfield, St. Charles, Webb City, Monett, Mt. Vernon, Miller,Nevada, Butler, Pleasant Hill, Harrisburg, Sedalia, Eldon, DeSoto, Fredericktown, Ironton, Flat River, Leadwood, Neosho, West Plains, Houston, Doniphan, Poplar Bluff, Van Buren, Hornersville, Chaffee and MOI'ley.

Other Lodges were visited but these are not taken into consideration, for in some instances, I was only an interested spectator or assisted in degree work.

In a former report, I expressed the opinion that, when our road system was completed, many of the smaller Lodges would consolidate with others more prosperous. Since that time, there have been several changes and I hear of others that are contemplating such a move. One of my deputies reported that all of his Lodges could now be reached over hard surface roads, a condition that did not exist until recently. With good roads and our means of conveyance, more changes can be reasonably expected in the future.

By so doing the jurisdiction of the surviving Lodge, will be enlarged, thus giving a greater field in which to labor.

In a number of Districts,associations have been organized. Some of them meeting with regularity, others only occasionally. Degree work is usually the principal order of business.

These associations and the interchange of visits with other Lodges are productive of much good. They not only create greater interest in the ritual but their vision is widened and they learn that the manner in which their own Lodge is conducted is not always that of other Lodges. Another benefit to be derived is that good fellowship is promoted and friendships established among those who attend regularly these meetings.

I most gratefully acknowledge the continued support and valuable assistance rendered by my deputies. They have at all times responded to every demand.

They have prepared the way for my visitations and assisted me in all of my visitations.

Their reports to me are greatl~路 g'ratifying and an abstract of the same is herein given.

ABSTRACT OI<' REPORTS OF THE DISTRICT LECTURERS. Brother Harold M. Jayne of the First District has been in the jurisdiction of every Lodge, spent considerable time with the brethren and while regular schools for instruction were few, much good work was done in giving individual instruction to the membership generally. While work has been slack, the brethren seemed anxious to maintain a good degree of proficiency and eagerly sought instruction in their particular duties. An interchange of visitations and work among the Lodges, has proved very profitable, as a desire to excel has served as a stimulant to their efforts.

Brother Joseph W. Moore of the Third District held Lodge of Instruction at Lucerne, Newtown, Pollock, Green City and Winigan and was present and assisted the Grand Lecturer in a District Lodge of Instruction at Milan. Numerous visitations were made, and a bUSy year was reported in conferring degrees, installing officers, conducting funerals and other duties pertaining to the office. He reports not much work was done by any of the Lodges

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

103

but the officers in most of them seem very active and their duties are performed in a very creditable manner.

Brother E. M. Wilson of the Fourth District reports but very little work was done in the Lodges of his jurisdiction. The work is being put on in a very creditable manner. He has responded to every demand made for his services and thinks that the Lodges are doing well under the present conditions.

Brother Hendrix Newman of the Fifth District visited every Lodge under his supervision, gave instruction and counseled with them in matters for the good of Freemasonry. He found the Lodg-es in g-ood spirits, interested in the work and as season advances plans are being made for the winter's work. The most of the Lodges are well prepared to confer degrees on February 20.

Bethany Lodge No. 97 celebrated its seventy-eighth anniversary with a basket dinner for Masons and their families. A good program was provided, and the occasion was an en tertaining one for all those in attendance.

Another occasion was the visitation of the Shrine band from St. Joseph to the Fifth District. A two-hour program was rendered to the satisfaction of everyone.

Brother Curtis F. Smith of the Sixth District visited every Lodge in his charge, assisted in the work and gave instruction whenever needed. He was with the Grand Lecturer at Stanberry at a District Lodge of Instruction and accompanied him to King City where other instruction was given. He thinks that conditions are very satisfactory, all things taken into consideration.

Brother Jonathan Stark of the Seventh District visited and worked with the following Lodges: Quitman, Ravenwood, Graham, White Hall, Kennedy, Burling-ton, Gaynor City, Pickering, Guilford, Skidmore, Maryville and Nodaway. All demands for his services were promptly answered and the duties pertaining to his office were cheerfully performed. With the exception of a few of the Lodges,all are capable of doing good work.

Brother Frank R. Elton of the Eighth District reporfS路路v.'isitations to every Lodge, some of them several times, givi'ng 'instr,uc-lion on all occasions. A weekly School of Instruction was '. held' during the winter at Tarkio and a number of brethren of the District availed themselves of the opportunity to perfect themselves in their particular work.

The Lodges, generally, are competent to do good work.

Brother Frank A. Miller of the Ninth District was very active, as usual, in his work among the brethren. Weekly Lodges of Instruction were held at St. Joseph during the first three months of the year with an average attendance of forty-six. All the city Lodges, with the exception of "Brotherhood" were represented 路at each meeting.

Every Lodge in the: District was visited路. one or more times and Lodges of Instruction were held with the following Lodges: Saxton, Agency, Cosby,. Helena, Wallace Park,DeKalb, Birming, Savannah and Rushville. Much more was hoped to be accomplished but sickness prevented further activity.

He reports that the Lodges are in very good condition considering everything.

All the Lodges, with the exception of a few of the smaller ones, had some work and the ritualistic work shows improvement.

Brother E. E. Divinia of the Twelfth District gives a very full description of his. visItations and the condition of each Lodge in the District. Some Lodges have shown improvement while in others a decided lack of interest is manifested. The Lodges at Hamilton, Chillicothe, Polo, Breckenridge and Wheeling are commended for their efforts and show considerable improvement. There seems to

104

Proceedings of the

1931

be some discord among the members in two of the Lodges, which is to be regretted. The general condition of the country, has doubtless affected the Lodges, as it has in almost every line of endeavor and we hope that when the clouds roll away the Lodges will revive and renew their activity.

Brother L. E. Wilhoit of the Fourteenth District was with the Grand Lecturer in his visitations at Shelbina, Callao, Elmer and Bethel. A series of Lodges of Instruction were held at Macon for a time during the winter for Censer Lodge, and officers of adjoining Lodges were present at most of these meetings. All Lodges were visited, assistance rendered in degree work and instruction given in evei'y instance. The District Meetings were well attended and the degree work was very nicely done. All the Lodges are in good condition and are capable. of doing very good work.

Brother Warren H. May of the Sixteenth District reports that all of the Lodges, with the exception of Pike Number 399, are in good condition. A District Lodge of Instruction by the Grand Lecturer was held at Louisiana with representation from most of the Lodges in attendance. A District Association was organized and meetings were held at Clarksville, Bowling Green and Louisiana, at which times, degrees were conferred by a visiting Lodge.

These meetings have proved to be very beneficial to the brethren as they strive for greater proficiency.

All Lodges were officially visited and help given them on every occasion.

Brother G. E. Chipman of the Seventeenth District reports that three Lodges are in poor worl<ing condition. Their membership is small and they have difficulty in holding regular meetings. Paris Union, Monroe, Holliday and Middle Grove are in very good condition. The Lodges have not been surfeited with work, due to the general condition in all lines of work, but their working condition is about the same as usual.

Brother T. H. Edwards of the Nineteenth District says there is nothing special to report as everything seems to be going very good for the financial difficulties we are passing through. He did not visit all the Lodges but met with representatives of all of them in the County Associations. Schools of Instruction were held at Sumner, Mendon, Brunswick, Keytesville and Salisbury.

The brethren are very well informed in the work and are manifesting considerable interest. Two meetings of the County Association are held each year. The attendance is good and they have proved to be very helpful to the various Lodges.

Brother Otto Hale of the Twentieth District reports that all of the Lodges except Waverly are in fair working order.

He was unable to visit all of the Lodges on account of sickness to himself and the loss of his wife and son: The brethren of the District were very kind to him and assisted him whenever possible.

Brother Edgar F. Smith of the Twenty-second District held Lodges of Instruction each WedneBday evening during January and February. These meetings were well attended and the interest shown was fine. A' new record for average attendance was made and a large number of officers were present at every meeting.

R. W. Brother Charles Kornbrodt was present and assisted materially in the success of the meetings. During March and April he accompanied R. W. D. A. Brown, D.D.G.M., in his official visits to all of th,e Lodges and was very much pleased with the work of the officers, as the proficiency shown by them could only come by earnest effort on their part and was good evidence of their interest in promoting the good of the fraternity.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missou.ri

105

Brother C. B. Waddell of the ~wenty-third District visited most of the Lodges in his charge, some of them several times. He offered his services to the Lodges early in the year but was only called upon to assist in degree work and install officers, all of which was gladly done.

Lodges of Instruction were held each Friday evening through February and March in the Hall at Lexington, the most central point in the District. A number of the officers and brethren of the different Lodges took advantage of these meetings and were regular in their attendance.

Brother J. W. Morgan of the Twenty-fourth District visited all the Lodges at least once. Held seven Lodges of Instruction during the months of December and January. six at Marshall and one at Malta Bend in addition to the four days spent with the Grand Lecturer in the District. There were four meetings of the County Association held during the year, at which times a degree was conferred. He reports the Lodges in very good condition, considering the general situation.

Brother Roy R. 'Wright of the Twenty-sixth District visited all the Lodges in Boone County at least once the past year. The condition of the Lodges is about the same as in preceding years. Some of the smaller Lodges are deficient in their work, but the larger Lodges are maintaining a good standard of proficiency.

Brother Louis J. Graue of the Twenty-seventh District reports that in addition to the Lodges of Instruction held by the Grand Lecturer at Mexico and Mokane, he held special schools at Mexico, Shamrock and Portland. The attendance was fair and a fall' degree of interest was evident. There was not very much work in any of the Lodges, and a few of them had none.

He observes that in the Lodges where they have leaders at the head of the line, the brethren are more proficient and they are getting along nicely under present conditions.

Brother L. T. Baskett of the Twenty-ninth District held Lodges of Instruction at New Hope and Louisville. From reports received and his observations during his visitations, he thinks the Lodges are doing as well as they can under present conditions.

There have been but very few additions to membership but a good degree of interest is maintained.

Brother E. H. Barklage of the Thirtieth District reports that all the Lodges were visited and some Instruction was given on each occasion. Nearly all of the Lodges had some work and all of them are competent to do very acceptable work.

Brother W. D. Rogers of the Thirty-first District held Lodges of Instruction at Linn, Jamestown, Chamois, Clarksburg and Russellville. Each meeting was fairly well attended and the brethren were very attentive to the instruction given. An event of much importance was the visitation of the Grand Master and Grand Secretary in May. It was a District meeting and most of the Lodges were represented. The general condition of the Lodges is good.

Brother R. A. Breuer of the Thirty-second District says that the year has been marked by considerable activity and interest in Masonic work throughout the District. The increase in membership has been fair, the attendance very good, and an earnest desire among the brethren to broaden their knowledge of Freemasonry and become more efficient workers was very much in evidence. In his visitations with the Lodges he found the brethren fairly proficient..

Brother Ernest H. Wessel of the Thirty-third District reports as follows:

106

Proceedings of the

1931

"The Lodge of Instruction for this District held regular meetings beginning the first week in Octob~r, 1930, and ending the first week in June, 1931. The meetings were well attended by officers and members of the forty-six Lodges in this District as well as a large number of officers and members of the Fifty-seventh District. Goodly numbers of members of this district visited the Lodge of Instruction of the Fifty-seventh District. At one particular meeting held at Webster Groves, Missouri, 108 members of our District attended.

"Twenty-six Lodges availed themselves of the opportunity of being instructed with their own officers in their respective stations, in addition to private instructions given to four additional Lodges on separate meetings.

Work was exemplified in the main Lodge room and separate classes were held in the v-arious candidate and curtain lectures, raising and funeral services, as well as a class for Deacons and Stewards.

"A contest of considerable interest was held by Past Masters, between the Thirty-third and Fifty-seventh Districts, exemplifying the Third degree, also a contest in the candidate's lectures which was well attended.

"We were favored with a visit by our Most Worshipful Grand Master, Wm. R. Gentry, and R. W. Deputy Grand Master, Ray Denslow, as well as several other Grand Lodge Officers.

"I was well assisted by a splendid Board of Governors consisting of W. Bros. Robert C. Duffin, Charles Duggan, Charles Appel and the present D. D. G. M.'s, R. W. Bros. Ocker and Roroansky, who deserve the highest commendation for their untiring efforts.

"The ritualistic work in all the lodges in this District is very good."

Brother James F. Blair of the Thirty-fourth District says the . activities of Masonic bodies under his jurisdiction have been rather slow. Only five of the fourteen Lodges did any degree work and only one Lodge increased in membership. The District Lodge of Instruction held at Harrisonville was well attended.

Most of the Lodges are meeting with regularity and their membership is fairly proficient in the ritual.

Brother S. B. Kennon of the Thirty-sixth District reports that while he had not visited every Lodge, largely on accourit of the fact that five of the smaller I,odges suspended meeting during the summer, he has kept in contact with them and says that all arc in a healthy condition. With the exception of three or four Lodges, there was a great dearth of degree work in all of them. Visi tations to five of the outlying Lodges were made, and at these meetings instruction was given, but the most encouraging feature was the good attendance and the evident interest in the work.

Holden Lodge has been particularly active and is ambitious to develop one of the best degree teams in the State. We heartily wish them success. . A District Lodge of Instruction was held at Sedalia by the Grand Lecturer, at which time much valuable assistance was rendered by the District Lecturer. Two full days were given to instruction and representatives from other Lodges were in attendance.

Brother Thornton Jennings of the Thirty-seventh District held eight Lodges of Instruction with the following Lodges, Windsor, Clinton, Calhoun, Deepwater, St. Clair, Blairstown, Agricola and Urich. These meetings were arranged in groups with an average attendance of seventy-three. Considerable interest has been aroused and a continuation of this plan is promised for the future.

Brother Winan I. Mayfield of the Thirty-eighth District: visited

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

107

and gave instruction in the following Lodges: Competition, Waynesville, Conway, Richland, Linn Creek and Mack's Creek. The Lodges have not been very active but they maintain their interest and are doing very welI under the circumstances.

Brother Charles E. Pyle of the Fortieth District spent a very busy year with the brethren in his District and a very pleasant one as well.

Frequent visits were made to the different Lodges to assist them in the work and perform other duties. common to the office. Lodges of Instruction were held with Irondale, Shekinah, Tyro and Joachim Lodges. The attendance was very good in these meetings, except one.

All the Lodges had some work, notwithstanding the prevailing depression.

Brother M. E.路 Ewing of the Forty-first District reports but very little work done by any of the Lodges. His visitations were very few in number as no demands were made for his services. He was present and assisted the Grand Lecturer at Bolivar and Urbana.

He also worked with the Lodges at Pleasant Hope, Aldrich, Humansville and Morrisville. The Lodges not being very active, there is not much progress made in their proficiency.

Brother M. D. Gwinn of the Forty-second District visited all路 the Lodges and While conditions in some were not what could be desired, yet there were many evidences of progress in most of them.

The work of the Lodges is only fair but all seem anxious to improve their work. The Lodge at Everton is in splendid working condition.

Brother John C. Senate of the Forty-third District held two Lodges of Instruction of three days' duration each with Golden Lodge. In speaking of this Lodge, he said that no other Lodge in his District has shown more activity and made such progress as has this Lodge. Another Lodge of Instruction was held at Minden Mines. Other Lodges were visited, instruction given and assistance rendered in the work.

Much time was also devoted to private instruction.

Brother Carl A. Swenson of the Forty-sixth District visited nine of the twelve Lodges in the District and has nothing new to report.

Hard times has cut down the number of petitions and interest has been lagging in most of the Lodges. As the season advances, it is to be hoped that conditions will be changed as some Lodges are showing signs of revival.

Brother J. Clyde Akers of the Forty-eighth District reports that the year's work has included numbers of visits to every Lodge in the District with the exception of Saline, and that his experience has been most delightful. At all of these meetings he was privileged to do more or less instructing, some formally and some informally.

Lodges, that have heretofore escaped his attention, were visited and the contact thus formed has resulted in some very interesting meetings.

Brother James A. Kinder of the Forty-ninth District is pleased with' the progress made by the rural Lodges during the year.

They were more active than the city Lodge. Only one Lodge in the District, with a membership of fifty-six, raised none. The rendition of the ritual in all of these rural Lodges except one, is very satisfactory. This Lodge lost its leader and best worker, a little over a year ago and it has been helpless since then. It is not far from another Lodge and in the course of time, it will probably consolidate. Every Lodge in the District can now be reached by hard roads.

Three Lodges of Instruction were held and every Lodge but one was visited. He was prevented from visiting this one on account of confiicting dates.

108

Proceedings of the

1931

Brother G. A. Sample of the Fiftieth District visited and gave instruction with the following Lodges: Chaffee, Illmo, Bloomfield, Advance, Sikeston, Essex, Morley and Lakeville.

He reports a falling off in the average attendance and, while the knowledge of the ritual is being maintained at a general average, there is considerable evidence of reaction to the general depression.

Brother B. P. Parks of the Fifty-first District reports visitations to every Lodge in his charge. The Lodges so visited are as follows: Cardwell, New Madrid, Steele, Hayti, Malden, Bernie, Four Mile, Kennett, Parma, Point Pleasant, Portageville, Caruthersville and Senath. The spirit of Freemasonry is very much in evidence in all of the above Lodges, but in matters pertaining to the ritual they are very weak.

Brother G. J. Vaughan of the Fifty-fourth District visited the Lodges at Clever, Billings, Crane, Galena, Branson, Hollister, Forsyth, Sparta and Ozark, being all but one Lodge in the District.

He says that all the Lodges are progressing nicely with the ritualistic work and that peace and harmony prevail.

Brother W. N. Marbut of the Fifty-fifth District visited all the Lodges but two in his charge. Appointments were made for these, but conditions were not favorable for a meeting. The Lodges at Cassville and Monett have been very busy with degree work but the other Lodges were not active.

Brother W: A. Phipps of the Fifty-sixth District reports that very little work was done during the year 3.S the financial stringency has curtailed the presentation of petitions.

In company with Brother A. J. Miller, schools were held at Stella and Noel. These schools were well attended and fine interest was displayed. Later a day and night was spent at Seneca with good results. The Lodges were encouraged to maintain their standard of proficiency, that when work appeared, they would be found ready. With the exception of two Lodges, the work can be done in a very creditable manner.

Brother Fay G. Fulkerson of the Fifty-seventh District presents a very complete report of his stewardship which is here given in full: "Each of the fourteen Lodges in the District has been visited twice with the Lodge of Instruction and once officially with the District Deputy Grand Master.

"A regular program of work was carried out at the weekly Lodges of Instruction with an effort to see that no phase of the ritual was slighted nor over-emphasized.

Competent instructors were available for the various lectures and for such work as could be done in separate class rooms, this proving to be a beneficial phase of our work, as many of the brethren availed themselves of this method of instruction.

"Attendance at these meetings ranged from 23 to 551, with an average of 159 for the 28 meetings.

"Just before the holidays, a picked team of Fifty-seventh District Past Masters defeated a select team of Thirty-third District Past Masters in a contest in the M. M. Degree, 2nd Sect., by a score of 10 to 35. All of these contests seemed to stimulate interest and enthusiasm and to work for greater proficiency.

"A series of lecture meetings on the Symbolism of the Degrees proved most beneficial and instructive.

For this service we are deeply indebted to M. W. Bros. Gentry and Ittner, and to Rt. W. Bros. Reader, Vetsburg and Donnell, who made these meetings most interesting.

1931

109

Grand Lodge of lVlissouri

"On the occasion of the official visit to each Lodge, the District Deputy and myself were present when the Lodge was opened and remained through its closing.

In each case the Lodge was requested either to confer or to exemplify the E. A. Degree, giving us an opportunity to observe each officer performing his own duties in all the work incident to opening, closing, and other routine, as well as in the degree work and lecture.

"With regard to the ritualistic work it should be said that all the Lodges have some good workers among their officers. Some of course are more proficient than others, varying with their natural aptness for the work, their individual application, and their interest in Mason ic' affairs.

"Valuable assistance has been given, nOot only by the distinguished brethren already mentioned, but also by M. W. Bro. Garrell, Rt. W. Bro. Mather and Present and Past Deputies of both Districts as well as by numerous Past Masters and Present Officers, all of which is most gratefully acknowledged."

Brother K. C. Jones of the Fifty-eighth District visited five of the seven Lodges in his charge. He was more active with Ionia Lodge at Eldon as they had so much work to do. They raised over forty candidates and met as often as three times a week. The other Lodges, with the exception of Belle and Vienna, have been practically inactive in the matter of degree work, in consequence of which the condition of the Lodges is not as good as it has been.

