Issued Every Three Months By The Right Worshipful Grond Lodge of The Most Ancient and Honorabl e Fraternity of Free ond Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania and Masonic Jurisdiction Thereu nto Belonging, through its
COMMITTEE ON MASON IC CULTURE- William E. Yeager, Past Grand Master, Chairman; W illiam E Montgomery, G. Edward Elwell, Jr., Frank R. Leech, W illiam A. Carpenter, Charles A. Young and Ashby B. Paul, Grand Secretary.
APPROVED AND AUTHORIZED TO BE PRINTED BY MAX F. BALCOM Right Worshipful Grond Master
Mailing Address: P.O. BOX 688, WARREN, PA.
WILLIAM A. CARPENTER, Editor
What Should We Tell Our
Non-Masonic Friends about Freemasonry
What should we tell our non-Masonic friends when they ask questions about Freemasonry?
When these questions arise, and they often do, our response will undoubtedly influence the mental attitude of our friends toward our. selves and the Craft in general.
We should not take a timid approach to our answers. W e should not ind icate a· desire to "change the subject." We should not reflect a "mum's-the-word" attitude
Instead, we should be prepared to speak with ease, pride and authority. What do we have to hid e?
Make it known that Freemasonry is a way of life.
Freemasonry is fraternal in organization, religious in charact er, based on the belief in the Fatherhood of God, Brotherhood of Man and the Immortality of the Soul.
Be prompt to make it known that Freemasonry is not a "secre t society" as many surmise. Freemasonry is a voluntary association wherein the interested one comes of his own free will and accord,
Indicate also that Freemas onry i s not a religion as many claim it is
Discussions on religion or politics have no place in our proceedings
Proclaim that Freemasonry, in its every effort and purpose strives to do charitable work within its membership and for society, and through its teach ings, seeks to make good men better men. You can proudly s tate that the basic ethical principles as exemplified in our Ritual and Lodge Work, a r e s uch as are most acceptable to all good men; they are lessons based on the golden rule, tolerance
toward men, respect for one's family , charity towards all and be ing true to God for His grac ious and numerou s blessings.
Be proud to proclaim that Freemasonry is a band of men bound together in the bonds of Brotherl y Love and Affection that extends throughout the World.
And to sum it all up Freemasonry is kindness in the home, honesty in business, courtes y in society, fairness in work, pity and concern for the unfortuna te, res istance toward the wicked, help for the weak, trust in the strong, forgiveness for the penitent, love for one another and, above all, reverence and love for God.
These and many other answers can be applied to the quest ions your friends will ask. Speak up. What do we have t o hide-save that wh ich pertains to our esotelic Work?
Freemasonry is a way of life.
WANTED!!
-W.A.C.
Boys for The Patton School
For several years The Thomas Ranken Patton Masonic Institution for Boys has not been filled to its normal capacity. It is believed that this condition results primarily from the fact that s o many Masons in th e State lack information concerning the Patton School, its purposes, its courses a nd the requirements for admission.
Founded through the generosity of Thomas Ranken Patton (for many years, 1874 until his death in 1907, the Grand Treasurer of Grand Lodge and of Grand Chapter) , the School is near El izabethtown on land adjacent to that of The Ma sonic H omes. It was established for the education of male orphan children of Mast e r Masons who were at the time of their deaths members in goo d s tan din g in some subordinate Lodge in P ennsy lvania. In the absence of such qualified applicants , it is permissib le to admi t any male orphan who might be deemed wor thy Appli ca nts must have com pleted the ninth grade and be be t ween fifte e n and eightee n years of a ge The y mu s t be of good charac t er, and mentally and ph ys icall y capable of workin g at a trade.
Th e Sc hool gi ves excellent thr ee -yea r co urses in Machin e Shop Pra ctice, Carpen try, and Electron ics plu s academi c training eq ui val ent t o th e tenth, eleventh and twelfth grades of high sch ool. Pr ov ision has been made for students wh o wish to enter a college or university t o continue their education. The program also includes competition with other school s in a number of sports, and quite naturall y there is pr ovision for social activities of variou s kind s Attendance at c hurch eac h Sunday is obli gatory. No charge wha tever i s made, but each boy i s expec ted to have a spo nsor preferably from a Blue Lodge. The sponsor would be obligat ed to pay for su ch items as clothi ng and too ls not supplied by the school. The Thomas Ranken Patton Insti tution for Boys is administered by
a Board of Trustees appointed by the R. W. Grand Master. I t is financed largely out of income from the investment of funds received under Brother Patton's will, supplemented by moneys appropriated by Grand Lodge. There mus t be quite a number of boys throughout the State who could qualify for admission and who would be happy to take advantage of the manifold opportunities afforded by this splend id Masonic In stitution. Appl icat ion forms can be secured through the Superintendent of the School whose post office address is Elizabethtown, Pa.-W.E.M.
