Difference between revisions of "MassachusettsYear1869"

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1869

WILLIAM SEWALL GARDNER, Grand Master

Charles Levi Woodbury, Deputy Grand Master
Ithamar F. Conkey, Senior Grand Warden
Ivory H. Pope, Junior Grand Warden

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS

(Held at Masonic Temple, Boston)

• VII-285: 03/10;
• VII-319: 06/09;
• VII-374: 09/08;
• VII-398: 12/09 (Annual Communication; continued to 12/10)

03/10 Agenda

• VII-316: Commutation fee of $8 for the Grand Lodge Capitation Tax approved.
• VII-317: Bust of R.W. William Sutton presented by Winslow Lewis.

06/09 Agenda

• VII-330: Committee report on Louisiana and Scottish Rite.
• VII-352: Invitation to St. John's Day in Newburyport, accepted.
• VII-352: Complaint by Grand Lodge of California against Mount Hollis Lodge, referred.
• 12/09: VII-444; Resolution of dispute between Mount Hollis Lodge and the Grand Lodge of California.
• VII-357: Placement of the bust of William Sutton.

09/08 Agenda

• VII-390: A commission for a Grand Representative from Missouri was presented.
• VII-395: Jurisdictional complaint against Adelphi Lodge; dismissed.
• VII-397: Request to lay the corner stone of the new Post Office in Boston.

12/09-12/10 Agenda

• VII-406: A brother complained that he had been left off the charter of Franklin Lodge.
• VII-406: Communication from the Grand Lodge of Italy.
• VII-408: Correspondence from the Grand Lodge of Canada regarding the attempt to establish a Grand Lodge in Quebec.
• VII-412: Auditing Committee report.
• VII-414: Sinking Fund report.
• VII-430: Grand Master's directions to District Deputies as part of their official visits. They should also "impress upon the brethren various virtues; that the Masters and Wardens should attend Grand Lodge, and that they should avoid antagonism."

1. Determine number of brethren present, and the number of members.
2. Inspection of lodge rooms, and see that they are securely tyled.
3. Whether other than proper officers are permitted in preparation room.
4. Whether deacons have black rods, and stewards white rods.
5. Examine records and the roster of officers.
6. Determine whether the lodge has a copy of the Grand Constitutions.
7. Establish whether the By-Laws have been approved by the Grand Lodge.
8. Assure that the Lodge has the proper Furniture, including representation of the three Lesser Lights.
9. Determine whether the work is "in all respects according to the Grand Lodge requirements" and whether a Grand Lecturer is needed.
10. Determine whether the Lodge has a Master's Carpet.
11. Ascertain the financial condition of the lodge, its investments and cash on hand.
12. Ascertain the manner of examining Visitors.
13. Determine whether unaffiliated brothers are admitted without paying the fee.
14. Impress the propriety of not admitting any brother without his presence being announced and permission obtained.
15. Report the number of Dispensations granted each year.
16. Take charge of all lodges Under Dispensation in the distrct.
17. Determine whether Dispensation was obtained for public processions.
18. Report as soon as possible after completion of the circuit of the district.
19. Make bills of expenses as small as possible, recalling the debt of the Grand Lodge.
20. Determine that lodges have collars and jewels for officers.

• VII-435: Grand Master Gardner re-elected.
• VII-438: Communication by Montacute Lodge to determine whether the original Grand Master of England in 1733 was named "Montacute" or "Montague".
• VII-439: Report of Records Committee.
• VII-450: Committee regarding Grand Lodge representatives.

Lewis Hayden

• VII-454: Petition of black Freemasons (Lewis Hayden and others) committee report. An extensive history of the descent of Prince Hall Freemasonry. THe petition asks for recognition and "equal Masonic manhood in the hope that we be permitted to establish our claim to Masonic rite by whatever means the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge may suggest." The committee responded as follows:

The petition refers to the origin and progress of the so-called Freemasonry to which the petitioners belong, and embraces a copy of a Charter which certain black men, therein recognized as Masons, obtained in 1784, from the Grand Lodge of England and received by them in 1787. Your committee have examined the Charter and believe it is authentic: but as they do not deem it to be necessary at this time to investigate the historical statement contained in the petition: they have not inquired into its legal Masonic effect, nor whether any proper organization under it ever took place. The petitioners include only a portion of the persons who claim to derive privileges from this instrument, when it is obvious that the granting of their prayer for the reasons they advance, would equally benefit their associates who have not joined in the petition, and over whom therefore, this Grand Lodge would have no control. Under these circumstances, it is not necessary to inquire into the validity of the proceedings of the persons named in the charter or whether the petitioners have any just claim to be considered their successors.
Lodges professing to be Masonic existing in this Commonweath without the sanction of the Grand Lodge, are irregular and spurious, and the members of them are of course denied Masonic intercourse with members of regular Lodge, and they and their members, including the petitioners, are not recognized by the Craft.
Our Constitutions make no distinction on account of the color of persons who desire the benefits of Freemasonry, and there are no rules or regulations whereby the petitioners if "worthy and well qualified" are excluded from our fraternity, if they seek admission through duly organized lodges.

