The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1875-07-21
FOREIGN CORRESPONDENCE.
Review of the Proceedings Of other Grand
Lodges, by Bro. ThOs. 5. Gathright,
Chairman OF Committee on Foreign
Correspondence.
KENTUCKY.

The Grand Lodge OF Kentucky met
in annual communication in the city of
Louisville on the 10th day of October,
A. L. 1874, M W. j. T. Pickett,
Grand Master, and r.. W.. j. NJ. S.
McCorkle, Grand Secretary.
The Address of the Grand Master
opens with a reference to the time when
Henry Clay was Grand Master, and COM
pares the tremendous proportions of Ma
sonry now with its diminutive stature
then, and glides gracefully from congrat-
ulations to solemn reflections, asking the
significant question, "Our fathers
where are the?" Perhaps the meetings
and annals of no institutions of the earth
are more than ours calculated to impress
mankind with the melancholy fact, that
We are all passing away-that human
life, human achievements, and human
aspirations amount to but little in the
great economy of the universe. The
good that men do and enjoy is all that we
can praise or desire. No elevation, no
intellectual attainments, no accumulation
of wealth, can shield US from death, or
stay our march to the great hereafter.
The practical life-lessOn, distilled from
the above reflections, presented 10 us in
almost every Masonic Report, is sharply
expressed in the Latin sentence, qHi 6ehe
tdtet, bene UiVit. The chiefattraction, in the
proceedings before us is the Widows and
Orphans Home and Infirmary. Every
year the children Of the Home meet the
Grand Lodge, the brethren take a good
old fashioned cry, and resolve to take
care of the orphans. This time, they
transferred, as an indemnity fund, their
preference stock in the Temple, amount
ing to $500, bearing interest at s per
cent. Noble deed That one act is
enough to vindicate and immortalize the
Grand Lodge of Kentucky.
We regret to note lawsuit pending
between the Grand Lodge and Licking
ton Lodge, No. l. Such things ought
not to be, for they bring reproach upon
the Fraternity.
The proceedings discover the fact that
Lodges continue to multiplyin Kentucky,
seventeen having been established during
the past year; and they further discover
much genuine prosperity, at which we
rejoice.
The report on Foreign Correspondence
was submitted by Bro. J. S. NJ. Nc
Corkle, and is good performance =
Mississippi is briefly reviewed. The
brother is rather caustic in his notice of
Bro. Robbins, of Illinois. Bro. Robbins
took occasion to speak of the Scottish
Rite as ''modern," "pseudo masonry"
and Bro. McCorkle, evidently partial to
the Ancient and Accepted Rite, proceeds
to show Bro. Il. that he writes "stuff
Of this controversy we have no opinion
to express, further than to record the
hope, that, barring the dispute between
Bro. Robbins and Bro. McCorkle, more
of our brethren may begin to write
'stuf. In this connection, however,
we must say that the tendency now is to
indulge in sham and fuss and feathers,
and to be too much before the public. =
We fear for the purity of those simple
virtues, which should distinguish our
craft. The tendency referred to finds its
greatest development in gorgeous temples,
parades on horseback and on foot, for |
the delectation of wondering multitudes |
We are a "hard shell" on this question.
There is too much show, too much care
for the outside of the platter.
We wish all Rites were blendid and |
stewed down to four degrees for Ancient
Craft Masonry. Every essential feature |
and lesson can be preserved and enforced |
by such consolidation, and much that |
is mere rigmarole disposed Of There
would be great saving of time, money,
and labor, and great results would flow |
to mankind. We are opposed to parades |
of all kinds that have in view the admira-
ton of outsiders. We are opposed to so
much speaking to the public about Ma
sonry. by their fruits We shall know
them" We are opposed to public cele-
brations of st. Johns day. We are OPP
posed to the thousand silly things masonic
speakers say on these occasions; these
speakers are afflicted with the infrmity,
which Bro. McCorkle assigns to Bro.
Robbins. To conclude, we favor palmer
clothes for Masons, and more staying at
nome.
Many points of interest must pass I'M
loticed. NJ. W.. Henry Bostwick
vas elected Grand Master; Grand Sec
'etary reelected