The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-23
GRAND LODGE OF MASONRY
Representative of Indiana Blue Lodges
Convene in Their Biennial Session,
But, Hereafter, they Will Meet Once . Tear
Address Of the Grand Msster-Election Of
Officers and Other Routine Business.

Temple 1t 10 o'clock yesterday morning Nearly
500 representatives Of subordinate lodges were
IN attendance, and these filed the Grand Lodge
bali almost to overhowing. Many new faces
were seen among the delegates, but the ma
jority composed those who have taken "a inter-
est in Blue Lodge affairs for q number of years.
Among the active workers In all branches of
Freemasonry, and those most familiar to the
public. besides the officers. were: VIM. Hacker.
Albert p. Charles, Robert Vanvalzah. Bellamy
s. Sutton, z. d. McLallen, John d. Widaman,
Willis d. Engle. Samuel B. voyles. Martin
Cullaton, Nicholas r. Ruckie, Joseph ". Smith,
Jacob ". Smith, U. 2. Wiley, James Kimbali,
Christian Fetta. Lueien A Foote, Calvin w.
Prasher. Bruce Carr and John II. Bramwell.
Three-fourths Of the delegates were men past
the middle ses Of life. or in that vicinity.
Rev. E. J.. CAN'T, of the Central Christian
Church, asked . blessing on the deliberations Of
che body, and then the lodge proceeded to the
regular order Of business, the first thing in line
being the appointment Of standing committees.
which was done by the grand master. Mortimer
Nye These are As follows:
On Credentizls-wm II. Smythe, James NJ. Hilte-
brand. Leroy j. Patty. Thomas J. Lindley. j. ID.
Brokaw.
Examining Visiting Decentralization Fetia,
Walter Z. Bosbro, Washington G. Duncan. John
johnson, IT., Herman Wilde.
Acsounts-Brucs Carr, James w. Morrison. Eph.
ram Marsh, w. q. Nunnemacher, Henry Z. Cregan.
Ways and Means-Robert vsnValzsh. Sid W.
Douglass. Geo. H Thaysr, jr.. o. A. Burroughs, Ben
Un6nished Business-BeIlamy S. Sutton. E. D.
Crumpacker. Rufus T. Larkin. Taber Ham. John ID
Cliff
Pay.roIl-willis d. Engle, A. NJ. wiloughby, Mar
shall Hacker, A. NJ Sinks, J:S. Martin
Grievances and Appeals-Sicholas R Peckinpaugh,
Samuel B. voyles, George 7. Anderson.
charters-Alexander Thomas, Martin Cullaton,
Samuel F. Applegsse-
rison. ". r. Elliott
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES s. Johnson, Andrew j.
Hay. E. d. McLallen. John d. Widaman. William
Jurisprudsnce-wTlism Hacker, NJ 81. Rice, Al
bert p. On rles. Calvin w. Prather, Lucien A.
The special committees appointed were;
On Death of Cyrus vigus-John R. McMahan,
David II. Burns. John II. Beattie.
On Death of Wm- NJ. Black-Jsmes B. KimbaI, o..
T. Wiley. James Crooks.
Grand Master Mortimer Nye, of LaPorte,
then delivered his address. in which he paid q
. glowing tribute to the lessons taught by Free
mansonry. He said that the Mssons of the
State had gathered together at stated intervals
for a period Of seventy-one years, and that the
meetings had always been prolific of much good
Sn advancing the interests of the order. During
she past two years an era of prosperity had
marked the work of the craft, the increase in
membership being 424 in 1887 alone. In 1856
r3hsre we're 277 deaths. and in 1887. 269. among
che number being VIM. NJ. Black, steward and
tyls0 Of the Grand Lodge. who held the Office
from 1869 to 1887. and Cyrus vieus, who held
the came Office from 1921 to 1923 The latter
was ninety-four years old when he died, and had
been q Mason for ssvsnty-thres years.
II speaking of his official acts Mr.. Nye said
chat the annulled charters Of Canaan Lodge, No.