A Real Family Affair, Ten Brothers of the Craft
At an Extra Meeting of Thomas R. Patton Lodge, No. 659, held in Egyptian Hall, Masonic Temple, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on Friday evening, December 18, 1959, Brother Robert P. Richter was in tr oduced and r eceived his Entered Appren tice Mason's degree, the degree being conferred by his brother Horace F. Richter , Jr., assisted by his father, Horace F. Richter and his seven brothers. The father and six of the se ve n brothers, all Members of Thomas R. Patton Lodge, and the seventh brother, a Member of a New Jersey L odge, fill ed each of the pos itions on the floor which is a Masoni c rarity, to say the l east.
Thomas R. Patt on Lodge may well be proud in having with in its Membership one who has mad e such a wonderful contribution t o the Fra t ernity
The teachings of the Order of DeMolay love of parents, lo ve of God, patriotis m, purity, co u r t esy, co mrades hip and fide lity are thos e wh ich n o o nl y develop the bes t in youth, but insure the bes t in man.- CHARLES G. DAWES
YOUR CORRECT MAILING ADDRESS IS MOST IMPORTANT
If, at any t ime y ou r mailing ad dress changes , please notify The A id e to The Committee on Masonic C ulture appointed wi t hin your Lodge He is equipped wit h a special "Change of Address Card" that he will process imm e(lia tely and thereby assm·e you of each n ew issue of "The Pennsylvania Freemason."
Failure to keep your correct m a iling address can only result in unnecessary handling of y our mail and the possibility that your copy of " The Penn sy vania Freemason" will either be returned for ack of the proper address or 1;he chance that it may get into the hands of the wrong person. Your cooperation in making certain that yo ur name and address i s always correct on our mailing list is gt·eatly appreciated.
FREEMASON
A Message from Our Grand Master
Th e George Washington Masonic National Memorial on Sho oter s Hill, Alexandria, Virginia-across the river from Washington, D. C.-is a " living" tribute to the high ideals of Freemas onry.
It stands as "A Lamp to th e world of men"-an inspiring reminder of the wisdom, strength and beauty given this country by Brother George Washington.
Today , it represents Freemaso nr y's faith in the principles of ci vil and religious liberty-the very message of Freemasonry.
The Memorial is practicall y completed Howeve r, this doesn 't solve t he problem. The immediate need is for a $5,000,000 Endowment Fund to assure that the Memorial will be opened t o vis itor s in its entirety.
It n ow has almost $ 1,000 00 0 in the Endowment Fund The need i s $4, 000,000 more. Wh en thi s goal is r eached, th e Memorial will be operated in a manner befitting t he high i deals of Freemasonry
Brother Sanford M. Chilcote, when Grand Mas ter propo sed a plan to rai se the needed money. His plan, now ca lled the " P ENNSYLVANIA PLAN," was adopted at a mee ting of Grand Mas ters at th e Memor ial on February 22, 1960.
The plan i s simple- every Lod ge rais e a sum equal to at lea st $ 1.00 a member and $ 10.00 from th e Lodge itself.
I am confident that Masons in Pennsylvania will more t h a n meet this challenge when they full y under stand th e n eed.
The Endowment Pla n is a one-time pr ogram. On ce your Lodge has fulfil led its o bligation, it will not be asked for a r epea t contrib uti o n.
The onl y except ion i s the $ 1.00 contribution from ea ch n ew initiate.
This will be continu ed. It gives the new member a p ers onal share in the Memorial.
All contribution s to th e Memorial are tax exe mpt. This could mean an i mportant ta x deduction
I have asked every Lodge in P ennsylvania t o accept this challenge and reach the 100 per cent participa tion mark.
Every Mason in P e nn syl vani a sho uld a lso a ccept this challenge and help the Lodges r each this goal. I n thi s way y ou will h ave a direct interest in t his wonderful structure.
In past years, many of you h ave he lped build th e Memorial. For th ese contributions , I personally thank you. I hope you n ow ca n se e your way clear to help endow it, to ass ure its op eration.
S end yo ur contributions to your Lodge secretary Your Lodge will be given credit for y our contribution You will b e helping your Lodge reach its 100 per cent partic ipation goal.
Brethren who give $ 100.00 to the Memorial will receive a beautifully engraved Life Membership Certificate from the Memorial Associati on. This con tribution will also be cr edited to th e donor's Lodge
A Grand Master's Award certificate will be presented to Masonic Lodges that reach thei r quota. I would like to see one of these certificates in ever y Lodge in P ennsyl van ia.