Many of the Lodges arc deficient in the' proficiency lectures and candidates are declared proficient when they are far from being proficient. This is not only harmful to the candidate but injurious to the Lodge.

Brother JOhn S. Carmical of the Fifty-ninth District reports that a Lodge of Instruction held by the Grand Lecturer at Independence resulted in much good and the effects of such meeting were reflected in later meetings held by him. A weekly Lodge of Instruction was held at Independence during February and March. '.rhese Lodges were well attended and only one Lodge failed of representation. Every Lodge in the District was Visited and in all, nineteen Lodges of Instruction were held.

The attendance was generally good which was good evidence of their interest in Freemasonry.

He acknowledges the assistance rendered him by R. W. Bro. Harry S. Truman and WorshipfUl Brother Floyd R. Smith of Marlborough.

Lodge who accompanied him on a number of his visits. All Lodge officers with very few exceptions are performing their duties in a very satisfactory manner, some of them approaching ritualistic perfection very closely.

Fraternally submitted, J. R. McLACHLAN, Grand Lecturer.'

CALLED FROM LABOR.

Following prayer by R. W. Grand Chaplain Samuel Thurman, the Grand Lodge was at 3 :30 o'clock P. M. CALLED FROM LABOR until 7 :15 o'clock P. M.

110

Proceedings of the

1931

FIRST DAY-EVENING SESSION.

At 7 :15 o'clock P. M. the Grand Lodge was CALLED TO LABOR, being presided over during the evening by R. W. Deputy Grand Master Ray V. Denslow. Prayer was offered

by Rev. E. L. Robison, Grand Chaplain.

EXEMPLIFICATION OF WORK.

An exemplification of the First and Second Degrees of Freemasonry, by picked teamS' of St. Louis Wardens, was given under direction of the Grand Lecturer, R. W. Bro. James R. McLachlan.

During the evening music was rendered by the Scottish Rite Choir under direction of Bro. O. Wade Fallert.

CALLED FROM LABOR.

At 9:00 0' clock P. M. the Grand Lodge was CALLED FROM LABOR until 9 :00 o'clock A. M., September 30, 1931.

Prayer was offered by R. W. Grand Chaplain E. L. Robison.

<"

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

111

SECOND DAY-MORNING SESSION.

St. Louis, September 30, 1931.

At 9 o'clock A. M., the M. W. Grand Lodge was CALLED TO LABOR by M. W. Grand Master William R. Gentry.

Right Worshipful Grand Chaplain Samuel Thurman offered the invocation as follows: .. 'Who shall ascend unto the mountain of the Lord, and who Hhall stand in His holy place? He that hath clean hands and a pure heart.' Oh Lord! how these words penetrate our beings in this solemn and impressive hour of our invocation to 'l'hee. How else can we come into Thy presence save we have purified our hearts and our hands, come clean with the offerings of our thanksgiving, and especially in this day, oh Lord, how can we approach Thy throne, save we come with contrite hearts and humble spirit?

Oh, how Thy children have wandered from Thy kingdom. Oh, how we have sold our birthright of the spirit for the pot of flesh and gold and, oh, how it is good to come into this intimate presence of our Fraternity and though a part of the world, yet also away from it we can kneel at Thine altar to pledge again our faith to the higher loyalties of life, to righteousness, and justice and honor, to mercy and love and duty and deeds; but, oh God, let not these professions be merely of our lips. Let not merely the tongue appeal, but let the knee bend, and being bended feel a sense of shelter and comfort and protection in Thee, in these troublesome days when most hearts are torn and worn, millions of them without the decent instruments and tools of labor. How can we come before Thy presence feeling altogether clean of heart and hands save in the assemblage of our brotherhood we may gather anew the penetrating light of Thy wisdom and Thy truth, that we may spread it .among the brothers inside and outside this great and noble brotherhood, recognizing all men as Thy children, seeing the seal of Thy presence, Thy countenance, yea Thy very image, as we con-ceive it, stamped upon their faces, and hearing each and everyone In need and affliction, the voice of the merciful father calling unto us, calling unto us as our brother's keeper. If we thus come to Thine altar, oh God, in this day full of sunshine and beauty, and if we, under the leadership of our Grand Master, representing even Thee, in this hall, with a fine purpose and sense of purity of aim and of plan, a splendid spiritual fellowship, with which he has fnvested his office, we ask of Thee with grateful hearts, oh God, that coming thus we may carry away from these deliberations a deeper sense of our duty, a nobler spirit of tolerant understanding fellowship and a supremely conscious sense of truth.

"Gratefully we say to Thee, our God, that Thou art our Father and we are Thy children. Thou art our Shepherd and we are Thy flock. Thou art our Master, and we are Thy servants. Thou art our Friend; and, oh God, make us believe and know that we are Thy beloved. Amen.'.'

RESOLUTION CONCERNING EXAMINATION OF CHARTER.

R. W. Senior Grand Warden Thad B. Landon presented the following .Resolution :

112

Proceedings of the

1931

"BE IT RESOLVED, That the incoming Most Worshipful Grand Master appoint a Committee of five members of the Grand Lodge whose duty it shall be to examine the charter of the Grand Lodge and also of the Masonic Home of Missouri, and to report at the next session of the Grand Lodge upon any necessary amendmen ls to the Charter of the Grand Lodge and/or the Masonic Home of Missouri, which said Committee shall deem advisable for the proper administration of the affairs of the Grand Lodge and the Masonic Home of Missouri.

Signed, THAD H. LANDON, J. M. FICHER, D. A. WARD, ANTHONY 1<'. ITTNER.

Following presentation by R. W. Bro. Landon of said resolution, the following ensued: R. W. Senior Grand Warden Landon: Now, just a word of explanation, Brethren. This resolution was prompted by the report of the Grand Master yest~rday, recommending that proper steps be taken to amend the charter, as I understood, of the Masonic Home of Missouri, so as to permit giving relief outside of the Masonic Home-that the charter did not permit the giving of relief except within the Home itself. That set me to thinkingthe last three years I have had to carryon some very expensive litigation for charitable institutions where the power of a legatee was challenged, and it was necessary to go to court in order to have the charter construed, and at least in one instance a conclusion reached by the court, although there was not the expressed power given-it was indirectly given. Now, we have two corporations, both chartered under the laws of Missouri, one this Grand Lodge and the other the Masonic Home of Missouri. In reading the excerpts of the charter as best I could of the Grand Lodge, no authority expressly is vested in this Grand Lodge to conduct the Masonic Home. As I understand it, that authority is vested in the Masonic Home Corporation, which was incorporated many years after the Grand Lodge. Now, gifts are being made to the Grand Lodge for the benefit of the Masonic Home, because I happen to know of two in this city. Now, I can see danger ahead if there is a lack of power or authority, and I think and believe that this Grand Lodge should have a committee to look into the matter and to report such steps as may be necessary to protect and conserve our charities, and to protect, and receive and administer gifts and devices which may come for the beneficent purposes of the Masonic Home. I presume this should be referred to the Committee on Jurisprudence.

M. W. Grand Master Gentry: May I ask you a question, Brother Landon?

R. W. Senior Grand Warden Landon: Yes, certainly.

M. W. Grand Master Gentry: Why limit the committee to Past Grand Masters?

R. W. Senior Grand Warden Landon: It doesn't say that. It just says "a committee of five-members of the Grand Lodge."

M. W. Grand Master Gentry: Oh! That is all right. I think your resolution is very excellent. I had a different one. Brother Grand Secretary, you will destroy mine and not read it. This is

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

113

much better than the one I was about to offer. Brother Landon, will you just turn it over to the Grand Secretary and it will then be handed on in due time. I think it is a very good idea to know whert:~ we are before we proceed, and I think we can accomplish what I recommended in my address yesterday, but we want to proceed carefully.

TELEGRAM

FROM

M. W. BRO. E. E. SYKES.

There was read the following telegram from M. W. Bro. E.

E. Sykes, Grand Master of Louisiana: "Please accept the felicitations of the Masons of Louisiana for a successful communication, hoping that your administration has been happy and successful and that your Grand Lodge may go forward stronger than ever this coming year. Please extend to the incoming Grand Master the best wishes of our Grand Lodge-personal felicitations to your Brothers Landon, Martin, and Mather."

ORATION.

The M. W. Grand ~1aster thereupon introduced the Grand Orator, R. VV. Bro. Forrest C. Donnell, who delivered the following oration: THE MAJESTY OF FREEMASONRY. To Freemasons it is pleasing and reassuring to observe that amidst all the vicissitudes of time there has been no lowering of the principles of Freemasonry, no decline in the ideals of the Masonic Order, and no descent to inferiority in the teachings which it enunciates.

Those principles, ideals and teachings shine fo'rth with unabated fervency and undiminished lustre.

It is not useless to refresh oUr memory upon the greatness and SUblimity of our Order, for from such reflections may come a renewed sense of the obligations which devolve on us, its members.

To the subject "The Majesty of Freemasonry" your attention is therefore r'espectfully invited.

First among the elements which contribute to the fabric of that majesty may be named the antiquity and historical development of our Order. Without entering into the field of historical controversy, we may with certainty proclaim that two centuries ago a Masonic Grand Lodge was functioning in England. From then until now the history of Freemasonry glows with the names of honored and beloved men, including, in our own nation, the Father of his Country and embracing today, in our own state, him who led America's forces in the World War, him who first successfUlly navigated the Atlantic through the medium of the air, and a multitude of men whose lives, whether or not they be conspicuous in achievement, reflect honor upon our Fraternity.

Not alone, however, do the many years of its existence and the names and achievements of its members enter into the majesty, of our Order. The strength and mugnitude to which our Fraternity has attained in themselves contribute largely to its dignity and greatness. Today, English-speaking Masonic Lodges embrace over four million men. In the United States there is one Freemason to approximately each ten male American citizens of twenty-one years or over. The record of investments in Masonic Homes, of real estate holdings for Temples and Lodge Halls, of annual receipts of millions

114

Proceedings of the

1931

of dollars from dues and fees, and of moneys devoted to charitable beneficence evidences the magnitude to which our Order has expanded. In its greatness of purpose and achievement Freemasonry today reminds us of a great cathedral with its lofty arches and towering pinnacles, symbols of vastness of desig-n and magnitude of accomplishment.

But not merely the antiquity, the history and the physical and financial measurements of Freemasonry combine to form the grandeur and majesty of the Order. Greater than mere historical facts and financial statistics are the power and Influence wielded by our great organized body of men. I refer to no political, military or economic power or influence, for Freemasonry undertakes none such.

I refer rather, to the power and influence on human lives. Who can estimate the number of persons who are influenced for the better by the teachings of Freemasonry-teachings which. like the addresses of Abraham Lincoln. are at once sUblime in their conceptions and yet simple and easily comprehensible in their expression. Not only is it to the members of the Fraternity that the influence of its teachings extends. but also by contact and force of example to milIions of others.

And what an influence it is which emanates from Freemasonry! It is one which urges the practice of Integrity. honor and the other personal virtues, encourages brotherly love and relief. recognizes. with highest approval, the virtue of love of country. stimulates the performance of the duties of citizenship and patriotism. and teaches reverence for the Great Architect of the Universe. With our Order possessing ideals so high as these it is not surprising that George Washington indicated his view to be that "The great object of Masonry Is to promote the happiness of the human race:" Nor is it surprising that with ideals so high as these. the mode of their expression in Masonic ritual is chaste. dignified. noble and beautiful. It was the great tragedian. Edwin Booth, who said: "In all my research路 and study, in all my close analysis of the masterpieces of Shakespeare. in my earnest determination tei make those plays appear real on the mimetic stage, I have never. and nowhere. met tragedy so real. so sublime, so magnificent as the legend of Hiram. It is substance without shadow-the manifest destiny of life which requires no picture and scarcely a word to make a lasting impression upon all who can understand. To be a Worshipful Master and to throw my whole soul into that work. with the candidate for my audience and the lodge for my stage, would be' a greater personal distinction than to receive the plaudits of people in the theatre of the world."

To an Order possessed of the majesty which inheres hi Freemasonry, we. who have been admitted to be its members. would do well to assume certain substantial obligations. I shall refer to but one such. namely an obligation t.o do our share toward causing our Order to attract to itself good men in our communities. and in sufficient numbers to maintain the efficiency of the local Lodges.

Today a variety of causes is tending to diminish the number of those who seek the Mysteries of Freemasonry. Although in Missouri our membership. which twenty years ago was approximately 53,000. is today approximately 111.000, yet in recent years the growth in Missouri has halted. Indeed. in each of three of the four years last past there has been an actual decline, and on June 30, 1931, we had 2,619 fewer members than on June 30, 1929. In the year ending June 30, 1931, there was a decline of 1,999 in our membership. Moreover, the decrease in initiates disclosed by the official reports does not appear to be a momentary one or due

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

115

solely to conditions of financial depression, but on the contrary has

for some years been progressive. Since the year ending June 30, 1924, each year has shown a smaller number of initiates than did the next preceding year. Although for the year ending June 30, 1924, there were 5,347 initiates, yet for the year ending June 30, 1929 (before the present depression became manifest), there were but 3,235 initiates. Moreover, not only has the number of initiates decreased, but the suspensions for non-payment of dues have heavily increased. To be sure many of the large number of suspensions in the last two years were doubtless occasioned by the prevailing financial depression, but nevertheless each of the past ten years, with one exception, has shown an increase in such suspensions over the next preceding year; and, with said one exception, said increase in each such year over the preceding year has been far greater in percentage than was the increase in membership between said two years.

Freemasonry in Missouri is not alone in experiencing a decrease in membership. In the ten years next, prior to 1927, each and all of fifty jurisdictions, consisting of every state in the Union, the District of Columbia and the Philippine Islands, showed, without exception, an increase in membership, and it appears that few, if any, showed a decrease for any single year in said period.

In the year reported by the Missouri, 1928, Proceedings, it appears, however, that five of those jurisdictions experienced a decrease in membership. In the next year it appears that ten of them suffered a decrease; and in the year reported by the Missouri, 1930, Proceedings, it appears that seventeen, or over one-third of those fifty jurisdictions, had the experience of a net loss in membership.

Freemasonry solicits no person to enter its first gate, but if its greatness is to endure it must continue to attract unto itself, in no inconsiderable numbers, men to seek admittance at its doors. The importance of attracting the best men of the community reminds us forcibly of the importance of the maintenance, by the Lodge, of the active interest of its members in its affairs, for if its members are interested in the Lodge the community rapidly realizes that fact and properly draws the conclusion that an Order which can attract and interest men of the type who belong to it is an Order membership in which is worth while. Effective aids toward sustaining the interest of our members must receive our earnest thought and consideration.

Many such aids there are.

Among them is the granting to the families of the members ever increasing opportunities for enjoyment, under the auspices of the Lodge, of fellowship with one another. The public initiation and occasions of recreation at which the families are invited to 'participate will not only enhance the interest of the members, but will cause the sons of members as they attain manhood, and the friends or members who observe the participation of the families, to realize that friendships made in Freemasonry and membership therein are worth while.

An increase of interest in Freemasonry on the part of families of members will perform an important part toward maintaining the membership of the Order.

We are reminded, however, by the importance of the problem of membership, of even a more fundamental essential than the development of social intercourse. That essential is that we do not relax in our loyalty and fidelity to the practice of those great principles which our Order teaches, but that on the contrary we continue their observance with unabated zeal. Freemasons, by ob'!. serving in their daily lives the great teachings of our Fraternity, will influence men of highest type to desire closer association with

116

Proceedings of the

1931

those Freemasons and to solicit, for themselves, membership in the Order of Freemasonry. I close, therefore, with a sentiment of rededication to the ideals of our Order. May our ritual, through its beauty and its symmetry, not only stimulate in us admiration for the literary qualities which it possesses, but may it also quicken in us an intelligent understanding of that which it portrays. May our teachings find expression in our lives and not merely upon our lips. May our most excellent tenets, Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth, be exemplified in our daily activities.

May we, in sincerity and in truth, offer up, to the Great Architect of the Universe, the prayer of the Psalmist, "Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in they sight, 0 Lord, my strength and my redeemer." May we of this generation pass on undiminished to our successors the Majesty of Freemasonry!

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON APPEALS AND GRIEVANCES.

The following report of the Committee on Appeals and Grievances was read by its Chairman, R. W. Bro. William F. V\Toodrl1ff, and was adopted, section by section, and as a whole: No. 1.

St. .Joseph Lodge, No. 78} vs.

Omar J. Murphy Accused, by proceedings instituted in conformity with the trial code, was charged in three counts with misappropriation of the funds of his Lodge, in three separate years while acting as Secretary of his Lodge. The misappropriations charged were in the years and amounts as follows: 1928, $331.42; 1929, $263.46 and 1930. $997.85.

No answer was filed by the Accused, and he did not appear at the trial, but one Bro. Wm. N. Linn, appeared in his defense, evidently appointed by the Trial Chairman. The result of the trial was a finding of the Accused guilty as charged on all three specifications, and a penalty of sURpension for one year was assessed.

The Lodge appealed from the finding of the jury on the ground that the punishment assessed is inadequate.

The evidence in this case sustains the jury finding of guilty on all of the specifications. No evidence was offered in behalf of the Accused.

There ar:e no mitigating circumstances shown by the record in this case. In the opinion of your Committee a penalty of suspension for one year is wholly inadequate when an officer of the Lodge entrusted with its funds, has been guilty of misappropriation to any extent. and under the authority given by Section 268 of the trial code of this Grand Lodge your Committee recommends that the judgment of the Lodge fixing the penalty in this case at one year suspension be set aside and held for naught; and that Accused be, and he h~reby is, expelled from all the rights and privileges of a Freemason.

No.2.

Ralls Lodge, No. 33} vs.

Walter H. Rhodes Accused was charged by the Junior Warden of Ralls Lodge No. 33, of Center, Missouri, under date of December 13, 1930, with un-

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

117

Masonic conduct, the specification of the charge being that the Accused had previously thereto pleaded guilty before a Justice of the Peace of that community to the unlawful possession of intoxicating liquor and had been fined $100.

'Accused first filed a plea of not guilty, but appeared at the trial, held in conformity with the trial code, and at that time withdrew his plea of not guilty and placed himself at the mercy of the trial chairman and jury for such penalty as they might assess.

The jury, duly empaneled, returned a verdict of guilty with the penalty of reprimand. At the time fixed for the reprimand Accused did not appear, and the Grand Master was appealed to for instructions.

The matter thus coming to his attention, he ordered an appeal on the ground that the penalty assessed was inadequate, and in due time transcript of the entire proceedings was filed in the Grand Lodge. The evidence on behalf of the Lodge, which was very brief, disclosed that the Accused had possession of a considerable quantity of intoxicating liquor at the time of his arrest. The Accused offered no evidence in his own behalf.

After due investigation and consideration of the record of this case it is concluded by your Committee that the penalty assessed is wholly insufficient" and under the authority given by Section 268 of the trial code of this Grand Lodge your Committee recommends that the judgment of the Lodge fixing the penalty in this case at a reprimand be set aside and held for naught, and that the Accused be, and he hereby is, expelled from all the rights and privileges of a Freemason.

No.3.

Belgrade Lodge, No. 632} vs.

L. W. Garrett Accuse'd was charged in six counts as follows: 1. Forging the name of a brother member of his Lodge, J. F. Hayes, to a cheCk for $43.06, given in payment of an order for a suit of clothes, a hat and other articles of clothing from Sears, Roebuck & Co. 2. Forging the name of a brother member of his Lodge, L. W. Farley, to a check for $43.02, given for merchandise purchased from Sears, Roebuck & Co. 3. Forging the name of a brother member of his Lodge, J. F. Hayes, to an order for a suit of clothes, a hat and other articles of clothing from Sears, Roebuck & Co. 4. Having in his possession on the 27th day of June, 1926, a still equipped for the manufacture of intoxicating liquor.

5. Making derogatory statements of the' fraternity and particularly Belgrade Lodge.

6. Using profane language in the Lodge room and in the presence of brother members.

The Accused pleaded not guilty.

The charges were filed February 21, 1931; trial was had 'before Commission under the provisions of Section 261lh of the trial code, adopted at the 1930 Communication of the Grand Lodge. (Proceedings of the Grand Lodge, 1930, p. 147.)

The finding of the Commission was guilty on Specifications 1, 2, 3 and 4; and not guilty on Specifications 5 and 6.

Punishment was assessed at expulsion.

The Accused has appealed on the grounds that the conclusions of the Commission' are not supported by the evidence, "and has properly perfected his appeal.

118

Proceedings of the

1931

A satisfactory record of the evidence has been filed, which your Committee has studied and considered most carefully, and we are unable to find any substantial or reliable evidence to support the result of the trial in the Lodge.

