GMAllen
Contents
CLAUDE L. ALLEN 1878-1961
Deputy Grand Master, 1921
Grand Master, 1935-1937
- FindAGrave page
- Marriage ceremony performed by Paul Sterling
TERM
NOTES
- Paper on Gambling, presented at the Conference of Grand Masters, February 1936
SPEECHES
FEAST OF ST. JOHN, DECEMBER 1935
From Proceedings, Page 1935-352:
Brethren: Again I am delighted to extend to you a cordial and fraternal welcome to this time-honored Feast, which it has been the custom, privilege, and pleasure of Massachusetts Masons to observe for more than two hundred years.
We are particularly pleased to welcome and have with us our friends from other Grand Jurisdictions. As we embark upon a new year of Masonic activity, may we do so in a spirit of thankfulness and appreciation for the many blessings which it has been our privilege to enjoy through our affiliations with our Brethren in Freemasonry, and a firm purpose to exemplify in our daily lives the teachings of our beloved Order. Of little avail are our avowed beliefs if we do nor in our daily activities of life exemplify our tenets and traditions. We must not emulate the example of the father who said to his son, "Don't do as I do, but do as I tell you to do." We cannot hope to maintain our high standing or respect in the community if we attempt to take the position that father did. In other words, we must in our every-day lives and contacts with our fellow men practise what we preach in our Masonic meetings.
It is fully expressed in the fourth of the ancient charges, to which every Master of a Lodge must signify his assent before his investiture: "to work diligently, live creditably, and act honorably by all men." If you add to that the admonition to have faith in God, to be friendly and sympathetic with your fellow men, regardless of their race, creed, or religion, it is my honest opinion that you will have included the fundamentals necessary tor a useful and happy Masonic life.
We are asked, "What about the world changes going on around us? Must we change our philosophy and practices to keep up with the times?"
My answer would be that I do not believe that we need either a new philosophy of life or of Masonry, but rather a return to the fundamental philosophies of our forefathers; a sincere and profound belief in God, and an earnest desire to live in accordance with His teachings. Clear thinking, courageous, constructive, intelligent leadership are fully as necessary today as at any period in the world's history, but our clear thinking and constructive leadership should be directed not to the creation of new philosophies of life, but to the guiding of our footsteps and our sons' footsteps through the maze of new and fallacious doctrines and theories that surround us, back to the philosophies of our fathers, and of our fathers' fathers, ever bearing in mind the proud and indisputable fact that Masons, guided by their Masonic principles and teachings, took a leading part in laying the cornerstone of our government which has survived all attacks from within and without, and has been the admiration, and perhaps even the envy of the civilized peoples of the world for many generations. Let us reaffirm our belief in God and our faith in the principles upon which our government was founded, and let us oppose with all the vigor we possess the "isms" which do not adhere to these principles. Let us never forget that the strength ot our Order lies in the character of its manhood and the solidity of its principles. Without that solid foundation of character and principle, Masonry could not have carried on successfully during the past two hundred years. So long as we continue to build upon that solid foundation of character, strengthening the structure by Masonic education, through our Lodges of Instruction and by all other means at our disposal, I am convinced that we will be prepared to cope successfully with all the problems that may come through the world changes going on about us.
Let us reflect upon the words of a great German philosopher, a Mason of long years standing:
"Great Architect of earth and heaven,
By time nor space confined,
Enlarge our love to comprehend
Our Brethren—all mankind.
Where'er we are, whate'er we do,
Thy presence let us own;
Thine Eye, all-seeing, marks our deeds,
To Thee our thoughts are known.
While Nature's work and Science's laws
We labor to reveal,
O! be our duty done to Thee
With fervency and zeal.
With Faith our guide, and humble Hope,
Warm Charity and Love
May all at last he raised to share
Thy Perfect Light above."
REMARKS AT QUARTERLY COMMUNICATION, SEPTEMBER 1936
From Proceedings, Page 1936-150:
LODGE ACTIVITIES
Although no figures are yet available as to the number of initiates for the year ending August 31, 1936, it seems probable at this time that when they are compiled they may show some improvement over the last three years, which have been practically the same. Quite a good many Lodges have had several applications for the degrees this past year, where they have had none for a year or two previously, but in many Lodges there is still not enough degree work to fully occupy the time of regular meetings and it is hoped that this fact may not be allowed to detract from the interest in the meetings and the attendance at them.
