The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1909-09-06
Royal and Select Masters
and the Eastern Star

Fargo has lodge OF Royal and Sc
lect Masters with a membership Of
nearly 100. The Royal and Select Mas
ters is an order In Masonry--the con-
Meeting link between the Blue Lodge
and the Chapter OF Royal Arch Ma
sons 1t is known as the Cryptic Rite
and the best explanation OF its work
is found in a circular from Recorder
e. George Guthrie. This circular says
In speaking Of the Cryptic Rite:
1T may not be amiss 10 say that II
makes the continuity OF the York Rite,
which to the student Of Masonry now
exhibits void. broken chain, as ex-
emplified In the Master Mason and
concluded in the Royal Arch degrees
This is what the degrees OF the Royal
and Select Master opens up to you
They complete the book of which some
chapters are missing in your Masonic
history"
History Of Lodge In North Dakota.
The first introduction OF the three
degrees of the Royal and Select Mas
tiers in North Dakota was made at Cas-
selton when the Casselton council was
instituted In 1SS9--the same year the
state came into existence. T. j. VIII
der was the moving spirit in the or
ganization Of this body and for num-
Der of years it was the only council in
the commonwealth. It was thought that
this branch of Masonry should be more
extensive in North Dakota and the
general grand council sent delegation
to the state to fTnpart new yigor into
the work. This resulted In the estab-
lishment OF lodges at Jamestown, Lis
bon, Grand Forks, Towner, Devils Lake,
Bismarck and Fargo. 1t was at this
time that the Fargo council received
it's dispensation.
| However the work again had re.
/ lapse with the result that all of the
councils died with the exception OF the
Casseiton body, which despite many
| drawbacks continued to live and pros
per. The body remained in Casseltor
as the only lodge Of it's kind in the
state until 1905, when it and it's char
ter were transferred to Fargo. AT that
time number of the members of tht
Casselton council moved to this city
which was undoubtedly one of the rea-
sons for the transfer. After the trans.
fer of the charter the body became
known as Fargo Council No. l. Roya
and Select Masters.
Under the first charter of Fargo
Council No. /, A. B. Taylor was Illus.
trious Master and Frank ]. Thompson
was recorder.
From that time on the Fargo council
continued and Is at the present tim,
the only council in the state of NORTH
Dakota The members of the local bod!
are composed of Masons from all part!
Of the state and great interest Seems
to be taken in the work. At this tim'
there are large number of applica
tons which have been received, ant
these applicants will be initiated in tn
near future,
While the history of the organiza
ton has not been Of the most brillian
/ character, 1t is lodge that is in ever!
respect worth while and as Mr.. Guthrie
says in his circular forms a connecting
link in Masonic history which shoult
not be missed by aspirants who wisl
to learn all there is to be learned Ii
the great order. Its prospects wer
never better in the history of the stat
and there is every reason to believ
that new impetus has been given t
the body which will put 1t among tn
leading branches of Masonry In Nort
Dakota.
The Present officers.
/ The present officers or Fargo Counci
No. are men widely known all owe
the state. They are as follows:
Illustrious Master-A. B. Taylor.
i Deputy Illustrious Master-R. N
Pollock.
Principal Conductor OF Works-M. G
L. Mackinroth.
/ Treasurer-Peter Pickton.
Recorder-E Geo. Guthrie.
Captain Of Guard--Geo. r. Radfort
Conductor of CounciI-Chas. L. Ston
Steward--Jas. e. Taylor.
Sentinel--Gustave e. Elfstrom.
Fargo council meets on the first an
, third Thursdays in each month in tn
Masonic temple, when it transacts sue
business as comes before 1t.
The Eastern Star.
J No fraternity seems complete withou
an auxiliary or womans organization
j The Masons have realized this fact t
} the fullest sense of the word and hay
, established womans fraternity in tn
! Order of the Eastern Star.
In Fargo this lodge is represented b
a strong body of nearly 30 member
which has proven great aid to we
! balanced development OF Masonry
J the city. AS with most Of the othe
. lodge auxiliaries in the country tn
Eastern Star is open to the wives an
daughters of Masons and to the Mason
! themselves, although the male mem
bers are barred from holding office wit
the exception Of the Office of Worship
full Patron
! Lodge Instituted in 1893.
! After Masonry had been establishe
/ in Fargo for number Of years 1t wa