The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1906-01-26
THE HAWAIIAN TANCLE"

IT is decided that they are in every way
regular, l shall have succeeded in divid-
ing the masonic fraternity in this ter
rltory into two very hostile camps,
which, in view of the present cordial
relations that exist, l should regard
as deplorable.
This seems to me to be a matter in
which judgment is called for, rather
than the rule and l trust you will so
view it,
The matter of requesting Maui lodge
to confer degrees on behalf of Hawaiian
lodge viii of course be held in allegiance
pending your reply"
Your disposition to preserve harmony
and good feeling among the craft on
the islands, fully appreciate.
In looking up the law applicable to
the case, 1 discovered that away back
in the seventies the masons at Waikiki
applied to the Grand Lodge of Cali
fornia for dispensation to institute a
lodge there, which was granted, and
the lodge was organized and named
Maui lodge 1t was in existence for
several years. having rather a hard
struggle, as had your own lodge during
that time, because of the many de-
mands made upon it, and finally it
deemed it best to surrender its char
| ter which was done, and the same ac-
cepted by our Grand Lodge on the 18th
Of November 1871 Before doing this
it met all it's liabilities paid it's Grand
Lodge dues and turned over to it the
sum of 1927 SO which in turn was given
to Hawaiian Lodge, No. q.
In view of this discovery on my part
l could hardly understand why the
| masOns at the same place DESTROYS of
forming another lodge, twenty-seven
years later, should not come to the
| Grand Lodge of California for a charter
| with which their predecessors and the
! locality had once been identified, which
was more accessible and under whose
! jurisdiction were men who had always
entertained the most kindly feelings to-
ward the Brethren of Hawaii in a bust
ness social and fraternal way
! You have enclosed a communication
! from Bro. Lewis of your lodge, dated
Auglst 16, 1904, written while Master
! to Grand Master Nutting, in relation
! to this matter and the latter's reply
| Their to.
Fro. Lewis gave it as his opinion that
! 1t was the sentiment Of the members of
| Hawaiian lodge that, since the annex
! alton Of the territory to the Unit
| states if any new Masonic lodge was
to he formed. it should be done under
! some one of the grand lodges within
! the United States and not under au-
| th0rity emanating from any foreign
! country; and also he believed that to
! be the sentiment of many prominent
| members of Pacific lodge No. 500, under
! charter ffrom the Grand Lodge of Scot
! land. and also of Lodge LIE Progress de
| L'OCeanie No. 1874, under charter from
! the Supreme Council of France 1t
will be remembered that at our last
annual communication LIE Progress
| petitioned our grand lodge to come I'M
! der its jurisdiction. and the matter
was referred back for the present, be-
! cause, mainly as I remember of the al
! legiance It owed to the Supreme Coun-
Gil of France which had not been re-
| linquished, but, with a hope 1 am quite
sure that the matter could be so adj
justed to the satisfaction of all parties
that the preyer of its petition could at
some future time be granted. The
main object of Bro. Lewis letter SEEM
ed to be to urge that the Hawaiian
Territory be annexed to the jurisdiction
of the Grand Lodge of California and
be made a part of it, but as the reply
of the Grand Master touched both
points and it very brief, 1 take the
liberty of inserting it herein in full. 1t
| is as follows
"A. Lewis, Jr., Master Hawaiian
Lodge, No y.
Dear Sir and Bro: Yours of the
10th ult at hand. In my opinion Cali
fornia cannot annex the Territory Of
Hawaii as a part of it's Jurisdiction, all
grand lodges in the United States hav-
ing concurrent jurisdiction there.
agree with you that neither Scotland
nor any other foreign grand lodge has
and jurisdiction whatever.
eff a grand lodge We're formed in
Hawaii, you at once assume and have
exclusive jurisdiction, but in no other
way.
Yours truly and fraternally
&C. w. NUTTING,
Grand Master "
This letter was dated September 2
1904, and the masons who were then
contemplating the formation of Maui
| lodge and obtaining charter therefor