In days when candidates have been more plentiful it is quite possible that the regular degree work at each meeting furnished sufficient interest for fair attendance at Lodge meetings, but in Lodges where there are not sufficient candidates at the present time to fully bring about this result the success of the Lodge and of its meetings must of necessity depend largely upon the initiative of the Worshipful Master to supply something of interest to the members to take the place of the degree work. Every Master should sense this responsibility and take a personal pride and satisfaction in keeping up or bringing back his Lodge attendance by providing interesting notices and meetings. Many Masters are very resourceful in this respect and need no assistance or suggestions in bringing about this desired result, but others, through lack of initiative, pressure of other matters, or for other reasons, may welcome suggestions as to how this can be accomplished.
With this thought in mind, I have asked the Director of Education in addition to assisting Masters whenever called upon to do so by supplying the names of speakers for Lodge meetings, to prepare a list of suggestions for the use of Masters, with the hope that it may assist them in working out a sort of projected program for the year, following in a general way the idea of these programs as so successfully used in the Lodges of Instruction. Of course, it is not entirely possible for a Master to completely arrange a program for the year because provisions must always be made for receipt of applications and the working of the degrees. But it is both possible and practical for a Master to formulate in his mind a schedule of activities for such meetings as may not be wholly taken up with degree work, and in some cases as supplemental to the degree work on the same evening.
We often hear the remark made that we get out of Masonry just as much as we put into it. I think we might paraphrase that a bit and say that the members of a Lodge get out of their Lodge just what the Master puts into it. In other words, no Lodge can operate successfully and no Master of a Lodge can leave behind him a record in which he may feel just pride if he merely does the things in the performance of his duties as Master that come to him in a routine way, without exercising his own initiative and directing his own thoughts and ideas to the creation of Masonic interest.
It is true that with the multiplicity of interests confronting most of us miller present conditions, Masonry has much keener competition in retaining the enthusiasm and interest of its members than ever before; that Masonry is able to meet this competition and carry on successfully is amply demonstrated in Lodges where the Master is on his toes and alive to his responsibilities. If any of you Masters within the sound of my voice have been allowing your Lodges to drift, I hope you will accept this as a suggestion that it is the proper time for you to chart a course of Masonic interest and activity for your Lodge and its members, and yourself firmly grasp the tiller and steer your Lodge true to that course.
FEAST OF ST. JOHN, DECEMBER 1936
From Proceedings, Page 1936-280:
Brethren: I am very happy to be with you again after our visit to Scotland for the purpose of attending the two hundredth anniversary of its Grand Lodge, a trip filled with Masonic interest to the Brethren from all parts of the world who were privileged to participate in those exercises, and which I am pleased to believe has accomplished much in bringing about a better understanding among the Masons of the world, which I sincerely hope may he reflected in the countries represented.
I shall make my official report of this important Masonic pilgrimage at the quarterly communication of the Grand Lodge in March, but J know that you want me to give you at least a little sketch of our trip at this time, and I shall do so in just a few minutes.
HENRY PRICE BIOGRAPHY
I should first, however, like to call your attention to the portrait on the menu before you. It has long been our custom, on appropriate dates, to place on the menu of the Feast of St. John the portrait of the Grand Master of one hundred years before. We have now reached an age where we can look back two hundred years, and I therefore once more present to you the portrait of Henry Price, our first Provincial Grand Master.
Two hundred years ago today, Henry Price, having finished the three-year term of office which lie always held to be the appropriate term for a Provincial Grand Master, had resigned and nominated Robert Tomlinson to be his successor. Tomlinson's commission been issued on December 5, 1736, but had not arrived in Boston. Tomlinson was installed in 1737 and died in 1740.
In accordance with the Masonic law of the Grand Lodge of England, as then understood, Price, as past Provincial Grand Master, took over the office and carried on until a commission should be received for a new Grand Master. Therefore, two hundred years ago today, although his successor had been nominated and his commission issued, Henry Price was still acting as Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts.
Then ensued a curious interregnum. On September 23, 1743, a commission was issued to Thomas Oxnard. It was my pleasure this afternoon to install as one of my District Deputy Grand Masters, R. W. Charles L. Oxnard, a direct descendant of Thomas Oxnard. R. W. Bro. Oxnard, you will please stand up that the Brethren may greet you. (Applause)
The three years before the death of Tomlinson and the issuing of a commission to Oxnard are a blank in the history of the Grand Lodge. In those three years there is no record of any meeting or any other activity of Grand Lodge or Grand Master — in that whole period. The commission finally issued begins:
"Whereas application hath been made unto us by several of our brethren residing in North America, praying that we would appoint a Provincial Grand Master for North America," etc.