Accused has been a resident of Washington County, in the vicinity of Belgrade many years. Had been a school teacher in the county for twenty years and Master of his lodge four terms, 1922 to 1926.

It appears that the charges had been preferred against him in 1930, on which he was tried and acquitted in the Lodge. These charges, while not the same as those involved in this case, were of a similar nature, and apparently. were started by the same parties who were the instigators of these charges. The present proceeding was first started by a complaint filed August 16, 1930. This complaint contained all of the specifications in the final charge except the specifications of forgery and was signed by J. F. Hayes. one of the parties who claimed his name had been forged.

On this complaint, the grievance committee of the Lodge reported that they did not find probable cause. The matter was evidently called to the attention of the Grand Master, and he ordered the Junior Warden to file the charges upon which the present case is based, and himself ordered the trial to be by Commission.

It is not appropriate to go into the details of the evidence in this opinion. The checks and order claimed to have been forged were before your Committee, together with samples of checks in the handwriting of the Accused drawn on his own bank account. There is no evidence on the face of these documents to establish the alleged forgeries. They appear to disprove, rather than to prove, these specifications of the charge.

The only positive testimony that the handwriting of the checks and order is that of Accused is from the complaining parties, Hayes and Farley. The cashier of the Belgrade Bank, who was familiar with the handwriting of Accused, testified on behalf of the Lodge, but he refused to make any positive statement, or give a positive opinion that the forged documents are in the handwriting of Accused. The brothers who caused these charges to be filed made complaint to the Post Office ,Department and a thorough investigation was made, but no criminal charges were ever filed against Accused.

On Sp.ecification 4, that of having in his possession a still for the manufacture of intoxicating liquors, the evidence against Accused is not only not convincing, but it has the earmarks of having been included in the charge as something to fall back upon if the forgery charges failed of proof.

The date given for the offense in this specification is June 27, 1926, four years and eight months before the charges were filed, and only four months short of the five years limitation provision under our code. Such evidence as was presented is to the effect that witnesses saw a crude still in a hen house on Accused's farm near Belgrade. It is admitted that on June 27, 1926, Accused was not living on the farm, but had moved to St. Louis. The only evidence to support this date is the testimony of the son-in-law of Brother Farley, that he saw the still in the hen house on that day, with no explanation as to how he remembered the particular date.

The other testimony in this specification is by the Accuser, Farley, himself, who claims that he saw the still between 1922 and 1925, but made no complaint about it.

The Accused appeared at the trial and gave what the Committee thinks is convincing evidence of his innocence. Much ill feeling on the part of Bro. Farley against Accused is apparent from the

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

119

record, no doubt having its origin in the circumstance that Brother Farley's sister had been the wife of Accused, and they had been divorced.

Your Committee feels that there is an entire absence of reliable evidence to sustain this conviction, and we accordingly recommend that the judgment of the Lodge below be reversed and that the case against Bro. Garrett be dismissed.

Respectfully submitted, W. F. WOODRUFF, LEO H. JOHNSON, A. H. MANN, RICHARD O. RUMER, Appeals and Grievances Committee.

ELECTION OF GRAND OFFICERS.

The hour for election of Grand Officers having arrived, the Grand Master appointed the following brethren to act as tellers: Solon Cameron, N. P. Zimmer, A. Weickert, L. H. Steffen, Rnbert C. Winkelmaier, Charles O. Vasterling, John A. Harvie~ Stanley S. Morse, George E. Black, John V. Horn, John N. Stewart.

During the balloting which ensued, M. W. Bro. Bert S. Lee . presided over the Grand Lodge.

The following were elected: lVI. \lV. Bro. RAY V. DENSLOW Grand Master R. W. Bro. THAD B. LANDON Dcputy Grand Master R. \V. Bro. FRANK C. BARNHILL Senior Grand Warden R. W. Bra'. DUVAL SMITH .Junior Grand Warden R. \V. Bro. EDMUND E. MORRIs Grand Treasurer R. W. Bro. ARTHUR IVIATHER Grand Secretary REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON MASONIC SERVICE.

R. W. Bro. Thad R. Smith, Chairman, presented the following report of the Committee on Masonic Service, which was adopted: To the Grmtd Lodge, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of Missouri: Brethren: The work of your committee for the year 1930-31 has been confined to the narrowest limUs. Many of the Lodges have been carrying on constructive programs as outlined by the Association in years past. We particularly commend the work of the St. Louis

,

120

Proceedings of the

1931

Service Association, especially in their observance of Flag Day, an event which is annually observed and widely attended.

In line with the policy adopted some time ago, your committee has continued with its pUblication of the historical series dealing with the history of Freemasonry in Missouri: this year the Association presents the story of "The Masonic Conservator's," being the story of an organization which endeavored to control the Masonic ritual of the United States; it existed for a period of approximately five years, numbering among its adherents some of the most widely known Masons in America. In Missouri the literary and talented Thomas E. Garrett was the leader.

This Jurisdiction early took the lead in condemning the Association and all connected th.erewith and required from every Missouri Mason a renunciation oath. The volume deals with a period little l{nown and, so far as your committee can discover, no other similar pUblication has ever been issued.

Believing that the education of a Freemason should begin with his first entrance into the Institution, your committee has been arranging for the publication of a pamphlet which can be presented to each candidate on or before the time of his initiation.

Your committee plans on following this up with a personal appeal to the officers of each lodge so that they may assist in the work of educating those who are receiving Masonic degrees to the extent that they may understand and appreciate the teachings of our Institution.

During the year four numbers of the Grand Lodge Bulletin have been issued under the direction of Grand Secretary Mather and have proven very satisfactory in the dissemination of off'icial notices from the office of the Grand Master and Grand Secretary.

Members of your committee have, during the year, addressed representative gatherings of Masonic groups in an endeavor to interest them in the work and plans of the Association.

Fraternally SUbmitted, THAD R. SMITH, Chairman.

,

PROPOSAL TO AMEND SECTION 261Y2 OF BY-LAWS.

W. Bro. John A. Witthaus presented the following proposal to amend Section 261 % of the By-Laws: It is hereby proposed to amend By-Law No. 261lh by striking from said By-Law the last paragraph thereof, said paragraph so to be striken from said By-Law being as follows: "In trials ordered by the Most Worshipful Grand Master, by the Grand Lodge or any Committee of the Grand Lodge with the approval of the Grand Lodge, such Grand Master. Grand Lodge or Committee may designate that the trial is to be had by Commission." so that said section 261lh of Article XXI when so amended shall read: "The Lodge (by a majority vote) or the accused may make request. in writing, that the case be tried by a Commission. which request shall be voted or filed with the Worshipful Master not less than two days before the day fixed for trial.

"When said vote is so taken or said request so filed, the Worshipful Master shall refer the matter to the Grand Master, who, if he approves the request, shall appoint a Trial

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

121

Commission to take charge of and try the case, and pending the determination of the Grand Master the trial shall be postponed to a time fixed in the order of postponement.

"Each Trial Commission appointed by the Grand Master shall consist of three disinterested and experienced brethren, members of Lodges in Missouri, residing outside the jurisdiction of the Lodge interested, excepting that in the cities having three o~ more Lodges, such Trial Commission may be appointed from brethren residing in the respective cities, not members of the trial Lodge.

"The Trial Commission shall hear all evidence submitted and make a shorthand record of such evidence and testimony.

They shall observe the same rules of evidence and practice as are prescribed by the Grand Lodge By-Laws for Trial Committees.

"The Commission shall prepare a brief statement of the facts found, its conclusions thereon, and the punishment, if any, fixed by it, which shall be filed with the Lodge in the same manner and with the same effect as is provided for a verdict by jury.

"The Trial Commission shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Lodge for actual expenses paid.

BEN WEIDLE, FRED H. KNIGHT, J. V. HORN, JOHN A. WITTHAUS.

The Grand Master announced that said proposal will be acted upon next year and that it will lie over.

REPORT OF .LlBRARY COMMITTEE.

R. W. Bro. \V. B. Massey, Chairman, presented the follow-' ing report of the Library Committee, which report was adopted: To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri: Brethren: Your Committee on Library begs leave to report as follows: Our Grand Librarian reports a year of activity in connection with our cause, which has been attended with gratifying results. He reports that 147 brethren scattered throughout the state are now availing themselves of the privilege of our Lending Library and that many other brethren are calling- for his assistance in the matter of furnishing information concerning individual Lodges which desire to perfect their records or prepare for special prog-rams and anniversaries.

The Library Committee has still continued its policy of endeavoring to make the largest possible use of what we already possess, rather than incurring expenses which might be of doubtful value. We feel that the Library is slowly but surely gaining a foothold, and we commend the tireless efforts of our Grand Librarian, in endeavoring to furnish the Craft in all the demands that are made upon him from time to time.

We feel sure that the foundations that have been laid will develop

122

Proceedings of the

1931

into greater service as the years go by, and this with but a trifling cost to the Grand Lodge.

Fraternally submitted, W. B. MASSEY, Chairman, W. P. MASON, Committee.

Attached to said report which is as follows:

IS

the report of the Grand Librarian,

REPORT OF GRAND LIBRARIAN. Wm. B. Massey, Chairman, Wm. P. Mason, Robt S. Calder, Committee on Grand Lodge Library.

Brethren: I have the honor to submit to you the Grand Librarian's report for the Masonic year closing September 29, 1931.

WM. F. KUHN LIBRARY. I am pleased to report receipt of the current volume of AI'S Quatuor Coronatorum, given by Most Worshipful Brother Marcus A. Loevy, t1lUi; keeping up the series to date.

LJijNDING LIBRARY. The work of the Lending Library moves along steadily, and we have now 147 borrowers on our roll, who are availing themselves of its privileges.

It Is also a pleasure to report that the Grand Librarian is in receipt of many inquiries for assistance and help in the matter of supplying records and historical data to individual Lodges, in order to help them perfect their own records and assist them in preparing programs for Lodge celebrations and anniversaries. This work is a labor of love on the part of the Grand Librarian, and he most cordially invites the brethren throughout the state to correspond with him when they desire information, which he will be glad to supply as far as it may lie in his power.

GRAND LIBRARIANS' CONFERENCE. The Grand -Librarians' Conference was held this year in the City of New York, beginning May 18, and was well attended. Many topics of importance were discussed and much valuable information was forthcoming.

The Grand Lodge of New York honored us by inviting the Conference to participate in the chartering and consecration of the new Lodge of Research, which was set to work by the Most Worshipful Gr-and Master, Charles H. Johnson. This Lodge of Research is the most important forward step in American Freemasonry to the present date, along .these lines, and has a bright future before it.

The next Conference will be helrl at \Vashington, D. C., in May, 1932.

Fraternally submitted, ARTHUR MATHER, Grand Librarian.

1931

123

Grand Lodge of Missouri

.

REMARKS OF R. E. SIR-ALBERT LINXWILER.

At the invitation of M. W. Bro. Bert S. Lee, presiding over the Grand Lodge, R. E. Sir Albert Linxwiler, Grand Commander of the Grand Commandery, K. T. of Missouri, addressed the Grand Lodge. His remarks are as follows: "Most Worshipful Grand Master and Brethren: Calling on me to make a speech after listening to Forrest Donnell is certainly going from the sublime to the ridiculous. I am sorry the Grand Master stepped out. I wanted to tell him how much I appreciated that letter he put out, cutting down the session to two days, especially inasmuch as we are going to use that additional money for beneficent purposes and also because of the fact of the pressure of business and the natural limiting of time devoted to speeches by what Ed Morris calls the 'common or garden variety.' Of course, I am very appreciat.ive of the honor bestowed upon me in receiving me as a representative of the Knights Templar. I feel much better after hearing the Grand Master and seeing him preside yesterday.

Over at Sedalia I happened to be presiding as Deputy Grand Master for a few moments .and following that, the Grand Master made a few appropriate remarks and t.ook occasion to humorously refer to some few mist.akes that I had made while I was presiding, but I noticed yesterday he said in putting the question, 'All in favor say aye.' So now I feel better.

"May I say to you that I feel very much the honor of being received here. I enjoy the Grand Lodge. It is the first and only time I have been received in an official way. I am going to take Bert's tip and make it very brief. I thank you very muc!}."

ELECTION OF W.

BROTHER ED'WARD WILLIAM TO GRAND LODGE.

SLADECK

On motion of R. VV. Bro. C. Lew Gallant, the Grand Lodge elected to membership in itself Brother Edward William Sladeck, now a member of Cosmos Lodge No. 282, Brother Sladeck having affiliated with Cosmos Lodge No. 282 from Quincy Lodge No. 296 of Quincy, Illinois, of which Quincy Lodge No. 296, of the Grand Jurisdiction of Illinois, Brother Sladeck had been duly elected and served as Worshipful :Master.

REMARKS OF ILL. BRO. W. ED. JOHNSON.

At the invitation of M. W. Bro. Bert S. Lee, presiding over the Grand Lodge, Ill. Bro. W. Ed. Johnson, Grand Master of the Grand Council, R. & S. M. of Missouri, addressed the Grand Lodge. His remarks are as follows: "Most Worshipful Grand Master and Brethren: After the historical introduction I received yesterday. it would probably be useless for me to reply in a manner equal to the occasion. But after

124

1931

Proceedings of the

hearing the good brother from Nebraska tell about the squeezing of the lemon, I feel encouraged.

"Brethren, I am very glad to be honored to be presented to you as the Grand Master of the Grand Council of Missouri, and I feel that we are only a part of the Masonic Lodge. I don't think the Grand Lodge is complete in its Order without the Cryptic Rite, as well as the Capitular Rite. I am very glad to be with you, and I have enjoyed the occasion. I thank you."

REMARKS OF M. W. BRO. JOHN R. TAPSTER.

At "the invitation of M. W. Bro. Bert S. Lee, presiding over the Grand Lodge, M. W. Bro. John R. Tapster, Grand Master of Nebraska, addressed the Grand Lodge. His remarks are as follows: "Brethren, yesterday I believe I made mention of the fact that 75 years ago the Grand Lodge of Missouri issued a dispensation to a Lodge in Nebraska under the name of Giddings Lodge. I had the honor last night of meeting a descendant of the Grand Master who was serving your Grand Lodge at that time, Brother L. S. Cornwell.

Next year, 1932, Nebraska will celebrate her seventy-fifth anniversary. A year ago the Grand Master appointed a committee to make arrangements for this celebration.

In their report they said this: First, that the Grand Lodge devote the evening of the first day of this 1932 communication to a commemoration of the anniversary; second. that the Grand Master be requested especially to invite the Grand Masters of Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri to be the guests of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska on this occasion, said Grand Jurisdictions being" those to whom the Lodges organizing the Grand Lodge of Nebraska owed allegiance, and now, Most WorshipfUl Grand Master, I desire at this time to extend a very cordial invitation to the Grand Lodge of Missouri to be present, through their Grand Master, at the annual communication, and to take part in this celebration."

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO BY-LAWS SECTION 166-A.

BY ADDING

The following proposal to amend the Grand Lodge By- Laws was presented: "Section 166-A. A Master Mason in good standing in a Lodge in this jurisdiction, whose Lodge consents or who has removed from the jurisdiction of the Lodge to which he belongs, may apply for affiliation, in the manner provided for in Section 166. to any Lodge in this jurisdiction, and is "not confined to the jurisdiction of the Lodge nearest his place of residence."

JOHN C. ROBERTSON, HENRI L. WARREN, W. E. BAILEY, R. E. KAVANAUGH, JACOB CHASNOFF.

The Grand Master announced that upon recommendation of

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

125

the Committee said proposal will lie over until next year.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON REPORTS OF DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS.

W. Bro. Charles A. Fitz-Gerald presented the following report of the Committee on Reports of District Deputy Grand Masters, which report was adopted: To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri: Brethren: In the interest of economy, the traditional banquet of District Deputy Grand Masters has been omitted this year.

Accordingly, this committee has been deprived of personal contact with the various District Deputies and any exchange of views. This report to you is based on the data that has been sent in from the various rlistricts. We relieve you of all statistical matter and will simply say that some District Deputies have not reported at all, and others incompletely and without that devotion to thoroughness that the high office would seem to dictate.

There are pleasing exceptions and these complete and thoughtfully prepared reports reflect, of course, the high type of Deputy serving those particular districts. We know of no good excuse for a District Deputy failing to send in a complete report to the Grand Lodge.

A study of these reports convinces your committee that when a new District Deputy is appointed, at the outset of his term of office, he should be apprised of his predecessor's recommendations, and should familiarize himself with the condition of the various Lodges. Every year certain recommendations are made and bad conditions pointed out, and there the matter rests-nothing is done about it. If the recommendations are worth while, they should be carried through; if路 not, an explanation should be made by the succeeding Deputy.

In some instances the Deputies have failed to visit the Lodges in their districts and, as already stated, some have failed to send in reports.

If a Deputy has not the time to do this, he should not accept, and certainly not retain, the office.

The Grand Lodge has a right to expect considerable from these Deputies in the way of stimulating interest and carrying to the various Lodges new ideas and a desire for improved conditions within the Fraternity. Certainly, at the end of his term, the least a Deputy might do is to make a report.

Particularly in the outlying Lodges do we flnd a repitition of the report that enthusiasm is lacking.

It occurs to us that here the Deputies could be of great help in restoring enthusiasm by various devices. In a number of districts, interest has been aroused and increased attendance secured by a good-natured competition in the ritualistic work. Sometimes it is between Lodges, at other times between picked teams from Lodges in two different districts that border on each other.

Another helpful device is for one or more smaller Lodges to invite to their meetings teams from nearby large cities. On such an occasion the country Lodge could invite Freemasons for miles around.

The present hard roads make transportation an easy matter. If the Master of the small Lodge is in doubt as to where the visitors may be secured, the Grand Secretary who is an ardent promoter of fraternalism in the Order, could enlighten him.

126

Proceedings of the

1931

Many of the small Lodges have members who have moved to larger cities, some of whom have become prominent. In such cases an enthusiastic meeting might be built around a return visit of this member with a number of brethren from the city Lodges. Such a meeting should be given publicity among surrounding Freemasons, with a view of enlisting their attendance and interest.

Our reason for mentioning these devices in detail is because we think there is little virtue in a report that generalizes. Also, we hope that the Masters and Wardens present may be inspired by this report as they do not seem to have been inspired by our District Deputies.

Throughout the. reports we find continued recommendations for consolidation of certain weak Lodges. The incoming Deputies should follow these recommend~itions and effect the consolidations where practicable.

There is no gainsaying the fact that weak Lodges are of little help to the Fraternity. This matter will, no doubt, have the attention of the incoming Grand Officers.

In a great many instances, there has not been sufficient effort to colIect dues in arrears. Some Lodges in the same districts, under the influence of good leaderhip. secure reasonably prompt payment, while others nearby do not. The present times have something to do with the matter, but it does not seem in the best interests of the Fraternity to carry members three or four years, as some reports indicate.

Some Deputies report inability to supply the required data, owing to the poorly kept records of the Lodge secretaries. Books have not been audited for years. It seems to us that each Deputy should take it upon himself to correct this laxity In his district where it exists.

The reports indicate that practicalIy no use is being made of the Grand Lodg-e Bulletin.

During some official visits of the Deputies, a number of the principal officers of the Lodge were absent. At a few, no quorum could be secured to receive an official visit. One Deputy wrote the secretary that he would visit the Lodge on a certain date, and when he arrived. there was no quorum. He learned that the secretary had married the previous day and failed to notify the members. It seems that since Biblical days a man who tal{es unto himself a new wife, becomes oblivious to aught else. Something ought to be done about this.

Many Lodges show more money paid out than taken in. We do not know the circumstances; but It is an unhealthy condition.

After reviewing these reports, your committee is struck with the importance of District Deputies and how valuable they may be .to struggling Lodges if they are men who can take to these Lodges some im. agination and energy. These reports mig-ht well contain more important questions to be answered than they do, but even as they are, they afford at headquarters a good picture of conditions at each Lodge. However, if the new Deputies do not folIow up the recommendations, or if it is not folIowed up from headquarters. nothing is gained by merely making the report.

In times like the present, when petitions received are below normal, the Deputies might well concentrate on stimulating sufficient interest to hold the members we have. In the absence of ritualistic work, more time may be spent in fostering the fraternal, educational, and social side of Masonry.

FraternalIy submitted, eRAS. A. FITZ-GERALD, GENTRY S. NORTH, LeROY A. WEIDLE.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

127

REMARKS OF R. W. BROTHER CHARLES C. HUNT.

