Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-02-01
IMPORTANT TO MAs9Ns.
An Unlawful Body OF Scottish Rite hasous

An Unlawful Body OF Scottish Rite hasous
Denounced by the Inspectors-eeneral
The following item, which, no doubt, will
prove of interes. to all Master Masona, espec'
tally those of the Otder in this city, is taken
from the Daily Erening Tidette of Oakland.
If v hat is stated is true, the matter will be
most certainly investigated By the Order in
Sacramento:
ORIEx, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CAL,
January %, 1884, v Z.
We the undersigned, active and honorary Inspect
ors-General, Of the Thirty-third Degree OF the
Ancient ard Accepted Scottish Rite o. Freenas0nIy,
resident in California, and deriving our authority
from the Supreme Council Of the Ancient and Ac-
cepted Kite for the southern jurisdiction OF the
United States, hereby make known to YOU that we
have received trustworthy Information that certain
persons, named Chsrles Pinkham and Cornelius
Kellogg, have, in the city Of Sacramento within the
jurisdiction of said Supreme Council OF the ANCIENT
and Accepted Rite for the southern jurisdiction OF
the United States, obtained the names OF over one
hundred Master MasOns, and have collected from
them several thousand dollars under the pretense OF
COLferrug the grees Of the Ancient aud Accepted
Rite, from the Fourth to the Thirty second, lncus-
i've; the conditions upon winch said bogus degree to
be communicated being, that each ylcumlZed re-
cIpient Of useless limitations Of genuine Freemasonry
shall pay the sum OF $50, Of which sum SO (f not
u
out the color Of lawful Masonic authority, pretend
10 communicate said degrees.
The pretense is further set up that these peddlers
Of cheap degrees are acting in behalf Of socaled
supreme Council cf the United States OF Amer
lea"
We declare to You that there is no lawful body OF
Freemasonry known as the Supreme Council OF
the United States Of America, and that any So
called degrees communicated bypartits pretending
TO represent such body yalueeSs and void.
That the money obtained in Consequence OF such
degrees Of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
Of FTeemasonry, by parties or bodies In CallfornIl,
actidg, pretending to act under authority, or So
called authority, other than that Of the supreme
Council Of the Thirty third Degree OF the Ancient
Scottish Rite Of Freemas lnry Tor the jurisdiction of
the tied States whose Grand orr mt is at Charles
ton, 5. c. and whose Grand Commander Is Albert
Pike, ia money obtained by fraud; and that all such
degrees spurious, AMI not only do not confer
any Masonic standing IN any regular body of the
Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Ia any part OF
the known world, but in some of the Jurisdictions
Of the United States, the comforting, cOmmuncat-
ng or Pedding Of such degrees constitute Masonic
crime, the penalty for which is expulsion from all
the rights and privileges Of Masonry.
The Grand Commandery Of Michigan has declared
that it recognizes, the only legitimate bodies OF
the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite OF Free
masonry, those which derive their power either
from the Supreme Council Of the Thirty-thrd De-
gree Of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite Of
the northern jurisdiction Of the United States,
whereof Henry L. Palmer is Grand Commander, or
the supreme Council Of the ThrtY-third Degree OF
the Ancient and Accepted Rite of Scottish Free
masonry from the southern jurisdiction of the
United States, Of which Albert Pike is Grand Com
mandeT.
At the quarterly communication of the Grand
Lodge Of Massachusetts,, held June Il, 1882, the
Grand Constitutions were amended as follows:
"Section q. Whereas, this Grand Lodge recog-
nizes no degrees in Masonry except those conferred
under the regulations OF the Grand Lodges of the
various States and Territories OF the United ates
aud the government throughout the world and
whereas, it admits the following named organiz-
atoms to be regular and duly constituted Masonic
bodies, namely: TIE General Grand Royal Arch
Chapters Of the several States and Terrt ries Of the
United States the Grand Royal Arch Chapters Of
the several States and 1errit ries of the United
States and the Royal Arch Chapters and other
bodies under their jurisdiction the General Grand
Council Of Royal and Select MasOns OF the United
States the Grand Councils of the several States
and Territories Of the United States and the Couu-
oils under their jurisdiction the Grand Rncamp
ment Of the United States the Grand Command
cries of the several States and Territories Of the
United States, and the COMMANDERS under their
jurisdiction; the Supreme Councils Of tile Ancient
and Accepted Scottish Rite for the northern and
southern Jurisdictions of the United States. of
which Henry L. Palmer and Albert Pike are NJ
P. Sow. Grand Commanders respectively, and
the various bodies under their jurisdiction.
Now, therefore, it is hereby de Jared that any
Mason who is hereafter admitted, in this juIisdic
ton, into am other orders Masonic whether
is acting Enthusiastically, and for such conduct shall
be liable to be expelled from all the rights and priv
iIeges OF Masonry and shall be ineligible to mem
bership or office in this Grand Lodge"
In 1883 the Grand Lodge Of Massachusetts, sup
plemeuted the above action by enacting that "any
Mason in this jurisdiction who shall confer com
mum cate or sell, assist in comforting, communi-
eating or selling, solicit any one to receive or ap-
ply for any o--aled Masonic degrees, limited to
Freemasons, not heretofore recognized admitted,
may be expelled from all the rights and privileges
OF Masonry"
We therefore denounce the action Of the persons
above named who obtaining money in SaCra-
meuto and elsewhere for the degrees Of the So
called " Supreme Council Of the United States of
America, rs a dangerous fraud, the sufferers by
which will be all those who unfortunate enough
to invest fifty dollars for spurious degrees which
have been pediled elsewhere for prices varying
from ten to fifteen dollars Whether the present
enhanced price is due to the assumed greater wealth
or the assumed greater guhbity OF Masons in
California, is subject for your private opinion to
decide
We earnestly request You to warn all Master Ma
sous within your reach against this revival VI cid
and oft-eNposed fountain Of Masonic fraud.
Thomas II. Casweu, James ). lawson and Chas.
F Brown, 33d degree, active; Alex. c. Abel, VIM
DARCY Haley, Issac ). Titus, Geo. J. Hobe, Theo
II. Goodman and John W. ShaefTer, SD degree,
honorary.
The undersigned, members OF the Northern Su-
preme Council SD degree, unite in and indorse the
foregoing.
James C. L. Wadsworth and William Filmer, SD
degree, honorary.