Difference between revisions of "MassachusettsYear1859"

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1859

JOHN T. HEARD, Grand Master

William Flint, Deputy Grand Master
Charles R. Train, Deputy Grand Master
Lawrence H. Gowell, Senior Grand Warden
Charles Robbins, Junior Grand Warden

NOTES

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS

Held at Nassau Hall, Boston

• 03/08: VI-234;
• 06/08: VI-244;
• 09/14: VI-257;
• 12/14: VI-263; (Annual Communication)

03/08 Agenda

• VI-235: Following the 1858 sale of the Masonic Temple, Grand Master Heard, "with the advise [sic] and cooperation of such officers and members of the Grand Lodge as he could most conveniently consult, obtained of the Legislature an Act of Incorporation, authorizing the Grand Lodge to hold real estate to the value of two hundred thousand dollars and personal estate not exceeding the value of fifty thousand dollars."
  • VI-238: The Grand Lodge proceeded to organize itself as a corporation. Grand Master Heard was nominated as Moderator and Grand Secretary Charles W. Moore was nominated as Clerk for the meeting; the following items were voted upon:
  • VI-239: To accept the Act and declared itself organized under it.
  • VI-239: To use the Grand Lodge Seal as the seal of the corporation.
  • VI-239: To create Board of Directors consisting of the Grand Master, Deputy Grand Master, Grand Wardens and Recording Grand Secretary.
  • VI-240: To publish notices of further meetings in one or more Boston newspapers, and the conditions under which special meetings would be called.
  • VI-240: That the present officers would be declared as officers of the Corporation "until their successors shall be chosen and installed."
  • VI-240: That these votes, along with the Constitutions "excepting such provisions thereof as are inconsistent with these votes, or are otherwise inapplicable" shall be made the By-Laws of the Corporation.
  • VI-240: To add Rt. Wor. Winslow Lewis and Rt. Wor. William H.L. Smith to the Board of Directors.
  • VI-241: To appoint a committee to review the By-Laws and recommend alterations to be made.
  • VI-241: Certain additional provisions to support the conveyance of property and establishment of the corporation.

06/08 Agenda

• VI-245: Appointment of Rt. Wor. Charles R. Train as Deputy Grand Master, to replace the recently deceased Rt. Wor. and Rev. William Flint.
• VI-252: Request for exchange of representatives with the Grand Lodge of Maine; deemed "inexpedient" and recommended that no further action be taken.
• VI-253: Invitation to celebrate St. John's Day with Middlesex Lodge, Framingham; accepted.
• VI-254: Invitation to lay the corner stone of the Monument to the Pilgrim Fathers in Plymouth; accepted.
• VI-254: Report of Charity Committee.

09/14 Agenda

• VI-260: Committee appointed to examine the work of the Grand Lecturers.
• VI-261; Report of Charity Committee.

12/14 Agenda

• VI-264: Report of the Committee of Finance.
• VI-267: Report of the Trustees of the Temple.
• VI-269: Report of the Committee on the Library.
• VI-272: Report of Charity Committee.
• VI-273: Petition by Olive Branch Lodge to remove to Millbury; granted.
• VI-273: Report of the Trustees of the Grand Charity Fund.
• VI-275: Committee appointed to draft resolutions to appreciate the work of the Trustees.
• VI-277: Election of Winslow Lewis as Grand Master; other Grand Lodge officers elected and appointed.

Grand Constitutions Amendment Proposals

• 12/14: VI-275; Amendment to Grand Constitutions to grant each subordinate lodge three votes; referred to committee.

• 12/14: VI-276: Amendment to Grand Constitutions to change the manner of organization of the Board of Directors; tabled.

Grand Master's Address

• 09/14: VI-260; Report on the Grand Master's address in December 1858; received and tabled.

Lodge By-Law Changes

• 06/08: VI-252; Blackstone River, approved with revisions.

• 12/14: VI-273; Marine; referred to the Grand Master.

Necrologies and Memorials

• 06/08: VI-245; Death of Rt. Wor. Rev. William Flint, Deputy Grand Master; memorial by Rt. Wor. Winslow Lewis, Jr. Rev. and Rt. Wor. Flint "was a man of no ordinary composition. In stature commanding, with a fine voice . . . He had a genial, warm, affectionate heart. . . He won hearts by his kindness of manner, and respect by his evident excellence."

