The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1907-02-15
MASONIC LANS
MILDLY AMENDED.
Last Hours Of the Wors1ipful
Grand Lodge OF Masons
in Virginia.
EVIDENCES OF PROSPERITY
Salaries Increased and Provision
Made Tor Enlarged Donations
to Charitable Objects.

The one hundred and twer,ty-ninth
annual communication OF the Grand
Lodge OF Nlasons in Virginia was closed
last evening In peace and harmony after
most profitable and enjoyable session
of three days, and the Visiting breth-
rem arc now on their way to their
homes In various parts OF the State.
Grand Master Quinn opened tho
Grand Lodge at 2: go O'Clock ycstcr-
day afternoon, and the members i'm.
mcdiately showed q disposition to ut
tend strictly to business ana COM
plcte tho work that had called them
together. Tho time for elonucnce and
oratorial pyrotechnics had passed, and
matters were dispatched as rapidly as
they came up.
All the standing committees made ro-
ports, and most OF them pertalned to
things that the public Is not, allowed
to know Of, and Were disposed of with
but little discussion.
Masons Prosperous.
The final report Of the finance COM
1nittee was very gratifying to the
craft, and should be to- tho public, in
that 1t shows that the Masons OF Vir-
glnia, like all the other people, IRE
prosperous and are getting their fun
share Of the good things Of these days
The finance committee recognized all
LILO uiSooAHS VI prosperity ittHu, also
the Increased cost Of living, and III
their report. which was adopted. made
provision for larger expenditures this
year, and for the Increase, not only
! n contributions to tho charitable en-
terprises Of the fraternity, but for the
enlargement of tho compensation Of
tho salaried officers OF the Grand
Lodge.
The principal discussion Of the clos
ing day was on the revision OF the
Digest" tho Masonic law book. Tho
work Of revising the digest had been
referred at the last years communi-
cation of the Grand Lodge to Major
Sol. Cutchins Of this city. That gem
tlelnan gave the matter most careful
thought and did a great deal OF work
on 1T. His report, which was sub
nltted on tho first day OF the meet
Ing of tho Grand Lodge, was referred
to the committee on Jurisprudence, and
yesterday afternoon the two reports
| came up for consideration. The juris-
prudence committee recommended very
few changes in the report of Major
Cutchins, and the Grand Lodge itself
inado very few amendments to it. but
the revised laws were most carefully
scanned, and some Of the changes led
| to discussion
Few Changes.
AS matter of fact, Major Cutchns
suggested very few material changes
| in the organic laws OF the Masons, and
he said in presenting his report, that
1t was difficult to make any improve
ments In tho laws tina thad come down
from the forefathcrs. Most or the
| changes suggested We're in the nature
! OF Simplifying existing laws. This
work makes the Masonic Digest of
] Virginia one of the rarest and per-
haps the hest code Of laws in existence
to-day. t is worthy the study Of
lawmakers, for it is a rare combina-
ton of the best features of the abso :
! Lutte monarchy, the limited monarchy
and pure democracy. All these forms
of government have their redeeming
traits. Tie Masonic Digest makes
good use Of all of them, excluding the
bad features.
Altogether. the -hundred-a and
twenty ninth annual communication 3f
l the Grand Lodge has been to the MI
sons of Virginia one Of the mkt
profitable and enjoyable of recent
years. G