The evening times., 1895-10-30
MlsONs ARE ! INFECTED.
Comment On The Ohio Decision
in the Scottish Rite Case.
FOUR RIVAL BODIES HERE
Interesting Phnse Developed In View
of the Feeling Displayed at the Re-
cent Council Meetings In This City.
Interviews With Leading Members
OF the Various Orders.

or especial interest here is the decision
in Ohio yesterday of n dispute between tw o
bodies of Scottish Rite Masons, in view of
| the feeling developed at the recent sessions
| here, at the same time, OF two grand
bodies of the rival organizations.
The supreme court OF Ohio held yester-
day in the case of william A. Hcrshisher
ct al. VS.. S. Stockers Williams, grand
master of Ohio IMasons, that Cerneau Ma
sorry is Irregular. The grand lodge ex-
PEELED Hershisher and about forty other
Masons of Columbus, who established d
branch OF Cerncau Ma sonry there.
They brought suit to cnJoin the grand
lodge from cxpeliing them. The lower
courts held in favor of the grand lodge and
the supreme court affirmed that Judgment.
There are more Masons in this District in
proportion TO the population than in any
other community OF tho size in the world.
All are active and many jealous for the
general cause, while some are struous all
vocates of Scottish Rite Masonry to which
they belong.
There are four djstipct branches of
the Scottish Rite order in this country
These are the Southern jurisdiction and the
Northern jurisdiction, deriving their ritual
from the late Gen. Albert Pike: the United
States jurisdiction, whu claim to have the
original forms from medieval times through
Joseph Cerneau, who was the first tO in
troduce the organization into this coun-
try: and the Ccrncau Masons, who claim
to hold their ritual direct from Joseph
Cerncau.
RIVALS OF THE PIKEITEs.
The organizations that derive authority
from Gen. Pike, according to their rivals,
representatives OF Scottish Rite Masunry
as known abroad.
1t Is asserted that Gen. Pike simply as
sumed the power tn establish the order
and received his ritual from nobody. About
the beginning of the civil war he set to
work Ia establish the body purely on his
own authority. Later there was a divis-
ion into Northern and Southern juris,ic-
tons.
The Cerneau Masons claim that the
United States Jurisdiction was esta blishei
by means OF materials, books. etc. stolen
by some one from the Cerneau body. Meni-
bcrs of the United States Jurisdiction assert
that the Cerneau body IS practically dor
mant and passing out OF existence.
The United States Jurisdiction derives
its forms from Joseph Cerneau, but il
will not admit persons from the Cerneau
fold To its membership without having gone
through all the degrees; it does recognize
the work or the Pike bodies 10y admitting
them as of the degree reached In their |
own society.
Magistrate Anson S. Taylor who is a |
cerncau Mason, said this morning, II am |
not surprised at the decision. The effect /
VIII he, suppose, to bar Cerneau Masons
there from the use of their own halls and
enjoyment OF the privileges of membership
IN their own lodges. This Is the same thing 1
mat has been done by order of the grand
1ge in Pennsylvania.
Il notice, however, when they had their
smoker here the other day, in all they said
hey had nothing TO say against Joseph
jerneau. AS a matter of fact, the thing
% DE desired is reconciliation of all |
differences between the Masonic bodies.
I some Of the high dignitarics would Just
tep down upon the floor with the rest Of
is that might be accomplished.
NOT TO BE EXPECTED.
"They need not lay off their honors.
'ut suppose this is not TO be expected as
ong as some of them are making a good
wing out of it, which they would have to
i've up"
George Gibson, Of the United States juris.
iction said so far as he understood the Ohio
flair II was a dispute between two grand
odges in which the Scottish Rite was notin-
olved, though it had arisen over the diff
erenccs in the latter order.
He thought it was a matter Of local sym-
athy that had governed the decision.
ather than the merits OF the case. Per
)naily he believed the use OF blue lodge |
Doms by other bodies ought to be forbidden
nder rule 20. This use of lodge rooms Is
ne OF the points of practical importance
the dispute.
Ma jor William o. ROome. cashier of the
hio National Bank, who belongs to the I
ike order, was much pleased with the
suit of the contest. {
1T does me much good as my break [
ST. he said. Yet these matters ought i;
lt to be carried into the courts. 1t is
lrely social matter. When a decision
as been reached by a ma jority vote every i
,dy ought to abide by it without further ]
sCuSsOn'' .