Omaha daily bee., 1889-08-05
SCOTTISH RITE MASONRY.

"Sunshine" Throws Some Light On
the Present troversy.
To the Editor of THE BEE: On page of
last Sundays BEE is an article entitled
Scottish Rite Masonry" also on page of
the Monday morning issue is an article en-
titled "a Masonic Rumpus," both of which
by their misstatements do gross injustice to
the only legitimate branch of Scottish Rite
Masonry in these United States. The only
legitimate branch of Scottish Rite Masonry
in this country is that known as the Jurls-
diction of the United States Of America,
Their Territories and Dependencies with
Judge John j. German, Of New York, as its
sovereign grand commander. Its member
ship now numbers over seven thousand and
embraces in It's ranks many of the brightest
Masonic scholars and men OF distinction
to be found In America. Founded
in 1907, 1t has fourished and,
with its ees representative system viii
have ceased to exist. The early history of
this. the only legitimate rite, has been clearly
set forth in pamphlet entitled more Light
in Scottish Rite Masonry" and the facts
therein stated have never been and cannot
be refuted, The Scottish Rite body referred
to as the "Cerneau" body was created by
Harry j. Seymour, of New York, in 1879,
fourteen years after he had been unanimously
Seymour in 1880 sold out his bogus rite to
William II. Peckham for 500, ana it is now
presided over by Ferdinand j. S. Gurgas.
This is the "Cerneau" rite referred to as the
one against which Harrison Dingman. most
worshpful grand master of the grand lodge
of the District Of Columbia, has issued
his edcL pronouncing it clandestine
and illegal because OF their recent and pres
ent afliliation with the Granu Orient of
France, which u few years ago excluded the
bible from their lodge rooms, contrary to all
the principles of what has been held as one
Of the landmarks Of The order. There is
abundance OF evidence TO show that this
-Peckham- Gourgas body is ir-
regular and illegitimate, and we are sorry
that some of our brethren have been taken
in their snare. But this is not the only
bogus body in existence, as we can abund-
antly prove, 1t Is one OF the ancient land
marks OF Freemasonry that the three de-
grees Of Entered Apprentice, Fellow Craft
and Master Mason constitute all there Is OF
Symbolic Masonry, and it has been the
usual custom of the grand lodges TO declare
that their jurisdiction extended no farther
than these three degrees. AT the last
session Of Nebraska grand lodge OF Masons.
certain persons attempted TO have the grand
lodge commit itself to the recognition of
the so-called southern jurisdiction OF Scot
tish Rite Masonry, of which Albert PKG Is
the grand commander The grand lodge
passed the following resolutions, viz:
"Wnereas, Grand Lodge of Free and Ac'
cepted Masons is an independent and sover-
eign body recognizing and having supreme
jurisdiction Of no other degrees those OF En-
tered Apprentice, Fellow Craft and Master
Mason, as illustrated and taught by the rit-
uals and secret work adopted by such
grand lodge therefore be it
Resolved, That this grand lodge expressly
declines TO enter upon any discussion OF the
history, use or Legitimacy of any bodies
c.>mIng to confer what is known as Scottish
Rite degrees or TO be committed TO the
recognition of any such body comforting any
degrees over which this grand lodge has no
control, cr as beng part Of Ancient Craft
Masonh'
That we cordially indorse the law as re-
cognized ane >.omulgated by our grand
master: Firsp Chat two bodies, claiming
TO be Masonic, of the same grade, cannot
lawfully exist in the saS'e state at the same
time. Second-That De-. first lawfully con-
stituted authority established in state
thereby obtains exclusive ~-isdiction In
such territory and that any otn1r body OF the
same grade or rite entering later. within
such territory is IN itself unlawfs-.
This language is clear TO any person VINO
has comprehension of the meaning OF Ehgh-~
words and if he is not prejudlced ne VIII see
that neither the grand lodge nor graz
master has any authority over Masons ID
matters outside OF the first three degrees.
The grand master might as well say we
should not belong to the ODD feiloWs,
Knights of Pythias, or that we shouio not
cat meat on Monday. ,..
The resolutions No. / and 2, by virtue OF