Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-11-11
MASONIC.
Annual Communication of the Grand
Lodge of Tennessee.

The Sixteenth Annual Communication
of the NJ. W. Grand Lodge of Tennessee
met in the Masonic Temple on Monday
evening the 10th Nov, 1873, at 3 o'clock
P. NJ
Present-D. r. Grafton, NJ. w. G.. Mas
| ter James ID. Richardson, II. w. Deputy
G. Master; Jno. T. Irwin, r. w. S. Grand
Warden; w S. Findley, r. w. j. Grand
Warden; Jno. McClelland, r. w. Grand
Treasurer; Jno. Frizzell, r. w. Grand Sec
retary; Rev. Sam'l Ringold. r. w. Grand
Chaplain; J. w. Fletcher, r. w. S. Grand
Deacon; B. NJ. Rumble, r, w. j. Grand
Deacon; w. r. Butler, r. w. Grand Mar
shall; Z. o. Morris, r. w. Grand Sword
Bearer; Geo. w. jenkins, r. w. Grand
Steward; r. n. Wood, r. w. Grand Per-
suviant; George Siefsrlie, r. W. Grand
Tyler.
Past Grand Officers-A. NJ. Huges, p.
G. NJ; Jno. s. Dashiell, p. G. NJ; Jno. Friz-
zell p. G. NJ Jos. NJ. Anderson, p. G. NJ.
Johnathan 5. Dawson, z. &. NJ; Jno. C..
Brown, p. G. NJ; A. p. Hall, p. ID. G. NJ;
Jno. T. Slower, p. d. e. NJ; JnO. McClel-
land, p. ID. G. NJ; NJ. b. Howell, p. S. G.;
w; Jno. w. Hughes, p. S. G. w; j. C.
Reavis, p. J. G. W; Jno. Mellersh, p. j. g..
vs. SAicbc' W. CttilOli3 u VI W.
There being in attendance the RepreSen-
tatives Of 292 Lodges and many visiting
brethren.
The Grand Lodge was opened in ample
form, when the Grand Master appointed
the following standing committees.
On Returns-Bros. w. III. Webb, j.
Wade, Barton and A. G. Tyler.
On Dispensations and Bye-Laws-E.
EI,1,aVIon,, In DriIo
Jno. f. Slower and Jas. p. Doss.
On AccOuntS-BrO. George b. CoOnan.
On Appeals and Grievances-Bros. w. R.
Ross, W. T. Foster, l.. B. Adams, r. A.
Caldwell and j. w. Fletcher.
On Foreign Corespondence-Bros. Jno.
Frizzell, A. p. Hall and w. L. Clark.
On Masonic NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. j. 5.
Dawson, Jno. S. Dashieu, Jos. NJ. Ander-
son, Jno. c. Brown, A. NJ. Hughes and
Chas. NJ. Carroll.
On Ways and Means-Bros. p d. Nc
CullOch, James NJ. Coulter, r. l.. C. White,
R. n. Hood and J. w. Witherspoon.
On Examination-Bros. Jno. W. Hughes
and Greed f. Bates.
The Grand Master then delivered his
annual address, which, on motion, was re-
ferTed to the Committee on Masonic Juris-
prudence.
The Committee on Dispensations and
Bylaws made their report, which was
adopted.
After discussion OH several constitutional
questions, the Grand Lodge was adjourned
until I NJ.
NIGHT SESSION.
I O'CLOCK, p. M.-The Grand Lodge
again convened. All the Grand Officers in
their respective stations and the Represen-
tatives of all the Lodges, as at the previous
meeting.
