The San Francisco call., 1897-01-25

cradle. To make him the miner-Mason he
wore the en- blematlc apron, one which had
been his fathers and bv him worn in 1871 in
Valley Lodge, No. 109, in Rochester, n. Y, at
time when there great excitement, which
was known as the Morgan exposure" lie also
wore pin which Lelonged 10 his father and was
adopted during the Morgan excitement 10 enable
brothers of the order to recognize one another
The venerable visitor met at the portal by
Franklin H. Dav, past master of California Lodge,
who ed him to the altar and presented him 10 the
worshipful master who in turn invited him TO a
seat on his right, in the east
The visitor before King his seat addressing the
worshlpful master. stated that his surroundings
reminded him of the fat that he was in the lodge
and in the midst of brothers, and there being
further for therefore would remove
such as he had, and did so-the knife and revolver
were placed out of sight under the old sombrero.
Then there was the comforting OF the second de-
gree IN due form, after "hlen Ma! II D. a, oher-
man OF Oakland, himself one OF the pioneer Masons
OF the ~ta.e and pres ident OF the Masonic Veter-
ans of the United states, gave review OF the Ma
sonic work of the venei able visitor He stated
that he one of the two living members In Cali
fornia who were present on April l9, 1880. when
the Grand Lodge of California was instituted the
ether member being JohC A. Tut or Woodland,
Yoo County, past grand master Of the Grand Lodge
of California no is now in his eighty fourth year
and stated that the vi7Itor present the cleo
lion of the lats Jonathan d. stevenson as most
worshipful grand master of the Grand Lodge Of
Ca iforna He also stated that the visitor is, with
The exception OF Mr.. Tut, the oluest past master
by service.
Further in giving in detail the Masonic history
Of the oil minerMason," Major Sherman stated
that he has been prominently identified with Ma
sonry in this state from the earliest times that he
master of Golden GAZE LoGge iu 1852 and
since then has filled almost every station from
minor offices TO that OF venerable grand master OF
the Scottish Rite; that he is the grand Bible
bearer Of the lodge, it beiug customary to confer
the Oldest member of the lodge the honor OF
bearing the holy writings.
Mr.. Moses enjoys the proud distinction of being
the only Mason in the State of alifornia upon
whom the Supreme Councii of the southern iuris-
diction of the United states (mother council Of
the worId) Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite
of Freemasonry has conferred the oruer of the
Grand Cross A feature OF this ord is that it
can be conferred upon but one in each State, and
cannot be conferred on another while the one
upon whom it was conferred lives. lie is The first
California Mason who has received this honor, and
there but four others in the United states who
are members OF the order of the Grand Cross-One
in oregon, another in Washington, The third in
the District Of Columbia and the fourth in Iowa.
II is also the Oldest member If the order of tho
Eastern Star III the state - Californ a, having
with Mrs. Addis Warren Moses his wife, organ
tied Golden Gate Chapter in 1859
At the close of Major Sherman's very interest
ing remarks MIR. Moses he prefers TO be
called. "Uncle Billy was called upon by the wor-
shipful master for "reminiscences OF Masonry IN
the early days. What he told wou fill IA book,
and 1t WAS pleasant 10 the older memb bers and in
sIructive entertaining he younger
He told of the first NEE. ing place of Cali
fornia Lodge in a building on the east SIDE OF
Montgomery street, between Washington and
Jack son, the lodgeroom being the garret floor,
the roof of which so low that when a m ember,
who as seated on rongh bench either side,
want to address the master he was forced 10
crouch and advance three PAGES b. fore he could
find staining room. "Fhe room was so low" said
the speaker, as he rubbed his hand his bald
head THAT L scraped AL the hair of nv head
against the rafters." And for this the mode t
rental OF 500 a month was pad 10 Col onel stew
enson. If it had been converted into a sleeping
apartment with ordinary hunks, steam boat
fashion, iOdgeroom would have brought in
$1,000 month 20 the owner
The several s.ations ordinary packing
cases covered with c.o,h, the altar was an empty
case that once held boots, the candeIabra was
block of wood with three holes boreJ into il to
hold the three lights, and these were common can
dies a small square block of wood with thr e
nails driven in IL served caudle-stick for the
secretary and candles on strip of boarI at eac b
end O the room furnished the Illumination. The
interior OF the lodge finished wit printed
sign of this was impossible peacocSs roaming
through fields of hnwers the like of which never
ere " still ft was gaudy and il answered the pur.
pose The entrance was from Jones' alley, a. that