At the invitation of the M. W. Grand :Master, R. W. Bro. Charles C. Hunt, Grand Secretary of Iowa, addressed the Grand Lodge. His remarks are as follows: "Most Worshipful Grand Master and Brethren: I have just been congratulating myself that I was going to escape this ordeal, but, Brethren, . I know that your time is well taken up, and therefore, whatever I have to say will be very brief.

"Yesterday, the Grand Master of Nebraska expressed his gratification at the fact that there were such cordial relations between the Grand Lodge of Missouri and that of Nebraska, basing it largely upon the fact that one of the Lodges which form the Grand Lodge of Nebrasl<a was chartered by the Grand Lodge of Missouri. Now, with us, we have no divided allegiance.

All of the four Iowa Lodges which formed our Grand Lodge were chartered by the Grand Lodge of Missouri. Everyone of them. (Applause.) Therefore, with truth in every respect, we can say that the Grand Lodge of Missouri is our mother. And we are proud of the fact. We are glad to have your Grand Master and your Grand Secretary visit our Grand Lodge, and I am always very glad when the opportunity comes and I am permi tted to come here.

"Yesterday, I was very much impressed with the address of your Grand Master, showing the remarkable field of labor which he had covered and the things that he had done, the accomplishment made.

He made the remark that he himself recognized some mistakes tliat he had made. He threw forth the suggestion that' you could probably discover many more.

Now, possibly that is true-I don't know. I believe I didn't discover any, because, personally, I agreed with practically every conclusion that he expressed. But, Brethren, if at all there is any criticism of any of your Grand Officers who are trying to work in the field of Masonry, just remember that we are all human and that if we do anything, if we accomplish anything at all, we are bound to make some mistakes somewhere."

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON THE FATHERLESS CHILDREN OF FRANCE.

M. W. Bro. H.obert R. Kreeger, Chairman of the Committee on the Fatherless Children of France, recalled the fact that at the last communication of the Grand Lodge the funds in the hands of the Junior Grand Warden of the Grand Lodge National of France were ordered to be turned over to the Christmas Committee of that organization for the purpose of buying Christmas gifts for the unfortunate children in that locality, and Chairman Kreeger read the following communication, received from the Secretary of that Christmas Committee:

128

Proceedings of the

1931

M. W. Gmnd Lodge, A. F. & A. M. in Missouri: Referring to the action of this Grand Lodge at Kansas City, Missouri (page 89, Grand Lodge Proceedings of 1930), approving the recommendation that the balance in the hands of R. W. Bro. Edmond Heisch, Paris, France, of 1088.95 francs, be paid over to the Treasurer of the Special Ch'ristmas Fund Committee of the National Independent Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M., I have to respectfully report that in due time a communication was directed to R. W. Bro. Heisch informing him of the action of this Grand Body.

A communication was received from the Secretary of the Children's Christmas Fund Committ~e dated January 26, 1931 at 96ter Avenue de Suffren, Paris, France, from which we excerpt as follows: "Through V. "V. Bro. Heisch, you were kind enough to hand us a check for francs 984.55, the balance that was left in his hands, of the War Orphans Fund.

"We appreciate this gift very much and to substantiate your kind gift, I thought it would be advantageous to send you an account of this Children's Christmas Fund to show you what the Grand Lodge Nationale Independate Et Reguliere Pour De France Et Les Colonies Francaises is doing over here, endeavoring to show the outside world what real Freemasonry means in a practical way.

"The gifts are made in the name of the Grand Lodge Nationale.

We do not hide that we are heretics and Masons, but we show, by our facts, that we have no dealings with the political and anticlâ&#x201A;Źrical views of others.

"We are extremely grateful to the Grand Lodge of MisS,ouri for their generous donation and assure you that although the work is mainly among the French, yet nationality is no bar if we come across a kiddie of any race who would benefit from the fund, and if you ever have occasion to indicate one, you may be certain that he or she will not be forgotten."

Fraternally submitted, R. R. KREEGER.

1V1. '0/. Bro. Kreeger announced that this report is to close the transaction, whereupon the Grand Master thanked the Committee and announced that it stands discontiued.

ELECTION OF BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR MASONIC HOME.

There were nominated to serve as Directors of the Masonic Home for the next three years, Brothers W. S. Campbell, Charles T. Kornbrodt, Orestes Mitchell, F. W. Wielandy, Herman Mauch, Ray V. Denslow, and Byrne E. Bigger. Ballots having been cast, the Grand Master thereupon declared Brothers De~nslow, Bigger, Campbell, Mitchell, and Wielandy duly elected as Directors of the Masonic Home.

INVITATION TO HOLD 1932 COMMUNICATION IN ST. LOUIS.

On motion of M. W. Bro. C. H. Briggs, the invitation above set forth in these Proceedings, from the Scottish Rite Cathe-

Grand Lodge of Missouri

1931

129

dral Association of Saint Louis, to hold the One Hundred and Twelfth Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge in 1932, was cordially accepted.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE

ON

JURISPRUDENCE.

The Report of the Committee on Jurisprudence was presented by the Chairman, W. Bro. John C. Robertson, and other members of the Committee, and, after discussion as to certain portions thereof, the same was adopted, section by section, and finally as a whole. The report reads as follows: To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A. F. <.S' A. M. of M1'ssouri: Your Committee respe~tfully reports as follows: The Committee met, at the call of its chairman, at the law offices of J. C. Robertson, 614 Wainwright Building, St. Louis, Missouri, September 28, 1931, the day before the opening of the Grand Lodge, as provided by the By-Laws, and has been in session each day since then, in conjunction with the Grand Lodge.

The Committee has carefully considered all matters coming before it and respectfully reports as follows: PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE BY -LAWS. First. Amendment to Provide for Installment Pnyment of Inltintlon 路Fee. It is proposed (Proceedings 1930, pages 89 and 150) to amend Section 46 of the By-Laws by striking out certain words and inserting others so that, as amended, the said section shall read as follows: "Section 46. Fees. A Lodge shall not confer the three degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry for a less sum than twenty dollars, nor shall any Lodge in a city or town where more than one Lodge and less than ten Lodges are located confer the three degrees, for a less sum than thirty dollars; nor shall any Lodge in a city or town where more than ten Lodges are located confer the three degrees for a less sum than fifty dollars; but more may be charged at the discretion of any Lodge. One-half of the amount must accompany the petition.

The balance shall be divided as the Lodge may direct, and no degree shall be conferred until the sum required therefor has been paid. Exemption from the payment of fees shall not be made in favor of any candidate, under any circumstances, by the return of all or part of said fees, as donations, loans or otherwise."

The effect of this amendment is to make it possible for a candidate to apply for the degrees without depositing, at the time, the whole of the required fees.

The installment plan was tried out under former By-Laws for many years and found unsatisfactory because many candidates lost interest after obtaining the first degree.

Our Committee informs the Grand Lodge that in the opinion of the Committee the proposed amendment is in proper form, but as the matter is one of policy, and not a legal question, we make no recommendation for or against the amendment.

Second.

Employment Burenu Amendment.

It is proposed

(Pro-

130

Proceedings of the

1931

ceedings of 1930, pages 92 and 150) that Section 66 of the By-Laws be amended by striking out the word "twenty" in the second line thereof and inserting in lieu thereof the word "fifteen", so that said section, as so amended, shall read as follows: "Section 66.

Employment Bureau.

In cities where there are fifteen or more Lodges, each Lodge shall appoint or elect one of its members, who shall constitute a General Employment Bureau whose duty shall be to aid unemployed members to secure employment. SUch Bureau shall adopt rules for its government; and each Lodge in such city shall contribute the sum of twenty-five cents (25c) per capita per annum to the Employment Bureau, such contribution to be calculated on, and payable with, the annual Grand Lodge returns.

Provided, that no contributions shall be called for when the amount on hand exceeds the sum of Three Thousand Dollars ($3,000.00).

"Such Bureau shall employ a Secretary and maintain a permanent office, where applicants may apply for employment."

The proposed amendment would make compulsory the establishment of an employment bureau in Kansas City. The Committee is informed that the Kansas City Lodges are opposed to the proposed amendment. It being largely of local concern and entailing additional expense on the Lod~es affected, this Committee, after due consideration, recommends that the proposed amendment, although in proper form, be not adopted.

Third.

Amen(lment Relating to Bonds of Grand Treasurer and Deposltory-. It was proposed in 1930 (Proceedings, pages 121 and 149) to amend the By-Laws by striking out Section 11, Article II, and inserting the following in lieu thereof: "Section 11. Grand Treasurer. The Grand Treasurer shall receive from the Grand Secretary all funds and securities of the Grand Lodge, and deposit the same in the name of this Grand Lodge in some bank or trust company, to be approved by the Grand Master and Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means; said bank or trust company to furniSh the Grand Lodge a good and sufficient bond to secure the same for the sum of $50,000.00, which bond shall be approved by the Grand Master and Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means.

He shall attend the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge, and, when required, meet the Grand Officers and Committees with his books and all necessary documents relating to his office; make a full report at the Annual Communication; pay all wararnts drawn on him by authority of the Grand Lodge; and at the commencement of his term of office, each year, execute and file with the Grand Master his official bond, with some reliable company as surety thereon, in such sum as the Grand Lodge shall determine, to be renewed as to amount of surety when required by the Grand Master or Grand Lodge; the cost of such bond to be paid by the Grand Lodge. Such bond to be conditioned that he will faithfully discharge the duties of his office, account for all money or property of the GI'and Lodg-e that may come into his hand; the said bond of the depository and of the Grand Treasurer may be increased at the direction of the Grand Master and consent thereto of the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee; produce on demand of the Grand

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

131

Master, or the Grand Lodge, or his successor in office all money and property of the Grand Lodge, in his possession and deliver to his successor in office the same, together with all books, papers, vouchers, securities, jewels, etc., belonging to the Grand Lodge.

He shall take duplicate receipts for same, one of which shall be delivered to the Grand Secretary.

He shall receive for his services the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) per annum."

The only changes are (1) that the bond is fixed at $50,000.00 Instead of double the amount deposited, which will save the Grand Lodge some money in premiums on the bond, and (2) that the bond of the Grand Treasurer and the depository may be increased at the discretion of the Grand Master with the consent of the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee. We are Informed that on some occasions our deposits have been as large as $250,000.00, and the provision for a discretionary increase is justified.

The Committee informs the Grand Lodge that the proposed amendment is in proper form for passage and recommends its adoption.

Fourth.

Amendment Uelnting to Printing and Distribution of Proceedings. It was )H'oposed in 1930 (Proceedings, pages 121 and 149) to amend Section 12, Article II (Subdivision "i") of the ByLaws, by striking out said subdivision and inserting in lieu thereof: "(i) He shall cause the proceeding-s of the Grand Lodge to be printed, and promptly forward one copy to each of the Lodges in the jurisdiction, and two copies to each of the Grand Lodges in the United States, and the Grand Lodges of such foreign countries as may be in correspondence with this Grand Lodg-e, and one copy to each officer of the Grand Lodge and one copy to each Past Grand Master."

The present law requires that two copies of the Proceedings be sent each Lodge and one copy to each foreign Grand Lodge.

The effect of this amendment is to reduce the number of copies sent to our own Lodges from two to one and to increase the number of copies sent to foreign jurisdictions from one to two.

The Committee informs the Grand Lodge that this amendment will result in considerable saving of printing bill, and, after due consideration, the Committee reports路 that the amendment is in proper form and recommends its adoption.

Fifth.

Amendment Increusing Fee for Benefit of 1'Insonlc Home.

It was proposed in 1930 (Proceedings, pages 121 and 150) to amend

Section 47 of Article V of the By-Laws by striking out the word "ten" in the third line of that section and inserting in lieu thereof the word "fifteen", so that said section, when so amended, shall read as follows: "Section 47. SOIDt'. Each petition for the degrees, in addition to the fee required by the By-Laws of the Lodge, shall be accompanied by the sum of Fifteen Dollars for the use and benefit of the Masonic Home. In the event of the election of the petitioner, the Secretary of the Lodge shall immediately remit such sum to the Grand Secretary, who in turn shall immediately pay the same over to the Secretary of the Masonic Home. If the petitioner be rejected, such amount shall be returned to him."

The effect of this amendment would be to increase by Five Dollars

132

1931

Proceedings of the

the amount now required to be paid by each ann every petitioner for the benefit of the Masonic Home.

The Committee fully appreciates the fact that the Masonic Home is in need of additional financial support. The Committee is also aware of the fact that the ability of local Lodges to accept such increase, under present conditions, is extremely doubtful, and considers the time inappropriate for imposing this additional burden on the local Lodges.

We therefore report the amendment is in proper form, but recommend that it be not adopted.

Sixth.

Decisions of the Most "\\Torshipful Grand

~Iaster:

Decisions 1, 4, 5, 6, '1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 18, 19, 20 antI 21. We recommend that the foregoing decisions of the (A)

Most WorshipfUl Grand Master be approved.

(B) Decision 2 of the Most Worshipful Grand Master.

With respect to Decision 2 of the Most Worshipful Grand Master, in line 1 of the decision, reference is made to "Section 180". The governing section is 168. Section 180 applies only to certificates of dimission granted to l'~ntered Apprentices or Fellow Craft.

With this correction, we recommend that Decision 2 of the Most 'Vorshipful Grand Master be approved.

(C) Decision 3 of the Most Worshipful Grand Master. In regard to Decision 3 of the Most Worshipful Grand Master, relating to the power of the District Deputy Grand Master to appoint a committee for examination of a person applying for admission to a Lodge of Instruction, your Committee is divided, a majority favoring the approval of the Most WorshipfUl Grand Master's decision.

(D) Decision 1'1 of the Most Worshipful Grand Master. Most of the second part of the Decision on Question 17 is in accordance with precedent decided in 1925, but is not in harmony with some previous decisions.

The six months residence mentioned in the Decision applies only to Petitions for the Degrees. The statement that if the brother takes a dimit, petitions for affiliation and is rejected "he cannot petition any Lodge again for a year" is contrary to Section 146, which provides that when a Master Mason is rejected for affiliation, he may petition at any subsequent stated meeting.

On the main question we believe that accepting the decision of the Most Worshipful Grand Master that the University City Lodge had jurisdiction, the converse would also obtain that it might waive jurisdiction.

The University City Lodge would have authority to waive on Petitions for the Degrees and frequently does. There is no expressed prohibition of such waiver. as was asked, and the right to grant it might be reasonably implied from Section 191.

Vve hold that Lodges have the same privilege of granting waivers on Petitions for Membership that they have on Petitions for the Degrees.

'Ve therefore recommend that the decision be sustained, excepting that part which implies that jurisdiction cannot be waived.

We have drafted a By-Law which will, to some extent, at least, give affiliates as much right to select Lodges as is given to non-affiliates.

This By-Law must lie over until next year, at which time this confiict in decisions can be corrected.

Seventh.

The Most WorshipfUl Grand Master, in his address, mentioned several subjects within the purview of this Committee which were referred to the Committee by the Committee on the Most Worshipful Grand Master's address and which have also come before the Committee by way of proposals to amend the By-Laws or Resolutions.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

133

These propositions are: to amend the section providing for trial by Commission, to authorize the Most Worshipful Grand Master, in cases where he deems it advisable, to order that any trial be conducted by Commission; to add an additional section in reference to Masonic burials, so that, in certain instances, Masonic funeral can be refused; to provide for amendments to the charter of the Masonic Home Corporation so that the Most Worshipful Grand Master can be made an active member of the board, instead of an ex-officio member.

In addition to the above, thc Most Worshipful Grand Master made a r"ecommendation, referred to the Jurisprudence Committee, in reference to the representatives of the Grand Lodge to be sent to the George Washington Memorial Meeting.

All of these things have been considered by the Committee, but so that the record on amendments proposed will be clear, we are setting out the amendments offered at the instance of th~ Most Worshipful Grand Master, treating with the above subjects: (A) "Amend Section 261lh of the Grand Lodge By-Laws by adding thereto the following words: 'provided that in any case in which a Masonic trial is to be had the Grand Master may, in his discretion, require that the trial shall be had by a commission to be appointed by him', so that when amended, said section shall read as follows: "Section 261lh. Trial by Commission. The Lodge (by a majority vote), or the accused may request, in writing, that the case be tried by a Commission, which request shall be 'voted or filed with the Worshipful Master not less than two days before the day fixed for trial.

"When said vote is so taken or said request so filed, the Worshipful Master shall refer the matter to the Grand Master, who, if he approves the request, shall appoint a Trial Commission to take charge of and try the case, and pending the determination of the Grand Master, the trial shall be postponed to a time 1ixed in the order of postponment.

"Each Trial Commission appointed by the Grand Master shall consist of three disinterested and experienced Brethren, members of Lodges in Missouri, residing outside the jurisdiction of the Lodge interested, excepting that in the cities having three or more Lodges, such Trial Commission may be appointed by the Grand Master from Brethren residing in the respective cities, not members of the Trial Lodge.

"The Trial Commission shall hear all evidence submitted and make a shorthand record of such evidence and testimony.

They shall observe the same rUles of evidence and practice as are prescribed by the Grand Lodge By-Laws for Trial Committees.

"The Commission shall prepare a brief statement of the facts found, its conclusions thereon, and the punishment,if any, fixed by it, which shall be filed with the Lodge in the same manner and with the same effect as is provided for a verdict by jury.

"The Trial Commission shall be en ti tIed to reimbursement from the Lodge for actual expenses paid.

"In trials ordered by the Most Worshipful Grand Master, by the Grand Lodge or any Committee of the Grand Lodge with the approval of the Grand Lodge, such Grand Master, Grand Lodge or Committee may designate that the trial is

134

Proceedings of the to be had a Masonic discretion, mission to

1931

by Commission provided that in any case in which trial is to be had the Grand Master may, in his require that the trial shall be had by a Combe appointed by him.

Said amendment, under the By-Laws, is required to lie over until the next Annual Communication.

We therefore recommend that no action by way of approval or disapproval on the proposed amendment be taken at the 1931 Annual Communication.

(B) "Amend the Grand Lodge By-Laws of 1925 by adding after Section 217, a new section to be l{nown as Section 217-A, and路 reading as follows: "Section 217-A. Sume.

If any objection is made by any member of any Lodge to the holding of a Masonic funeral over the remains of one of its deceased members, or over the body of any Mason it has been requested to bury, because of his character or the manner of his death, such objection shall be submitted promptly to the Worshipful Master and the two Wardens of said Lodge with a statement of the facts on which the objection is bascd. The Worshipful Master and the two Wardens shall thereupon consider such objections, and if all three of them agree that it is proper under Section 217 to hold such Masonic funeral and that the facts stated to them do not show anything in the life or death of the deceased which would make a Masonic funeral tend to bring reproach upon the cause of Freemasonry, then such Masonic funeral shall be held. If all three such officers agree that it would, for the reasons stat,ed, bring reproach upon the cause to have a Masonic funeral, then no such funeral shall be held; but, if the decision of such officers is not unanimous, then all the facts shall immediately be submitted to the Grand Master, whose decision shall be" had and shall be final.

Signed, WM. R. GENTRY, Said amendment, under the By-Laws, is required to lie over until the next Annual Communication.

We therefore recommend that no action by way of approval or disapproval on the proposed amendment be taken at the 1931 Annual Communication.

(C) "Section 222-A. Ex-officio Members. The Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, by virtue of their office, during their term of office, shall be exofficio members 路of the Board of Directors of the Masonic home of Missouri, with such rights and powers as may be conferred upon them by the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Masonic Home of Missouri.

Signed, WM.. R. GENTRY, C. H. BRIGGS, ARCH A. JOHNSON, T. W. COTTON, R. R. KREEGER, W. A. CLARK."

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

135

The Right Worshipful Thad B. Landon, incoming Deputy Grand Master, has appeared before your Committee and advised the Committee that motion would be made to appoint a Special Committee with authority to completely revise the fundamenal laws of the Grand Lodge and the Masonic Home Board so that the same will be more workable and comply with court decisions as to authorities and powers of corporations.

This Committee feels that the work of such Special Committee should not be prejudiced by decisions made upon By-Laws affecting that subjet, and accordmgly recommend that the Grand Lodge take no action on this amendment and that the same be referred to the Special Committee suggested by Right Worshipful Thad B. Landon.

(D) A resolution was presented to this Committee to the effect that the Directors of the Masonic Home be requested to take steps necessary to have their articles of incorporation amended to give the Most Worshipful Grand Master the right to participate and vote. This resolution was signed by Brothers Gentry, Briggs, Johnson, Cottun, Kreeger and Clark.

The Committee makes the same recommendation with reference to this resolution as it made for the amendment to the By-Laws proposed for the same purpose setout last above.

(E) Amendment to By-Laws in reference to affiliation in connection with report on the Most Worshipful Grand Master's Decision 17.