Lodges that reach their quota, and those purchasing $ 100.00 Life Memberships will be recognized by THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON. The 146 Lodges a nd 30 Life Members, with paymen ts received before May 1, 1960, are recognized in thi s iss ue of THE PENNSYLVANIA FREEMASON Lodges completing their qu otas a nd additional Life Members received a fter May 1, will be recognized in the next issue. I hope the list is much greater in the next iss ue. I'm s ure it will be if we all assume a personal responsi bility and make s ure we have contributed. Man y Lodges which have reached the quota did it by havi ng the Lodge advance th e r equir ed money. They pl an a campaign to r eplenish th e treasur y I personally thank yo u Brethre n fo r doing ev er ything poss ible t o help your Lodge reach the 100 per cen t participation goal. I'm sure you will be proud to vis it thi s wonderful Memorial when it is op ened in its entirety Since th e beginn ing of constru cti on , in 1922 , Memorial expenditures included: Building construction , $4,953,372 .28; gr ounds constructi on S309,790.29; purch ase of l a nd , $73,313.88; general disbur sements a nd promotion, $523 ,290.41; maintenance and operation of th e building, $610 673 64; and maintenance of gr ounds, $ 13 7,7 38.38. This is a total ex penditure of $6, 608, 178.88.
Th e grea t aim in thi s worth y undertaking is that set forth by th e Association at the time construc tion was s ta rted more than thirty years ago.
"We cou ld no t hope to increase the fame of Broth er George Washington no r add t o the enduring lus ter of his name. Our purpose was , and is, to hand down t o comi ng generations a testament of love of our Fraternity for him who was th e glory of his country and an ornament to Freemasonry
" We cou ld not f ulfill our wis hes by the creatio n of a new pl a net to shed its among the s tars We cou ld not se t to mu sic the ceaseless s ung ings of the sea to carry the message of our appreciation to every shore throughout the coming years.
"S o turning f r om t he doma in of th e impo ssible, we opened the granite hills of New Hampshire to take their strength and make it a ttest our everlasting a dmi ra tion fo r him to whom i t is dedica t ed. Erected of endur in g materia ls, our temple will stand throug h out the ages.
" It will carry t o gen erations yet unborn and to those to whom we may seem an ancient race, th e message of human br otherhood. I t wi ll perpetuate th e attri butes of self-denial , patri otism , l ove of country and fellow man , which were t ypified in th e l ife and wo rk of the great Mason, the master builder of our Nation-Broth er George Washington."
Cordially and fraternall y, MAX F. BALCOM, R. W Grand Master
Thirty Pennsylvania Masons Have Purchased Life Membership in Memorial Association
S inc e February 22, 1958, thirty P ennsylvania Mason s have contri buted $100 each to become Life Members in The George Washington Masonic Nationa l Memorial Association. They will receive " R oll of Honor " Life Membership Cer tificates from the Memorial Association.
The $100 contributions will go t o the endowment fund of the Memorial. All the names of Masons contributing $100 or more to the Association will be p ri nted in THE PENNSYL · VANIA FREEMASON.
Those con tributing $100 between February 22, 1958 and May 1, 1960, in clude :
BRo MAX F. BALCOM, R. W. Gran d Master, Emporium Lodge, No. 382, Emporiu m
BRo W LERO Y McKINLEY, R W. Depnty Grand Master, Frankford Lodge, No 292, Philadelphia
BRo. EARL F. HEROLD, R. W. Senior Grand Warden, Butler Lodge, No 272 , Butler
BRo. RoBERT E. DEYOE, R. W. fnnior Grand Warden, P etrolia Lodge, No. 363, Oil City
BRo. Loms BA CHARA CH, R. W. Grand Treasnrer, Montgomery Lodge, No. 19, Philadelphia
BRO. ASHBY B. PAUL, R. W. Grand Secretary, Perseverance Lodge, No . 21, Harri sb urg
BRo. JoHN A. LATHWooo, Past Grand Master, Temple Lodge, No 678 , Pittsb urgh
BRo. RICHARD A. K ERN, Past Grand Mast er, Un iversit y Lodge , No 610, Philadelphia
BRO. GEOR GE H. DEIKE, Past Gra nd M aster, George W. Gut hrie Lodge, No . 691, Pittsburgh
BRo. WI LLIAM E. YEAGER Past Grand Master, Joseph Warren Lodge, No 726, Warren
97 Years of Age, Brother Morris Runkle
Enjoying 75th Year as 1Vlason
On March 25, 1885, Morri s Runkle was made a Mason in Schu yl kill Lodge No. 138 in Or wigsburg. Now 75 year s later Brother Runkle i s s till a member of that Lodge and an enthusiastic Mason
A f ew days prior to Br oth er Runkle' s 75 th Anniversa r y, Brothers W. LeRo y M cKinle y, R. W Deputy Grand Ma ster; Ashby B. Paul
R. W. Grand Secretary; V irgil C. Scott, newly appointed D.D.G.M.; and Norman A. Yeager , a Pas Master of Pul aski Lodge No 2 16, visit ed Brother Runkle in hi s apartm ent at 220 W. Ba con Street in P ottsville, where he has resided for many years . Brother Runkle wh o is 97, is able to wa lk about hi s apartment and is reasonabl y well for his age. He is mentally alert and still interested in Masonic affairs although unable to attend Lodge any longer.
