The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1908-08-24

, smiled kindly smile when the commu-
nication OF Mr.. Thompson was read to
| him.
I'VE would like. Mr.. Diehl. to have an
official statement from you. inasmuch as
you and Mr.. Brown are personally re-
ferred TO, and the grand lodge which you
represent is declared in this letter to be
in existence without warrant
"Well, it is really absurd, in one sense,
and yet L feel sorry for the dupes who
have been taken in by this or any other
man." replied Mr. Diehl; AS an official
statement you may publish this dictation
| il you desire: .
unworthy TO take notice of the letter sent
Won by Mr.. Thompson. His statement that
the grand lodge of Utah was, not a regu-
lar grand lodge and was notyrecoSnized is
entirely false. The grand lodge of Utah
is recognized everywhere, from the pre-
mier grand lodge of England and every
other grand lodge on the face of the globe,
and as a grand lodge has an enviable rep
utatiOn everywhere
1T is well-esta blished Masonic law
! that only one grand lodge can exist IN
state, province or territory. Thus every
state in this and other countries
has only one grand lodge, which is the su-
preme power and governs the craft in the
| jurisdiction.
Where Authority Lies.
so much for symbolic or blue lodge
Masonry As to Scottish Rite Masonry.
there are but two supreme councils in the
United States. viz: the southern ana
northern jurisdictions. The supreme coun-
ell of the former is located at Washing
| ton, d. c.. and has for its grand COM
mander James d. Richardson and its sec
rotary general is A. B. Chamberlain The
seat is at Charleston, S. c. The northern
| Jurisdiction seat is located in Boston.
This being the case and well estab-
| lished Masonic law. any other man or
body of men claiming to have rights to
establish lodges of symbolic masonry or
Scottish Rite Masonry is fraudulent and
clandestine. has no standing. and any
person claiming TO have received the de-
rees in such a clandestine body VIII new
er be recognized as a Mason in the juris-
diction of Utah or any other jurisdiction
throughout the world.
I'm accordance with these facts the
| grand master of Utah. James II. Brown,
has sent TO every lodge In the Jurisdlc-
| ton an edict warning the loyal Masons
| against this intrusion"
Laws Against Impostors.
At this time there are laws, passed by
| legislative enactment, in the states or
New York and Massachusetts, which are
aimed against persons who, without au-
| thority confer degrees in fraternal organ
| iZations. The offense in New York is
made a misdemeanor, but the punishment
| may be as severe as a sentence OF three
wears in prison. a movement is now on
| foot. with fostering headquarters, SO 10
speak to secure similar laws for Califor-
MIA; the hope is that the statute WILL
within a reasonable time, De written lhto
the codes of Utah.
Prominent local Masons regard the Hell
per incident as a good deal of joke. one
of the ,'thirty-thirds. laughingiy SPEAK
| ing of the matter yesterday, SAID:
Since the article in your paper came
ont a number of the boys have told us
about the Helper meeting. They say the
meeting was held in the back room oil
saloon and that mostly ignorant Ioreisn-
| ers-Greeks and such-were made the VIC
| Tins They were given all of the degrees
known to Masonry in single night at %
per degree, with many OF the degrees
doubled up. We are told that man couid
become a thirty-second degree Mason IN
an hour or two and that If he were really
ambitious he could get the thirty-third
for another s.. ! believe the boys SAID
| Shriners' credentials could be mao eX-
| ceedingly cheap, also, but / am not sure
whether l understood him correctly about
| this.
BOYS Are "Eiigible."
I'VE are told. too. that boys of IS were
| taken in 1t is the established law of
| Masonry that no person under the age OF
| p shall be entitled to membership. No.
| do not know what work was given them,
| but l do know that number of loyal Ma
| sons. and sensible men, have been stung-
When these are asked why they did II,
they invariably reply that they did not
| know; that everything seemed to be all
| right and that not being familiar with
| all of the work. they took it for granted
that the people who took their money and
gave them their degrees were all right
| This sort of business is not especially
harmful to the order. but 1t is harmful in
that a lot of innocent people suffer-
The grand lodge of Utah was organized
| in 1872 with three local lodges. the lowest
/ number permitted in the organization OF
| grand lodge When grand lodge is
organized communication is had with 9TH
! er grand lodges and as soon as these other
grand lodges recognize the newly created
| body, It is a grand lodge, with all the
| power and jurisdiction with which the
| laws of Masonry invest it.