The semi-weekly messenger., 1908-01-14
DEATH Of TWO AGtD CIlzEas THE MAs1hC GfAHG LODGE
Mill Meet in Annual fCmmu0l-
cation in Raleigh
Opening Session viii be Held Tonight
Several Loo al NasoT,s VIII be Pres
ent-Matters of Interest That are to
be Acted on.

| Tho Grand LoQg4 OF MasOns will
| int its 121st annual communication
| Among the members of the Masonic
! lodges from this city, who are expected
10 leave for Raleigh this morning are
| the following: Me8>3s. ". B. tckoy.
Alex s Holden, John S. McEach=
| c. DeRosset
| The News and Observer in speaEing
Of the session says:
The session viii ha one Of great
interest throughout the state for
everywhere there are Masons Tie
meeting VIII be a notable on in hat
the reports will show that u-dec he
administration of Grand Master Fran
| ces d. WinsDn, 5ha increase in the
membership of the order was greater
that in any previous year in tie his
tory Of the order. While only ven
new lodges were instituted, yet the
new members enrolled ring the past
year were 1872. Toe membership il
North Carolina now exceeds IS 900.
"The meeting is % be a large Cne
as the representation is in excess Of
six hundred and the larger number OF
the representatives are expected to
be present At the session new officers
are to be elected and an important
feature Will be that Of making arrange
ments to have the work on the Ma
sonic Temple pushed forward so as to
complete the handsome structure.
"The great increase in the member
ship Of the order during the past year
is ascribed to the plans Of Grand Mas
ter Winston in the work ot his dis
trict deputies. This work has been
most effective and mis- year it is pro-
posed to give even greater prominence
to it,-as the good results accomplished
by these workers is easily see n
Increased membership of tie order
1T has been the custom o. the Grand
Lodge t. hold . Grand Mister for two
terms. and if this custom is adhered
to Grand Master Winston will retire
and join the 'onks Of the Past Grand
Nastorc, while the usual custom would
eierare 70 the POSITION of Grand Master
Hon. s. NJ Gattis. Of Hillsbcro. who
is now Deputy Gram Master Of the or
der
"The plans for pushing forward the
construction of the Masonic Temple
will occupy much Of the tine Of the
meeting The work of erecting the
Temple has of late been gCirc o.
slowly because of TIE slow
1t is the understanding that at this ses-
sion the Grand Lodge will provide for
prompt payments to the contractors,
and that the work will then be pushed
with rapidfty.
"AnOther matter to come up is the
advisability If increasing the power Of
the District Grand Deputies. Two years
ago the state was divided into thirty
districts and the plan has worked SO
we'll tn, the MasOns will undoubtedly
emphasize their action of two years
ago by increasing he scope Of the 80
District Deputy Grand Masters, so that
Masonry will be given further empha-
sis
During the past year the increase in
membership by 1912 will be noted
with pleasure, the total enrolment be-
ing now approximately $4,000 There
has, Of course, been an increase in the
receipts Of the order and the annual
dues low amount to about 1000.
Zone of the great events of the
meeting this year will be a reunion Of
all the living Past Grand Masters, and
each has indicated his purpose to be
present. These Past Grand Masters are
F. H. Busbee, Raleigh; Col. Robt. H
Bingham. Asheville; Gen. William r.
Cox, Edgecomhe; Major Samuel H
Smith, Winston-Salem Gen. John w
Gotten, TarbOrO; Cot John Nichols,
Raleigh; Charles H Robinson. Will
mingtOn; Dr. r. J. Noble Selma: Dr.
H. l. Cook, Scotland Neck: Dr. F. NJ
Moye Wilson; Walter f. Moore, Web
ster; W. S. LiddelI, Charlotte; Gen. B.
S ROyster. Oxford"