Telegram-herald., 1890-01-20
THE ROYAL ARCH
A History CT Royal Arch Masonry
IN Michigan
THE Ne Plus ULTRA OF TIE ORDER


Tie fogUeth annual meeting ol the
Grand Chapter Of l.. A. NJ. Is he held
here on Tuesday and Wednesday OF
this week. and the Isir, tne orhc.al
Masonic organ Of th.s state. publishes
the following historical sketch o. cap
Itular, or Royal Area Masonry ln Mlchi-
gan.
Capitular. OF Royal Arch, Masonry
was first oHiciallys0unded in Michigan,
nlSls, u Detroit. at that time city
of some Ile0 inhabitants. Michigan
was then "a territory, whose dcstnes
were presided over by that wise states
man, royal patriot. noble warrior ana
grand Mason, Comp. 0cn. Lewis tass.
[ pom the personal application 20 the
grand high priest of the general grand
chapter. Comp. tfcn. Cas- secured
charter February Is, ISIS, which bears
the following names: Lewis Cass, Syi-
yester Dav, Chester Root, Thomas
NOXOu. John Palmer, Robert IRWIN, 4.
T.. Whitney, +. Stead, Pm. Locuyer,
john Anderson, Sol. Slblcy, Henry
Bronson, VI. Nar-t0u, Edward kirby,
and Monroe Chapter No. !, i0rmaliY
organized under the following prncp1i
officers Comp. Edward Kirby, NJ. J..
II. r.; Comp. Lewis Cass, KING; ~yivcs-
ter Day, scribe. Owing 90 las position
as territorial governor, and orstronecr
private reasons, Gen. Cass refused 10 be
tine presiding officer, but hc gave
20 the chapter l, best ct0rt-
and great abilities ln turthcunE
ITS progress. The carly years Of
Monroe chapter were filled with mingled
struggles and enj0yments. In those
daye, petitions came IN slowly and,
money being scarce, the degrees were
often paid Tor iu shingles. turs and
,Enpiastcrs, and many by giving their
notes. The records show tnat some OF
the latter were never redeemed How
ever. what was lacking Ia the way OF
finances and luXurlcs was more tnan
compensated fo~ hy the zeal and cn-
tbusiasm OF the work. the sacred alice
ton winch the companions entertained
for each other and the great harmony
That prevailed among the companions.
Those were days when it cost some
thing TO bc "a Mason, not only IA worldly
goods, but in self-sacr.ticc.
The Grand Chapter oi Michigan was
finally organized on the 18th OF March,
ISIS, and the order from that day has
kept pace with the material advance
mcnt of the State. The return. for 1855
showed a membership of g}35; and a
balance u the treasury of nearly 5000.
The Royal Arch dcgrce.s considered
by many 10 bc the ne plus ultra Of Free
masonry, the very climax and capstOnc
of the order. Beautiful, solemn and
full OF significance as arc the CercmO-
MOS and teaching, OF tine preceding de-
grccS. they fade INTO uOimngnCso when
compared with the objects OF research
pertaining TO the Royal Arch. They
speak of time and the affairs of time.
this speaks of what VIII be when time
shall be- no more. They take their stand
ON the life side of the narrow but deep
boundary which divides death from
life: this carries us across that boundary
into the presence of the lnhu.te. Iney
show us, as n the glass darAly, dawn
leading mp 10 cphcmcral light. This
teaches as 20 reach the eternal land.
where dawn and morning. evening and
night, cloud and storm. are unknown,
ali swallowed uD Iu The cvcr-durnS
brightness which food, + courts.
Around the name OF the great | am,
ft'i4ktt tt4N' llfN 0tt.laAN tiAAA thtt "a
lh.s sublime degree. and no master Ma
SON should stop short of IFS possession
in ils search after knowledge. The
present officers arc:
NJ. r. Comp.-Wm. Wcnte, Manistce,
G.. II. y.
Y. f. Comp.-Wm. G. Hudson, Lud-
iugton, Dep. -. II. =.
K. =. Comp.-Samuol c. Randall,
Flint. Grand X.
r. r. Comp.-John F. Barrows, Law
renee, Grand =.
B. +. Comp.-Shaw Noble, Grand r
r.. J.. Comp.-Nm. lunes, i. G.. II.
T.. Grand Sec.
R. 4. Comp. a. Blades De
troi;, Grand Chaplain.
r. r. Comp.-Chas. +. Bagg, Detroit,
Grand G. Of H.
j.. +. COmp-James II. Cummings.