Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-06-10
The 11Gth Annual Communication
Now in Session in This
City.
1880 MAS0NS IN VERMONT
(;rnnd Nnstcr Tiilotson's Address.
Veteran Association IInd Their
annual Meeting while Enjoy
ing u Bontrlde and Ban-
quct Last Evening.

The llGth annual communication Of the
| Grand Lodge of Vermont. +. & A. Nl
convened in the rooms of the Scottish Hitc
| in the Masonic Temple at ten o'clock
| Yesterday morning Grand Master Leo s
Tilotaon of St Adams presiding. An I'M
usually full attendance of delegates was
present
The business Of this session. which was
| tho only one held yesterday. was
| prin cipally of routine nature. The report
of the secretary showed that during the
past year G3l Masons have been made in
Vermont. There have been in the same
time 2il deaths. other accessions and
losses, placing the net gain for the year
at a5s. There arc in the State 1903 lodges
and 100 dispcnrat,ons and the present
m membership Is l2G5O The financial cond-
tion Is excellent
Grand Master Tlllotson spoke In part
rs follows:
once moro the Grand I.odre Of Yer
mont assemblies in annual communlca-
ton Each year the personnel Of this
body changes quito materially. hut its
deliberations are governed by the same
general rules Of procedure. the same
principles OF Masonic law that has gov
erned us and our predecessors for the one
Numbered and fifteen years
We look forward naturally, to orr
own undertakings. our own possibilities.
laying plans for many future years Of
activity IN this world; but In the cere-
mony Of our opening. as our eyes have
been directed TO the center of the lodge
we observe that our altar continues to
wear the melancholy dress placed there
In loving but solemn remembrance II
those who have ceased their activities
In this world; and In the hearts Of all
blooms continually reminding them
of tho many lovahe and estima bic
qualities Of our departed brothers
thereby furnishing tangible proof of the
immortality OF the soul.
We thus know from our own expert
ences that the influences OF our lives
will remain with those who survive u.s. |
For this reason, If FOR no other We ought |
to so regulate our actions here that the
influences which We shall surely leave !
behind shall he for good.
During the past year many loved broth |
ers. both within and without our iuris- I
G!ction. have passed to the undiscovered
country from whose bourne neither |
they nor we who must sometime follow. |
can ever return. | cannot here enumer- |
ate them all and therefore onumerate !
none, for it is not for me, nor you. to |
say that anyone Of them is more worthy |
than the rest. Many OF them were per-
sonaly known to us. and all Of them |
were brothers. leave the detailed |
statement Of their names and the facts
connected with each for the committee on
-.N,.
move on Just the same without them.
Their task ON earth was finished and |
the time had come for them to pass
their work on to others. It is fitting
that we should. at the beginning of our
deliberations, pause for a few moments.
and devote our thoughts to recollection
of our departed friends and brot l
ask the Grand Lodge to rise and stand
with bowed heads. IN silent memory and
honor of our f.atcrnal dead
Among other matters which will be
presented for your consideration. is n
proposed amendment to the bylaws
making some change in the present ar
rangemcnt OF lodges into districts. This
matter Is IN the hands Of a special com
mittee and all lodges have been notified
of the time and place where they may
be heard upon the question if they SC
desire
I beg to call your attention to the
following fact In connection with our
temple debt. That debt on June 10,
1885, was $4,000; on juno TO- 1905 1T was
&S7 800, n decrease in ten years of 49,,
500
The present temple per capita tax of
90 cents began in ,he year of 1866, and
from June, 1896 to June. 1905, inclusive
there had been received from that source
the sum of 81. 1900. OF this amount
there was paid out for interest on the
debt s29S45; leaving the amount paid
upon the principal, from this source only
sl2 s45.
Even at the present time more than
half the amount received from 80 cents
per capita tax has to be used to pay
interest.
Brethren, as n cold business PROPOSE
ton is this good MANAGEMENT? Is 1t not
time that we arose above the 80 cent
basis Of doing business?
AT our present rate 1t would probably
take twelve or fifteen years more to
pay our debt. In the meantime, the
widows and orphans and destitute
brothers must suffer for the necessaries
Of life while the nearly 1900 Masons
Of this jurisdiction contribute only 80
cents each,
Brethren, If l know the Masons of
Vermont. and l think ! do, you will not
permit this condition to continue; and
| recommend the adoption Of the fol-
lowing resolution:
Resolved, That beginning with the fiscal
year lS9-lo, and continuing for three
years, this grand lodge lay an assessment
on each lodge In this Jurisdiction of s. 90
per member thereof; the same to be paid
10 the grand lodge on or before February
nrst Of each year, and applied upon the
temple debt This Is a special ASSESS
nent. and is In addition 10 those already
ey isting.
At the suggestion Of r, w. Brother
George Il, Orlady, grand master OF
Pennsylvania, tho grand masters of all
the States east Of the Mississippi river
were invited to meet in Philadelphia
June l. ?. and 9. 1909, for the purpose OF {
discussing interjurisdictional questions I
With tho view that through tine recon-