The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1877-06-21
OLD CENTER LODGE.

Ii may be Improbable think that it
is unproftable-to continue discussion
after one side has been compelled to pre-
varicatc and "hunt his hole; but at the
time the charge was made by reverend
gentleman" and deacon's son that, some
where between 1907 and 1923, the masons
of Vermont, and particularly of Rutland,
substituted the word "devil' for the word
"God" "when reading their liturgy in the
" lodge room"-to which we replied at the
time, showing its falsity by reference to
the character of the masons during those
years-we endeavored to procure a list of
the delegates from the lodge at Rutland to
the grand lodge from the time of its orgau-
ization down to the period of the anti-ma-
sonic excitement, for the purpose of fur
Their refutation of the charge. We had, at
the time, but partial list and, therefore,
refrained from its publication now, how
ever, we are enabled to give complete
list, which we herewith publish with run
ming comments, not so much as bearing
upon that controversy, bnt as matter OF
local and historical interest and as showing
the class of men at whom the law against
extra judicial osths- elsewhere referred to
was aimed.
Center lodge, Rutland, received its char
ter, we believe, from the Grand lodge Of
Massachusetts-if we are wrong in this,
some one will please correct us-and on the
organization of the Grand lodge of Yer
mont was numbered six, and was repre-
sented in 1894, by Nathaniel Chapman.
chief justice of Vermont, United States
district judge, and United States senator
Israel Smith, United States senator, mem
Der of congress, governor and chief justice
Ceo'tas Smith, jr., leading lawyer of Yer
mont and clerk of the United States courts
Jonathan Parker, jr., great landowner
the ''father" of Parkerstown, now Mendon
and delegate to the Episcopal state coz
vention IN 1896; and Jonathan Wells
Rutland's leading merchant.
In 1895, the delegate was Ebentser Mar
Uin, member Of the first council of cen
sors, and respectively chief judge of th,
comfy courts of Rutland, Chittenden ant
Franklin counties. In 1906 and 1907
there seems to have been no representation
but in 1908, Samuel Williams, the judge
councillor and representative, and the frs
deacon of the Congregational church il
East Rutland, of whom we have befor
spoken, was the delegate.
In 1899. Thomas Hammond. OF Pitsford
judge of the county court, a councillor
member of the constitutional convention
for ten years representative to the gene
raj ASSEMBLY, consistent christian, and, "a
Rollin G. Mallory termed him, one of "na
"ture's noblemen," was the representative
There seems to have been another hiatus i
1s0o-the year OF Judge Samuel William
death-but in 1901, Nichols Goddard an
Abel Spencer were the delegates. Goddar
was the celebrated Rutland clockmake
while Spencer was representative TO III
general assembly, speaker of the hous'
councillor and states attorney, who was e.
PEELED from the general assembly as well {
from the bar and from masonry.
In 1909, John Cook, graduate of Oar
mouth, and prominent Rutland lawy'
represented the lodge. In 1903, Caleb He'
dee, jr., of Pittsford, one of its earlie
settlers, one of the founders of the Bapti
, church, town representative, town cler
! and treasurer, judge of probate and of Il
, county court, and surveyor general of Il
state, represented Centre lodge.
Then comes another hiatus until $50
+ when we find as a representative Villa
q StOrer, Rutland's first sllversmlth, and II
eighth person to unite with the Congreg
l. gational church Of East Rutlond after II
O commencement of the ministry of the Re
: DR.. Bali. he was followed, in 1903,
q DR.. James Porter, of whom 1t Is unnecel
IS airy to speak in this community or, even,
70 this state.
J. In 1909, there was another hiatus
le there were several times afterwards,
k will be seen-but in 1910, Preserved FL
10 one of the most respected citizens Of Il
E. a prominent member of the Baptist churt
D. and the ancestor of the we'll known Fl
l. family of that town, was the delegate.
a 1916, TheophilAs Clark, M. D., Of MIDI