I can only explain this suspension of Grand Lodge activities on the assumption that there was a serious difference of opinion between Price and his associates; that Price, who always took himself very seriously (as all other Grand Masters have with the exception of the present one, I might say) (Laughter) and who nominated Tomlinson, believed he should nominate his successor, and that other members of the Grand Lodge believed that they should choose the successor to be nominated to the English Grand Master. The difficulty was finally resolved by the Grand Lodge sending in the name of Oxnard — with or without the concurrence of Price. We know that the remaining Provincial Grand Masters of the Colonial period, Jeremy Gridley and John Rowe, were chosen for the nomination by vote of the Grand Lodge.
Oxnard died in 1754, and Price again took charge as Past Grand Master. Jeremy Gridley was commissioned Provincial Grand Master and was duly installed in the following September. He died September 10, 1767.
Price again took over and held office until the commission arrived for John Rowe. On November 23, 1768, Price installed Rowe, using substantially the same ritual that was used in my installation a year ago. Unfortunately, the installing officer who knew that ritual not being here today, I had to be installed practically without ritual this time. (Laughter) This was Price's last service for the Grand Lodge, as he died before the end of Rowe's administration.
So, Brethren, this concludes a little sketch of Henry Price, with whose Masonic activity many of you are familiar, but it is appropriate upon this occasion to refresh our recollection and memory as to the important part that our first Provincial Grand Master, Henry Price, played for so many years in the early history of Masonry in this Commonwealth.
GRAND MASTER'S TRIP ABROAD
Brethren, in the time available tonight, 1 can touch only in the briefest way on our trip. We visited seven countries, and saw Masonic degrees worked in four different languages in five of them: France, Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Scotland. Everywhere that we visited the Masonic prestige of Massachusetts as the third oldest Grand Lodge in the world was fully recognized, and we were accorded at all times every fraternal courtesy.
The main purpose of our trip was to attend the installation of the then Duke of York — the present King George VI — as Grand Master. In attending this anniversary of the Grand Lodge of Scotland we were returning the courtesy of that Grand Lodge in sending three representatives to our two hundredth anniversary in 1933. We were very cordially invited and urged to visit, en route, the Grand Lodge of Sweden, at Stockholm, where the King is Grand Master. Our acceptance of this invitation becoming known, other grand jurisdictions along the route learned of our proposed trip and met us everywhere and insisted upon entertaining us Masonically in all of the cities we passed through, with one exception. In Paris, our Masonic contacts were wholly with the Scottish Rite. There the Sovereign Grand Commanders of the 33 of continental Europe had called a meeting to confer with our Sovereign Grand Commander (and our past Grand Master) Most Worshipful Melvin M. Johnson, who was with us on the trip, and through his courtesy R. W. Bro. Brunton and I were privileged to sit in at that conference.
That was a very interesting and instructive meeting, because there you had the view-point of those men, high up in Scottish Rite Free Masonry from the continental bodies of Europe, and got a little view of their problems, Masonic and otherwise, over there. Following this meeting we witnessed the working of the 30th degree.
Passing from Paris up through Germany we saw no signs of Masonry of any sort in Berlin, unless an hour glass, hanging on the bath tub at our hotel and labelled "Sand Clock" might be considered an emblem of Masonry.
At Copenhagen we were met by a delegation in charge of Bro. William Mailing, who is the Representative of this Grand Lodge near the Grand Lodge of Denmark. We were shown over one of the most beautiful, if not the most beautiful Masonic Temple it has ever been my privilege to visit. There are 8,000 Masons in Denmark, 3,000 of them being in Copenhagen, and they have this beautiful Temple, with a separate room for practically every degree. They do not paint the emblems on the walls; they do not hang them on the walls, but they build them into the Lodge-room itself, for each degree. We learned that they were working the third degree, the evening following our arrival, so I said to Bro. Mailing, "I understand they are going to work the third degree tomorrow night. We would like to see it."
He said, "It.is in Danish. I do not suppose you would understand it." I said, "No, I couldn't tell what they said, but I could see what they were doing and I would like to go and see it." He accepted and I said, "What will we wear?" He said, "Full evening dress, silk hats, white waistcoats."
We went down, splendidly bedecked, and when we entered that Lodge-room there were about seventy or eighty present, every single man in full evening clothes, white waistcoat and silk hat. That is their custom, it seems, in the Lodge there. The work was very dignified and impressive. They were a wonderful class of men.
