Omaha daily bee., 1890-02-09
WAS The C. NJ. BEFOGCED?
Or Had He q Scottish Rite Beam
in His Eye2
A CRITICISM OF THE eolcTs.
An Able Lawyer and frominent
Mason Reviews the Edicts Of the
Grand Masters of Nebraska
and Pennsylvania.
A solicited Oninion.

Mr.. L. A. Lockwood, chairman on iurls
prudence OF the Masonic grand lodge of
Connecticut, WIS asked by the grand master
to investigate the ed.cts of the grand masters
of Nebraska and Connecticut and render an
opinion on the same based on Masonic and
civil law. MIR. Lockwood is a New York
practitioner of considerable note and is not
a member of any Scottish rite body, so that
his views are those Of an impartial observer.
Thu following is his opinion in full:
j. II. S%wartwout, esq, Grand Master of
Masons of Connecticut-M. W.. Sir: Your
request for my views upon the subject mat
ter of an cdict OF the M. w. grand master of
Nebraska, dated July 90 1889, and of an
edict of the II. W.. grand master of Pennsyl-
vania, dated May /, 1883. is equivalent to a
OF course the purpose is not to ~criticise
the action Of our official brethren, but TO
consider the matter so far as the principle
involved may effect our own jurisdiction, and
our own future action in respect TO it.
Perhaps no better declaration could DO
made defining more clearly the status of a
grand lodge in respect to the question, than
IS to be found in the preamble and first reso.
luton of the grand lodge OF Nebraska, set
forth in the edict:
"Whereas, A grand lodge Of Free and Ac-
Cepted Masons Is an independent and SOW
ereign cody, recognizing and having supreme
jurisdiction over no other degrees than those
of Entered Apprentice, Fellowcraft and
Master Mason, as illustrated and taught by
the rituals and secret work adopted by SUCH
grand lodge. therefore, be it
Resolved, That this Grand Lodge ex-
pressly declines to enter upon any discussion
OF the history, use or Legitimacy of any
bodies claiming TO confer what is known as
the Scottish Rite Degrees, or TO be commit
10 the recognition of any body comforting
amy degrees, over which this Graud Lodge
has no control. as being masonic, or as being
u part of ancient craft masonory,"
Alter this clear declaration OF the status of
the Grand Lodge, there was added, for what
reason 1t ia difficult TO conjecture:
"That we cordially endorse the law as
recognized ana promulgated by our Grand
Master
1. That two bodies claiming to be masonic,
of the same grade, cannot lawfully exist IN
the same state ut tho same time.
?. That the first lawfully constituted au-
thority established in a state, thereby obtains
exclusive Jurisdiction In such territory, and
that any other body OF the same grade or rite,
entering later within such territory, Is in
itself unlawful"
1t may DO that the committee on j%urispru,
dence thought, that after they had clearly
and specifically defined the policy Of the
grand Lodge of Nebraska, in respect TO
what Is known as tho Scottish rite de-
dTees, and had refused ito enter upon any
discussion of the history, use or legitimacy
Of bodies claiming 10 confer what is known
as the Scottish rite degrees" and had ex-
pressly refused ito be committed To the
recognition of any such BODY = = :
as being masonic, there would be no harm in
complimenting tho grand master by endors-
ing his first and second ger eralization above
quoted.
They doubtless assumed that these gener-
Rlizations would not be divorced from the
policy OF the grand lodge us declared In the
Committees preamble and resolution. and
that the law as generalized by the grand mas
ter would be construed as relating solely &c
ancient craft masonry, and bodies HAVING
jurisdiction over the same. for they had ex