Are th ere a ny other living Pennsylvan ia Masons who have been members for 75 years or more?-A.B.P
BRo. SA.l'IFORD M. CHILCOTE, Past Grand M aster, Verona Lodge, No 548, Verona
BRo. ]OH NE. BAILEY, D.D.G.M., Waynes burg Lodge, No. 153, Waynesb urg
BRo. WI LLIAM T. CANAN, Past D.D.G.i'Vl., Hiram Lodge, No 616, Altoona
BRo. THOMAS A. COLEMAN, Past D.D.G.M., McKeespo r t Lodge, No 641, McKeesport
BRo. WALLACE L. DAVI S, Greenleaf Lodge, No. 561, Allentown
BRo. MERLI N C. FAVING ER Eureka Lodge, No. 302, Mechanicsb u rg
BRo. ERNEST W. FoELL, Jerusalem Lodge, No 506, Frankford
BRo. BuRTON L. HIRS CH, D.D.G.M., McCa ndless Lodge, No 390, Pittsbu rgh
BRo. CARL A. LENSN ER Homes tead Lodge, No 582, Homes tead
BRo. EvERETT LYNN, Donora Lodge, No. 626, Donora
BRO. ]AMES W. McKINLEY Frankford Lodge, No. 292, Philadelphia
BRo. ]. WARR EN McKINLEY, Fr ankford Lodrre, No 292, Philadelphia
BRo. R. MICHAEL, Grand Steward, York Lodge, No 266, York
BRo. ARTHUR T. MooRE, Forbes Trail Lodge, No 783, Export
BRO. WALTER NEITHERCOTT Indu s try Lodge, No 13 1 Philadelp hia
BRO. ALBERT B. ORTLIEB, Kensington Lodge, No 211, Frankford
BRO. FRA NK A. P ETERS, Ro bert Burns Lodge, No 464, Harris burg
BR o GEORGE M. PFUNDT, Montg omery Lodge, No 19, Phi ladelphia
BRo. Jo s EPH KE NNAR DSKILLING, Lodge No.2, P hi lad elphia
BRO. EuG ENE W. ZIMM ERMA N, Lo wther Ma n or Lodge , No. 781, Camp Hill
Captain Adam Bitting, Mason
By }AMES R. CASE, Grand Hi storian Grand Chapter, R oyalArchMasonsofConnecticut
The wi nter of 1780- 81 was an uneasy one at Morri stown, New Jersey, where the P en n sylvania Brigade under Mad A nthony Wayne was quarte red. Their depe nd en t famili es negl ected by s tate authorities, th ems elves almos t entirely destitute of clothing and b lanke t s, they had not been paid for a year. Th e n ew r ecru its who drifted in boas ted of th e cas h bonus which had pers uade d them to enlis t. Having s igned up for " three years or during the war," the oldtimers found th eir three ye ars expired but their ser vic e ex t ended. All in all they were ver y unhappy
A consolator y double iss ue of ru m on New Year's Day warmed th eir disco nte nt and brought it from a gripe t o open r evolt Unde r a committee of se r gea nts they s e ized the arti llery and amm uniti on, compelled a r elu cta nt few to cas t lots with them, f ormed on the p arade grou nd, determined to march on Philadelphia and p resen their case to the state assembly.
The general alarm having been sounded by the drummers at the main guard h ouse, Wayne and h i s officers ru s h ed to the p a rade ground to tr y and quell the uprising. In the excitement of their appearance, brand ishing sidearms, and in confus ion as to their intentions, weapons were brought into p lay and blood flowed freely. In the melee Captain Adam Bitting , advancing with a charged esp ontoon, was sho t through the body by one of his own men, expiring two hours later at low twelve.
When General Wayne and Colonels Butler and Stewa rt f o und themselves unable t o persuade the mutineers to return to quarters, but rather determined to proceed, they accompanied the march. Popula r as those officers were with the t roops, the malcontents would n ot be persuaded when asked t o return to their ba rracks. Not until seve ral weeks later, while halted at Prin ceton, were th ey pacified by a committee from Philadelphia their grievances comp r omised, and a few ringleaders punis hed. With their wrongs right ed, many re -enlis t ed and the brigade co nducted themselves gloriously la ter in the year at Yorktown.