We give as follows a synopsis of the
Grand Masters speech:
Brethren of the Grand Lodge: 1t is with
emotions of mingled joy andisorrow greet
you in Grand Lodge assembled. With
iov, because it has ever been pleasant to
look forward to the time when we shall
again meet around this time-honOred altar;
to exchange greetings of fraternal love and
sympathy; to review the past, with its bur-
den of JOYS and sorrows; its defeats and
triumphs, and to take sweet counsel to
gether as to the future, that we may go
forth from this Grand Lodge strengthened
and encouraged to fight the battle Of life,
and to more earnestly prosecute the work
the Master has assigned us. In sorrow, be-
cause Of the .'pestilence that walketh
in darkness, and the destruction that
wasteth at MONDAY has visited our State.
Many a brother that was with us in all the
vigOr of health and life at the last meeting
of this Grand Lodge now lies cold and
silent in deaths dread embrace; and from
all parts of our stricken State, there comes
to us wall of sorrow and of sadness be-
cause of homes left desOlate and hearts
bereaved. Oh! how many hearts to-day
all over our State are aching for loved and
lost ones, and how many sad-hearted wives
and children are bowed down in sorrow
and anguish of soul because God has taken
from them those upon whom they
had learned to cling as the
ivy clings to the oak. Brethren, the cry Of
the widow and the orphan comes to us from
all parts of our State. Their sad plaintiye
wall is sounding in our ears. Will you
heed their cry? I know you will. And
shall not the cry of earth'S SOrTOwing ones
awaken within us Il more earnest determi-
nation to complete our Masonic Orphans
Home, that the children of our dear, de
parted brethren may not be left as friend
less waits upon a world that knows too lit
tie of charity. It's ours to seek to make
them ornaments of society, and bless
inc TO the race. Seldom is there
so loud a call for philantmopic
deeds; seldom is so deeply touched the
pulse of generous thought: the heart of sell
tishness is lost in thoughts for others good
And shall it not find expression in some
thing permanent, grand and good? or as the
"olling billOw, after beating upon a rocky
Sb, re, sinks back to quiet rest, shall our
GENE, Gus, noble thoughts with the passing
99ou -, side? Rather at this Opportune
ti,,,o No. 0orate them in some work Of
ili i tba, will send its blessings down
throngb the co,, ling ages, and teach the
,rar,ar7+ions ,,et ~ come that we were not
fOrgetful OF our trust. ii"I llloLe To!Iils,
what more desirable, WI at more hoDle tnall
the completion of our No. 'Solhc OlpiL.il !. ;
Home? May we not hope 70. us tdrelul
consideration and wise, app oti i"'e az
ton. .,I,..
Here follows Il record Of the otficl, IL "c'S
of the Grand Master during the year.
In compliance with the recommend. :
ton Of the Committee on Appeals, (see
Grand Lodge Proceeding. 1871, p. 179), |
appointed Past Grand Master j. NJ. Ander-
son and two Past Masters to investigate the
case of Alexandria Lodge. The report of
the commission is now III the hands Of the
Grand Secretary.
On the 18th of October last, | called on
the Masonic fraternity through the daily
papers, to aid our suffering brethren in
Memphis. The call received an immediate
and liberal response from all parts Of the
United States. Among other responses
received the following telegram from the
Most Worshipful Grand Master of Illinois:
CHICAGO, Ills, Oct. 9, 1S73.-TO the
Most Worshipful Grand Master of MasOns
in the State of Tennessee: The Most WOr-
shipful Grand Lodge of the State Of Hi
n0is, now in session i'll this city, extend
fraternal sympathy to their brethren who
are suffering by the prevailing epidemic at
Memphis. You are authorized to draw
upon me at Dixon, His, for the sum Of
5000, to be devoted to the relief of our
needy brethren, their widows and orphans
in Memphis, sufferers by the epidemic.
JAMES 4. HAwLEY,
Grand Master of MaSOns, Ills.
The large number of contributions re-
ceived from this and other Jurisdictions will
be duly acknowledged by the Masonic
Board of Relief, Memphis. Promptly,
noblv and generously has the Masonic Fra
ternity responded to our call. Never, so
long as memory lasts and reason holds her
sway, can the MasOns Of Tennessee forget