National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1875-03-19
FREEMAsoNRY IN JERusALEx.
The Condition Of the Order in Palestine.

The Condition Of the Order in Palestine.
The visit here Of a representative Of the Masonic
society in the Holy Land has suggested the ia
CURRY what objects are to be accomplished by
establishing lodges in that country A reporter
OF The NATIONAL REPUBLICAN called upon DR..
Robert Morris, Past Grand Master of Kentucky,
and propOunded this question, and learned that a
mission Of leading Masons was made from the
United States to Palestine in 1858, with view to
form the acquaintance Of such members Of the
ancient fraternity as might be found there. He
prosecuted his researches at Damascus, Naolous,
Acre, Jerusalem, JoppS and other places Of fame
The Governor General, Resebid Pashs, extended
welcome Of the Warmest character TO the Amer
lean brother, as also the chiVslrOus Arab, Abdel
kadr, and his sons, who received the honors OF
the rite in the lodges Of Egypt. Many others Of
quite proportion Of foreigners in the various
consulstes, were FreemasOns. In Jerusalem
DR.. Morris found q circle Of Masonic gentlemen,
and the same in Joppa But there was no lodge
IN Palestine, and such was the diversity OF ma
tionalities and religions and such the prejudice
of the common people against the system OF Ma
sonry, that no one was willing TO undertake the
establishment Of a lodge. This was left to DR..
Morris himself who, procuring charter from the
Grand Lodge Of Canada, and associating with
him q large number OF leading Masons here, or
gained q body in May, 1873, under the title Of
the Royal Solomon Mother Lodge, No. R93, OF
Jerusalem" The motives that prompted these
gentlemen to so expensive and laborious step
are thus sketched:
MasOns visiting Jerusalem, they need lodge
there in which, however numerous, the religions,
languages and natiOnalities as one heart would
beat. The same inducements that prompt the
organization of lodges elsewhere, and the neces-
sity of Q common fund for charity, &C., would op-
crate with added force in Palestine.
The fact that so many travellers fall into sick
ness and die in Jerusalem calls for the establish
ment of a lodge in that city.
The fact that FreemasOnry snclently was an
adjunct to science operates to stimulate the Ma
sonic fraternity to set up their lodges throughout
Palestine to assist in the exploration of the
try.
The influence that Freemasonry is likely to
have upon the morals Of the people. This with
many MasOns is q prime motive for aiding in the
work on foot. The views given by DIR. Morris Of
the state of society in Palestine anything but
fattering. "The people are all torn TO pieces
with strife and discOrd. The Moslem hates the
Jew, the Jew hates the Christian, the Christian
hates them both. They seem born only to worry
and deyOur each other. One would scarcely think
they are children of a common parent There
seems no way to bring them together in peace
is the opinion of DIR. Morris that were the Order
once thoroughly established in the towns Of Pal
estine and Grand Lodge formed, 1t would do
more in civtliztng the country than all other agen
cies combined.
DR.. Morris is q gentleman Of prominence in
Kentucky, and possessed of valuable Masonic
knowledge. Tomorrow evening, at Masonic
Temple, by request of the fraternity in this city,
he will relate to them portion OF bis experience
while travelling in the distant East, the land Of