I wish I had the time to tell you something about the quality of their Masonry. I will do that later.
I learned that this Temple had cost nearly five million kroner, or a little over a million dollars in our money. I thought, "If these fellows with this many Masons can build a beautiful temple like this and finance it, perhaps they have discovered some form of wizardry that we could use in Massachusetts, because we still have Temple projects that cause us some worry." Bro. Mailing was a genial fellow and we enjoyed him very much. I got him in a corner one day, and I said, "I want you to tell me all about how you financed this Temple." He would talk a minute or two and then change the subject. I would lead him back to it by saying, "I want to know about this. Did you have a mortgage?" Finally he said, "Don't bother with that any more, now. I will tell you what I will do. I will send a statement to your hotel this afternoon, telling you all about it." I said, "That is splendid," so I let up on him. Later that afternoon, he sent up a statement— in Danish. When I accused him of putting something over on me, he thought it was a great joke.
Brother Mailing had arranged an audience for Most Worshipful Brother Johnson and myself with the King, who is Grand Master, on Sunday morning. A car was sent for us, with one of His Majesty's officials in full military uniform in attendance, and we were taken about forty miles out of the city to the Fall Castle, known as Fredensburg Slot, built about 1700, where his Majesty graciously received us and later personally escorted us through the Castle, explaining paintings of particular interest, after which refreshments were served. The impressions that we formed of his Majesty as a man and a Mason were most favorable.
One little incident happened while we were there in Copenhagen. Bro. Johnson and 1 one morning wanted to visit the courts. So Right Worshipful Bro. Troedsson, who is Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge there, and a lawyer, volunteered to take us down. He drove us around, showed us the different courts. Bro. Johnson always carried his camera with him, and as we were driving along the street he said, "There is a statue of Tubal Cain somewhere around rhe city." Bro. Troedsson jammed on the brakes and nearly threw us on the floor. We looked around and wondered what had happened. He said, "We were just going by the statue when you spoke." We had not seen it and had no idea where it was. So we got out and Tubal Cain and I posed for a group photograph.
On leaving Copenhagen our next stop was Stockholm, Sweden, where we were met at the train and escorted to our hotel and found an elaborate five-day program awaiting us, the principal Masonic features of which were the witnessing of the first, third, sixth, and eighth degrees, all in English in our honor. His Majesty, King Gustav V, Grand Master, assumed the East on the eighth degree and worked the whole of this long degree in person with a full corps of officers elaborately robed, using two beautiful Lodge-rooms and a Chapel for the ceremony. Seated beside him was Prince Gustav Adolphus, the eldest son of the Crown Prince. The work was performed in a most dignified and impressive manner, after which we were escorted to the Royal Palace where we were each presented to His Majesty, who entertained us in the royal banquet hall with full court ceremonies. We found the King to be a most enthusiastic Mason and delightful host, chatting with us pleasantly and informally and leaving with us the feeling that we were most welcome in his Kingdom and in his Palace. One of the courses served us at the banquet was elk meat, the result of a two-days' hunting trip by his Majesty and Prince Gustav Adolphus, on which they advised me they had shot thirty-eight elk.
Before leaving Stockholm on two different days we paid visits to the Masonic Orphanage and the Masonic Foundation, both of them located some distance from the city.
Leaving Stockholm, our next stop was Oslo, Norway, where again we were met and entertained and witnessed the first degree, in Norwegian. The Grand Master, not of royalty, was present.
On our arrival in Edinburgh, an elaborate program awaited us. Of course, the principal feature of it was the installation of the present King George VI as Grand Master Mason. There were approximately 2,000 Masons present for that ceremony, and every one had to show some particular reason why he was entitled to get into the hall, and to be assigned to the seat that he occupied for that occasion. On the platform, next to the Grand Master as he was being installed were, first, the representatives of England; second, the representatives of Ireland; and third, our delegation: Most Worshipful Bro. Johnson, Right Worshipful Bro. Brunton and myself, as the representatives of Massachusetts. We were within just a few feet of the Grand Master during the ceremony, which was very well conducted in a very orderly manner, and was extremely interesting, starting with the Grand Master elect being escorted in by a Scotch bagpiper in kilties.
Following this interesting ceremony, we were taken back to the hotel where we just had time to change to evening clothes and repair to Edinburgh Castle, where a banquet presided over by the present King was served in the banquet hall which had not been used for that purpose for more than 200 years, and which can only be used by special permission of the King. It was a very elaborate affair and one long to be remembered.