The Committee has prepared and introduced a By-Law to be known as Section 166-A, reading as follows: Section 166-A. A Master Mason in good standing in a Lodge in this jurisdiction, whose Lodge consents, or who has removed from the jurisdiction of the Lodge to which he belongs, may apply for affiliation, in the manner provided for in Section 166, to any Lodge in this jurisdiction, and is not confined to the jurisdiction of the Lodge nearest his place of residence.

JOHN C. ROBERTSON, HENRI L. WARREN R. E. KAVANAUGH, W. E. BA ILEY, JACOB CHASNOFF. This By-Law, being an amendment to a present'law under the Decision on 17, must,lie over for. the period of one year. , (F) Two amendments were offered, one to permit the Distrl:t-":Deputy Grand Master to be a resident of an adjoining district, aHel', the other to permit the District Deputy Lecturer to be a resident of an adjoining district. . . .

This will amend Sections 22 and 24 of the By-Laws to read as follows.: "Sec. 22. District Deputy Grnndltlnsters.' The' Grand Juris-' diction of Missouri shall be divided into such number of Masonic Districts. as may be, from time to time, ordered by the Grand Lodge, for each of which th~re shall be appointed and commissioned by the Grand Master, a District Deputy GrandMaster, who must be a Past or present Master of a Lodge in this jurisdiction, and a resident of such district or an adjoining district.

Districts which have, or may hereafter have, forty or more Lodges shall have two. District Deputy Grand Masters of equal rank, over separate divisions of such district. The Grand Master, may; convene the Dis-

136

1931

Proceedings of the

trict Deputies in regional conferences at such time as he may deem best, the expenses of such meetings to be defrayej} by the Grand Lodge.

W. R. GENTRY." "Sec. 24. District I,ecturer. There shall be appointed and commissioned by the Grand Lecturer, for each Masonic District, a District Lecturer, a resident of such District or an adjoining District, who shall be a Past or present Master a'nd who shall be competent to teach the work of this jurisdiction, and who shall hold his office until the next succeeding session of the Grand Lodge, unless removed by the Grand Lecturer.

He shall visit, officially, the Lodges in his District, as far as practicable, and for holding Lodges of Instruction shall receive Five Dollars per day and his actual expenses, to be paid by each Lodge instructed.

W. R. GENTRY." Said amendments under the By-Laws are required to lie over until the next Annual Communication.

We therefore recommend that no action, by way of approval or disapproval, on the proposed amendments be taken at the 1931 Annual Communication.

(G) An amendment was offered to add to the By-Laws a new section to be known as Section 74-A, to read as follows: "Section 74-A. Pnyment of MU140nic Home Fund. The $1.50 of the annual dues paid by each chartered Lodge to the Grand Lodge to be used for the support of the Masonic Home, as provided for in Section 74, shall be paid over' weekly, as collected, to the Masonic Home of Missouri.

Signed, ARCH A. JOHNSON, T. W. COTTON, R. R. KRE~GER, C. H. BRIGGS, J. R. McLACHLAN, W. A. CLARK." This same subject was covered in a resolution passed in 1915, shown in the By-Laws, 1925, at Page 178. Inasmuch as the resolution does not seem to have accomplished the purpose, the Committee recommended adoption of the By-Law. This being a new section and not changing any existing law, the same can be acted upon at this session.

RESOLUTION. (H) The following resolution was delivered to the Committee on Jurisprudence: "WHEREAS, it appearing to the undersigned that, wholly io.r the reason of accesslbillty to them, the best interests of Freemasonry would be served by transferring Belle Lodge No. 373, A. F. & A. M., Belle, Missouri, and Vienna Lodge No. 94, A. F. & A. M., Vienna, Missouri, from the 58th Masonic District to the 39th Masonic District,

1931

Gmnd Lodge of Missouri

137

"THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that such transfer be ordered at this Communication of the Grand Lodge, effective immediately.

Signed, CHARLES L. WOODS, D. D. G. M., 39th Masonic District, Rolla, Missouri.

E. J. KOCH, D. L., 39th Masonic District, Rolla, Missouri.

K. C. JONES, D. D. G. M. and D. L., 58th Masonic District, Versailles, Missouri."

The Committee knows nothing of the circumstances, but, finding the resolution in proper form, and evidently signed by the officials of the districts involved, recommends its adoption.

PROPOSAL TO ADOPT A NEW BY -LAW At this session of the Grand Lodge a proposal to adopt a new By-Law, to be known as 166-A, was introduced, reading as follows: "Any affiliate of a bordering jurisdiction residing where rivers or natural boundaries make It more convenient for him to attend a Missouri Lodge than one of his own jurisdiction, may present a waiver from said jurisdiction to a Lodge of this state and be eligible to petition for membership."

Submitted by, WM. R. GENTRY, H. S. WARREN. The Committee finds that this being a new By-Law and not an amendment to an existing law, it Is proper for the Grand Lodge to act on it at this session. The Committee has given considerable time to the problems arising because of a large river, which Is being made into a large, artificial lake, shutting off from Oklahoma a district where a number of petitioners, who desire to become Masons, reside.

These people obtain their mail at a city where a Missouri Lodge exists and are many miles closer to the Missouri Lodge. The main Jurisdiction of Oklahoma is interested In helping them become Masons and Is entirely co-operative.

The matter is not a new one to us; for many years it has been the polley of Missouri to co-operate with bordering states and allow them to take In Missouri Masons. (See Page 174,' Constitution and By-Laws of 1925, entitled Border Legislation.)

The same rule should obtain where Masons in other states, desire to join a more convenient Lodge in MissourI. The Committee finds the amendment in proper form and recommends its adoption.

The Committee, having fully considered and recorded on all matters properly coming before it, tenders its report in full and asks that the same 'be, by the Grand Lodge, approved.

Respectfully submitted, Bordering .Jurlsdictions.

JOHN C. ROBERTSON, Chairman, HENRI L. WARREN. R. E. KAVANAUGH. W. E. BAILEY, JACOB CHASNOFF.

138

Proceedings of the

1931

PROPOSED AMENDMENT TO BY路LAWS.

On motion of W. Bro. Charles M. Barnes, Section 46 of the By-Laws was amended to read as follows: "Section 46. Fees. A Lodge shall not confer the three degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry for a less sum than twenty dollars, nor shall any Lodge in a city or town where more than one Lodge and less than ten Lodges are located confer the three degrees, for a less SUf.I1 than thirty dollars; nor shall any Lodge in a city or town where more than ten Lodges are located confer the three degrees for a less sum than fifty dollars; but more may be charged at the discretion of any . 'Lodge. One half of the amount must accompany the petition. The balance' shalI be divided as the Lodge may direct, and no degree shall be conferred until the sum required therefor has been paid. Exemption from the payment of fees shall not be made in favor of any candidate, under any circumstances, by the return of all or part of said fees. as donations, loans or otherwise."

CALLED FROM LABOR.

At 12 :10 o'clock P. M., the Grand Lodge was CALLED FROM LABOR until 1 :30 o'clock P. M., prayer being offered by R. W. Grand Chaplain E. L. Robison.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

139

SECOND DAY-AFTERNOON SESSION.

At 1 :30 o'clock P. M., the M. W. Grand Lodge was CALLED TO LABOR by the M. W. Grand Master, prayer being offered by Rev. Brother William Crowe, Pastor of Westminster Presbyterian Church of St. Louis.

RESOLUTION OF THANKS.

R. W. Bro. Thomas H. Reynolds presented the following resolution, which was adopted: WHEREAS, the Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri, has again enjoyed t.he hospitality of the Brethren and citizens of St. Louis, and availed itself or the generous tender of the Scottish Rite of its magnificent temple for its use, BE IT RESOLVED, that we express our sincere appreciation of the uniform courtesy shown us by the brethren and citizens of St. Louis, and of the commodious quarters provided by the Scottish Rite brethren of this Valley for our use, which have contributed materially to doing the work of this Grand Lodge and its committees. The sincerity of this appreciation is attested by our acceptance of ;the renewed invitation to meet here again next year. May the favor of Providence continue to rest upon and abide with them, one and all.

THOMAS H. REYNOLDS, BYRNE E. BIGGER, VAN FREMONT BOOR.

REPORTS OF COMMITTEE ON WAYf, AND MEANS.

(1) W. Bro. Douglas W. Robert presented the following Report of the Committee on Ways and Means: To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri: Brethren: Your Committee on Ways and Means, to which was referred the resolution offered by Most Worshipful Brother Gentry and Right Worshipful Brother Denslow, reading: "RESOLVED, that hereafter, regardless of any resolution heretofore adopted, only the Grand Master and the Grand Secretary of this Grand Lodge shall attend the meetings of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association at the expense of this Grand Lodge."

Beg leave to recommend the adoption of this resolution with the following amendments: Add after the word "Grand Master" the words "the Deputy Grand Master." This for the reason that by the attendance of the Deputy Grand Master he will be more familiar with the work the following year when he attends as Grand Master.

Also add the following proviso, which is self-explanatory: "Provided that as the meetings of the George Washington Ma-

140

Proceedings of the

1931

sonic National Memorial Assocdation and Conference -of the Grand Masters in Washington in May, 1932, constitute an extraordinary occasion in celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of the greatest and grandest Grand Master in the history of our country, the following officers of the Grand Lodge of Missouri be sent as representatives by this Grand Lodge to the same at the expense of this Grand Lodge; to-wit, the Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master, the two Grand Wardens, the Grand Secretary and the Grand Treasurer路...

So that said resolution shall read: "RESOLVED, that hereafter, regardless of any resolution heretofore adopted, only the Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master and the Grand Secretary of this Grand Lodge shall attend the meetings of the George Washington Masonic National Memo"i-ial Association at the expense of this Grand Lodge. Provided, that as the meetings of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association, and Conference of the Grand Masters in Washington In May, 1932. constitute an extraordinary occasion in celebration of the two hundredth anniversary of the birth of the greatest and grandest Grand Master in the history of our country, the following officers of the Grand Lodge of Missouri be sent as representatives by this Grand Lodge to the same at the expense of this Grand Lodge; to-wit, the Grand Master, the Deputy Grand Master, the two Grand Wardens, the Grand Secretary and the Grand Treasurer."

Fraternally submitted, DOUGI..AS W. ROBERT, Chairman, THOMAS A. HARBAUGH, J. A. KINDER, G. C. MARQUIS.

After considerable debate upon the Resolution proposed in said Report, said Resolution was by a vote of the Grand Lodge rejected.

Thereupon it was suggested by the Grand 'Master that the Resolution which he stated had been offered on the first day of this communication to amend the law so as to send only the Grand Master and the Grand Secretary to the meetings of the George Washington 1vlasonic National Memorial Association should now be brought before the hovse. Thereupon M. W. Bro. C. H. Briggs moved, in substance, that henceforth at the meetings of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Association the Grand Lodge of Missouri be represented by the Grand l\1aster and Grand Secretary. The Grand Master thereupon interpreted the effect of the motion so made by M. W. Bro. Briggs to be to eliminate everybody except the Grand l\1aster and the Grand Secretary to represent the Grand Lodge at said meetings each year, including

1931

Grand Lodge of MiSS01:tri

141

the year 1932路 as well as any other year. The motion of M. W. Bro. Briggs having been seconded and put to a vote, it was adopted.

(2) There was then presented by W. Bro. Douglas W. Robert the following Report of the Committee on Ways and Means, which report was adopted as a whole.

To the Most Worshipful Gra1td Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri: Brethren: Your Committee on Ways and Means desire to report as follows: The work of the Committee this year has been far from perfunctory.

The conditions of the affairs of the world have had their effect upon the Lodges, as well as the members, and it became necessary to make this condition of first importance in arranging the budget for the ensuing year.

The effect on the Grand Lodge, however, has not been great. The income for general purposes in 1930 was $73,892.75 and in 1931 $72,089.45, a loss of but $1,803.30. The expenditures, however, .were $998.38 less in 1931 than in 1930, thus resulting in a d-iminution of available funds of $804.92. Our budget this year will be $14.10 more than in 1930.

In order to arrive at what we thought proper conclusions, we have made a thorough stUdy of the financial reports of the Grand Lodge for the past three years. This has enabled us to make some corrections In the budget, to increase some allotments and to decrease others. and thus set down what we deem the correct amounts which should be appropriated to the various departments of our work, and which, we trust, will meet with your approval.

There were three major problems presented to .your Committee this year, two of which were vexing and difficult, but the solution of the third was a work of pleasure.

The first problem was to determine whether or not the By-Laws and the reports of the former Committees on Ways and Means were being followed; that is, whether or not the expenditures were being kept within the amounts appropriated by the Grand Lodge.

We examined the financial reports of the past three years 1929, 1930 and 1931, and compared the expenditures with the amounts appropriated in the reports of the Ways and Means Committees and approved by the Grand Lodge. We did not go back of 1929, nor was it our purpose to make an extensive investigation of this question. We simply wished to see how the affairs were being conducted in these recent years.

This examination resulted in discovering several instances in which the amount expended has exceeded the amount authorized by the Grand Lodge. In some cases the amount of excess was small, but in others they amounted to quite large sums.

For instance,' the report of the Ways and Means Committee for 1928 allotted the sum .of $2,000.00 for printing, postage, stationery and incidentals, but the financial report shows that there was expended fQr these items the sum of $3,043.74, an excess of $1,043.74.

In 1929 there was allotted for bond for depository $175.00. There was expended $210.72, an excess of $35.72. There was allotted for office equipment $600.00.

There was expended $763.00, an excess of $163.25. There was allotted for printing and binding manuals $1,650.00. There was expended $2,749.23, and excess of $1,099.23. There

142

Proceedings of the

1931

was allotted for printing, postage, stationery and .incidentals $2,000.00. There was expended $3,423.03, an excess of $1,453.03.

The expenditures this year (1931) present a more striking example of disregard of the Committee's report. There was allotted for bond depository $175.00. There was expended $247.59, an excess of $72.59. There was allotted for the Reporter $75.00. There was expended $116.00, an excess of $41.00. There was allotted for the District Deputy Grand Masters' dinner $179.50.

There was expended $234.30, an excess of $54.80. There was allotted for printing, postage, stationery and incidentals the Sum $2,000.00. There was expended $6.205.50, an excess of $4,205.50.

Article IV. Section 27, Sub-division h, of the By-Laws provides that no appropriation shall be made without reference to the Ways and Means Committee. This, of course, is for the purpose of keeping expenditures within the income. In the opinion of your Committee it is no more proper to expend a larger sum for an article or purpose for which a definite amount has been provided in the Ways and Means Committee report, approved by the Grand Lodge, than it would be to pay an officer more salary than has been authorized by the Grand Lodge.

It is true that sales of manuals and receipt blanks would cut down the cost of t.hose articles, but the amounts of' those receipts have been taken into consideration by your Committee in estimating the income, and, furthermore, such receipts cover into the treasury, subject only to appropriation by the Grand Lodge in accordance with the By-Laws.

While your Committee feels sure that the excess of disbursements over the amount allowed by the Grand Lodge was no more than thoughtlessness, we also feel sure that the mere calling of attention to these figures will stimulate more thought in regard to these matters in the future.

The second difficult problem was to reduce some appropriations. and eliminate others in the interest of economy, not only to balance our budget, but also to avoid extravagance and for the greatest and best of reasons, in view of the distressing times, to provide more money for charity in accordance with the view of the Most Worshipful Grand Master, as outlined in his letter of September 18th and in his report.

So that all may understand the changes made we mention them specifically, together with the reasons which influenced your Committee.

We have reduced the following amounts which have been heretofore scheduled in former Ways and Means Committee reports.

The pay roll is reduced $3,207.40 due to the shorter seRsion {)f this communication. The cost of printing Proceedings of the Grand Lodge is reduced $600.00. This by reason of the fact that the cost of printing the 1930 proceedings was that· amount less than the previous ones.

This reduction was secured by the Grand Secretary.

Allotment to the Masonic Service Association is reduced $250.00 to $750.00, for the reason that although allotted $1,000.00 last year it only expended $308.62. The allotment for expenses of the Grand Lecturer is reduced $450.00. It has been customary to allot the maximum amount allowed by the By-Laws to-wit, $1,200.00, but the actual expenses of the Grand Lecturer have averaged a little over. $700.00 during the past three years. The allotment to the. Library Committ€e is reduced from $200.00 to $150.00.

It was allotted

1931

Grand Lodge

of

Missouri

143

$200.00 in the last few years, but only expended $132.40 in 1930 and $124.18 in 1931.

There will probably be further savings on account of the shortening of the session, in expenses, but we cannot estimate that amount.

For several years there have been allotted to the Committee on Necrology $75.00, to the Chairman of the Pay Roll Committee $100.00 and to the Chairman of the Committee on Chartered Lodges $50.00.

We find no authority in the laws for these payments. There are By-Laws which provide for the payment of compensation of Chairmen of' Committees and also to members of some Committees attending the Grand Lodge sessions. These are included in the pay roll at the rate of $5.00 per day, but there is no provision or any law, which we are able to find, providing for payments to either the chairmen or committees mentioned above. We have therefore eliminated these allotments.

Under the direction of the Most Worshipful Grand Master we have also eliminated the appropriation of $179.50 for the dinner for the District Deputies, and we have also reduced the appropriation of $1,300.00 for the Officers' Conferences to $500.00, as fewer will beheld in the future.路 We . have reduced the allotment for the Memorial and Grand Masters' Conference from $700.00 to $400.00.

The amounts reduced from the allotments of last year total $5,907.40. The amounts eliminated total $404.50, a grand total of . reduction of $6,311.90.

It has become necessary to raise some of the allotments.

The financial reports of the last three years show that $2,000.00 is not enough for printing, postage, stationery and incidentals.

As we have pointed out much more than this sum was expended each year without authority, but we think it necessary to make an allotment which is reasonable and will not be exceeded. We have, therefore, increased the allotment for this purpose $1,500.00, thus allowing a total of $3,500.00.

So also the appropriation of $175.00 Bond for Depository, was exceeded this year, the total cost being $247.59. As that will be the cost in the coming year we think it necessary to raise the allotment $75.00, thus providing $250.00.

We find there has been paid regularly the sum of $50.00 to the Secretary of the Grand Masters' Conference as our proportion of the expenses. There seems to be no provision in our laws for this payment and it was not included in last year's budget. We think it should be in the budget, and, therefore, have made the total appropriation for the Memorial and Grand Masters' Conference $400.00.

These additions to last year's budget amount to $1,575.00, making the net reduction $4,336.90.

Our greatest satisfaction came in the solution of the third problem, that of adding the sums saved from other items to the work of charity, which lies so near the foundation of Freemasonry. The Committee on Welfare (heretofore called the Committee on Charity) received in 1928 an appropriation of $3,000.00. It' expended of that sum but $1,705.00, hence in 1929 it was allotted but $2,000.00. In 1930 t.he Committee found itself quite short of funds, and asked that it be allotted $7,500.00. The. Ways and Means Committee last year could not find that sum and awarded only $3,000.00. It has become apparent that the Committee on Welfare is one of the nibst

144

1931

Proceedings of the

important of the Grand Lodge, and the need of a larger appropriation is fully set forth in the letter of the Grand Master.

The Grand Master urged in his letter of September 18th that the saving resulting from the shortening of the session and by the omission of the dinner for the District Deputies be added to the appropriation for the Committee on Welfare.

That would have amounted to $3,386.90.

However; by carefully combing over the other items mentioned herein, we are glad to state that we can add to last year's report $4,500, making the appropriation for the Committee on Welfare this year $7,500.00.

We recommend the following appropriations: Pay RolL $18, 99 O. 40 Printing Proceedings............................................................................ 3,300.00 Salary Grand Master """ ,...... 1,000.00 Expense, Grand Master........................................................................ 1,500.00 Maintenance, Grand Lodge Offices ,........................... 1,800.00 Masonic Service Association ,.....................

750.00 Masonic Temple Association.............................................................. 8,000.00 Expense, Grand Lodge Officers, Order of Grand Master..........

500.00 Salary, Grand Secretary...................................................................... 5,000.00 Office Help 5,280.00 Printing, Postage, Stationery, Incidentals.................................. 3,500.00 Salary, Grand Lecturer........................................................................ 4,200.00 Expense, Grand Lecturer....................................................................

750.00 Salary Grand Treasurer......................................................................

500.00 Fraternal CorrespondenL....................................................................

750.00 Masonic Rellef Ass'n United States and Canada........................

285.00 Committee on Welfare........................................................................ 7,500.00 Past Grand Master's JeweL................................................................