893, and Bioomingsburg Lodge. No. 4s9, had
been arrested. and the books. jewels and other
property deposited with the grand secretary.
Ecottsburg Lodge. No. 572. and Euclid Lodge.
No. $40, which were granted charters at the last
session, were duly constituted by special
deputies, and were proving TO be prosperous
the charters of Pittsburg Lodge, No. 3S7. and
Geneva Lodge, No. 284, for failure 20 comply
with the requirements of the Grand Lodge. He
also advised the anuullmenr of the charters
81 Eminsnss 1l Lodge No. 40 40 and
they were practically dead. Green
town Lodge. No. 81 and Elizabsth Lodge. No.
437. voluntarily surrendered their charters. Dis
pensations were issued to Bethlehem Lodge, at
olLu8oyE hOQko,
- Huntineburg, and Logan Lodge at Indianapo-
ia These lodges We're organized and Two of them
have applied for charters. Twelve applications
Tor dispsnsations TO form new lodges were re-
of questionable growth. or that they
would injuriousiy affect lodges already
established in the vicinity. On this
subject he said: my experience has
fully convinced me that we have q s%uffieisnt
number of lodges in this jurisdiction, and while
1t may become necessary to grant . dispensation
now and then IN special cases, ir should be done
with great caution and after the most careful
and thorough investigation" During the past
two years eight corner-stones Of public building
we're laid with Masonic ceremonies. Eve lodge
halls were dedicated. and twelve lodges were
consolidated into six. Five grand represents.
tives were appointed: David Meadowcraft near
the Grand Lodge of victoria; James A.. Sample.
District OF Columbia; Matthias b. Henderson,
Pennsylvania: w. Tully Branch. South Caro-
lina; Joseph Graham Burne, Grand Lodge of
Ireland In closing Mr.. Nye called attention to
the peculiar manner in which some Of the lodges
were asking contributions for purposes outside
the line of charity, and thought the Grand
Lodge ought 10 condemn the practice He also
spoke IN severe terms against the imposters
who were Rcing about the country and taking
advantage OF eharitably disposed Masons. He
thanked his associate officers for support and as
~sistance in carrying out his work, and especially
the secretary. VIM II. Smythe.
The finances OF the Grand Lodge are in q good
condition.. as shown by the reports Of the treas
urer. III. H. Rice, and the secretary, VIM. HI.
Smythe. The balance In the treasury May IL,
1857. was els. 687. &c. and the receipts for the
past year, ST.. S48 GO. making a total Of SCI. 735. SO.
The disbursements Ia the same time were
els. 093. IS. leaving a balance of SIC. 642.67 OF
the amount expended sl2, 9s5 60 was for improve
ments to Masonic Temple, taxes, insurance.
etc Since the last session the building has been
furnished with an elevator, new steam-heatine
apparatus, new boiler-house, and connected with
the natural gas mains
The trustees, John Caven, Robert vanvalzah
and Calvin W. Prsther, report the total receipts
of Masonic Temple in 1887 rs 1858 II, and the
expenditures sl2 9s5 So. making an excess of sx-
penditures over receipts Of 81. 626 a. They also
report having made . ccntract with the Broad
Ripple Natural Gas Company to heat the build
ines for $500 a year.
=. Logan Lodge. No. $50, OF Indianapolis, and
Bethlehem Lodge, No 414. of Birdseye. Dubois
county, were granted charters, and then the
lodge took . recess
The afternoon session began at 2 o'clock, Rev.
j. A. Rondthaler. Of the Tabernacle Presby-
terrain Church. making the invocation. The
frst business announced was the election of
counted Albert p. Charles. of Seymour, intro
ducsd JAS. w. Staten. OF the Grand Lodge Of
Kentucky. Mr.. Staten spoke for about Eve
minutes and invoked applause by the fiattering
Sentiments he expressed on behalf Of his State.
The ~ba.loting occupied a largo portion of the
afternoon. and the intermission between the
announcement Of the vote on the various Offices
was consumed in hearing reports from the COM