Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-17
Twenty-Ninth Convocation of the
General Grand Chapter.
MEETING TO Be HELD At TOPEKA
Many Distinguished Members Are
Expected.
GENERAL GRAND HIGH PRIEST

The twenty-ninth stated convocation of
the General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch
Masons of the United States of America
will convene in Masonic Temple, Topeka,
Wednesday, August %. The General Grand
Chapter is the most conservative of the
Masonic bodies. and it's convocations, COM
ing as they do but once in three years, are
of the highest Importance in the Masonic
world. The legislation of the Grand Chap
ter is of the greatest interest to the 100000
Royal Arch Masons in the United States,
the body being made up of the most dis
tinguished Masons in the country. 1t is
composed of forty grand jurisdictions, COM
prsing every state in the Union, with the
West Virginia and Pennsylvania. The
Grand Chapter is not a large body. as 1t
numbers but about 300 delegates, but it is
composed of the flower of the order.
The first meeting in the United States to
consider the question of organizing a Grand
Chapter was held October "a, 1884, at Bal
timore, Md. At that time Pennsylvania and
Maryland had the only grand chapters in
the country. There were represented at
this meeting three lodges, which would
row be considered subordinate bodies. They
St. Andrews of Boston, Temple of AL
bany and King Cyrus of Newburyport. No
organization was effected at this meeting,
but an adjournment was taken to Hartford.
Conn.,, where the meeting was held, at
which the General Grand Chapter was
finally evolved June 4, 1893. At this meet
ing five other bodies of Royal Arch Masons
were represented. Since then regular con-
vacations have been held at intervals of
three years, with one two exceptions.
when extraordinary circumstances inter-
vened to prevent.
In 1852 the convocation was called to meet
In the south, but the war OF the rebel
lion was raging at that time 1t was inn
practicable and an adjournment was taken.
This resulted in the withdrawal from the
chapter of all of the southern states, in
GLIDING Rhode Island, the grand chapters
of those states claiming that as the convo-
cation of 1862 failed to assemble the Gen
eral Grand Chapter had ceased to exist. In
lSto the convocation reassembled with the
officers elected in 1859, they claiming, by
virtue of the constitution, to hold over be-
cause of the impossibilty of meeting in
49, To elect their SUCCESSORS. In this posi-
ton they We're sustained by all the repre-
sentatives of the grand chapters of the
states that had not withdrawn. All of the
seeding states have since acquiesced and
returned to the fold except Rhode Island
and Texas. Pennsylvania, Virginia and
west Virginia were never affiliated with
the Grand Chapter. The Royal Arch Masons
OF these states have always conducted their
business independently.
Nearly All to he Represented.
However. all of these states will have
representatives at the coming convocation
with the exception, possibly, of Pennsyl-
vania, their object being to perfect arrange
ments for coming under the jurisdiction of
the grand body. Virginia and West Vir-
ginia will be represented by committees
while Texas and Rhode Island will send
regular delegations, with the understanding
that all former differences will be settled
early In the session and that they will be
speedily admitted to the body In his in
augural address, delivered in 1890 the grand
nigh priest of Pennsylvania gave reason TO
believe that Pennsylvania would ultimately
come into the General Grand Chapter thus
making 1t complete.
The convocaticn was originally called to
meet in this city July Is, but owing to the
strike and the difficulty of securing trans
portation for the delegates. II was most
poned until August 81. The Kansas Grand
Chapter of Royal Arch Masons has under
taken TO entertain the distinguished visitors
curing their stay in this state
Program of Entertainments
An elaborate program has been arranged.
In the forenoon procession of carriages
Will form and pass from the hotel to the
Masonic Temple. where the General Grand
Chapter VIII convene at noon. In the af-
ternoon public ceremonies will take place
In the Grand Opera House. Grand High
Priest Robert E. Nichols of Salna, Kan.
Will preside at this meeting which will he
opened by Past Grand High Priest owen
A. Bassett of Ellsworth, Kan in an adj
dress Of welcome on behalf of the ROYAL
Arch Masons of Kansas.
This will be responded to by Deputy and
Acting Grand High Priest George l.. Nc
Cahan of Baltimore, Nd, for the visitors
Grand Master George w. Clark of Kansas
will deliver address on behalf Of the
Masons of this state, which will be re-
sponded to by General Grand King Reuben
C. Lennon of Toledo. Ohio. Mayor T. W.
Harrison will then welcome the delegates
to Topeka, to which General Grand Scribe
James w. Taylor of Lutherville, Ga, will
RESP ond
The following day the delegates and their
ladies will be given a complimentary ex-
curson to Fort Riley. There they will be
shown n military display by the federal
soldiers, and at . o'clock a luncheon will
be served on the grounds at the fort. In
the evening they will go to junction City.
six miles distant, where they will be en-
tertained by the local Royal Arch Masons.
1t is expected that the business of the con-
vocation will be concluded Saturday, the
25th, when the adjournment will take
place.
Many Distinguished Masons Expected.
1t is claimed that this convocation will
number among it's members more dstin-
guis he'd Masons than any of its predeces-
scrs. Among them will be all of the ia
nous writers in this country on Masonic
literature and Masonic jurisprudence. OF
these the following will be present: Josiah
H. Drummond of Maine. Frederick Speed
of Mississippi. Noble D.Larner of Washing
leans, Past General Grand High Priest Da-
vid F. Day of New York. c. j. Fox of Buff
falo N. Y, ]. w. Latin of Milwaukee and
o. S. Long of West Virginia. All of the
past general grand high priests will take
Fart in the convocation, and in addition
there will be Il representation of every
grand chapter in the country, comprising
the three council officers of each of them.
New General Grand High Priest.
The last convocation, which was held in
Minneapolis, Mimi, in 1891, elected Joseph
2. Horner of New Orleans as general grand
high priest, but he is now dead and his
duties fall Deputy Grand High Priest
George L. McCahan of Baltimore. Mr. Nc
Cahan will undoubtedly be elected by the
convocation to this position. The death of
Mr. Horner will result in a general shift
ing of positions. Bernard G. Witt of Ken
lucky, who is general grand master
of the second veil, will be promoted to the
third veil in place of Nathan kingsley of
Minnesota, who will be advanced to the
position of general grand royal arch cap
tain.
The opening proceedings of the convoca-
ton will conform to the Masonic ritual and
procedure, which are familiar to all Royal
Arch Masons. There will be a large amount
of detail work to transact, for the session
will not have to do with the affairs of the
various grand chapters alone. 1t has
vast amount of business to do with the
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