Adam Bitting went out in 1776 as a lieutenant of Penn sylvania tr oops, and was among the hundred s taken pr iso ner a t the For t Washington di sas ter in Novem ber that yea r. Although paroled , he was not formally exchanged for nearly a y ear-and-a-half, when he again reported for dut y as a Captain in the 4th P ennsylvan ia Regiment. H e accompanied the punitive expedition under Ge neral s S ulli van and Clinto n wh ch laid was t e th e Indian villages in th e Finger Lakes region of Central New York. H e had been made a Mason in Saint George 's Lodge at Schenectady Jun e 12, 1779, wa s a visi t or to American Union Lodge at Morristown Mar ch 27, 1780, and later a member of Pennsylvania Un ion Lodge, No. 29 , A.Y.M worki ng in th e Pennsylvan ia Brigade. The scanty records of this Lodge which have survived, s how tha t on February 6, 1781, a s um was voted "for relief of the widow and children of Br. Adam Bitting. "
Traditionally th is Brothe r, w h o was fervent in his fi ght for freedom, and who died "a victim t o his zea l a nd duty," s buried under or n ear the " Be ttin Oak " which s ta nds on Jockey Holl ow R oad i n the Nationa Military P ark at Morristown P ennsyl vania.
Brother F. William Miller Receives Appointment as District Deputy Grand Master
Br o ther Max F. Bal co m, R. W. Grand Mas t er of the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Mas ons of P ennsylva nia , a ppointed the following new Di s trict Deputy Grand Master : Brother F. William Miller , of Towanda, P ast Mas ter of Un ion Lodge No 108, Towanda, was app ointed for the Six tee nth Mas onic District, v i ce Harol d E. R ac ht resigned.
Data on Aide to Committee on Masonic Culture MUST Be Filed Correctly
It is most important that each Lodge have an Aide to the Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Culture. It is also importan that the n ame, address and Lodge number of that person be on file by forwarding to The Pennsylvania Freemason, P. 0. Box 688, Warren, Pennsylvania.
The Committee on Masonic Culture of Grand Lodge therefore appeals to each Wors hipful Master to appoint his Aide and direct the Secretary to forward the name, address and Lodge number to the address mentioned above If the name and address and Lodge number of the Aide h as been registered and he is still serv ing in that capacity, it is not necessary to forward the information each y ear. However, when a new Aide is appointed , s uch information should be furnished immediatel y. Secretaries are also reminded that the name and address of the Aide to the Grand Lodge Committee on Masonic Culture may be carried on the back of the Lodge Notice and reference to anything relating to the Committee on Masonic Culture may be inserted in the Lodge Notice.
Brother Willis R. Michael Appointed to Committee on Masonic Homes
Bro th er Willis R. Michael, a Pas t Mas t er of York Lodge No. 266, has been appointed b y Brother Ma x F. Bal com R. W. Grand Mas ter , to the Committee on Masonic Homes to succeed Brother Francis H. Mills, who was recently sel ected Superintendent of The Masonic Homes a t Elizabethtown.
Brother Michael, a r esident of York, is active in all branches of Freemasonry.
Brother Ellis E. Stern Now Serving on Executive Committee of The Homes Committee
Brother Ellis E. Stern, a Pas t Mas ter of Coatesville Lodge No 564, who has been a member of the Committee on Mas oni c Homes since 1954, has been appointed a member of the Executive Committee of the Committee on Mason ic Homes, which post was held b y Brother Franc is H. Mill s, now Superintende nt of The Masoni c Homes.
Brother Scott S. Leiby, R. W. P ast Grand Master, and Brother C Howard Witmer along with Brother Stern comprise the Executive Committee which meets nearly every week the year around.
Thirty-ninth and Fourth Masonic Districts Set Pace in Support of Plan"
The Thirty-ninth Ma so nic District was the first Dis trict in which all seven Lodges reached the 100 per cent participation in the "PENN· SYLVANIA P LAN" in support of The George Washington Masonic National Memorial.
Brother Hugh M. Bell i s District Deputy Grand Master of the Thirty-ninth District. The Fourth Masonic District with five Lodges
was a close second to complete its quota to the Memorial. Brother P aul G. Pensinger is District Deputy Grand Master of the Fourth District. Several other Districts are nearing completion. The 146 Lodges completing the quota, based on the checks received by the Grand Secretary as of May 1 , 1960, are listed as follows:
Superintendent of Masonic Homes Elizabethtown, Penna
Gentlemen:
It is extremely diffi'cult to express in wor ds ou r gratitude for the o ve and kindness that has been tendered to our Father , Isaac H. Simmond s, during the past six years he spent as a guest at yo ur Home.
We are sur e tha t no one but he knew the full measure of extra care and attention he received from your hospital staff during the past two very rying years . Although he tried on numerous occa sion s to impress upo n us how sincerely you a ttemp ted to care for every need of each individual guest, our recent experience ha s served to verify his words.
We have alwa ys contended that the myriad of details which are part o f the preparation for laying a loved one to rest are the major burden o f this occasion
We, his children, will be ever grateful for the magnifice nt manner in which you re lieved us of these de tails and so lightened our burden.
May the Blessing of God always remain with you a nd your staff as you c ontinue to brighten the twilight ye ars of your ma ny guests.
Gratefully yours, LILLIAN LIKEN S 745 15th Avenue, Prospect Park Pa.
