Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-10-11
ITS FIRST HUNDRED YEARS
Centennial Celebration of Royal Arch Ma
sonry in the United States.
Meeting of General Grand Chapter In
BaltimOre-The Affiliated Bodies
Program OF Exercises.

The celebration of the centennial OF the
General Grand Chapter Royal Arch
Masons OF the United States. which began
this morning in Baltimore, is expected to
attract to that city during the present
| week many members Of the order. not only
from Washington, but from every other
large city and town throughout the entire
| country.
The entire week, except Saturday, will be
occupied with the meetings of the General
| Grand Chapter and those of affiliated
| bodies, but the observance Of the centennial
proper will take place Wednesday evening.
when an elaborate program will be car
| ried out. Mr.. Noble D. Larner Of Wash
ington is one Of the highest officers of the
General Grand Chapter, and will take a
leading part in the ceremonies.
Mr.. Larner is one of three surviving
past general grand high priests. having
served from 1856 to 1889. He is past
grand high priest of the Grand Chapter and
1 past grand commander of the Grand Com
| mandery, all of the District of Columbia
| The other surviving past general grand
| high priests are Judge Josiah H. Drum
| mond Of Maine and David F. Day OF New
| York.
| The Program.
| The full program for the week Is as fol-
| lows:
At 10 am. today General Grand Council
| Royal and Select Masters; 1870 pm, Ma
| sonic Collectors Association; 8 to II pm.
reception of the General Grand Chapter
by the Grand Chapter of Maryland.
| Tuesday-1O am, opening exercises Of the
| General Grand Chapter and of the General
| Masonic Relief Association; 2 pm, car
| riage ride to Druid Hill Park: PM, meet
| ing Of Masonic Veteran Association: pm.
| meeting of representatives of the Order
OF High Priesthood and of the Grand Sec
| retarial Guild.
| Wednesdays a M, meeting of General
| Grand Chapter; pm, lunch for member
| ship; pm, resumption of business; 8
| pm, centennial celebration members and
| ladies, Grafton by Judge Josiah H Drum
r1ond of Maine; centennial poem and hyrna
| by Col. James r. Brewer Of Baltimore.
| Thursday-3 m. meeting of General
| Grand Chapter: l pm, steamboat excur-
oyster roast; u pm, banquet By the Grand
Chapter of Maryland to the General Grand
| Chapter; 1880 pm, theater party for the
| ladies'.
| Friday-9 am, resumption and transac-
| ton Of unfinished business.
| The program for the centennial includes
an opening chorus, Jehovah, Great Je-
Henry Branch, general grand chaplain;
baritone solo. Fear Not Ye o Israeli
| DR.. Il. Merrill Hopkinson; centennial poem
by Col. James X. Brewer; centennial hymn,
| words by Col Brewer, music by Mr.. ].
| Harry Sanders; GRAFTON. Judge Josiah H.
| Drummond, past general high priest of
| Portland, Me-; chorus, Almighty Jeho-
vah." arranged by Norello: benediction.
Other Organizations.
The other organizations that will meet
| at the same time as the General Grand
| Chapter are: General Masonic Relief AS
ISOLATION of the United States and Canada
L. Cabell Williamson, Washington, d. c.,
| president; General Grand Council of Royal
and Select Masters, John w. Coburn, New
York city. general grand master; represen-
tatives of the Order of High Priesthood,
John w. Chaniberlin, Tiffin, Ohio presi-
| dent; Grand Council of Royal and Select
Masters of Maryland, Henry C. Larrabee
A.. l., grand master; Council of High
| Priests of Maryland, James w. Bowers
| president; Masonic Veteran Association Of
the United States. s. Stacker Williams,
| Newark, Ohio, president; Masonic Veteran
Association of Maryland, George J.. Nc
| Cahan, president; the Grand Secretarial
| Guild William R. Bowen, Omaha Neb
| guild secretary; Masonic Collectors Assoc
citation, James w. Station, Brooksyille, XIV.
| pre- sdent; Lodge of Relief Ancient free s nd
| Accepted Masons Of Maryland, D. F. Pen
| ington president.
The present officers of the General Grand
chapter are: General grand high priest,
uty general grand high priest. Reuben G.
| Lennon. Toledo, Ohio; general grand king,
James w. Taylor. Luthersville, Ca; gen.
eral grand scribe. Arthur G. Pollard, Low
ell. Mass: general grand treasurer, Daniel
Stricken. Hastings. Mich: general grand
secretary. Christopher C. Fox, Buffalo, N.
Y: general grand captain Of the host
Joseph r. Dyas. Paris. H.: general grand
principal sojourner. William c. Swain. Mil
waukee. Wis: general grand master third
VAIL Bernard c. Witt. Henderson, Ky:
general grand master second vail George E.
4 n oh pcyfr n
master first vail, Frederick w. Craig. Des
Moines, Iowa: grand chaplain Rev. DR.
| Henry Branch, Eliicott City, Md, and gen.
eral grand sentinel, w. H. Nicholson. Bal
timore.
As n Separate Body.
| Men high in The order say that at what
| time or by whom Royal Arch Masonry. as
separate rite, was introduced into the
United States has not yet been settled. 1t
has bean frequently claimed that the first
record of its existence in this country is
found In st. Andrews Royal Arch Lodge
connected with ST. Andrews Lodge before
mentioned, In the year 1863. This. how
ever Is held by many to be a mistake. as
there was chapter held as early as iT5S
| In Philadelphia, which is said to have been
Internationally the oldest distinct oreaniza-
| this continent iteiu oi
The first convention to form grand
cnapter was held In "Masons' Hall" hos
lon Mass. October a. 1897 The first
meeting OF the grand chapter after its or
ganization was held in Middletown. Com.
inc third Wednesday Of September, lIIS,
ana aa the next meeting in Providence, RI,
.he second Wednesday of January. 1893,
when officers were elected for a term of
seven years. bringing the third regular
meeting down to 1906. The meeting place
was Middletown, Conn, at which meeting
the name of the organization was Changed
| t" the General Grand Royal Arch Chan
ter of the United States of America"
In consequence of lapse in 1872 the next
| meeting was not held until 1915, at New
york city. when for the first time there
were representatives present from other
| than the New England states, Including
Maryland and South Carolina and warra nts
We're granted for chapters in North Caro-
INA: Georgia, New Jersey and Ohio. The
next meeting was held in 1919. and the
next in 1896, after which the meetings were
made trienn:al and have SO continued
| down to the present time. with but one
| exception.
| The organization continued to grow.
| state after state being added to its i,,ris-
fhn