St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1896-01-17
LAWLESS HIS RULE
ST. PAUL MAN CHOSEN GRAND MAS
TER OF MINNESOTA,S FREE
MASONS.
OTHER OFFICERS ELECTED.
ONE OF THE HAPPIEST SESSIONS
OF THE GRAND LODGE
ADJOURNS.
FINE GRAFTON BY REV. FORBES.
Gracious Greetings Are Sent to
Brethren in Canada and Great
Britain.

The Masonic grand lodge Of Mime
sofa, which has been holding its annual
session in st. Paul, concluded its bust
ness late yesterday evening, and ad-
5ourned until next year. Though yes
terday was the last day.sof the session,
there was no great stress of business,
thus allowing a careful and complete
settlement of the affairs of the past
year. The most important transaction
of the day was the election and in
stallation Of officers for the coming
year, which took place just previous
to the adjournment last evening. Past
Grand Master e. w. Durant, of Still
water conferred the obligations upon
the following officers: Grand master,
y. F. Lawless. St Paul; deputy grand
master, A T Stebbins, Rochester;
senior grand warden, A. Brandenburg,
Fergus Falls; junior grand warden, j.
III. Randall, Minneapolis; grand treas
urer. J. II. Thompson, Minneapolis;
grand secretary, Thomas Montgomery,
st. Paul The officers appointed were:
Grand orator, i. d. Barto, Sank Cen
ter; grand chaplain, L. d. Boynton,
Rochester; senior grand deacon, T. H.
Warner, Saltwater; junior grand dea-
con, NJ. McFadden, Brainerd; grand
marshal, Thomas Morris, Crookston;
sword bearer, S. Swenson, Waseca;
senior grand steward, II. r. Adams,
Minneapolis; junior grand steward, B.
F. Thurber, Worthington; grand pur-
suivant, c. E. Mcdonald Atwater;
grand tyler, ]. C. Fischer, ST. Paul.
The feature of yesterdays morning
session was an address on the Spirit
of Masonry" by the grand orator, Rev.
DR. Robert Forbes, Of Duluth. The
Grafton was one of the best delivered
before the grand lodge in years, and
WAS listened to with interest unbroken
throughout, save by the frequent out
bursts of appreciative applause The
history of the order, It's origin and
progress, were points touched by the
speaker only in an incidental manner,
the greater portion Of the address be-
ing confined to the fundamental and
symbolic teachings of Masonry, which
he said stood universally for the best
interests of mankind. 1t believed firm
ly in man and his possibilities and in
God and His unfailing goodness The
teachings of Masonry were not those
of agnosticism, but on the contrary
were directly opposed to the agnostic's
beliefs. 1t was believer in and wor-
SHIPPED a true and perfect God, in
whom all could put their trust. In
support of this statement the speaker
went fully into the efforts being ex-
erted by Masonry to better the con-
1dition Of mankind, showing that a
good Mason must of necessity be
good and upright man. In the opin-
ion of the orator a man was to be
judged by his own worth as a man,
and not by his position, wealth or en-
Vlronment. The lives and deeds of
great men were pointed to as illustrat-
Ing the proper standard Of Judgment
Lincoln, John Maynard, Henry Ward
Beecher and Jim Root, the engineer
of Hinckley fire fame, were classed to-
gether as men who had earned places
of honor and respect by means Of
what they were, and not by what they
had, or by their environment Charity
and love were chief requisites of true
manhood, all Of which should be as
siduously cultivated. In conclusion the
speaker exhorted his listeners to work
uprightly before God and men. the
daily life of a man being the supreme
test Of his worth.
After extending a vote of thanks to
DR.. Forbes and ordering the Grafton
embodied in the proceedings of the
grand lodge, the work of listening to
the reports of committees was again
resumed. The committee on lodges
under dispensation reported in favor
of issuing charters to the new lodges
at st. Paul, Dassel and Wood Lake.
The following resolution, presented
too &c,
address, regarding the fraternal greet
ings received from the grand lodge of
Manitoba anent the recent talk of war
between England and the United
States, was unanimously adopted:
Your committee to whom was referred that
portion of the grand masters address which
relates to fraternal greetings received from
the grand lodge of Manitoba, reports that the
kindly expression of love and unity received
from the brethren of another, and, in one
sense, foreign jurisdiction, has touched a re-
sponsive chord in the heart of every Mime
sofa Mason. We desire to assure our brethren
of Manitoba that neither wars nor rumors of
wars can shatter the chains that bind us in a
common brotherhood, but that amid the ex-
1geneies and changes, OF time we are indis-
solubly united with them in the grand work
of endeayoring to elevate and ennoble man
kind by the dissemination of the divine prin-
ciples of true fraternity. Alike in peace and
war brethren.
When the committee reassembled at
2 o'clock, after the noon recess, the
reports of committees were again
made the special order. In regard to
sustaining the decision of the grand
master during the present year. the
committee reported in favor of SuS-
tanning all of the decisions of Grand
Master Brown, which recommendation
was unanimously concurred in. After
some discussion, it was decided to con-
tinue the board of custodians for an
other year, with an appropriation fol
this purpose. 1t is the duty of the
board of custodians to visit the diff
ferent lodges of the state to perfect
them in the rituafstic ceremonies per
tanning to Masonry, and of such ma
terial benefit has this body been te
the various lodges that it was deemed
thoroughly eXpedient to continue its
existence for at least another year.
In view of the action taken at the
morning session regarding the return
greetings sent to the grand lodge OF
Manitoba, it was the general opinion
of the lodge that it would be eminently
fitting to send similar message tt
the grand lodge of England Pursuant
to this sentiment the following mes
sage was unanimously ordered sent tt
the grand lodge of England:
Greetings of Peace and Good Will to tn,
United Grand Lodge of England: The grand
lodge of Minnesota, in annual convention as
sembled, extends fraternal greeting to tn,
united grand lodge of England and the assur
ance of their earnest desire that the spirit O
unity and fraternity, which now prevails be
tween them and the great nations of which
they are citizens may never be severed, ant
the confidence that all difficulties, of what
ever nature, will be adjusted in such a man
ner as snail comport with the dignity ant
honor of both nations, and be in harmony