200.00 Telephone, Jefferson 4877....................................................................

200.00 Bonds, Grand Secretary and Grand Treasurer............................

550.00 Bond for Depository..............................................................................

250.00 Reporter 75.00 Expense, Grand Lodge Session..............................................................

650.00 Contingent Grand Lodge Expense, Funerals, Etc.....................

500.00 Library Committee 150.00 Perkins Audit Company......................................................................

200.00 Expense, George Washington Memorial and Grand Masters' Conference .

400.00 Officers' Conference .

500.00 $67,280.40 Fraternally submitted, DOUGLAS W. ROBERT, Chairman, J. A. KINDER, G. C. MARQUIS, THOMAS A. HARBAUGH.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS.-

The following report of the Committee on Credentials was presented by its Chairman, R. W. Bro. Walter A. Webb, and adopted:

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

路145

To the Grand Lodge of Ancient Free mJd Accepted MaS01lS of the State of Missouri: Your Committee on Credentials submits the following report: At the present session of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge there are represented 541 subordinate Lodges. and there are present: Grand Lodge Officers 19 Past Grand Masters............................................................................................ 13 Grand Representatives 12 District Deputy Grand Masters...................................................................... 44 District Lecturers 7 Past Masters _ 648 Worshlpfui Masters 507 Senior Wardens _ _ 115 Junior vVardens' 76 Chari men of Committees 17 Distinguished Visitors 5 Actual attendance is: Past Masters' Worshipful Masters Senior Wardens Junior Wardens

648 507 115 76

Total

1.346 Fraternally submitted, WALTER A. WEBB, Chairman, V. LIPPERT, F. B. HOWARTH. F. H. KNIGHT, H. F. WOERTHER, Credentials Committee.

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

The following report of the Committee on Unfinished Business was presented by its Chairman, R. W. Bro. Thomas A. Harbaugh, and was adopted: To the M. W. Grand Lodge, A. F.

{:r

A. M. of Missouri:

Brethren: Your Committee on Unfinished Business begs to report that there is none.

Fraternally submitted, THOMAS A. HABAUGH, Chairman.

146

Proceedings of the

1931

REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON PAY ROLL.

W. Brother Walter R. Shrodes, Chairman, read the report of the Committee on Pay Roll, which was adopted as follows: St. Louis, Mo., September 30, 1931.

To the Gra1td Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri: Your Committee on Pay Roll, at this Session of ~he Grand Lodge, begs to report the following allowances paid for Mileage and Per Diem, have been distributed as follows: Grand Officers Past Grand Masters District Deputy Grand District Lecturers

c ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

_ Masters

_

Chairmen Committees Committee on Jurisprudence Committee on Appeals and Grievances Committee on Credentials _ Reporter Charteted Lodges Total.

_

_ ,.. _."

_ -

,

. . .

$

470.90 314.40 1,222.30 206.70

",.",." .. , . . . .

147.80 152.80 181.40

94.50 37.70 . 16,161.90 $18, 990.40

Respectfully submitted, W ALTgR R. SHRODES, Chairman.

GRAND OFFICERS. Wm. R. Gentry Ray V. Denslow Thad B. Landon F. C. BarnhilL E. E. Morris Arthur Mather IJ. R. McLachlan F. C. DonnelL DuVal Smith J. W. Skelly

$10.00 36.30 37.70 28.90 37.70 10.00 28.80 10.00 40.80 10.00

G. W. Walker H. L. Reader..

H. C. Chiles

S. Woods K. M. Vctsburg H. S. Truman W. M. Langtry E. L. Robison Samuel Thurman W. E. Secwoster Eo

$23.10 11.00 34.90 :. 33.80 10.00 36.30 10.80 40.80 10.00 10.00

PAST GRAND MASTERS. C. H. Briggs R. R. Kreeger A. A. Johnson Van F. Boor T. W. Cotton W. A. Clark J. C. GarrelL

$33.80 37.70 33.80 37.70 28.50 22.50 10.00

B. S. Lee J. S. McIntyre W. W. Martin John Pickard A. F. Ittner B. E. Bigger

$33.80 10.00 10.00 24.60 10.00 22.00

1931

147

Grand Lodge of Missouri DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS.

H. M. Jayne (1 } $31.30 J. W. Moore (3} 36.80 E. M. Wilson (4} 34.20 C. F. Smith (6} 39.80 J. Stark (7} 41.80 F. R. Elton (8) 47.50 E. C. James (11) 38.40 E. E. Divinna (12} 34.10 D. H. Sosey (15} 18.50 W. H. May (16} 19.40 G. E. Chipman (17) 24.20 T. H. Edwards (19} 26.90 Otto Hale (20} _ 31.10 J. P. Tucker (21) _ 38.30 C. B. Waddell (23} _ _ 34.90 Jas. Morgan (24} 30.50 J. Eo Hawkins (26} 24.60 L. J. Graue (27) 21.00 R. G. McKibben (28} 19.20 L. T. Baskett (29) 11.80 E. H. Barklage (30} _ 12.40 W. D. Rogers (31}._ 22.50

R. A. Breuer (32) _ $18.00 E. L. Ocker (33-A} 10.00 A. Romansky (33-B} 10.00 S. B. Kennon (36} _ 28.80 T. Jennings (37} 32.80 W. 1. Mayfield (38} 28.10 C. L. Woods (39} 21.10 M. E. Ewing (41} 36.70 M. D. Gwinn (42) 38.40 D. V. Morris (43} _ 37.80 C. A. Swenson (46) ,. 36.90 J. J. Bowman (48} _ 16.10 J. A. Kinder (49) 23.10 G. A. Sample (50}_................. 24.40 G. C. Bishop (51} _ 32.00 K. C. Johnson (52) 26.90 G. J. Vaughan (54} _ 35.70 W. N. Marbut (55} 38.10 W. A. Phipps (56} _. 41.10 1. E. Ross (57} _ 10.80 J. S. ,Carmical (59} 36.30

DISTRICT LECTURERS. L. W. Osborne (2} E. H. Wess~ll (33} Eo J. Koch (39} C. Eo Pyle (40}

$30.40 10.00 21.00 14.60

J. H. B. F.

C. S. P. G.

Senate (43} Hightower (44}_ Parks (51} Fulkerson (57}

$40.10 '43.10 _.. _. 36.50 _ 11.00

CHAIRMEN STANDING COMMITTEES. D. W. Robert..

W. R. Shrodes C. L. Alexander Gib W. Carson C. A. Fitz-Gerald

_

$10.00 34.20 10.00 10.00 11.30

A. A. T. J.

J. S. A. L.

O路Reilly Dexheimer Harbaugh Flaven

$10.00 10.00 _. 42.30 10.00

COMMITTEE ON CREDENTIALS. W. A. Webb F. B. Howarth H. F. Woerther

$15.00 15.00 11.80 COMMITTEE ON

J. C. Robertson H. L. Warren _ W. E. Bailey

$15.00 42.70 _.. 38.80

COMMITTEE W. F. Wooaruff A. H. Mann

Val Lippert F. H. Knight

J. Chasnoff R. E. Kavanaugh

_

$37.70

$15.00 41.30

AND GRIEVANCES.

R. O. Rumer L. T. Johnson

OFFICIAL REPORTER. R. L. Blume

$10.00 42.70

JURISPRUDI!~NCE.

ON APPEALS $47.70 57.70

_

$30.00 46.00

148 No. 1 2 3 4 6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 30 31 32 33 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 64 55 56 57 58 59 60 62

Proceedings of the LODGE

REPRESENTATIVE

1931 PAID

Mlssourl...

N. P. Zlmmer._ __ _.. __ $10.00 Meridlan. c__ J. L. Mueller __ 10.00 Beacon R. S. Reifschneider 10.00 Howard Mert Wood .._ : 27.30 United H. S. Ramey 33.90 O·Sullivan __ B. F. CantrelL 36.20 Geo. Washington.. __ E. L. Seagrave 10.00 Agency __ _.W. C. White__ _ 39.80 Pauldingville W. E. Lange .. _ 15.40 Tyro l<'. F. Wallis __ 18.10 Rising Sun . .__ C. E. Williams ._.. ..__ 37.00 Eolia _ _J. C. MitchelL...__ .. _ __ 18.90 Western Star _. __ A. Dunlap -- .. -- 36.20 Memphis __ __ C. E. Trash 31.30 Clarksvllle.. _ __ _ O. H. McLeod_ 18.40 Palmyra _ _ _.A. W. Ely .._..__ 18.50 St. Louis _ C. I. Glaser _ . 10.00 Havana .._.. __ . __ C. Manring 37.30 Wellington _ __.H. V. Redmon_ .. .. _ 41.20 Florida ..

W. E. Thornton _ __ 26.10 Wyaconda _ W. R. Waterston __..__ ._ 25.00 Naphtali _..

E. A. B. Krech _ _ _ 10.00 Ava __ ·.. .. __ C. R. Burris__ __ 39.80 Evergreen ..

B. F. Bailey _._ 16.70 St. John's _ ·.. ·..·_..··· __ T. E. Starke __ _ 22.00 Huntsville ..

M. H. Harden .._.. __ .: 25.50 Liberty__ C. W. Carpenter. .. ,.. __ 36.70 Humphreys __ _ J. M. Dillinger _.. _ 35.50 Ralls _ __ C. C. Beavers _ 22.50 Mercer Q. E. Thogmartin __ _ 38.60 Cooper__ _ _S. L. Jewett 27.00 Hemple _ __.. J. R. Vaughn_ 38.40 Callao .. _ _..__.. _..H. L. Baker _ :_._ _..__ .__ 27.90 DeWitt.. _ _ _ __.G. R. Craig 29.40 Mt. Moriah _ L. H. Steffen __ 10.00 Bismarck.. _ __ ..

R. J. Barger __ __.._ 17.90 Jefferson Thos. B. Mather_ __ _ __. 22.50 Fair Play __ .. __ __ \\~· M. Price.. .. ._ _ 38.10 Bonhomme J. H. T. Schrader__ 12.30 Wentzville __ _ O. K. Seymour.. .__ __ __._ 14.50 K . G. Todd Fayette_ _ __ _ 26.00 11. L. Brown Fulton _ _ 23.40 Holt_ _ John Burris -- ..

37.90 Xenia __.

E. R. Alexander __ 43.30 Livingston _ _ R. R. Wright _ _.. . .. 26.60 Wakanda.. __ _ Frank Johnson ..-.. __ _ _ 31.10 Weston O. Blackburn __ . 40.50 Index_ _ __.. __ 35.50 P . J. Shepp__ Arrow Rock .._ __ B. C. Bradshaw 30.40 Tipton E. L. Ferguson __ ..__ ..

26.:l0 Richmond C. J. Lewis 34.10 Monticello O. P. Shanks __..

27.00 Centralia __ C. I. Wright ..

22.40 New Bloomfteld_ J. B. Lawson __.. _.:_ 24.10 Vincil .B. E. Bangs _ __ 36.60

No. 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 86 87 88 89 90 92 93 94 95 96 97 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105 106 107 109 110 111 112 113 114 115 116 117 118 119 120 121

149

Grand Lodge of Missouri

1931 LODGE

PAID

REPRESENTATIVE

Cambridge J. A. J aycox Monroc C. S. Hicks Pattonsburg Roy Gromer Grant City I~. S. CampbelL. RocheporL R. F. Baldwin Kennett T. R. R. Ely Sullivan Gcorge Adams Savannah D. H. Stephens Gorin Glen Rice Eureka W. S. Waller Warren H. D. Garnett Silex······ ····..··· · ··· ··Isaac Josephson Independence H. H. Rahe Lebanon A. C. Shelton St. IJoseph E. F. Sinclair Polar Star H. F. Steininger Bridgeton W. Reinemer CentraL _.F. L. McGee Jackson W. H. Childers Laclede .Tas. Buster Webster Groves C. H. AppeL. Brookfield .T. E. Burch Washlngton ··..·..· ·E. O. Ball Defiance ·..··· ·..·· M. P. Allee Frlendship E. A. Turner RussellvlIle , J. H. Hunter Perseverance K E. A. Angle St. Marks ·G. C. Walther Vienna J. B. Palmer Pomegranate R. C. Winkelmaier St. Andrews H. F. Turner Bcthany W. P. BryanL __ Webster P. V. Rathburn Mt. Vernon H. Goodman Ash Grove T. H. Turk Bogard C. M. Le Van Bloomington D. R. Peck West View A. B. Cobble Herolne A. Bauer Kirksville D. M. Fredrick Gallatln Glenn Havner Green ville N. L. Braun Stanberry.: K 'V. Lawson Marcus E. P. Francis Trenton .T. A. Baugher Maltland G. E. Rozelle Plattsburg H. O. MarshalL Twllight..

T. W. Ficklin Laddonia A. R. Hancock Barnes S. H. Curry Helena .T. A. Maughmer Kingston R. K. Hartley DeSoto J. S. Withington Compass R. R. Field Erwin ,V. J. Whltler

__

$2 7.80 24.20 36.70 41.00 25.90 33.10 16.80 41.90 30.50 28.70 22.60 17.20 36.30 19.50 40.80 10.00 11.60 22.80 31.60 28.10 11.00 30.80 37.70 42.10 32.50 24.10 19.40 23.10 25.20 10.00 26.70 40.60 _ 31.30 38.10 35.60 31.90 27.50 24.80 37.70 30.50 35.10 26.10 39.4P 20.40 36.30 44.80 38.00 24.60 22.00 35.90 42.80 36.10 " 14.50 38.30 10.00

150 No. 123 124 125 126 127 128 129 130 131 132 133 134 136 137 138 139 144 145 146 147 148 149 151 152 153 154 155 156 158 159 160 162 163 164 165 167 168 169 172 173 174 176 177 178 179 180 181 183 184 185 187 188 189 190 192

Proceedings of the J.ODGE

1931

REPRESENTATIVE

Hermann_ T. K. Schaffner Union Star B. U. Clark Gen tryvil Ie C. Crawford Seaman S. Simpson Athens F. L. Smith_ Lorraine C. A. Brock MonetL U. O. Gates Hume F. L. Martin PotosL. .I. W. McGuire Farmington F. F. McClintock Star of the WesL ~. R. Miller Olean J. E. Helms Phoenix H. M. Stn'ther Delphian 'O. L. Wallis Lincoln vV. C. Brarlfol路(L Oregon H. S. Teare MOdern _ N. M. McShane Latimer _ H. Sherrill McGee L. M. Brockman Cass_ W. C. Deacon Purdy F. McIntosh Lexington D. A. Dunford Mllton_ _ J. M. Meals Linn Creek. _ D. B. Claiborn Bloomfield __ J. H. Jones Ionic _._ :.. E. C. Colson __ Spring HilL. F. E. Stith_ Ashland R. 'Vilson Mountain Grove J. H. Hicks Green City 'V. E. Sing"ley PleasanL C. L. Hamilton Whitesville _ E. Sherman _ OccidentaL _ Bruce Starke Joachim _ Albert Wilson Maryville _ J. A. Greenlee._ Revere M. F. Wood Colony R.路K Moffett Camden Point J. Pinchard Censer._ W. H. Burkhart Gray Summit. __ A. J. Holthaus Sturgeon F. W. Owing-s__ Point PleasanL. .__ .. __..__ _Chas. Pickey __ Texas __ T. M. Wilson Griswold _ C. C. MaxweIL __ Pride of the WesL W. M. Schisler Pyramid __ C. O. Vasterling _ Novelty __ __ W. E. Throckmorton California J. T. Lee __ Morley __ H. F. Kirkpatrick Chamois __.. __ __ John H. Rau __ Hermon W. S. Higgins __ HannibaL __ _A. K. Cameron Zeredatha __ P. J.' Welch. __ Putnam __ H. L. Chandler __ Frankford __.. __ .. __.H. C. SteeL

PAID $18.00 40.50 37.80 34.20 38.90 41.70 38.'20 40.70 16.80 19.30 路 19.10 25.30 19.50 31.60 44.00 44.10 37.20 24.70 27.10 35.40 39.00 34.40 24.50 31.30 27.80 16.60 33.30 24.40 36.90 32.90 36.70 42.00 10.00 14.70 41.80 29.90 28.50 39.80 27.10

_

__

__ __

__

__ __ .__

.__

.. __

__.. __ __

__ ..__ __

__..

14~10

23.20 29.60 37.50 18.50 10.00 10.00 24.70 25.00 26.90 20.00 40.40 22.00 40.80 36.80 20.90

Grand Lodge of Missouri

1931 No. 194 196 197 198 199 200 201 202 203 204 205 206 207 208 209 210 211 212 213 214 215 217 218 219 220 221 222 223 224 225 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237 238 239' 241 242 243 244 246 247 249 250 251 252 253 255

REPRESENTATIVE

LODGE Wellsville Quitman Carthage AllensvilIe New Hope Sonora Ravenwood Westville Brumley Rowley Trilumina SomerseL Clay SaIisbury Poplar Bluff Unionville Hickory Hill..

Four Mlle __ Rolla Forest City HornersviIle Barbee Good Hope Albert Pike Kansas City Mystic Tie La Belle Ray __ Hamilton. __ Salem : Cypress Shelbina Claflln St. James CardweIL __ Polo Bucklin St. Francois Weatherby Sedalia La Plata Rushville Hopewell..

Palestine Portland Keystone Middle Fabius Montgomery Neosho Carroll Glensted Hope __ Alanthus Laredo Alton

PAID

E. Pittken ~ $19.20 F. Tompkins 43.60 A. Wagner 41.30 A. RunL 41.80 L. Wells.."

11.80 W. Landen..................

47.90 W. Kirkbride................

40.90 R. Fox..........................

30.60 R. Hawkins.................

28.30 W. Tays.......................

40.10 W. Adams 28.90 O. Pauley 38.10 Sisk 36.20 ..J. F. Rainey 26.90 ,l· W. Clarke 26.90 U. B. Lemen 36.30 B . E. Henderson 24.50 C. W. Davenport 31.20 E. W. Carlton 21.00 G. H. Alkire 43.60 J. L. Sands 36.50 Paul 'Vylie 31.10 F . C. Schulz __ 10.00 Irvin Wymore 37.70 J. F. CelL 37.70 H . Jenkins 22.40 A. L. Boone 26.80 W. T. Brinkley 34.10 J. H. Bryan 35.10 L. L. McSpadden.......................

22.70 L .. Savage .. 31.00 B . H. Wailes................................. .., 25.90 V. Rozell 41.40 A. M. Kirby 20.00 W. H. Lockard 33.40 F. A. Farr 35.90 E. S. Green 29.40 G Milne 20.30 W. M. Roberts : 36.80 E . Fingland 28.80 L . A. Carter 29.10 O . C. Jones :, 42.10 G . R. McHenry 21.40 P . J. RelnerL : 12.40 A . J. Holzhauser 21.30 J · C. Renn :: 10.00 H . H. Lewis 32.40 ,P· A. Thomas , 18.40 G. M. Sansberry 41.00 E . R. Cox : 32.10 M . W. Klein 27.70 J. H. Conrads 15.40 R. Grantham :' 39::40.

J· R. Pence 34120· S, A. Douglas ~: 40.40 E. W. P. A. T. A. J. K. C. J. J. J. O.

~

151

152 No.

1931

Proceedings of the LODGE

256 Shekinah 257 Lodge of Llght 258 Ravanna 259 Lodge of Love 260 Mechanlcsville 261 Florence 262 Holden 264 KirbyviIle 265 Corlnthian 267 Aurora 268 Lodge of Truth 269 Brotherhood 270 New Salem 271 Solomon 272 Granite 273 St. Clair 274 Cold Spring 276 Grand Rlver 277 Wm. D. Mulr 278 . Essex 279 Hogle's Creek 281 Fenton 282 . Cosmo::l 283 Stockton 284 Canopy 285 Earl..

286 Urlch 287 CrafL 288 Herm Itage 290 FairmounL 291 Edina 292 Lamar 293 Sarcoxle 294 Mound Clty 297 Ozark 299 Temple 300 Dorlc 301 White HaIL 302 Lick Creek 303 Osage 305 Cecile-Daylight 306 Ashlar 307 New London 308 Parrott.

