St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1894-06-21
THE MASONIC VETERANS

D
Below we give some extracts from
a response to the above named toast,
by Major Bowman of this place, at
the banquet in Burlington last week
in celebration of the Masonic cen
tennial:
when l entered the Grand Lodge
of Vermont band Of noble and
hOnOred men were at the head ::
The faithful and conservative Nath-
an B. Haswell; the gifted, eloquent
and polished Philip c. Tucker; the
sedate and judicial Barzilla Daven-
port; the methodical John c. Hol-
lenbeck; the accomplished and schol-
arly Leverett B. Euglesby; the ever
trustworthy Dan Lyon, and that
ever-faithful laborer and esteemed
Gamaliel Washburn; the iovial,
whole-souied John Bacon, I'd, who
so many years was chairman of the
grievance committee, whose deci-
siCns were always sustained, and
whose memory the Grand Lodge has
hOnored by placing in the Oriental
chair his tavOrite son and thereby
perpetuating the noble qualities in
herlted from the father-all these
have Obeyed the summons of the
great Grand Master and have passed
over the river of death into the silent
land, leaving your speaker and the
faithful steward then as now,
Brother Daniel c. Barber, and pos
slbly one or two others whom | do
I
that period of nearly a half century
ago. l am with YOU alone to cele-
brate this centennial as the last
past grand master of the old regime
the last living link between Chip
man, Haswell and Tucker and the
present genera ion of craftsmen"
On therevival Of the Grand Lodge
after the crusade of Anti Masonry
a cruel political and social warfare
OF which the present generation has
little cOnceptlOn-nO American Grand
Lodge was held in higher repute
than the Grand Lodge of Vermont.
Philip c. Tucker had a national
Masonic reputation as a jurist and
eloquent advocate. Amid the con-
fusion of the times his views and
labors were sought in all quarters;
other jurisdictions turned to him for
light. 1t was feared for time that
the word was lost, but a revelation
was soon made that in our archives
had been preserved the true work
and lectures as taught by Thomas
Smith Webb, and were in the posses
sion of Tucker and Wilson. That
eminent craftsman, Rob Morris.
journeyed from his Kentucky home
hither as the source of light. He
spent several weeks in obtaining
oral communication of the works
and lectures. They were received
by the listening ear, and not other
wise, a s some have supposed, for
neither the careful custodian nor
Grand Master Tucker would permit
them to be given by any other
method. He afterwards was pre-
sent at the sessions of the Grand
Lodge to witness the exemplihca-
ton. They are now the standard of
every American Grand Lodge,
whether the method of communica-
ton was right or wrong. Thus to
the Grand Lodge of Vermont be-
longs the honor of their preserva-
ton. A centennial record should be
made Of this incident in our history"
"A century has passed since the
affairs of Masonry were set up in
our historic and beloved common
wealth. This observance marks an
era in Masonic history of which fit
ting record will be made. We have
honored the memory of the men who
upheld its banner, honoring them
selves and the state. Our numbers
have increased and we maintain our
proper position in the several COM
munities in which our institution has
been planted"
The progress Of Masonry in our
state has been slow because of its en-
vironments, but it now moves upon
the wings of progress. A century's
experience is behind Us, and its les
sons will not be lost. Masonry
does not depend upon the choice of
man; it is inherent in mans rela-
ton to God and his fellow-man.