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


IliE SlANDAND hbkN'
We find the following in the excellent
masonic department Of the New York Dis
Patch, edited by that eminent mason John
W. Simons, Past Grand Master of New
York They are the rccollections of Dr.
Robert b. Fogcr.
This article Is peculiarly interesting and
throws flood of light over the early pro-
ccelings of the Grand Lodges in the United
States, and gives much information touch
ing the the persistent efforts TO ascertain
or rather establish standard work.
We are also permitted to learn something
Of the origin of the system of "Grand
l.ecluring," which seems now 10 he IN cs-
tablshed feature in symbolic Masonry, if
not almost a land mark
The next paper from this source will
treat of matters nearer home, and in some
degree close up what may have been here
;oforc left unsaid in reference to st.
Johns Grand Lodge of the State Of New
York.
The complete system with which Mason
~ of the present day is conducted is wor-
thy of all the praise. The Order has. with
in very few years, arrived at n standard,
and the work of every Lodge and Chapter
is uniform-whcrever one goes it is one
and the same. 1t may be the case, that in
some lodges the work is done with more
readiness and skill than in others, but there
is no difference whatever in the work it.
self. This is certainly owing to the fact.
that the governing body has assumcd Il
standard" and so enacted the law con-
corning it, that departure from the same
is looked upon as high offence, and subject
TO the discipline of the Grand Lodge.
Dating back from the present a little
more than thirty years. the lodges present
ed different spectacle. Masonry had suf-
fered an overthrow in 1927, and from that
time until 1912, the labor of building up
again, was diligently pursued, UNI
der many difficulties, to be sure, but
still pursued with vigor. The confusion
throughout the Order, on account Of the
varied work TO be performed by the differ
ent lodges, was becoming very great, so
much so, that admission to many worthy
visiting brethren from different states was
denied, and after due deliberation, upon
the recommendation of the Grand Lodge Of
Alabama. it was decided to hold conven-
ton at Washington city in 1912, to be com
posed of delegates from all the Grand
Lodges of the Union. for the avOwed pur-
pose of adopting, if possible, a regular
uniform system, to be practced III all the
lodges of the United States.
This was the first united effort made by
Masonic fraternity, to produce uniform
system Of work, since the establishment of
Masonry in the United States. 1t was, in
deed, a herculean undertaking, when
viewed in a proper light. 1t is easy for one
man to adopt system of this kind, and
once completed, those around him of the
same way of thinking, will readily adopt
it-but when n large number Of persons
come together, every one of whom think
differently upon the subject. the under
taking becomes an impossibility, especial
~ when there is no fixed standard for the
government of the assemblage.
Particularly was this the case in 1912.
In the city of New York, and throughout
the state, we had n large number Of lodges
which were strongly attached to what was
then known as the "old work. and who
could never be prevailed upon to give it
IN. The masonic fraternity of the state of
New York, up to the wear 1926. also lately
refused to receive or recognize the system
known AS that of Thomas Smyth Webb.
Gleason & Co. In that wear that system
was introduced here, as practiced by
Jeremy l.. Cross. and found favor with
many new lodges. In PENNSYLVANIA moth
ing was then known Of masonry but the
first three degrees. Ancient and the ROYAL
Arch. which latter was conferred in blue
lodge, under II warrant for so doing, given
by the Grand Lodge. There was Then but
little fraternal union between the masons
If Pennsylvania and New York In other
states different forms prevailed also, which
shut out fraternal intercourse, and especial.
w was this the case with French and
German visiting brethren, who invariably
practiced what was known as "Ancient'i
and consequently could not prove them.
selves in am American.
Aside from this there has been large
number of things. foreign to the institu
ton, introduced into the system. which
not only cave offence TO great many. bu,
were mostly purile, and some simply ridicu
Ions. There had heen new svmbols intro