310 Sikeston 311 Kearney 312 Cuba 313 Meramec 314 Pine 315 Jerusalem 316 Rural..

317 Osborn 318 Eldorado 319 Paulville 320 Versailles

REPRESENTATIVE

~

:

;

J. F. Colin J. E. Harper O. Callaway T. E. MitchelL O. H. Dickman A. C. Schroeder J. T. Glass, Jr R. W. Wade W. Basham l.. C. Hoppe G. M. Elsea J. A. Smith A. L. Ricks G. G. WesL G. L. Rissler W. L. Foster J. A. Moore C. Price P. E. Hays L. E. Estes J. S. Tilford D. J. Seitrlch S. S. Morse l\f. T. Carender W. B. Rickman H. A. Cunningham H. P. Smith M. George E. 1. Miller A. B. Dorsey R. J. Johnston S. F. Endsley C. F. Le Furjah F. E. Cottier B. E. Armstrong C. B. PickrelL D. W. Haymes C. A. Perkins J. L. Ornburn G. J. Braham T. F. AlIam G. H. Pate O. D. Newlon C. S. Brant F. E. Mount S. J. Chapman W. F. Mitchell L. Mottert B. W. E. Hilton ; Guy Farmer H. F. Sunderland R. Brand E. P. Sparks G. B. l<:asley Jr L. E. De Vinna

PAID

:

_

$13.60 42.90 40.00 33.40 14.40 17.90 33.20 40.90 31.80 10.00 28.20 40.80 15.60 33.80 28.80 35.30 32.70 36.30 28.10 29.70 38.30 12.20 10.00 39.50 36.90 37.60 34.20 25.60 38.90 30.00 28.30 40.10 39.90 45.00 33.80 37.70 32.70 43.20 23.50 37.80 37.70 24.40 21.80 37.50 26.50 38.50 18.70 10.00 32.10 40.60 37.70 37.20 29.70 29.40 27.70

1931 No.

Grand Lodge of Missouri LODGE

321 Jonathan 322 Hardin , 323 Cornerstone 324 McDonald 325 Dockery 326 Linn 327 Mt. Zion 328 Cainsville 330 Paul Revere 331 Charity 332 Excello 333 Chillicothe 334 Breckenridge 335 Joplin 337 Blue Springs 338 Herculaneum 340 WestporL 341 Rockville 343 Agricola 344 Moberly 345 Fellowship 347 America 348 Wadesburg 350 Tyrian _ 351 Mosaic 352 Friend 353 Barnesville _ 354 Hebron _ 356 Ancient Landmark .. _ 358 NorthwesL _ 360 Tuscan _ 361 Riddick 362 Hiram _ 364 Higginsville 366 Adair 369 Composite _ 370 Williamstown 371 Sheldon 373 Belle 375 Waynesville 376 King HilL..

377 Ancient Craft..

380 Queen City 381 Ionia 382 Mt. AraraL 383 Pythagoras 384 East Prairie _ 385 Richland 387 Woodside __ 388 Chula 389 Arcana 390 Marionville __ 391 Raytown __ 392 Christian 394 Lucerne

REPRESENTATIVE L. G. J. F. J. V. C. F. P.

Ruckman M. Linsley B. Corn, Jr M. Payton W. Jones Mason E. Armstrong Harrison Ochsenknecht .v. P. Million C. R. King .J. J. Shy H. P. Duffett T. W. CrowelL F. H. Burk W. L. Gehaner J. H. Blomquist..

T. G. Sandage L. V. Beaty H. Martin J. S. Walker G. L. Wolfsberger H. D. Coe Grover Boyd _R. S. McClarey J. S. Taylor H. Chitwood R. A. Wilson R. V. Wood _ J. McNulty J. R. Hundley L. B. Jones S. Hayden J. R. young A. N. Gardner F. E. Jordon T. H. Spurgeon M. S. CaldwelL G. E. Slinkman R. C. Wilson Clyde Miles A. C. Lindley F.路 C. Shelton G. C. VanosdoIL W. H. MurrelL W. D. Koon W. W. Bledsoe _ F. H. Steward E. F. Pierce Wade Manning C. M. Clem J. R. Webb T. E. Busch M. G. Ewing Russell Schoech

153 PAID $41.10 32.90 10.00 36.30 31.70 22.30 36.60 45.00 10.00 40.80 26.30 32.50 34.10 43.10 35.20 13.20 37.70 36.00 34.00 24.80 43.00 10.00 34.70 _ 40.40 19.10 35.90 26.60 21.00 _ 24.60 _ 47.50 10.00 32.00 28.80 31.80 30.50 30.40 28.20 34.00 20.50 25.70 40.80 39.80 32.00 26.00 38.50 40.60 27.50 26.00 38.80 33.40 36.40 36.40 37.10 34.40 __ 37.50

154 No.

Proceedings of the LODGE

397 Gower 398 Jasper 400 Decatur 401 Carterville 402 IVlalta 403 Lowry Clty 404 Rosendale 405 Everton 406 Malden 407 Charleston 408 Montrose 409 Louisville 410 Iberla 411 Joppa 412 Appleton Clty 413 Valley 415 Hunnewell..

416 Cache 418 Clear Creek 420 Itaska 421 Urbana 422 Gate of the Temple 423 GaIL 424 Samaritan 425 Green Ridge 427 Glenwood 429 New Madrld 430 Winona 432 . Competition 433 Mack's Creek 434 Wheeling 435 Rockbrldge 438 Temperance 439 Mt. Ollve 440 Trowel 442 Burlington 443 Anchor 445 West Gate 446 Ivanhoe 447 Jacoby 448 Schell City 452 Verona 453 Forsyth 454 Contlnental..

455 Hlnton 456 Wallace 457 J onesburg 460 Lambskin 461 Caruthersville 462 Santa Fe 463 Clifton 464 Concordia 466 Southwest 469 Plato 470 Nodaway

1931

REPRESENTATIVE

PAID

J. C. Cummings L. B. Mapler E. A. Jones C. W. Keith L. W. Nye C. I. Bunch W. D. Cummins .A. Mallory A. Metsger D. Jennings A. Hensel J. Kleisner C. L. Casey C. G. Newton C. F. Simpson R. P. Carter A. Howe V. J. Kunz F. McLain G. E. Black J. J. Clymore F. F. Freeman ,..T. O. Brassfield G. H. Norman J. A. CalverL C. Chattin C. M. Barnes H. C. I ukman C. L. Hough R. A. True M. L. Aye O. Enloe F. J. Venrick K Rathbun T. S. McGee F. L. Crane P. R. HenseL John Lehr J. M. Fisher B. F. Cobb G. Steincross W. F. Strawn J. C. Arnold S. R. Thornton F'. G. Burbower A. Blomquist G. M. Snarr A. G. Wollmerhauser..

F. H. Blomeyer Geo. D. Talley J. W. Erwin M. F. Uphans J. I. Poynor W. L. Tilley E. C. Kessler

$38.90 41.20 38.90 42.30 31.50 34.60 43.10 36.40 30.50 27.80 34.10 20.20 25.00 40.10 34.70 43.60 24.90 10.00 32.50 10.00 39.90 33.90 35.00 11.10 30.00 32.90 29.00 30.60 30.60 31.60 32.20 40.00 39.60 35.50 24.00 43.10 10.00 10.00 37.70 38.50 35.90 37.40 39.90 37.00 25.30 27.30 17.00 10.00 32.00 22.00 38.80 32.20' 44.70 30.60 41.80

:

,

,

Grand Lodge of Missouri

1931 No.

LODGE

471 Min eraL 473 Nineveh 474 Guilford 475 Golden 476 Mt. Hope 478 Racine 479 Rich Hlll...

480 JeweL 481 Marceline 482 Clin tonvllle 483 Fairfax 484 Klrkwood 485 Cold Water 486 Calro__ 487 Chilhowee 488 Lock Sprlng 489 Lakcville 490 Montevallo 491 Vandalia 492 Daggett 493 Vernon 494 Lewlstown ·..·..·· 495 Unlty 497 Equallty __ 498 Pee Dee 499 Harmony. __ 500 Jameson 501 Buckner 502 Philadelphla __ 503 Prairie Homc__ 504 Platte City 505 Euclid 508 Saxton 509 Van Buren 510 New Hampton 511 Skidmorc 512 Webb City 513 Senath __ 514 Granby 515 Galena-516 Mllford 517 Sellgman 518 Orlental...

519 Cranc.. ..__ .__ 520 Clifton Heights 522 Gate City 523 Stinson __ 524 Spickardsville 526 Wayne __ 528 Conway 529 Apollo __ 531 Lane's Prairie 532 Dexter 533 Comfort.

534 Columbia ; --

REPRESENT ATIVE

155 PAID

E. Vaughan $ 42.00 C. LovelL 18.60 C. KenL 41.30 P. Griffin __ 38.90 vV. F. Thieman 33.30 C. M. RusseIL __ 42.60 F. W. Klumpp __ 39.40 L. M. Seymour 34.90 E. W. Tayler 30.00 L. Eo Knowlton __ 38.40 : J. A. Combs 46.20 W. J.' Miller __ 11.40 L. H. Garner 37.80 A. C. Godding 25.50 L. R. Byram .__ 33.50 J. R. Ramsbottom. __ 33.80 E. M. Garner 26.70 __ E. T. Dark __ 39.80 Ed. Kurz __ 21.10 A. L. ScharnhorsL 20.50 T. D. Combs __ 34.50 ·······..····E. F. Arnold 26.30 A. M. BenedicL 40.50 W. F. Houk __ 21.90 A. E. Lalns 28.90 J. J. Gallagher.................................... 5.00 M. A. FeurL __ 35.70 P. W. Knapheidc 36.50 W. E. Dunn 24.70 L. C. Summers 28.50 D. A. DeaL 40.50 A. WeickeI t 10.00 .H. H. Ahrens 39.50 __ .J. M. Cavender __ 29.10 H. E. CampbeIL __ 39.80 __ ..;.F. R. Bassett __ 44.20 H. Kerr ~2.30 O. H. Storey __ 34.00 __ E. B. Weems __ 40.40 H. J. Warren 38.60 J. A. Medlin 40.20 A. M. Dale 41.30 S. F. Pape 30.50 H. A. Crumpley .. __ 37.40 __ P. L. Barry 10.00 H. P. Keusch 37.70 L. J. GlngsL 38.50 O. E. Higgins __ 37.40 J. A. Banks , __ 23.00 __ F. E. Dennis__ __ 29.80 M. J. Holloran __ 10.00 C. P. Woodruff , 21.40 __ D. A. Morelock 28.00 J. M. Fox __ :. 40.20 C. J. Hoppe 13.40 L. ,E. W. J.

156 No.

Proceedings of the LODGE

535 BlackwelL. 536 Ingomar 537 Bethel.

538 Stella 640 Winigan_ 541 Jacksonville 542 Ferguson 543 Mansfield 544 AlgabiL. _.. _ 545 Zalma 546 OrienL 547 Sou th Gate 548 Clinton 549 Carl Junction 550 Rose HilL. 551 Pendleton 553 Clarksburg 554 Foster 55,5 Summersville 556 Prairie 667 Blairstown 558 Moscow 559 Clarksdale 560 Nelson 561 CowgllL 563 York 564 Jamesport 565 Tebbetts 566 Maplewood 567 Miller 568 Naylor.. _ 569 Marlborough 570 TIepublic _ 571 HaytL 572 . Rutledge _ 573 Bernie 575 Easter 576 Olive Branch 577 Ewing 678 Forest Park 679 Grandin 581 Illmo 582 Koshkonong 583 Novinger 584 Red Bird 585 Shamrock 587 Branson 588 St. Francisville 589 Grove Spring 590 Advance _ 591 BarnetL 592 La Russell 593 Union 595 Cole Camp 597 Bosworth

_

1931

REPRESENTATIVE

PAID

J. P. Welch _ Sam Presten C. L. Shouse __ Paul Antle H. F. Baker _ H. J. McKinney J. L. Huck W. C. Coday E. D. Reising' H. D. Nichols._ __ W. C. Gordon T.路 M. Pratt \V. B. Hargis J. W. Fowler W. N. Love _ __ H. F. HerbsL F. Clark S. D. Collier B. E. Coats.. _ M. Q. Thompson L. W. Atkins J. J. Hopkins .J. H. Thornton M. G. McAlister H. Buster F. A. Thomas B. Maharg C. A. Harris Udell Thomson E. G. Webb \V. A. Koehler F. R. Smith F. Eo Owens A. Wilson T. P. BurkharL Wm. Crutchfield ,R. C. Murphy J. F. Bannecker S. W. Brumback J. O. Johnson G. McDowell Ben Hill R. M. HitL C. L. Bronson R. F. Stubblefield C. L. McKubbin P. Paterson H. G. McDanieL J. T. Hudson .r. H. Revelle R. Edmondson C. M. Gillock C. M. Bassman _R. E. Freund.. _, .D. C. Recob

$15.40 34.50 27.10 40.90 _. 34.40 26.00 11.20 38.50 10.00 27.00 37.70 37.70 32.80 42.80 10.00 19.30 25.60 39.50 34.70 37.90 34.50 15.50 38.80 29.40 35.30 37.70 36.10 23.10 10.00 39.00 28.60 37.70 35.30 31.30 30.80 29.20 15.20 10.00 25.50 10.00 27.10 23.80 39.00 31.30 21.30 20.20 40.40 30.00 32.30 25.70 26.60 42.80 16.00 21.30 32.20

_

_ _

, _

_ :

1931 No. 598 600 601 602 603 604 605 606 607 608 610 611 612 613 614 615 616 617 618 620 621 624 625 626 628 629 630 631 632 634 635 637 638 639 640 641 642 644 646 647 648 649 652 653 654 655 656 657 658 659 660 661 663 664

Grand Lodge of Missouri LODGE

Leadwood Cosby Clayton Acacia Morehouse Strasburg..: Walker Craig Eminence Strafford Clark Centertown Mokane Wellston : Mt. Washington Chaffee Marion Swope Park Grandvlew . Wlllard Anderson Owensville Sheffleld : Magnolia Mendon Valley Park Eastgate Tower Grove Belgrade Steele Greentop Mountain View Trlangle Mlzpah Jennlngs Trlnity Benj. Franklin Grain Valley Shaveh Noel.

Elmer Universlty Pilgrlm Shawnee ; Commonwealth Gardenvllle Country Club Progress Purlty Alpha Holliday . Theodore RoosevelL RockhilL Aldrich ~

157

REPRESENTATIVE W. Hager J. R. Kieser !. Rosenfelder L. S. Dysart C. H. Pease Wm. Beckman g. L. Wright..

J. B. Offenbacker L. Smith H. E. Grier Ray Walker B. H. Stark S. N. Hazlett ~ L. B. Pacha C. T. Tunget E. H. Gettings A. A. CocheIL T. W.Ferguson M. V. Long R. V. Brower C. W. Green A. F. Berger H. P. Gensler H. C. Mayer C. N. Jackson H . J. Lucksinger E . W. Berry., .I'~. J. Tofte ~ .r· T. Garrett G . H. Northcutt R. D. Arnold M . E. Smith H . G. Diller A . F. Barber W . J. FenneL J· M. Litton D . Brilliant J· B. Perkins A . W. Burbank · N . Y. East ,s· Smith A. L. Klein : C . F. Stevens..; J· A. Logan J · R. PowelL A . T. AshwelL R. G. Hackman H. S. Sherman O.· A. McClung P ..D. Hodge L. L. Curtright J. A. Harnie !. M. Lux ,A. B. Hensley

PAID

:

, :

:

;

$16.90 41.80 10.80 24.60 29.80 34.30 37.80 45.00 36.00 32.80 23.80 24.00 22.50 10.00 37.70 24.40 40.00 37.70 40.30 35.20 42.80 19.20 37.70 10.00 33.60 11.80 37.70 10.00 19.50 32.50 31.60 33.20 10.00 10.00 11.00 :·. 10.00 10.00 :..35.40 10.00 43.70 30.10 10.00 10.00 33.00 10.00 10.00 37.70 10.00 10.00 37.00 26.60 10.00 37.70 37.50

158

Proceedings of the

1931

APPOINTMENTS.

The Grand Secretary read the following list of Appointments made by the M. W. Grand Master-elect: GB.AND GRAND GRAND GRAND GRA~D

GRAND GRAND GRAND GRAND GRAND GRAND GRAND

LECTURER. JAMES R. McLACHLAN. Kahoka CHAPLAIN __ EMMET L. ROBISON, St. Joseph CHAPLAIN SAMUEL THURMAN, St. Louis CHAPLAIN __ ..W. W. PIERCE, Carthage SENIOR DEACON JAMES W. SKELLY, St. Louis JUNIOR DEACON GEO.RGE W. WALKER, Cape Girardeau SENIOR STEWARD H. L. READER, Webster Groves JUNIOR STEWARD ~ENRY C. CHILES, Lexington MARSHAL ELWY:N S. WOODS, Springfield MARSHAL.. __ KARL M. VETSBURG, St. Louis SWORD BEARER. HARRY S. TRUMAN, Independence PURSUIVANT __ __ HARRIS C. JOHNSON, Boonville

INSTALLATION.

The .hour for Installation having arrived, M. W. Bro. C. H. Briggs was presented as the Installing Officer, and M. W. Bro. Bert S. Lee as Grand Marshal.

The following Grand. Officers were then duly installed for the ensuing year: RAY V. DENSLOW, Trenton __ ..__ GRAND MASTER THAD B. LANDON, Kansas City __ DEPUTY GRAND MASTER FRANK C. BARNHILL, MarshalL. SENIOR GRAND WARDEN DUVAL SMITH, St. Joseph JUNIOR GRAND WARDEN E. E. MORRIS, Kansas City 路 GRAND TREASURER ARTHUR MATHER, St. Louls GRAND SECRETARY J. R. McLACHLAN, Kahoka GRAND LECTURER EMMET L. ROBISON, St. Joseph GRAND CHAPLAIN SAMUEL THURMAN, St. Louis GRAND CHAPLAIN JAMES W. SKI~LLY, St. Louis GRAND SENIOR DEACON GEORGE W. WALKER, Cape Girardeau GRAND JUNIOR DEACON H. L. READER, Webster Groves GRAND SENIOR STEWARD HENRY C. CHILES, Lexington GRAND JUNIOR STEWARD ELWYN S. WOODS, Sprlngfield GRAND MARSHAL KARL M. VETSBURG, St. Louls GRAND MARSHAL HARRY S. TRUMAN, Independence GRAND SWORD BEARER

PRESENTATION OF GRAND MASTER AND PAST GRAND MASTER.

R. W. Bro. Edmund E. Morris then addressed Grand Master Denslow as follows: "Most Worshipful Grand Master and Brethren: I have a very pleasant duty to perform at this time, 路at the request of the members of the Fraternity at Trenton, Missouri, who have asked me to make a presentation to our new Grand Master. I think the reason they asked me to do this was, not because of any lack of speaking ability among the members ot the Fraternity In 'l'renton, but because or the fact that

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

159

every member of this Fraternity knows not only the virtues, but the faults of our new Grand Master, whereas, I. living in K"ansas City, where all things are perfect (laughter), know only the charm and the graces and the perfections of the incoming Grand Master, and inasmuch as they desire to soft pedal on the faults and magnify the virtues, if possible, why, of course, they selected somebody from outside Trenton to make this presentation, and I respond happily, because it is a delight.

"Most Worshipful Grand Master, in addressing you with that title for the first time, I think, through the years of friendship which has grown up between us, that you know, without any words of explanation ;of mine, what a happiness it gives me to thus address you, as the 'Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Missouri-because Brethren, we路 have had many wonderful Grand Masters, however, the Fraternity of this state is particularly fortunate at this time in having as its new Grand Master a Masonic student and a Masonic writer, one who possesses a knowledge of things Masonic which is equalled probably by very, very few, if anyone, in all the Fraternity of the United States, and certainly surpassed by none. In addition to that, to me, the new Grand Master of Missouri represents my ideal of friendship, of Masonic ldndredspip, and of the high ideal which should and always does actuate those who are elevated to this high office.

"So, without further ado, on behalf of the members of the Fraternity of 'rrenton, Missouri, I present to you, Most Worshipful Sir, a new silk hat,-which I do not have at the present moment,-together with a nice leather case in which to carry it; as an emblem of the new hat which you are to wear, and I am sure you will wear it with the same delight and same pleasure which actuated our wonderful retiring Grand Master." (Applause.)

M. W. Brother Denslow replied as follows: "Brethren, I haven't had a chance to say yet-I had a speech prepared, but now I don't think I should give it. All I can say is I appreciate the honor that has been conferred upon me by you brethren of the Grand Lodge. All I ean say is I pledge you twelve months of consecrated effort in making the Grand Lodge more dignified, more practicable, if possible, and of more service to you. If you have any problems, don't hesitate. I am amenable to suggestions. I have no clique of any kind to represent and nothing to 'put over.' I shall be only your Grand Master for the next twelve months. Thank you."

(Applause.)

The retiring Grand Master having transmitted the jewel of office to his newly installed successor in suitable ten~ls, M. W. Bro. Julius C. Garrell then addressed M. W. Bro. William R. Gentry as follows: "Most Worshipful Brother Gentry one year ago you were invested with the Grand Master's jewel of this Most Worshipful Grand Lodge and during the year that is now closing you have exemplified those high and exalted traditions which are the pride and glory of our ancient Institution. You have visited Lodges in all parts of our state, infusing light and imparting knowledge to your brethren and have left an inspiration that will continue throughout many years to come. We . are deeply indebted to you for the noble service which you have rendered.

