Omaha daily bee., 1889-09-29
In The WORLD OF MYSTERY.
The Bee Gripman Discovers Many
Interesting Features.
CRAFTSMEN OF OTHER DAYS
The Trie Con nciave--Order OF the
Mystic CiroIe-Facts About
Number OF other Sc
cret Orders.
Ancient Ora f,smen.

The following editorial comment In the
August number Of the Masonic Review, on
edict No Of Grand Master John J. Mercer
and the resolutions of Nebraska lodge,
No. 1, heretofore published in these
columns. will be OF interest to the master
masons OF Nebraska:
"The edict OF the grand master of the
grand lodge Of Nebraska, which has been
very distinctly, masonically and manfully an
swered by the unanimously voted resolution
of Nebraska lodge, No. 1, Omaha, is a re-
markable aud startling edict issued against
the masonic obedience and fraternity OF Ne
braska, and in the interest Of a foreign and
despotc sovereignty claiming TO be masonry.
This edict duly follows the lead OF the Ma
sonic Trust of Ohio; and each editor aims
to outdo the previous pronunclamentos, and
to assert with still stronger language the su
premacy over its jurisdiction of this alien and
surreptitious body claiming TO be superior
and controlling Masonry, to which the grand
lodge of the symbolic degrees must pay sub
servient homage aud tax, and in whose be-
half master masons must be debased to ser
vile service, or be cast out from their her
itage."
This edict of the grand master of Nebraska,
among other remarkable statements, con-
cerning which grand master, as such, can
have no neutrality-suspicious. the following
startling words:
'Whereas, 1t has come to our knowledge
that certain evil disposed and designing
members of the so-called "Cerneau rite,n
with the intention of decelving the brethren
of our obedience as to the action Of our
grand lodge, arc circulating in our midst and
among the brethren garbed Inaccurate
false and forged reports of such action, in
writing and printing, wherein the resolutions
aforesaid are entirely, or in part, omitted, or
their language changed and garbled; and
they and certain others, Uniformed breth
ren, have expressed the determination to
propagate the error of "Cernauism,n and to
establish bodies of an irregular and clandes-
tine rite which the grand lodge of Nebraska
has unequivocally pronounced unlawful y
etc, etc.
"Had the above paragraph of the edict been
written by the Masonic trust of Ohio, we
should not have been startled by the Ian
guage used, but coming from the grand mas
ter of Nebraska, 1t elicits our wonder. Or,
can it be the case that the staple of the
grand masters edicts is furnished in bulk
from the original office of the trust, to be
used-whcther they will or no-by the grand
masters, who, from any sort of solicitation
or threats, are induced to lend their posi-
tions and their influence to carry forward
the malignant conspiracy against craft
masonry Either the grand master OF
Nebraska conceived himself the idea that
Masons of the obedience of hls grand lodge
gagged in circulating garbled, inaccurate,
false and forged reports, or, these infamous
charges were made ready to his hand. Ir
this dilemma of alternatives, we do not care
to make u decision.
'The inherent powers of grand master
must be restrained and crushed at the point
Mt which he wills or is forced by others, tc
denounce his fraters who honored him with
position aud prerogatives as forgers' with
the preixes and adjectives which amyllfy
and intensity the charge.
"'rhe morale of the entire edct rises nc
higher than the level of the paragraph
quoted. 1t is completely negatived, as an of
fetal document, by its own inherent want OF
conference. consistency and dignity 1t is
merely blow in the face of Masonry, anG
an insult to the fraternity at large.
"The newspaper Mason of Cincinnati
quotes it, and approves it. OF course he does
And this fact gives rise to suspicion of its
origin.
'.Attention is invited to the delveranct
from Nebraska lodge, No. /. Omana, Neb
ut involves questions concerning the So
called inherent powers of the grand mas
ter, and, on the other hand, concerns the
dignity, freedom, and the welfare of the
ancient craft. The document is an intelli
gent and exemplary statement of doctrines
and PRINCIPLES dear to every Mason bu
which are now being set at naught by mel
who claim to be Masons, but whose purpose:
and schemes Identify them as enemies to the
fraternity and bent only on the achievement
of their own ambitious designs.
'"The Nebraska lodge brethren who wer,
made Masons because they were men, hav,
proved themselves, in this document, as
both Masons and men, who, knowing then
rights and principles as Masons, have tn,
manhood to assert them, and the intelligence
to lay bare the sopbistry and the vanities o
their would be masters"