Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-03
ROYAL ARCH MASONS.
MEETING OF THE GRAND CHAPTER
IN pETERsBURG.
A. Very Good Attendance-The He
port Of the Grand High PRIEST
Many Recommendations Mat
ter OF schools-Notes.

pFrERsRURG. VA, December q
Cspecial)-The Grand Chapter OF Royal
Arch Masons of Virginia convened In an
nual session in Masonic Hall, In inns
city. at 8 o'clock tonight, with nearly d
full attendance of grand officers and rep
resentatives.
The events OF the evening were the an-
dresses or reports of the Grand High
Priest and Grand Lecturer. and the con-
sideration thereof. The address OF tne
Grand High Priest was lengthy one
but covered many points of interest ana
importance 10 the grand body and to the
order generally. The year, says he' mas
been a busy one Much has been oone'
more. perhaps, may have been LETT I'M
done. Special commentator Is made Oh
the utter absence of apathy, and the
esprit du corps which pervades the ranks
If the order I'm general. and the line OIL
GERS in particular, and in this connection
special mention is made of the untirins
diligence of the efficient Grand secretary
James b. Blanks, who has been a tan
tower of support in every hour Oh caIe
and doubt. and whose ready WISDOM, uh-
wavering zeal, and high character nave
stood like vigiant sentinei 10 su''i"
your sleeping interests
The Grand High Priest gave list OIL
his grand visitations during the year.
and highly commended the Royal-Arch
school system, which has been productive
of such beneficial results. 1t Is his opln-
ion that IL IS only by this school system
that the ritual can be correctly ana Ell
fectiyely disseminated, and 1t would De
well for this Grand Chapter TO encou-
rage each grand division OF the state 10
organize schools or become members OF
the schools already existing. He hopes
TO see four prosperous schools In tue
four grand divisions of the State in the
near future.
The increase in membership In this state
This wear was double that OF last pear;
two new chapters have been organized
one at Graham and one at Pearlspurg'
one chapter has been reinstated cat Lex
ington) and three have been revived ana
placed on an active basis.
The Grand High Priest referred 10 tne
interesting fact that within this srand
division exists the oldest record extant of
n RoyaI-Arch degree. This record ne
presented TO the Grand Chapter, and
earnestly recommended that it be in
corporated in the proceedings of this
grand conyocatlon, that a knowledge
thereof may not be lost TO the craft, ana
that Il may be preserved to future gene
rations.
During the year death has not Invaded
the Grand Chapter.
The Masonic Home is highly endorsed
and commended. The care OF the WIDOWS
and orphans must ever be the chletest
concern of the Royal Craft.
The Grand High Priest recommends the
revision Of the textbook and digest. The
history of Royal-Arch Masonry should,
ne says, be brought up to date. Further
more, much of the law was adopted
many years ago. even before railways
were built and IS, therefore, antiquated
and clumsy and should be remedied by
wise changes He also recommends the
redlstricting of the State and the crea-
ton OF at least double the number of
deputies, and he heartily favors the
change of the titles Of these officers 10
District Deputy Grand High Priests"
The relations of the Virginia grand
jurisdiction with all other grand Juris-
dictions are declared to be in perfect
harmony and accord, save the single ex-
ception OF Pennsylvania. The history
and status OF the rupture with Pennsyl-
vania, with all the correspondence on
the subject, were given in full by the
Grand High Priest, including the edict
issued by him, severing all fraternal re-
lations with the Pennsylvania jurisdic
ton.
Numerous resolutions were offered,
which will come up for discussion at the
meeting Of the chapter tomorrow For
the first time all OF the grand officers
are present. a banquet was rendered
the Grand Chapter tonight by the men,
bers of the order I'm this city.