Petitions for Charters

• 03/08: VI-242; Petition for Quaboag U.D., Warren, granted. (Granted 03/09; constituted 03/21)

• 06/08: VI-250; Petition for Montacute Lodge, U.D., Worcester, granted, but the By-Laws to be returned for "revision and correction" and that the lodge not be consecrated until they are approved.

• 06/08: VI-251; Petition for Henry Price Lodge, U.D., Charlestown, granted. (Granted 06/08; constituted 06/28)

• 06/08: VI-255; Petition by Benjamin Franklin Lodge, West Dennis, and Mount Horeb Lodge, West Harwich, to merge under the charter of Mount Horeb; report offered "in conformity with the prayer of the petitioners" but the matter was referred to the Grand Master "with full powers". Note: this is the first record of a merger under the United Grand Lodge of Massachusetts.

• 09/14: VI-258; Petition by Webster Lodge U.D., Webster, granted. (Granted 09/06; constituted 09/22)

• 09/14: VI-258; Petition by Trinity Lodge, Clinton; granted a new charter "the previous charter not being granted because it was not surrendered in accordance with the Grand Constitutions." However, by vote (VI-262) they were permitted to retain the original records and physical copy of the charter until called for by the Grand Lodge. (Granted 09/06; constituted 09/21)

• 12/14: VI-276; Petition by Hiram Lodge, Copiapo, Chile; granted. (Granted 12/14; to be constituted by Rt. Wor. Charles T. Ward, Jr., Special Deputy)

• 12/14: VI-276; Petition by Southern Cross Lodge U.D., Valparaiso, Chile; granted. (Granted 12/15; to be constituted by Rt. Wor. Charles T. Ward, Jr., Special Deputy)

Petitions for Dispensation for Lodges

Mentioned in Grand Master's Address on Pages VI-285:

• Pilgrim, Harwich South Village (03/04)
• Excelsior, later Caleb Butler, South Groton (03/28)
• Wilder, Leominster (06/13)
• Martha's Vineyard, Tisbury (08/10)
• Oxford, Oxford (09/17)
• Orange, Orange (09/19)
• John Cutler, Abington (11/22)
• United Brethren, Marlborough (11/24)
• Quinnebaug, Southbridge (12/07)
• Hammatt, East Boston (12/22)

Petitions for Restoration of Charter

• 09/14: VI-260; Petition to restore Bristol Lodge, Attleboro, referred to committee.

SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS

• 08/02: (no page) Laying of the Cornerstones of the Monumental Canopy and the Pilgrim Monument, Plymouth. Described in Moore's Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Vol. XVIII, No. 11, September, 1859, beginning on Page 321. Address by the Grand Master, starting on Page 323, with further remarks beginning on Page 326.

FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

held at Nassau Hall, Boston, 12/27/1859); VI-279.

• VI-279: Dedication of the new hall at the corner of Tremont and Boylston Streets.
• VI-279: Extensive correspondence from Fredericksburg Lodge #4 in Virginia, regarding the erection of a statue to General Washington; the Grand Lodge voted to contribute $300 to this effort.
• VI-282: Lodge of Instruction.
• VI-284: Installation of Grand Master Lewis and other Grand Lodge officers; description of the order of ceremonies given.
• VI-285: Report of the Grand Master for the preceding year:
  • Mergers:
    • Benjamin Franklin, W. Dennis, with Mount Horeb, West Harwich (06/08)
  • Statements regarding delinquent lodges; initiation of sojourners; and an accounting of the number of initiates over the past three years.
• VI-290: An "excellent and appropriate Address" by the new Grand Master, and the Annual Feast "after the manner of Masons" held in the Banquet Hall. Note: This address is reproduced in full in Moore's Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Vol. XVIII, No. 4, starting on Page 98. A report of the Feast is detailed beginning on Page 125.

LIST OF LODGES BY DISTRICT: 1859

This district layout is based on the O.P. edition of the Proceedings. However, this publication is riddled with errors, and some adjustment was necessary.
(Note: There were 12 Districts in 1859, plus a special area for Chile.

Jonathan A. Dana, Worcester, District Deputy Grand Master; 7 Lodges + 2 U.D.

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