The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-02-12

take notes Of such things as were proper to
be written, in order to publish for the ben
eft of the craft. All things being in rcadi
ness, the work of discussion was com
menced. After while things began to get
spicy. The brethren warmed up to bust
ness. The oratory, the declarations, the
assertions. the stories. the antiquities, and
the evidences, were all Of the most salts
factory kind-ai least to those who gave
uttcranccs to them These things continued
day and night; the committee had its
hands full in writing down the pcrspira-
ton flowed freely all round, and so the
time passed on, from labor to rcfrcshmcnt,
and from rcircshmcnt to labor again, until
it was time to adjourn and return home
And what was the conclusion?- a very
interesting inquiry, and doubtless the an
swer will he quite as much so when known.
1t was simply TO the purpose, as follows
"Aftcr mature delibcraton, we find that
the object for which We came together cam
not be accomplished in the way proposed,
in consideration of which We recommended
that every Grand Lodge in the United
States appoint one or more skillfu breth-
rem 20 he styled Grand Lecturers, who
shall meet and agree upon Il course Of in
struction necessary and proper to be i'm
parted to the lodges and the fraternity and
that they be requested to convene at some
central place at least once in three years
to compare and correct"
Thus ended the labors Of this noted con-
yenton. The delegates returned to their
respective Grand Lodges, and made re-
port; fresh delegations were appointed as
Special Grand Lecturers, to meet Mt the
next convention, which it was decided to
hold in Baltimore, in May, 1915. At the
appointed time the Special Grand Lectur-
ers convened, and it was found that New
Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts,
New York, Maryland North Carolina,
South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama Florida
Mississippi, Ohio, Missouri and District of
Columbia forming decided majority of
all the Grand Lodges in the United States,
were then represented.
They organized on Monday, May Sth,
and proceeded to investigate and canvass
the several modes of work pursued by these
Grand Lodges. The convention was in
session two weeks, during which q COM
plctc system of work was reported by the
committee, and accepted by the convention,
cutting Oft all eXcresccnces, and coming as
near to the simple old work as they posi-.
bly, could. 1t was system which recon-
mended itself on that account, for its SIM
plcity and beauty, with nothing superflu-
Gus, and giving room to the initiate to put
such n construction upon the symbols as
would agree with his pre-conccvcd notions
Of the truth. When the convention adj
journed, committee Of three had been
appointed, of which Bro. John Dove was
chairman, to prepare "rrestle Beard for
publication, under the title of the "Nati0n-
al Masonic Irestle Board"
After the adjournment the committee
met. They determined to publish in the
name of the convention, q "Trcstlc Board
or Hieroglyphic Monitor which should
reflect the true work, and take the place of
all those clumsy and spurious publications
upon this subject. which have been imposed
uron the fraternity to their great injury,
and after frank, full, and free interchange
Of ideas upon the subject, the outlines were
agreed upon, and the understanding had,
that one of the committee should draw it
up from the memoranda OF the convention.
Others, should be published. With this
understanding the committee separated.
The correspondence with the members of
the committee continued six months. Late
in November, say six months after the
committee separated, forty pages of so
called "Trestle Board were forwarded to
the chairman of the committee, so entirely
at variance with the decisions and
directions of the convention, forming
the most offensive, ridiculous, and object
| ionable book on Masonry, and in scarcely
on, feature 10 be recognized as having the
most remote resemblance to the work of
the convention as agreed upon. This work
was ostensibly Official, and was offered for
| sale,
! On reading over this portion of the work,
the chairman of the committee was so COM
pletely astonished that he laid the whole
matterEbetore the Grand Lodge, of Virginia,
at It's session in December, with such ex-
PLANTATION rs he deemed proper on the occa-
sion. On hearing the same, the whole mat.
ter was referred to the Committee on Work,
who reported Mt once, adverse to the recep-
ton of the work, Whereupon the Grand
Lodge, Of Virginia, Dec. 1913, passed the
| following unanimously.
! "ReSoiced, That the book STYLED The
Masonic Trestle Board cannot receive the
sanction of the Grand Lodge of Virginia,
and that this Grand Lodge do recommend
/ to the subordinate lodges, and Masons I'M
der its jurisdiction, TO discountenance the
| circulation and use Of the said 'Trestle
Board.
THAT, by comparison Of this book with
the proceedings of the Baltimore Conven-
ton, they are fully satisfied that tho tires.
tie Board is not the work authorized by
the Grand Convention at Baltimore, and
that ii contains the errors of all proceeding
publications without their excellencics.
THAT the Il w Grand Secretary be re-
quested TO make these resolutions the sub.
ject of an especial circular requesting the
various Grand Lodges to unite with this
Grand Lodge in suppressing the further
circulation and use Of said 'Treste
Board"
The circular was forthwith prepared and
forwarded, "declaring the 'Tresile Board
to be, in no shape, entitedto the confidence
of the fraternity, as pretending to reflect
tho work ms adopted by the Convention-or
the contrary, is the most fragrant departure
from its substance, and contains the mos
imprudent interpretations Of matter and
phraseology which have ever appeared in
any work protesting to BIO authentic on the
subject of Missionary"
1t will be seen that the labors of tho Con,
vention were thus brought to naught by the
bad faith and cupldity ofone ofthe commit
tee to whom was entrusted the publication
of the work, and who, ignoring the instruc
tons of tho Convention, brought out worl
on his own responsibility, doubtless think
ing that, being ostensibly official, 1t woult
be reodily adopted by all the Grand Lodges