Difference between revisions of "MassachusettsYear1878"

Latest revision as of 14:32, 10 October 2011

1878

CHARLES ALFRED WELCH, Grand Master

Abraham H. Howland, Jr., Deputy Grand Master
William H. Chessman, Senior Grand Warden
Irving B Sayles, Junior Grand Warden

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS

(Held at Masonic Temple, Boston)

• 1878-1: 03/13/1878;
• 1878-27: 06/12/1878;
• 1878-75: 09/11/1878;
• 1878-115: 12/11/1878 (Annual Communication)

03/13 Agenda

Note: Grand Master Welch was not in attendance at this Communication due to illness; the presiding officer was Deputy Grand Master Rt. Wor. Abraham H. Howland, Jr.

• 1878-8: Report of Commissioners of Trials.
• 1878-8: Application from convention in New South Wales for recognition as a Grand Lodge.
• 1878-15ff: Report of Committee on Healing.
• 1878-20: Charity Committee allocated $500 to be disbursed.
• 1878-21: Committee on Seal report.

06/12 Agenda

• 1878-32: Report of Committee on Healing.
• 1878-35: Report on communication from New South Wales; postponed until the next communication.
  • 09/11: 1878-92; Report of Committee on New South Wales; recognition denied.
• 1878-38ff: Report of Commissioners of Trials.

09/11 Agenda

• 1878-78: Grand Master Welch announced that a sum of money was to be sent to southern cities to assist Masonic Brethren suffering from yellow fever.
• 1878-83: Jurisdictional dispute between Republican Lodge, Greenfield, and Harmony Lodge, Northfield, referred to committee.
• 1878-85: Report on communications on the actions of the Grand Orient of France, regarding the elimination of the requirement for belief in Deity. The Committee was granted further time, but the attendees rose to endorse a resolution that this Landmark could not be eliminated by any Grand Lodge.
• 1878-85: Report of Committee on Healing.
• 1878-90: Report of Committee on Digest of Masonic Law; a manuscript of this Digest was submitted with its report.
• 1878-93: Committee appointed to procure "valuable Masonic documents" from the family of Bro. William Palfrey, deceased.
  • 1878-158: These were received in December.

12/11 Agenda

• 1878-149: Auditing Committee report.
• 1878-150: Sinking Fund report.
• 1878-151: Re-election of Grand Master Welch.
• 1878-157: Communication from the Grand Lodges of Manitoba, Illinois, Quebec.
• 1878-159: Effects of Fayette Lodge, Charlton, received by Grand Lodge.
• 1878-160: Money appropriated by Charity Committee.
• 1878-160: Petition by Germania Lodge, Boston, for ritual in German; referred to committee.
• 1878-160; 1878-171ff: Report of Committee on Healing.

Grand Constitutions Amendment Proposals

• 03/13: 1878-24; Proposed amendment to the Grand Constitutions covering admittance of EA and FC Brothers to Lodges.
  • 06/12: 1878-36; The proposal above was rejected, since it infringed upon Master's prerogatives.

• 06/12: 1878-44ff; A large number of amendments to the Grand Constitutions were submitted (by a "Committee on a Masonic Digest."
  • 09/11: 1878-87ff; With a number of changes to the original proposal, the amendments from 06/12 were approved by the Grand Lodge.

Grand Master's Address

• 03/13: 1878-13, committee report on Annual Address of 12/12/1877.

• 12/11: 1878-134, Annual Address by Grand Master Welch; 1878-160, referred to committee.
  • Lodges constituted, officers installed:
    • St. George, Campello (Brockton) (04/16)
    • Mumford River, East Douglas (05/04)
  • Lodges visited:
    • Beth-Horon, Brookline (01/02; installed officers)
    • Mizpah, Cambridge (01/14)
    • The Massachusetts, Boston (01/21; installed Wor. Samuel Wells as Grand Pursuivant)
    • Joseph Webb, Boston (01/30, 06/21)
    • Belmont, Belmont (04/18; installed officers)
    • Quinsigamond, Worcester (04/26)
    • St. John's (Boston) (06/05)
    • Mount Lebanon, Boston (06/10; 11/11, installed R.W. Tracy Cheever as Recording Grand Secretary)
    • Washington, Roxbury (06/13)
    • Revere, Boston (10/01; installed Wor. Samuel Wells as Grand Treasurer)
    • Rising Star, Stoughton (10/10)
    • Mount Tabor, East Boston (10/17)
    • Constellation, Dedham (11/13)
  • Hall Dedications:
    • Orient, Norwood (02/15; installed officers)
    • Morning Sun, Conway (by Rt. Wor. John Hall, District Deputy; not yet executed as of the address.)
  • Cornerstones:
    • Town hall in Holbrook (07/10)

Lodge By-Law Changes

• 03/13: 1878-4;
  • Full Codes : Mount Hermon, Mumford River U.D., Rising Star, St. George U.D.
  • Amendments : Aurora, Baalbec, Bethany, Greylock, Hampden, Jerusalem, Morning Star, Norfolk, Pioneer, Quinsigamond, Union (Dorchester)
  • 1878-19: approved, except Bethany (no vote); Pioneer (unclear instruction); Baalbec, Rising Star and Mount Hermon (approved as amended); and St. George U.D. and Mumford River U.D. (when description of seal is provided).