Today you have transmitted to your Most Worshipful successor the jewel which was placed on your breast a year ago, ~nd

Proceedings elf the

160

1931

now It is my pleasure to invest you with this Past Grand Master's jewel, which I hope you will accept as a constant reminder of the esteem and the affection In which you are held by all the brethren of our Grand Jurisdiction. I hope that you may long live to wear it with a great deal of pleasure to yourself and to continue to add lustre to the Institution of which you are such a distinguished member."

(Applause.)

M. W. Bro. Gentry responded as follows: "Most Worshipful Brother Garrell, Most Worshipful Brother Grand Master and Brethren: I appreciate far more than any words that I can find, can ever express, the affection of my Brethren, evidenced by this beautiful token which has been pinned upon my breast by my warm personal friend, Most Worshipful Brother Garrell.

But for you, Most Worshipful Brother Garrell, I am quite sure I should never have been Grand Master of this distinguished body. Without an intimation to me, Brethren, that he was thinking of such a thing, Most Worshipful Brother Garrell, in 1919, just after he had been elected and installed as. Grand Master, appointed me as Chairman of the Committee on Jurisprudence. I served that year and then I was appointed two successive times as Chairman of the Committee on Appeals and Grievances. Then Most Worshipful Brother Lee appointed me in line; and now, my Brethren, I have come up the line through long years. I have endeavored to give you worthy service. Faults I have, as all men have,-to err is human. Charity is divine. Throughout the past year, particularly, I have labored hard in the cause of Freemasonry and have done the best I could, realizing my shortcomings, and I lay down the gavel with a feeling of relief, because I am relieved of heavy duties, but with a feeling of genuine regret as I realize that I am no more to serve you Brethren In the same capacity In which I have been serving you. But let me say, I turn over the gavel to one whose hand is worthy to receive it. We have labored long together, side by side. He is educated, skillful, competent, capable, fair, true to every trust, and I promise you, Most Worshipful Grand Master, that I shall willingly serve wherever you may me, wherever it is possible to serve, and my services are always available to the Brethren when they see fit to call upon me.

And, Brethren, with these few hesitating words, I, as Grand Master, bid you goodbye at this time and thank you for your co-operation." (Applause.) ,

call

CHAIRMEN OF STANDING COMMITTEES. JURISPRUDENCE. FORREST C. DONNELL, St. Louis APPEALS AND GRIEVANCES WM. F. WOODRUFF, Kansas City WAYS AND MEANS J AMES A. KINDER, Cape Girardeau CREDENTIALS ALFRED D. LUDLOW, Kansas City PAY ROLL WALTER R. SHRODES, Milan CHARTERED LODGES FRANK L. MAGOON, St. Louis LODGES U. D .. , GROVER C. SPARKS, Savannah WELF ARE TOLMAN W. COTTON, Van Buren REPORTS OF D. D. G. M.'S LEO H. JOHNSON, Neosho MASONIC BOARDS OF RELIEF.. SAM WILCOX, St. Joseph RITUAL ANTHONY F. ITTNER, St. Louis CORRESPONDENCE CORONA H. BRIGGS. Springfield NECROLOGY ..

AUDITING H. CLAY PERKINS, St. Louis GRAND MASTER'S ADDRESS WM. R. GENTRY, St. Louis UNFINISHED BUSINESS JOHN M. GALLATIN, Chillicothe TRANSPORTATION & HOTELS A. G. BITTNER, St. Louis

1931

161

Grand Lodge of Missouri SPECIAL COMMITTEES.

MASONIC SERVICE ASSOCIATION OF MISSOURI--':"'Thad R. Smith, Palmyra.

MEETING OF DISTRCT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS-John A. Witthaus, St. Louis.

RECOGNITION OF FOREIGN GRAND LODGES-Arthur Mather, St. Louis.

MASONIC TEMPLE ASSOCIATION OF ST. LOUIS-Byrne E. Bigger, Hannibal.

GEO. WASHINGTON MASONIC NATIONAL MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION-Bert S. Lee, Springfield.

LIBRARY-Wm. B. Massey, Bonne Terre; A. S. Dexheimer, St. Louis.

LIVING PAST GRAND MASTERS OF THIS JURISDICTION. CORONA H. BRIGGS ROBERT R. KREEGER. ARCH A. JOHNSON VAN FREMONT BOOR. TOLMAN W. COT'rON WM. A. CLARK JULIUS C. GARRELL BERT S. LEE JOSEPH S. McINTYRE. ORESTES MITCHELL WM. W. MARTIN JOHN PICKARD ANTHONY F. ITTNER. BYRNE E. BIGGER. SAMUEL R. FREET WILLIAM R. GENTRY

1332 Cherry St..

3404 Morrell Ave Landers Bldg 1201 Commerce Bldg : : 725 Greeley Ave 425 E. Olive St 3637 Lindell Blvd Corby Bldg 5351 Delmar Blvd 1530 Telephone Bldg Court House Commerce Bldg 717 Louderman Bldg

Springfield Kansas City Springfield Kansas City Van Buren Jefferson City Webster Groves Springfield St. Louis St. Joseph St. Louis ColumbIa St. Louis Hannibal Kansas City St. Louis

PRINTING PROCEEDINGS.

On motion, the Grand Secretary was directed to print and distribute the necessary number of the Proceedings of this session of the Grand Lodge. Carried.

MINUTES APPROVED.

Motion made by M. W. Bro. C. H. Briggs that the Minutes, as reported, be published in the Proceedings, was carried.

BENEDICTION.

R. W. Grand Chaplain E. L. Robison, after invoking Divine Blessing, pronounced the Benediction.

CLOSING.

The M. W. Grartd Lodge, A. F. & A. M. of Missouri, rested from its labors and was closed in AMPLE FORM at 4 o'clock P. M. this day, the 30th day of September, 1931, no further business appearing, to meet again at St. Louis, the last Tuesday, viz., the 27th day of sePtemher'..d~'

~ ~nd

Secretary.

162

Proceedings of the DISTRICT DEPUTY 1st District 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32nd 33rd-A 33rd-B 34th 35th 36th 37th 38th 39th 40th 41st 42nd 43rd 44th 45th 46th 47th 48th 49th 50th 51st 52nd 53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th

~RAND

MASTERS.

GEO. V. CALVERT, Kahoka PAUL HIGBEE, Kirksville ROBERT M. WILSON, Milan LYNN J. LIMES, Trenton HENDRIX NEWMAN, Bethany CURTIS F. SMITH, Darlington UEL W. LAMKIN, Maryville FRANK R. ELTON. Tarkio HARRY B. BljACK, St. Joseph THOS. D. WILLIAMS, Maysville EMSLEY C. JAMES, Hemple E. E. DIVINIA, Breckenridge FORREST L. MADDEN, Meadville W. C. HEWETT, Shelbyville DONALD H. SOSEY, Palmyra WARREN H. MAY, Louisiana GEORGE E. CHIPMAN, Monroe City WM. F. WIGGINTON, Moberly BLAIR MILLER, Keytesville OTTO HALE, Carrollton J. P. TUCKER, Parkville DARIUS A. BROWN, Kansas City C. B. WADDELL, Lexington JAMES MORGAN, Blackburn GUY C. MILLION, Boonville .T. EMMET HAWKINS, Columbia LOUIS J. GRAUE, Mexico PAUL A. THOMAS, Montgomery City W. P. SMITH, Troy EDWIN H. BARKLAGE, St. Charles ALBERT LINXWILER, Jefferson City R. A. BREUER, Hermann EUGENE J. ALTHEIMER, St. Louis A. J. MICHENER, St. Louis JAMES F. BLAIR, Belton R. A: PADGETT, Rich Hill JAS. A. LOGAN, Warsaw THORNTON JENNINGS, Clinton WINAN I. MAYFIELD, Lebanon CHAS. L. WOODS, Rolla H. H. BALSIGER, Crystal City M. E. EWING, Morrisville M. D. GWINN, Eldorado Springs D. V. MORRIS, Nevada RAY BOND, Joplin JEWELL E. WINDLE, Springfield CARL A. SWENSON, Mountain Grove J. N. SPARKS, Grandin JOHN J. BOWMAN, Bonne Terre JAMES A. KINDER, Cape Girardeau G . •A. SAMPLE, Chaffee GROVER C. BISHOP, Caruthersville KIPP C. JOHNSON, Poplar Bluff C. E. ARMSTRONG, West Plains G. J. VAUGHAN, Ozark W. N. MARBUT, Mt. Vernon W. A. PHIPPS, Neosho WM. P. MASON, Kirkwood E. F. STARLING, Olean N. D. JACKSON, Independence

1931

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri DISTRICT LECTURERS. 1st District 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th 13th 14th 15th 16th 17th 18th 19th 20th 21st 22nd 23rd 24th 25th 26th 27th 28th 29th 30th 31st 32nd 33rd 34th 35th 36th 37th 38th 39th 40th 41st 42nd 43rd 44th 45th 46th 47th 48th 49th 50th 51st 52nd 53rd 54th 55th 56th 57th 58th 59th

H. M. JAYNE. Memphis LOUIS W. OSBORNE, Kirksville' ROBERT M. WILSON. Milan E. M. WILSON, Laredo HENDRIX NEWMAN. Bethany CURTIS F. SMITH, Darlington GEORGE HOUCHINS, Ravenwood FRANK R. ELTON, Tarkio FRANK A. MILLER, St., Joseph THOS. D.' WILLIAMS, Maysville EMSLEY C. JAMES, Hemple E. E. DIVINIA, Breckenridge FORREST L. MADDEN, Meadville LUTHER E. WILHOIT, Macon DONALD H. SOSEY, Palmyra WARREN H. MAY, Louisiana GEORGE E. CHIPMAN, M;llroe City WM. F. WIGGINTON, Moberly BLAIR MILLER, Keytesville OTTO HALE, CalTollton H. C. NOLAND, Parkville EDGAR F. SMITH, Kansas City C. B. WADDELL, Lexington JAl\iES MORGAN, Blackburn GUY C. MILLION, Boonville BRUCE J. CARL, Columbia LOUIS J. GRAUE, j.\1exico PAUL A. THOMAS, Montgomery City W. P. SMITH, Troy EDWIN H. BARKLAGE, St. Charles W.D. ROGERS, Jefferson City R. A. BREUER, Hermann CHARLES H. APPEL, St. Louis J AM}<~S F. BLAIR, Bel ton R. A. PADGETT, Rich Hill JAS. A. LOGAN, Warsaw THORNTON JENNINGS, Clinton WIN AN I. MAYFIELD, Lebanon EDMUND J. KOCH, Rolla CHARLES E. PYLE, DeSoto M. E. EWING, Morrisville M. D. GWINN, Eldorado Springs JOHN C. SENATE, Lamar HARRY S. HIGHTOWER, Joplin E. F. HANNAH, Springfield CARL A. SWENSON, Mountain Grove J. N. SPARKS, Grandin J. CLYDE AKERS, Farmington JAMES A. KINDER, Cape Girardeau G. A. SAMPLE, Chaffee B. P. PARKS, Hornersville KIPP C. JOHNSON, Poplar Bluff C. E. ARMSTRONG, West Plains G. J. VAUGHAN, Ozark W. N. MARBUT, Mt. Vernon W. A. PHIPPS, Neosho FAY G. FULKERSON, Webster Groves E. F. STARLING, Olean JOHN S. CARMICAL, Independence

163

164

Proceedings of the

1931

AMENDMENTS TO BY路LAWS ADOPTED.

The following Amendments to the Grand Lodge By-Laws were adopted subsequent to reference to and approval by the Committee on Jurisprudence: (1) Amendment by striking out Section 11 of Article II and inserting in lieu thereof the following: "Section Eleven. Grand Treasurer: The Grand Treasurer shall receive from the Grand Secretary all funds and securities of the Grand Lodge, and deposit the same in the name of this Grand Lodge in some bank or trust company, to be approved by the Grand Master and Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means; said bank or trust company to furnish the Grand Lodge a good and sufficient bond to secure the same for the sum of $50,000.00, which bond shall be approved by th~ Grand Master and Chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means. He shall attend the Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge, and when required, meet the Grand Officers and Committees with his books and all necessary documents relating to his office; make a full report at the Annual Communication; pay all warrants drawn on him by authority of the Grand Lodge; and at the commencement of his term of office, each year, execute and file with the Grand Master his official bond, with some reliable company as surety thereon, in such sum as the Grand Lodge shall determine, to be renewed as to amount of surety when required by the Grand Master or Grand Lodge; the cost of such bond to be paid by the Grand Lodge. Such bond to be conditioned that he will faithfully discharge the duties of his office, account for all money or property of the Grand Lodge that may come into his hand; the said bond of the depository and of the Grand Treasurer may be increased at the direction of the Grand Master and consent thereto of the Chairman of the Ways and Means Committee; produce on demand of the Grand Master, or the Grand Lodge, or his successor in office all money and property of the Grand Lodge in his possession and deliver to his successor in office the same, together with all books, papers, vouchers, securities, jewels, etc., belonging to the Grand Lodge. He shall take duplicate receipts for same, one of which shall be delivered to the Grand Secretary. He shall receive for his services the sum of Five Hundred Dollars ($500.00) per annum."

(2) Amendment by striking out subdivision "i" of Section 12 of Article II and by inserting in lieu thereof the following: "(i) He shall cause the proceedings of the Grand Lodge to be printed, and promptly forward one copy to each of the Lodges in the jurisdiction and two copies to each of the Grand Lodges in the United States, and the "Grand Lodges of such foreign countries as may be in correspondence with this Grand Lodge, and one copy to each officer of the Grand Lodge and one copy to each Past Grand Master."

(3) Amendment by the addition of Section "74-A". reading as follows: "Section 74-A. Payment of Masonic Home Fund. The $1.50 of the annual dues paid by each chartered Lodge to the Grand

1931

165

Grand Lodge of Missouri

Lodge to be used for the support of the Masonic Home, as provided for in Section 74, shall be paid over weekly as collected to the Masonic Home of Missouri."

(4) Amendment by the addition of Section 166-A, reading as follows: "Any affiliate of a borde;ing jurisdiction residing where rivers or natural boundaries make it more convenient for him to attend a Missouri Lodge than one of his own jurisdiction. may present a waiver from said jurisdiction to a Lodge of this state and be eligible to petition for membership."

(5) To Amend Section 46 of the By-Laws, so that said section. as amended. shall read as follows: "Section 46. Fees. A Lodge shall not confer the three degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry for a less sum than twenty dollars. nor shall any Lodge in a city or town where more than one Lodge and less than ten Lodges are located confer the three degrees, for a less sum than thirty dollars; nor shall any Lodge in a city or town where more than ten Lodges are located confer the three degrees for a less sum than fifty dollars; but more may be charged at the discretion of any Lodge.

One-half of the amount must accompany the petition. The balance shall be divided as the Lodge may direct, and no degree shall be conferred until the sum required therefor has been paid. Exemption from the payment of fees shall not be made in favor of any candidate, under any circumstances, by the return of all路 or part of said fees, as donations, loans or otherwise."

APPROVED .DECISIONS OF GRAND MASTER GENTRY..

List of these decisions may be found in the report of the Committee on Jurisprudence.

PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO BY-LAWS.

The following' proposed amendments to Grand Lodge ByLaws lie over until the next Annual Session according to law: (1)

To amend by adding Section 166-A to read as follows: "Section 166-A. A Master Mason in good standing in a Lodge in this jurisdiction, whose Lodge consents or who has removed from the jurisdiction of the Lodge to which he belongs, may apply for affiliation, in the manner provided for in Section 166, to any Lodge in this jurisdiction, and is not confined to the jurisdiction of the Lodge nearest his place of residence."

(2) To amend Section 261lh by adding thereto the following words: "provided that in any case in which a Masonic trial is to be had the Grand Master may, in his discretion, require that the trial shall be had by a commission to be appointed by him," so that, when amended, said section shall read as follows: "Section 261lh. Trial by CommJssion. The Lodge

(by a

166

Pr"oceedings of the

1931

majority vote), or the accused may make request, in writing, that the case be tried by a Commission, which request shall be voted or filed with the Worshipful Master not less than two days before the day fixed for trial.

"When said vote is so taken or said request so filed, the Worshipful Master shall refer the matter to the Grand Master, who, if he approves the request, shall appoint a Trial Commission to take" charge of and try the case, and pending the determination of the Grand Master, the trial shall be postponed to a time fixed in the order of postponement. ".Each Trial Commission appointed by the Grand Master shall consist of three disinterested and experienced brethren, members of Lodges in Missouri, residing outside the jurisdiction of the Lodge interested, excepting that in the cities having three or more Lodges, such Trial Commission may be appointed by the Grand Master from brethren residing in the respective cities, not members of the Trial Lodge.

"The Trial Commission shall hear all evidence submitted and make a shorthand record of such evidence and testimony. They shall observe the same rules of evidence and practice as are prescribed by the Grand Lodge By-Laws for Trial Committees.

"The Commission shall prepare a brief statement of the facts found, its conclusions thereon, and the punishment, if any, fixed by it, which shall be filed with the Lodge in the same manner and with the same effect as is prOVided for a verdict by jury.

"The Trial Commission shall be entitled to reimbursement from the Lodge for actual expenses paid.

"In trials ordered by the Most Worshipful Grand Master, by the Grand Lodge or any Committee of the Grand Lodge with the approval of the Grand Lodge, such Grand Master, Grand Lodge or Committee may designate that the trial is to be had

by Commission; provided, that in any case in which a Masonic trial is to be had the Grand Master may, in his discretion, require that the trial shall be had by a commission to be appointed by him."

(3) To amend by adding a new section to be known as Section 217-A, to read as follows: "Section 217-A. Same. If any objection is made by any member of any Lodge to the holding of a Masonic funeral over the remains of one of its deceased members, or over the body of any Mason it has been requested to bury, because of his character or the manner of his death, such objection shall be Bubmitted promptly to the Worshipful Master and the two Wardens of said Lodge, with a statement of the facts on which the objection is based. The Worshipful Master and the two Wardens shall thereupon consider such objections, and if all three of them agree that it is proper under Section 217 to hold such Masonic funeral and that the facts stated to them do not show anything in the life or death of the deceased which would make a Masonic funeral tend to bring reproach upon the cause of Freemasonry, then such Masonic funeral shall be held. If all three such officers agree that it would, for the reasons stated, bring reproach upon the cause to have a Masonic funeral, then" no such funeral shall be held; but,

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

167

if the decision of such officers is not unanimous, then all the facts shall immediately be submitted to the Grand Master, whose decision shall be had and shall be final."

(4)

To amend Section 22 so that, as amended, it will read: "Section 22. District Deputy Grand Masters. The Grand Jurisdiction of Missouri shall be divid~d into such number of Masonic Districts as may be, from time to time, ordered by the Grand Lodge, for each of which .there shall be appointed and commissioned by the Grand Master, a District Deputy Grand Master, who must be a Past or present Master of a Lodge in this Jurisdiction, and a resident of such district or an adjoining district.

Districts which have, or may hereafter have, forty or more Lodges shall have two District Deputy Grand Masters of equal x:ank, over separate divisions of such district. The Grand Master may convene the District Deputies in regional conferences at such time as he may deem best, the expenses of such meetings to be defrayed by the Grand Lodge."

(5)

To amend Section 24 so that, as amended, it will read: "Section 24. Distrit't Lecturer. There shall be appointed and commissioned by the Grand Lecturer, for each Masonic District, a District Lecturer, a resident of such District or an adjoining District, who shall be a Past or present Master and ,.

Who shall be competent to teach the work of this Jurisdiction, and who shall hold his office until the next succeeding session of the Grand Lodge, unless removed by the Grand Lecturer.

He shall visit, officially, the Lodges in his District, as far as practicable, and for holding Lodges of Instruction shall receive Five Dollars per day and his actual expenses, to be paid by each Lodge instructed."

A proposal to amend by adding a new section to be known as Section 222-A, to read as follows: "Section 222-A. Ex-officio Members. The Grand Master and the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge, by virtue of their office, during their term of office, shall be ex-officio members of the Board of Directors of the Masonic Home of Missouri, with such rights and powers as may be conferred upon them by the Articles of Incorporation and By-Laws of the Masonic Home of Missouri," was referred by the Grand Lodge to a Special Committee mentioned in the Report of the Committee. on Jurisprudence.

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

169

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

171

1931

Grand Lodge of Missouri

173