The Forrest City times., 1902-11-28
GRAND LODGE, I. < A. M.
Biennial Session Held at Little Rock
 Last Week.
JOHN HICKS ELECTED GRAND MASTER.
Debt Temple Being Rapidly Paid Oh- List of New Lodges Instituted the Past Two Years-tomplete List of Onicers of the Various Branches.

The Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons met at Masonic Temple, Little Rock. in biennial session on the 18th inst.
 The first days session was devoted to routine business and the selection of committees.
 The report of Grand Master H. Fl. Myers was read at the opening of the session. In reference to the debt on the Temple, the Grand Master said:
 "The far-seeng wisdom of the idea of biennial sessions as adopted in 1898 is we'll demonstrated by the re- suit Two years ago the outstanding debt was in excess of S35 900. Today it is but s25,000. We have paid $5.- 900 both years since last we met. This in itself will save. in interest alone S700 per year. The annual income of the Temple has materially increased, and with it about self-supporting, the debt and interest being so rapidly re- duced, l apprehend that by January 1904, we can be debt free, or nearly so, and that hideous monster debt which has been as a nightmare to the craft for the past fifteen years, will have been metamorphosed into an asset. which will, l hope, soon be as per petual endowment which can be used to erect and maintain a widows and orphans home, the hope and prayer of every Mason in the State. The out look. my brethren, is resplendent with every promise that these hopes will shortly end in fruition.'
 The report showed that dispensations were granted in the past year for new lodges at Kiblah, Miller county; Ma cedonia, Clay county; Monette, Craig head county: Mazan, Montgomery county; Guy, Faulkner county; Beech Creek, Ashley county; Vandervoort, Polk county; Knobel, Clay county; Centerton. Benton county; Lake Vil- lage. Chicot county; Adona Perry county; Grifhthville, White county; BeIta, Yell county; Houston, Perry, county; Lynch Prairie, Scott County. Dispensations were granted for lay ing the following corner stones: March ', 1901, new courthouse at Fl bOt August 4VVl iNoby lNi idh church at Morrilton; June 19, 1902, public school at Clear Creek; June 25. Cumberland Presbyterian church at Benton; June 21, 1902, new church at Ell Dorado; July 19, 1902, new hospital at Fort Smith; July ?, new Episcopal church at Searcy; November 2S, 1901. Albert Pike Cathedral, Little Rock; October II, 1902, new courthouse at Benton.
 Among the most important matters discussed and settled was the relax ation of the bylaws relative to the admission of men not physically per- feet into the order Heretofore this has been one of the strictest rules. It will be possible. however. in the future for a maimed man to become Mason.
 George Thornburgh, the publisher of the Masonic Trowel, was instructed to edit and promulgate a Masonic monitor for the benefit of the Masons of the state.
 The rule to refuse admission to the order of any man engagei in the sa- | loon business was aQneren tO.
 Mir Myers, now past grand master. was placed on the board of control of | the Masonic temple The grand lodge sessi )n closed with the installation of the following of | ficers:
 John T. Hicks. of Searcy, grand master, to succeed Harry H. Myers S T. Rowe, of Greenwood, deputy grand master, to succeed John T. Hicks.
 1 A. B. Grace. of Pine Bluff grand sen. l for warden. to succeed s. T. Rowe.
 F.. E. Bryant, of Fort Smith, grand l junior warden. to succeed A. B. Grace. John Oathout, of Bonneville, grand | lecturer. reelected.
 c. w. DeVaughn, custodian of the works.
 F. o. Butt. grand orator, to succeed William T. Hammock Fay Hampstead. of Little Rock, grand secretary, reelected. P K. Roots. of Little Rock, grand treasurer, reelected. The appointive officers installed were Judge Jacob Trieber, grand senior deacon; M. w Greeson, grand junior deacon. and Edward Metcalf. grand tyler, besides the ten district of ficers.