• 06/12: 1878-30;
  • Full Code : Plymouth
  • Amendments: Belcher, Bethany, Crescent, Mount Lebanon, Mount Moriah, Phoenix, Pioneer, Puritan, St. Bernard, St. Paul's (South Boston), William Parkman.
  • 1878-34: approved with slight changes: Mount Lebanon, St. Bernard, Plymouth; Bethany and Pioneer, held over from 03/13/1878, approved. No vote on Belcher.

• 09/11: 1878-77;
  • Full Codes : Ancient York, Temple.
  • Amendments : Globe, James Otis, Joseph Webb, Kilwinning, Orphan's Hope.
  • 1878-86: approved with amendments: James Otis, Temple; others approved as submitted.

• 12/11: 1878-156;
  • Full Codes : Adelphi, Evening Star, Huntington.
  • Amendments :, Athelstan, Belcher, Beth-Horon, Globe, The Massachusetts, Trinity, Webster, William Sutton.
  • 1878-175: approved as given, except with amendments, Evening Star, and pending description of seal, Adelphi. Further time requested on Huntington.

• 12/27: 1878-179;

• • Amendments: Joseph Warren.
  • 1878-194: Joseph Warren approved; Huntington approved as amended.

Necrologies and Memorials

• 03/13: 1878-79: Report of the death of R.W. William C. Blanchard, Past District Deputy for China; biography given by R.W. William F. Salmon.
• 03/13: 1878-81: Report of the death of Past GM Frank Welch of Nebraska, to be conveyed by train to Massachusetts. (See Special Communication, 09/13/1878, below.)
• 12/11: 1878-162: Memorial on R.W. John McClellan, late Grand Treasurer.
• 12/11: 1878-163: Memorial on R.W. and Rev. Charles H. Titus, late Recording Grand Secretary.
• 12/11: 1878-166: Memorial on R.W. and Rev. E.M.P. Wells, Past Deputy Grand Master.
• 12/11: 1878-167: Memorial on R.W. Abraham A. Dame, Past Deputy Grand Master.
• 12/27: 1878-188: Memorial on R.W. George G. Smith, Past Deputy Grand Master.

Petitions for Charters

• 03/13: 1878-6;
  • Mumford River U.D., East Douglas;
  • St. George U.D., Campello (Brockton);
    • charters granted, 1878-12.

Petitions for Dispensation for Lodges

• Dispensations, mentioned in Grand Master's Address beginning on Page 1878-134:
  • Mechanic's, Turner's Falls (01/18)
  • Noquochoke, South Westport (09/11)
  • 1878-135: Declined: a lodge in Cooleyville, because "there would not be sufficient material . . . to afford a reasonable prospect of its being maintained in good condition."

SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS

Recorded in the 06/12/1878 Quarterly, 1878-30:

• 04/16/1878: Brockton; constitution of St. George Lodge and installation of officers.
• 04/26/1878: Worcester; visit to Quinsigamond Lodge for Master Mason degree.
• 05/04/1878: Boston; constitution of Mumford River Lodge, and installation of officers.
• 06/24/1878: 1878-53; Worcester, Saint John the Baptist's Day, a ceremony to transfer the remains of Past Grand Master Isaiah Thomas to Rural Cemetery; an address was given by Grand Master Welch, beginning on page 1878-58, followed by an interment ceremony.
• 07/20/1878: 1878-65; Holbrook, a ceremony to lay he corner stone of the Town Hall in Holbrook. R.W. Abraham H. Howland, Jr., Deputy Grand Master, was the presiding officer as the Grand Master was "absent from the Commonwealth". This ceremony is described in full detail. Brother Howland gave an address beginning on page 1878-72.
• 09/13/1878: 1878-95; Boston, Masonic Temple. A Masonic funeral service for Hon. Frank Welch, Past Grand Master of Masons in Nebraska, a member of Congress. A number of Masons from Nebraska were in attendance. Note: a full description of Bro. Welch's life is to be found in the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska, Volume II, 1876-1879.
• 10/03/1878: 1878-99; Boston, Masonic Temple. A Masonic funeral service for R.W. John McClellan, late Grand Treasurer. After the service, a procession led the body to Mount Auburn Cemetery, where an interment service was performed.
• 11/01/1878: 1878-105; Boston, Masonic Temple. A Masonic funeral service for R.W. Charles H. Titus, late Recording Grand Secretary. A biographical sketch appears on page 1878-107ff. A procession went by railroad to Rhode Island, where the Grand Master of Rhode Island, M.W. Charles Cutler, officiated.

FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

(held at Masonic Temple, Boston, 12/27/1878)

• 1878-177: Opening and roll call.
• 1878-179: Installation of Grand Master. Complete description of installation ceremony, including full prayer by Grand Chaplain.
• 1878-183: Grand Master's appointments for 1879.
• 1878-186: Committee on Finance appointments, one per district.
• 1878-187: Library Committee report.
• 1878-190: Charity Committee report.
• 1878-191: List of lodges not represented at Grand Lodge in 1878, as well as the past 2-3 years.
• 1878-193: List of Grand Lodge Proceedings received.
• 1878-196: Feast of St. John, listing toasts and names of speakers (but not the remarks).

LIST OF LODGES IN MASSACHUSETTS BY DISTRICT: 1878

There were 19 districts in Massachusetts in 1878, as well as districts for Chile and China. The Taunton 19th District was composed of lodges from the 13th and 16th Districts, and the 13th District was relocated to Dedham.

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