• VII-464: Commutation fee continued at $7 through July 1, 1870.
• VII-475: Lodge of Instruction (Thursday morning, December 10).

Grand Constitutions Amendment Proposals

• 09/08: VII-387: Amendment to Grand Constitutions regarding Board of Directors approved.
  • Part 1, Article 1, Section 2

• 12/09: VII-437: Proposed Amendment to the Grand Constitutions regarding the Annual Communication; referred.

Grand Master's Address

• 03/10: VII-287; address by Grand Master; referred to committee of five, VII-315.

• 06/09: VII-321; address by Grand Master; referred to committee.
  • 09/08: VII-366; Report of Committee on Grand Master Dame's valedictory address.
  • 09/08: VII-376: Report on the Grand Master's Address.
  • 12/09: VII-415; referred to committees on District Deputies, on Returns of Lodges, and on the Feast of Saint John.

Lodge By-Law Changes

(all approved):

• 03/10: VII-302, VII-316; Hampden, Ionic (Taunton), King David, Mount Horeb (Woburn), Mystic, North Star, Roswell Lee

• 06/09: VII-351, VII-372; Corinthian, Eliot, John Warren, Lafayette (Roxbury), St. Mark's

• 09/08: VII-390, VII-396; Ancient Landmark, Chicopee, Fellowship, Isaac Parker, Mount Olivet, Quinebaug

• 12/09: VII-464;, Athelstan, Blue Hill, Day Spring, Golden Fleece, King David, Lafayette (North Adams), The Massachusetts, Meridian, Montacute, Mount Lebanon, Mount Vernon, North Star, Orange, Revere, Rising Star, St. Bernard, St. John's (Boston), Star of Bethlehem, Winslow Lewis

Necrologies and Memorials

• 06/09: VII-328; Death of Most Wor. Allyn Weston, Past Grand Master of Masons in Colorado, mentioned in Grand Master's Address; his remains would be brought to Massachusetts for interment with Masonic honors; a committee was appointed.
  • VII-350: Report on the interment.

• 09/08: VII-390; Death of Rt. Wor. Thomas Tolman, Past Senior Grand Warden; presented by Rt. Wor. Sheppard.

Petitions for Charters

• 03/10: VII-287; Morning Sun Lodge, Conway (restoration); rejected due to "no authority"; a dispensation for Morning Sun was offered.

• 06/09: VII-372; Faith U.D., Charlestown, granted.

• 06/09: VII-371; Delta U.D., Weymouth; granted.

• 12/09: VII-406, VII-452: Bethany U.D., West Amesbury, granted.

• 12/09: VII-408, VII-453: Palestine, Everett, granted.

Petitions for Dispensation for Lodges

Dispensations mentioned in Grand Master's Address, beginning on Page VII-483:

• Rabboni, South Boston (01/11)
• Globe, Hinsdale (01/21)
• Charity, North Cambridge (03/06)
• Upton, Cheshire (03/11)
• Mount Holyoke, South Hadley (03/30)
• Morning Sun, Conway (03/30)
• Phoenician, Lawrence (07/03; note that the original petitioners wished to name it for the GM.)
• Puritan, Abington (07/21)
• Howard, South Yarmouth (08/16)
• Aconcagua, Valparaiso, Chile (10/26)
• Hiram permitted to remove to Caldera, Chile (10/26; Page VII-488)

SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS

None.

FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

(held at Masonic Temple, Boston, 12/28/1869); VII-476.

• VII-476: Opening and roll call.
• VII-477: Reception of Grand Master of Connecticut.
• VII-478: Installation of Grand Lodge officers, with short remarks by Past GM John T. Heard.
• VII-481: Grand Master's appointments for 1870.
• VII-483: Address of Grand Master Gardner.
  • Lodges constituted, officers installed:
    • Faith, Charlestown (06/30)
    • Delta, Weymouth (07/02)
    • Bethany, West Amesbury (12/14, by Past Grand Master Dame; hall dedication, see Page VII-516)
    • Palestine, Everett (12/22)
  • Hall Dedications:
    • Somerville (03/18)
    • Natick (11/16)
• VII-483; Appointment of Charles C. Dame to constitute Bethany Lodge.
• VII-516: Correspondence from the Grand Lodge of New Hampshire.
• VII-518: Complaint on a rejected candidate received degrees in New Hampshire.
• VII-522: Communications from various Grand Lodges.
• VII-522: Charity Committee report, including extensive history. (Page VII-519ff).
• VII-543: List of diplomas granted (1,860 in 1869).
• VII-544: List of lodges not represented at Grand Lodge in 1869.
• VII-545: Report on the Feast of St. John.
• VII-546: List of Grand Lodge Proceedings received.
• VII-547: Feast of St. John, including remarks by various Brothers (listed and not recorded).

LIST OF LODGES IN MASSACHUSETTS BY DISTRICT: 1869

There were 16 districts in Massachusetts in 1869, as well as special areas for Chile, China and Peru (though this district was abolished after 1869). The district disposition is listed in the 1870 Proceedings.

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