From Our Grand Secretary's Office
OUR MAU.CH COMMUNICATIONS
The March Quarterly Communication, with its attendant activities, becomes increasing ly important and interesting each yea r. While the Communication itself lasts little over two hour s, the associated meetings wi th their many details spread over a considerably longer period.
Early Tuesda y morning, March 1st, Brother Raymond H. Gr imm, newly appointed Instructor of Ritualis tic Work, ably assisted by his prede cessor, Brother Andrew J. Schroder, and t he Regional Instructors, began rehearsing the three degrees before large groups from the various Schools of Instruction throughout the Jurisdiction .
Meanwhile, Broth er J. Waldo Baker, Chief Engineer of The Masonic Homes at Elizabethtown and hi s co-workers, were installing the closed-circuit t elevision equipment in Corinthian and Renaissance Halls.
Degrees Exemplified
Then beginning at 7 P.M. the three degrees were ex cellently exemp lified in th e presence of the R. W. Grand Master, Broth er Max F. Balcom, and the Grand Lodge Officers, before a capacity aud ience in Corinthian Hall with many more f oll owi ng the work in Renaissance Hall.
The following Brethren were in th e East f or the Ritualistic Work : Brother William H. H ofkne cht , Lodge No 470, Opening a nd Closing; Broth er William R. Parry, Lodge No 4-36, Entered Apprentice Degree; Brother Donald S. Everett, Lodge No. 776, Fellow Craft Degre e; Br other J ohn F. Palm er, Lodge No. 292, Master Mason Degree.
The Finance Committee held its u sual Quarterly m eeting that afternoon.
District Deputy Grand Masters Session
On Wednesday morning March 2nd, the Grand Master , his Officers and P as t Grand Masters met with the District Deputy Grand Maste rs for almost three hours, at wh ich time items of unusual interest were discussed at l ength.
The Grand Master explained in detail the "PENNSYLVANIA PLAN" for raising the necessary funds for the George Washington Masonic National Memorial Endowment
Brother W. LeRoy McKinley, R. W. Dep uty Grand Mas t er, d iscussed the preparation of the applications for The Masonic Homes at Elizabethtown, an d for Home Assistance.
The Grand Secretary gave the latest figu res on membership and suggested methods whereby the large number of S uspens ions fo r Nonpayment of Due s might be reduced; also to encourage Restoration to Membersh ip.
Brother Arthur T. Moor e, Assistant to the Grand Master, talked about the new motion
which he outlined in his inaugural address at the Annual Communication.
Grand Master's
pictures and brochure on The Masonic Homes and the P atton School.
The Grand Master also presented the " floor officers," who a re listed in another article.
Grand Lodge closed at 9.30 P.M.
The Deputies raised many intere sting subject s for di scussion.
The Committee on Masonic Culture held its Quarterly meeting in the afternoon.
Many other conferences were held prior to the Quarterl y Communication which opened at 7 P.M., with an unusually large attendance.
Requests for Recognition
A request for fraternal recognition was received from the Grand Lodge of the Republic of Venezuela, which was r efer red to the Committee on Correspondence.
Communications were also recei ved from the National Grand Lodge of Fran ce and from the Grand Orient of Italy relati ve to Masonic conditions in their respective countr ies .
The Committee on Finance presented its report for the first fis cal Quarter, and two Resolutions which were adopted. The firs t concerned the remi ssion of dues of a member confined in a State Hos pital; the second authorized the sale of ce rtain sec urities
The Committee on T empl e outlined the work completed during the fir st Quarter covering building, machinery, eq uipment and other items cos ting ove r $28,000
The Resol utions s ubmitted by the Committee on By-Laws were adopted whereby the proposed By-Laws of one Lodge were app ro ved and th ose of three Lodges were not approved.