After this banquet we adjourned to a large hall seating about 2500, with ten of us at a table on the platform and the rest in what corresponds to orchestra and balcony seats. At this meeting it was my privilege during the course of brief remarks which I was called upon to make, to announce that His Royal Highness, the Duke of York, Grand Master Mason, had been pleased to accept from me the highest award in our power to bestow — the Henry Price Medal.
Leaving Edinburgh, we made a short stop in London where we had important Grand Lodge business with the Grand Secretary's office, and where we were given a farewell luncheon by the Earl of Donoughmore, who is Grand Master of Masons in Ireland and Sovereign Grand Commander of the Supreme Council, 33rd Degree, for England. Lord Donoughmore is held in very high esteem and affection by his Brethren in the British Isles and was greeted by his Brethren with spontaneous enthusiasm whenever he appeared at any Masonic gathering. My one regret here was that we could not find time to witness the working of any Masonic degrees, and my present regret is that I haven't time now to give you more details of the events of Masonic interest on this trip, but as I said this afternoon, these must be reserved for the March Quarterly when a full report will be made.
We as Masons and as good citizens always recognize our allegiance to and support of our State government. In the past it has been deemed fitting and proper at this Feast to present as the first speaker, to whom we could acknowledge our fidelity, one of our State officials, preferably our Governor. Of course, we always select an official who is a member of the Fraternity, but in spite of the fact that I carefully cast my absentee ballot before leaving the country, something seems to have gone wrong at least, so far as the election of one of our Brethren to the office of Governor or Lieutenant Governor is concerned. But we still have with us one who seems always to be able to withstand the onslaughts of his political opponents and come through triumphant and victorious.
MEMORIAL
From Proceedings, Page 1961-110:
Claude LeRoy Allen, Senior Past Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts, died at the age of eighty-three on March 21, 1961, in Willemstad, Curaçao, while on a vacation cruise.
In his long life he had been a leader in civic, legislative, banking, philanthropic and Masonic circles and, in 1958, Suffolk University conferred on him the honorary degree of Doctor of Jurisprudence.
He was born in South Thomaston, Maine, on January 11, 1878. All of his ancestors, so far as he had any record, had resided in Maine, and principally in the small towns surrounding Rockland, Maine.
He graduated from Boston English High School and from Boston University Law School in 1900. For six decades he was active in the practice of law in Boston, coming to his office daily as long as he lived. For years he was a member of the law firm of Allen and Barnes, and later, until his death, he headed the law firm of Allen and Redding. For many years he was counsel for the Grand Lodge. He was a member of the Middlesex County and the Massachusetts Bar Associations and of the Bar of the Supreme Court.
He served as a Melrose Alderman in 1905, as City Solicitor from 1906 to 1912, and in the Massachusetts Senate in 1912 and 1913. For fifteen years he was President of the Melrose Hospital. He was for many years President of the Melrose National Bank and Trust Company, and was Board Chairman of the Melrose Trust Company and counsel for the Somerville National Bank and the Melrose Co-operative Bank
Active in Masonry since 1904, he became Worshipful Master of Wyoming Lodge in 1917, was Deputy Grand Master in 1921, and Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Masons in Massachusetts from 1935 to 1937.
In 1923 he became a member of all York Rite bodies in Melrose and of the Scottish Rite bodies in Boston; and in 1936 he received the Honorary 33rd degree in Atlantic City. In 1940 he was elected an Active Member of the Supreme Council for the Northern Masonic Jurisdiction and served as Deputy for Massachusetts from 1948 to 1960. He was also an Active Member of the Supreme Council of the Order of DeMolay.
A few of his civic affiliations were: service as Chairman of the Draft Board during World War I; member of the Melrose Lodge of Elks; the Boston and Melrose City Clubs; the Bellevue, the Rockport and the Nashua Country Clubs.
He is survived by his wife Anna (Comins); a son, Claude LeRoy Allen, Jr,, Headmaster of Hebron Academy, Hebron, Maine; and a daughter, Mrs. Beatrice Page, wife of Dr. Irvine H. Page, famed cardiologist.
His Masonic record is included in the Necrology.
He was a wise counsellor, a loyal friend, a genial companion, a patriotic and generous citizen and public servant. His friendships were nationwide and his Masonic stature was worldwide. He will be widely and sincerely missed, but his kindly, constructive influence will long remain.
Fraternally submitted,
Joseph Earl Perry
Thomas S. Roy
Whitfield W. Johnson
Committee
CHARTERS GRANTED
None.
RULINGS
