Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-05-11
A MASONIC SENSATION.
DIR. Charles W. Taylor SUBMITS to the
Grand Lodge of Kentucky.

DIR. Charles w. Taylor SUBMITS to the
Grand Lodge of Kentucky.
Louisville Courier-Journal, April 25th.l
For some time past there has been
trouble among the Masons of Kentucky.
and especially of Louisville, over the estab.
lishment of certain lodges or consistories
which have been comforting the Scottish
Rite degrees, claiming to have a right to
do so, and claiming in effect to be the only
regular bodies of that obedience. This
although there has been for years an or
ganizatlon for comforting these degrees in
the United States. This organization is
divided into two Jurisdictions for the
North and one for the South-tbe latter
under the leadership of General Albert
Pike, of Arkansas, as SOVEREIGN Grand
Commander. The Objectionable body is
known as the "Cerneau" branch, and its
members call the regulars the pike
Rite" "e
Masons are proverbial sticklers for land.
marks, and one of those landmarks. aside
from constitutional law, is that nobody
grand or subordinate, shall infringe ON the
jurisdiction of another. Thus the Grand
Lodge OF Virginia can not issue warrants
or charters to form lodges in Kentucky
nor can any Grand Lodge give authority
for the establishment of lodge in anotbe,
State or in Canada. Any lodge established
in such manner is held to be irreo,,lar
or clandestine, and its members are MOI
permitted to enjoy Masonic privileges. and
all Masonic communication is bv law and
obligation interdicted with them.
The Cerneau lodges are in the nositior
of clandestine bodies, having invaded fer.
ritory under the Southern Jurisdiction q
the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
Their object, as is claimed by some. is r
get the degrees conferred for n mnch les,
sum than they can be obtained for reou
larly. Others charge that part of RI.
scheme is intended to advance certa;,
members to the thirty-third degree, which
they could not otherwise hope TO obtain
| This is an official degree, and its member
are limited. No man can legally appl,
for 1t. When vacancy occurs it is fllec
by the Sovereign Grand Council of Thirty
third Degree members in its own way. II
possession is esteemed an extraordinar,
honor
| Whatever the object, there has bee,
trouble wherever the Cerneaus have estah
lished lodges. In Ohio they have bee,
interdicted by law and edict. In Ken
lucky the Grand Lodge passed resolutio,
declaring the Cerneau assemblies clandes
tine, but its members paid no attention I,
this. Then the Grand Master issued hi
edlct, notwithstanding which the irrepu
! lars Kept on, going so far as to meet i,
Lexington, form a Grand Consistorv ant
elect officers, ali in disobedience of the am
thorities
When charged with disobedience the,
claimed that the Grand Lodge had n,
, right to interfere, as theirs was a separat.
rite, etc, defense which amounted I.
nothing in the estimation of regular Ma
sons, as no man could take even the Ger
) neau degrees until he had become Maste
Mason, and all Master Masons are subject
by law and obligation, to the Grand Lodge
and must obey its constitution, rules an,
edicts, which, in the present case, plainl-
declare the Cerneau Masons to be clandess
tine and irregular.
) Matters have been growing warmer an,
warmer for some time. The regulars have
! as general thing, refrained from goin
, into print with their case, while the Ger
,, neaus have been sending communication
! all over the country, giving their version
OF affairs. Not only this, but several card
have appeared in the papers in the sam
! behalf
: The head and front of the Cerneaus !;
! Louisville is Tor was) DIR. Chas, w. Tavlo,
Becoming satisfied that Cerneauism wa
wrong, and that the organization coul
not be otherwise than clandestine, he an
Piled for dimit from his Consistory. Thi
was refused, the brethren holding that h
, could not resign or dimit This, anon
regular Masons, is good law DR.. ~aylo
employed two attorneys to see what the
could do toward securing his release bn
, they could accomplish nothing. DIR. Tay
! lor, seeing that the Cerneaus would no
) release him from the obligations he ba,
assumed under the belief that everything
was square. took the bull by the horns
yesterday and publicly and solemnly re
nounced Cerneauism. Following is Dr.
Taylors remuneration, signed by himsel
! and attested by two well-known Mason
J as witnesses:
The Grand Lodge of Masons of tn
State OF Kentucky, having by its resolution
. and edict of the year 1888, affirmed its de
: cision OF the year 1869, and having there
by declared the Cerneau bodies of Scottis]
Kite Masonry to be illegal, unmasonic an,
clandestine, /, the undersigned. Maste
; Mason of the obedience of the Grand ode
of Kentucky, cheerfully submitting as #
loyal son to its decisions, and firmly con
; WINGED of the soundness and necessity {
: the doctrine of exclusive territorial iuri,
, dlction as universally held by America
I Masons, do hereby repudiate forever all m
former connection with the Cerneau bodie,
and from this time renounce any allegi
ance TO them or any Of them.
S Witness my hand this 9th dav {
April, 1889. CHARLES W. TAYLOR,
"Commander-in- Chief, Veritas Consistor,
No. %.
+" Witness: James Woodward. F. +
Johnson
DIR. Taylor's reasons for his action ar
tersely and clearly stated. and his renur
citation is positive and determined. Hi
action will produce a profound sensatio
> IN Masonic circles all over the country.
A Speedy Cure.
|