Lodge S tatisti cs for 1959
The Membership details for 1959 (before examination of General Re turns) were announc ed as fo ll ows-
Number of Lodges
December 27, 1958 , 590
Num ber of Lod ges
Constituted during 1959. 4
Tota Number of Lodges, December 27, 1959 594
Membership December 27, 1958 ' '' 257,263
Admitted during 1959. 829
Initiated during 1959. 6,530 --7,359
Suspended during 1959 1,188
Resigned during 1959 , , 473
Deceased during 1959 5,232 --6,893
Net In crease for 1959. . . . . . . . . . . . 466
Membership Dece mber 27, 1959. 257,729
Conference of Grand Masters
Brother Earl F. Herold, R. W. Sen ior Grand Warden, gave a comprehen si ve report on the recent Conference of Grand Mast ers
Brother W. LeRoy McKinley reviewed th e recent George Washington Masonic Na tional Memorial Association meeting
The R. W. Grand Master, Brother Balcom, reported progress on the Eight-Point Program
Award Earned by 146 Lodges for 100 per cent Participation in Plan"
KISKIMIN ETAS LoDGE, No 617, Vandergrift SUNSET LODGE, No. 623, fT/ ashington TYRIAN LonGE, No 644, New Kensington
GETER C. S mnL E LonGE, No. 650, Pittsburgh LAUREL Lo DGE, No. 651, Uniontown
Sincerely and fraternally,
ASHBY B. PAUL, R. W. Grand Secr etary
" Floor Officers" of Grand Lodge Announced
The R. W. Grand Mas ter has appointed the following Brethren as Grand L odge office r s for the current Masonic year:
D eputy Grand Secretary
HAROLD S. McGEAR, Past Master, Mount Horeb Lodge, No. 528, Philadelphia Grand Chaplains
ARTHUR MuRRAY, Mozart Lodge, No. 436, Philadelphia
FRED PIERCE CORSON, Cumberland Star Lodge, No. 197, Carlisle
G. MAsON CocHRAN, Past Master, Allegheny Valley Lodge, No. 552 , Emlento n
BEECHER M. RuTLED GE, Joseph Warren Lodge, No 726, Warren ALFRED NEVIN SAYRES, La mberton Lodge , No 476, Lancaster
CARL C. RASMUSSEN, Harrisb urg Lodge, No. 629, Harrisburg
W. RALPH WARD, JR., Bellefield Lodge, No. 680, Pitt sburgh
Jo sEPH E. LAw, La Belle Valee Lodge, No. 232, Jersey Sho re
BERTRAM W. Ko RN, Montgom er y Lodge, No. 19, Philadelph ia
HE NRYS. RAAB, Perseverance Lodge, No. 2 1, Harrisbu rg
J. CHARLES McKIRACHAN, Lodge No. 8, New Jersey
RICHARD RAD CLIFFE, Mo u nt Horeb Lodge, No. 528, Philadelphia
MARSHALL D. BERRYHILL, Eureka Lodge, No. 290, Greenville
A. CuLMER ScHULTZ, Lodge of the Craft, No. 433, New Castle
Senior Grand Deacon
EDWARD L. RuPERT, Past Master, Verona Lodge, No. 548, Verona
Junior Grand Deacon
JoHN E. MoRRIS, JR., Past Master, Kingston Lodge, No 395, Kings ton
Grand Stewa rds
WILLIS R. MICHAEL, Past Master, York Lodge, No . 266, York
RAYMO ND A. MYERS, SR., Past Master, Lowther Mano r Lod ge, No. 781, Camp Hill. Grand Ma rshal
RALPH W. TEMPLE, Past M aster, P ennsylvama Lodge, No. 380, Ph ilade lphia Grand Sword Bearer
CLAUDE A. CAMPBELL, Past Master, Empor ium Lod ge, No. 382, Emporium Grand Pursuivant
}AM ES N DEETER, Past Master, George E Wagner Lodge, No 639, St. Ma ry's Grand Tyler
CHARLES HIGG INS, Past Mast er, William E. Elkins Lodge, No. 646, Philadelphia
The Grand Master 's Award has been earned by 146 Masonic Lodges in Pennsylvania for 100 per cen t participation in the "PENNSYLVANIA PLAN"
as of May 1, 1960, t o endow The George Washington Masonic National Memorial at Alexandria, Virginia.
These Lodges have contributed at leas t $ 1.00 a member and $10.00 from the Lodge itself in th e current program to endow the Memorial.
Perry Lodge No. 458 of Marysville has been credi ted with being the first Lodge t o reach its
quota thi s yea r. Its chec k was received before th e endowment plan was officially approved by the Mem orial Association. Several other Lodge s also presented checks within the n ex few days or before the plan was formally adopted.
