The age-herald., 1901-10-22
SUPREME COUNCIL
 IF FREEMASONS
Centennial Celebration Draws a
 Large Gathering
ORGANIZEOAT CHARLESTON
Feature of Yesterday's Session Was the Allocution Delivered By Congressman Richardson
 of Tennessee.

Washington, october 21.-The Supreme Council of the thirty-third degree of the Ancient Scottish Rite of Free Masonry for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States (the mother council of the world), met today. in. biennial session. The gathering marks the centennial eel ebration of the Supreme Council, which was established in Charleston, s. C., in May, 1901, the actual recognition of the centenary being deferred until now to be co-existent with the unveiling of the monument to the late Gen. Albert Pike, sovereign grand commander from 1853 uneil his death in 1891. The feature Of to- days session was the allocution deliver ed by Congressman James Richardson of Tennessee. lieutenant grand commander and acting grand commander.
 An important Ruling.
 The allocution, among other things laid down an important ruling that a member of foreign Jurisdiction cannot become member of the Jurisdiction here without severing his connection with the former. "If an applicant is a member of bodies or foreign jurisdiction" according to the al- locution The cannot be admitted to body in ours until he renounces his allegiance to such a foreign jurisdiction. A citizen of Great Britain or foreign government may be citizen of the United States but he must first renounce foreign allegiance and swear allegiance to our own govern ment. A similar rule should apply in Masonry"
 In the allocution Commander Richard son pointed out splendid increase in the membership and an unparalleled pros perity. He recommended the filling of most of the vacancies of the supreme council, whose full membership of thirty three had become reduced to twenty three. Since the establishment Of the council there have been crowned in all 112 active members, of whom eighty-four have died and five are on the emeritus list. In the past forty years two new supreme bodies of the Scottish Rite have been organized; the number of perfect elus has increased by 1866 and princes of the royal secret have increased by 3l6S
 Council at Colon.
 Assurances have been received that the supreme council of Colon, at session this month, will withdraw authority over the subordinate bodies in. Porto Rico and MT. Richardson announced that the juris- diction of this supreme council over Porto Rico is undisupted He urged thorough cooperation with the Porto Rican bodies. He congratulated the order on the usual freedom of masonry from charlatans and spurious claimants, and urged continued careful scrutiny of all applicants. The aiecutten- closed with an impressive trib- ute to the late President Mckinley as President and as~a brother Mason. At the afternoon session the annual report of tho secretary general. Frederick Webber of Kentucky was submitted. 't showed that the Southern jurisSiction is more prosperous than at a..s ,A..~ vious. Receipts for 1899 and 1ocO were s51, 1858 and for 1900 and 1901 $63 720. Up to August 31, 1901, the library had cost $S2, ,9l6. The sum of $s,O52 was sent to Galveston to the relief of the flood suf- ferers and $5,550 to the Jacksonville fire sufferers. The report of the treasurer general. Wm. F. Pierce of San Francisco, was discussed but was not made public. Acting Commander Richardson announce ed the appointment of the psual commit tee after which the couAkil adjourned for the day.