Omaha daily bee., 1902-02-16
Ante Room Echoes

49, AAA@ aAE1 a1gh ~ MhEh AH-
ported in the United States last week,
created considerable comment on the part
OF many persons not connected with the
order and there was even in the minds Of
some Of the Free Mssons who are not stu
dents Of Masonic affairs a mystihcation
which was only to be cleared away by refer
ence to the standing OF the Masons In
Italy.
The change announced In the cablegram
was that the Italians. Masons have decided
TO be no longer a secret society and will in
future hold their meetings openly" This
meant only that the lodges in Italy would
no longer be held in places unknown and
the MEMBERS would be willing to have Il
understood that they were members of the
society. Heretofore Italian Freemasonry has
had a hard time to exist in the peninsula.
Until the revolution which took the Roman
states from the temporal power OF the
pope, the society was denied the right to
exist in the states. and in many Of the
other principalities It was under the ban
OF the powers, both temporal and e~cclesi-
astical. When the house Of Savoy came To
the throne OF a united Italy the ban against
rreemasonry. from a temporal standpoint,
was lifted. but It was enforced IL possible
with more rigor by the church. The lodges
1NA1 OPNhAyE VI IL was 0eemeu
wise for many purposes to keep the fact
OF the existence Of a lodge In a community
secret. From this time that policy has
been abandoned and II is expected that
within a short lime the Masons will erect
lodge rooms over the kingdom, as they
have done In other places, and that Italian
Masonry will take It's place in the history
Of the order.
This change on the part Of the Italian
Masons leaves but two civilized countries
where Masonry Is maintained In secret
Russia and Austria. The society is under
the ban OF the emperor In each of these
countries, although 1t is said that the
present ruler Of Italy was made a master
Mason In Germany on the occasion of one
OF his visits to that country. In Spain the
lodges, while under the displeasure Of the
powers that be, are not secret, and some
OF the most prominent politicians and on
GERS are members Of the order.
There was a meeting Of the Scottish Rite
Masons at Lincoln last Thursday evening,
which closed with a reception In honor of
Gustav Anderson of Omaha, inspector gen.
erai Of the order for the Valley Of Nebraska.
Work was done In the Rose Croix degrees
and at the conclusion Of the reception a
banquet was spread, at which addresses
were a by several members Of the
order, including w. s. Summers of Omaha.
The Masonic Relief association OF Omaha
held a meeting Thursday evening at which
reports were received and accounts audited.
The reports showed that the association has
not been called upon for relief to az Rrea,
an extent as last year and that the finances
OF the society are In good condition.
-
In connection with this meeting there
was some talk OF the ''deadbeat" who tries
to defraud Masons or Masonic bodies. There
mas been no attempt made on the Omaha
society this year. but last year two or three
attempted to secure funds by palmina
themselves of as members Of the society
It was the opinion Of the members thai
the plan now In operation in the United
States for the detection and prosecution m
frauds had made the business so unproat.
able that the Masonic fakir is practically q
thing OF the past.
Arrangements are complete for the re-
union of the Scottish Rite Masons Of the
Orient OF Omaha next Tuesday. The class
Will not be as large as last year. AppIi-
cations were received up to last Tuesday
and In the list are numbered many promi-
nent residents of the northern part Of
the state
Tsngier temple. Mobiles of the Mystic
Shrine has made preparations to secure
a large party to attend the annual meet.
ing Of the imperial council. which will h,
held at San Francisco this year. State.
ments have been made that 100 naomi,
from Omaha would be in attendance. blu
the members Of the temple will be salts
ned II half that number go on the trim
which will be so expensive that were i
not for the fact that Colonel H.. G. Aki,
OF Omaha is to be elected imperial poten
tate, few but the delegates would attend.
Potentate B. F. Thomas has appointe,
the following committees to arrange 70
the trip:
Hustling Committee-Louis F. DeLorimer
w. Y. Teetzel, William B. Whitehorn. C. 4
Willie, w. r. Dyball and Tolf Hanson.
Badge Committee-A. Hugh Hipple. M
]. Kennard and Carl 3. Herring.
Ways and Means Committee-Cadet Tay
lor, F. s. Brownlee and Claude Talbot.
These committees will start to work i'm
mediately and will report from time 4
time at the meetings OF the shrine. Tn
excursion, II one is organized. will Ieay,
In June in time to reach San Francisc,
the day before the opening Of the council
giving the excursionlsts an easy trip across
the continent. A rate OF S45 from Missouri
river points to San Francisco and return
has been announced for the occasion.
The California Conclave club is WORKING
quietly. but is gaining membership every
week. The plan to take a drill team 70
the Pacific coast in 1904 has not yet ma
terialised, although the sanguine members
Of the club declare that 1t will be done.
Following is the Joint calendar Of Capital,
Covert and ST. Johns lodges, for the re-
mainder Of the month Of February: Febru-
airy II. Capitol lodge, entered apprentice
degree; February "a. Capitol lodge, master
Mason degree; February 2s. Covert lodge,
master Mason degree; February "a, st.
Johns lodge, master Mason degree. On
the latter date the lodge will open at 6
o'clock and at $3.50 dinner will be served,
after which Carl e. Herring will read a
paper on THE Beginnings OF Masonic Juris-
prudence" Members Of other lodges are
invited.
On Saturday evening. February 6, the
degree stan Of Royal Oak lodge No. 200,
Royal Achates, went to Tekamah, where
they performed the degree work for Pansy
lodge No. 27. Initiating thirtV-sfx candi-