All L odges r eceiving the Grand Master's Award will be recog ni zed by THE PENNSYL· VANIA FREEMASO N. Th ose ha vi ng earned the Award by sending in th eir che cks to the Grand Secre tary as of May 1, 1960, are:
VAux LoDG E, No. 406, H amburg
PINE GROVE LonGE, No 409 Pine Gro ve W. K. BRAY Lo nGE, No 410, H atbo ro TEMP LE LonGE, No 412, T idiout e SHREWSBURY Lon GE, No 423, Shrewsbury
W ILLIAMSON LonGE, No. 431, Saltsbnrg LonGE OF THE CRAFT, No 433, New Castle Sr. JoHN 's LonG E, No. 435, Reading
APO LLO Lo nGE, No . 437, Apollo
MouNT PisGAH LonGE, No. 443, Greencastle
HARFOH D LonGE, No 445, Hop Bottom
CLAYSV ILLE LoDGE, No. 447, Claysville RICHARD VAUX LoDGE, No 454, B nrgettstown
KEYSTONE LonGE, No. 455, Erie
PERRY LonGE, No. 458, Marysville
VALLEY LonGE, No. 459, Masontown
RoB ERT BuHNS LoDGE, No. 464, H arrisburg
H EBRON LonGE, No 465, New Oxford
MoUNT HERMON Lo nGE, No. 4 72, Uniondale
PRINC E EDWIN LoDGE, No. 486, Middletown
LO GAN LoDGE, No. 490, Altoona
RIVERSIDE LonGE No 503, Wrightsville Moscow LoDGE, No. 504, Moscow
JERUSA LEM LoDGE , No 506, Phi ladelphia
NEw MILFOHD LonG E, No. 507, New Milford
GERMANIA LonG E, No 509, Pittsburgh
OscEOLA LonGE , No. 5 15, Osceola Mills
SHARPSVILL E Lo DGE, No. 51 7, Sharpsville
STEPHEN BAYA RD LoDGE, No 526, Eli zabeth
DRIFTW OOD LoDGE, No 532, Driftwood
JoH NW. J ENKS LoDGE, No 534, Punxsutawney
JoH NSTOWN Lo DGE, No 538, ] ohnstbwn
AHGYLE LonGE, No. 540, Chicora
VEHONA LODG E, No. 548, Verona
HELLERTOWN LODGE, No. 563, H eller to wn
KANE LoDGE, No. 566, Kane
CROMWELL LoDG E, No 572, Orbisonia
HEBR ON LODGE, No. 575, Mercer
LEEC HBURG LonGE, No 577, Lee chb urg Lon GE, No. 582, Homestead
AcACIA LonGE, No 586, Waynesboro
PERKIOMENLonGE, No . 595, East Greenville GROVE CITY LODGE, No. 603, Grove City
GARFIELD LoDGE, No. 604, McDonald
JoPPA Lo DGE, No 608, Pittsburgh
T YRIA N LoocE, No 612, Wilmerding
CHARLEROI LonGE, No 615, Charleroi
HIRAMLonG E, No. 616, Altoona
LAFAYETTE LoDGE, No. 652, Carnegie I sAAC HIESTER LODGE, No. 660, Reading SHENANGO LoDGE, No. 668, Sharon TEMPLE LonG E, No. 6 78, Pittsburgh WEST SHORE LoDGE, No. 681, Camp Hill
DoHMONT LonGE No 684, Dormont MouNT UNION LonGE, No 688, Mount Union GEORGE W. GUTHR IELoDGE, No. 691, Pittsburgh VICTORY LonGE, No 694, Butler THEODORE RoosE VELT LODGE, No. 697, Pittsb nrgh
DELTA LonGE, No. 699, Pittsburgh MoUNT OLIVET Lo nGE, No. 704, L eba non WmTE RosE LoDGE, No. 706, York WILSON LonGE, No. 714, Clairton Loms WAGNER LoDGE, No. 715, Philadelphia
JosEPH WARREN LonGE No. 726, Warren EMULATION LODGE, No. 728, Ph iladelphia JoH N A. BRASHEAR LonGE, No. 743, Dormont GoLDEN RuLE LonGE, No. 748, Philadelphia JEA NNETTE LonGE, No 750, Jeann ette
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN Lon GE, No. 753, Indiana TITU SVILLE LonGE, No. 754, Ti tusville W ILLI AMS. SNYDER LoD GE, No. 756, Harrisburg BETHE L LonGE, No. 761 , Dormont BROTHERHO OD LODGE, No. 762, Pittsburgh
KING DAVID Lo nG E, No. 763, Kingston ALBERT THATCHER HANBY Lo DG E, No. 767, Prospect Park
WILLIAM H. MILLER, LODG E, No. 769, Butler EDWARD H. RoBERTS LODGE, No. 772, Chester MouNT ZION LonGE, No 774, McConnellsburg
SP RI NGF IELD LOD GE, No 779 Prospect Park Lo wTHER MANOR LonGE No 781, Camp H ill LEONARD FORMAN LonG E, No. 782, Philadelphia FoRBEs TRAIL LODGE No 783, Export MoNROEVILLE LonGE, No. 786, Monro eville CoL. HENRY BouQU ET Lon GE, No. 787, Pittsburgh
Who Are The Masonic Ancients of Pennsylvania?
The Masonic Ancients of P e nnsylvan ia is an organ iza tion composed of Brethre n who have been Members of the Masonic Fraternity for 50 years or more To be eligible for members hip it naturally means tha a Brother has to be at least 7l years of age.
It was organized in the Masonic Temple, Phila delp hia, in th e year 19 12, with 12 Members, and is th e only organization of its kind in the wo rld. It has a membe rship of 160. The meet ings are held on the fourth Thursdays of April a nd October. Dinner is se r ved at 5 :30 P M. followed by a s peaker and enterta inment.
Howard J. He wston of Colli ngswood, N. J. is the oldest Member, now in his 94th year. Following him is G. Edwa rd Kock 507 E. Tulpehocken Street, Philadelphia, age 91 years -W.J.P.
