Omaha daily bee., 1908-06-21
Quality of The Order

The running expenses of the home are secured by annual dues
paid by each member of the lodge in the state, and this is the only
fund for relief purposes which is raised by a law of the order; for,
as has been frequently remarked, Masonry is an institution peculiar
uutoi tsef. It follows none, patterns after none and completes with
none" For this reason the order shuns publicity The most genial
fellows on earth will hold festal meetings from time to time. The
t1ow y Wit nd hpmor.. the height and depth of sentiment. the scin-
citations of the finest oratory are spread for the edincaton of the
brethren. and aside from those assembled brethren none are the
wiser. Literature. lecturers. philosophers, poets, all. vie with each
price products of their mind which the world believes itself fortunate
to purchase at any figure.
For this reason there is no desire o the part of the organ
ization to make a large showing of membership. Like all other human
institutions It appreciates prosperity, but in its history and tradition,
running back almost to the dawn of civilization, it has learned that
the race is not always to the swift nor the battle to the strong-at
least not IS swirness and strength are understood by the super
hcaL The idea of selecting quality rather than quantity was not
more firmly impressed upon Gideon than 1t has been upon Free.
masonry in America, and sometimes the lesson has been one which
has left scars
In the light of this knowledge the growth of the order in the
state is not only something to be appreciated by the society. but
speaks volumes for the citizenship of the state. The returns to the
grand lodge shows that ZOO persons were made Master Masons in
the fiscal year 19O7-S, and that the total number of Master Masons
in good standing was 16, 1893 on the rolls March 81, 1908. Considered
from the standpoint of population Nebraska is one of the strongest
of Masonic jurisdictions, and its work demonstrated the activity of
It's membership.
AS the lodge has grown with the growth Of the aate it can
readily be understood that the history of the commonwealth is to a
great extent reflected in this history of the order. The Nebraska
pioneers came from Illinois, Iowa and Missouri. largely There a
none of the "transcendental" effort at colonization in Nebraska
that marked the early settlement Of its sister state, Kansas, and it
can easily be understood that these pioneers in feeling the necessity
of a lodge-home in their new surroundings looked to the earlier
associations to provide such place; 81 the first lodge organized in
the territory was chartered by the grand lodge of Illinois. the second
by the grand lodge of Missouri and the third by the grand lodge of
Iowa While the institution of the first lodge at Bellevue is an oft
told tale it is not so generally known that the first petition received
by any Masonic lodge in the state ws signed by Peter A. sarpy, the
man In whose honor sarpy county was named, and who was the
owner of the building in which the first lodge was opened. He was
initiated into the order January 5. 1856, at Council Bluffs, Ia, as
the infant lodge had neither the facilities nor the house for the
work. The first person to receive the third degree in the state was
Henry T. Clarke, who is proving his youth at this time by making
active efforts before both the republican and democratic national
conventions to secure the restoration of steamboats, on the Missouri
river. and making that stream today, a s it was in the dawn of
Masonic light in the territory one of the main channels of commerce
of the west