The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-06-05
EARLY
HISTORY
Of RITE
IN n. D..
ri: -
Forum Publishes History Frem
Founding to 1898
Many Of the Records Lost in
Great Fire Of 1898
Details Secured From Memory
Of Early Masons
- " |
Complete List Of Early Classes
Of Candidates
Complete List Of Early Classes
Of Candidates

The event last evening was the OBJ
%ervance of the thirtieth anniversary
of the establishment Of the Scottish
Rite bodies in Fargo. The audience
was a goodly one of ladies and gentle
men and the fullest interest was TAX
EN- in the proceedings. Regrets were
expressed that pressing official duties
prevented the attendance of Governor
Hanna, treasurer of the board Of trus-
etees of the Scottish Rite bodies, who
was programmed to be the chairman
of the occasion.
The governors place was ably filled
by Horatio c.. Plumley, sovereign
grand inspector general for North Da-
kota. The stage setting was an ap-
propriate wooden scene and was
apropos as a background to the speak
ers of the evening.
Seated on the right of Inspector
General Plumley were Charles E. Ro-
senbaum, grand prior, supreme coun-
Gil, Little Rock, Ark, and E. T. Taub-
man, Of Aberdeen, S. D., sovereign
grand inspector general for South Da-
kota. On the left of the chair were,
]. H. Worst, wise master, Pelican
Chapter Of Rose CroiX; William A.
Scott, deputy for North Dakota;
Charles e. Boyden Of Lisbon, and AL
bert B. Guptill. AS announced in a
published telegram yesterday, George
Fleming Moore, lieutenant rand COM
mander, supreme council, Montgomery.
Ala, who was to have been one of the
distinguished guests n who was to
have addressed the assembly on The
Scottish Rite, was unable to be pres
ent. His telegram Of regrets was read
by Mr.. Plumley.
The programme was auspiciously
opened with two voNntartes played on
the great organ Of the temple by Prof.
G. w. Simmons, Midsummer Caprice,
by Johnston. and MaXon's Marche
Heroique.
Following the opening music, Mr..
Plumley read a letter from Governor
: Hanna explaining his absence, 4 de-
layed meeting of the state pardon
board which required his presence.
After that were read a number OF teJe-
grams and letters from guests of nom
or. distinguished Masons who had been
invited to be present ;tt this aIniver-
sary celebration and the Homecoming
festivities.
Then the programme for the evening
was followed in it's order as follows:
Song-Where Would 1 Be. Zollner.
Scottish Rite Choir.
Address-Home Coming. Let me live
in the house by the side Of the
road and be a friend of man"
Charles E. ~Rosenbaum, $50, grand
prior, supreme council. Little
Rock, Ark.
Song-Elsa's Dream. Wagner, Mrs.
Ernest r. Wright.
Greetings From South Dakota-E. T.
Iaubman, $50, S. G, /. G.. Aber-
Early Incidents-Albert B. Guptill, |
= 33o. Hon.
Results of Thirty Years-William A.
Scott. $50, Hon. deputy for North
Dakota.
Reminiscences-Charles E. Boyden,
Lisbon.
son-(a) The Blind Girls Song (from
La Gioconda), Ponchilli; CD
Since I First Met Thee, Rubin
stein; Mrs. Harry H. Wheelock.
On Jan. 1S, 1882, Maj. Rufus E.
Fleming of Fargo received a letter
from Gen. Albert Pike, then grand
commander of the A. and A. Rite for
the southern jurisdiction, written Jan.
is, saying: Il am in receipt of a let
ter from Bro. Enoch r. Carson which
induces me to say to you that If you
will accept the charge Of deputy of our
supreme council for so much of Da-
kato as lies north Of the fourth stand
ard parallel, / will send you a COM
mission with all the necessary books,l
and you will by the commission be in |
vested with full power to confer all
degrees from the 40 to the $50 by our
ritual, and to establish lodges of per-
lection presently, and, in due time the
llSleE DOulSS OIL the rlLG, at suitable |
places in the territory.
you will have all the power of an
active member of our supreme coun-
Gil, except to give degrees without
charge as ar honorarium; and you will
have exclusive power within the terri
tory assigned you"
After a few days consideration, this
most generous and unsought honor
was accepted n IN Jan. 80, 1882, a |
commission was issued signed BY AL
bert Pike, grand commander, and
Brother Fleming at once began look
ing about to establish the rite in what |
is now North Dakota. ,
Jan. 9, 1883, the whole territory of
Dakota was attached to the state of |
Nebraska for temporary purposes, and |
the commission as deputy of the SUI |
preme council of Bro. Rufus e. F1em-
ing was endorsed June l. continuing |
him as the deputy Of Bro. Robert G..
Jordan.
1T was not until May 20, 1883, that
the following brethren assembled to
take the degrees under the direction
or general of Nebraska, who came to
Fargo to inaugurate the work and in
stitute Encch Lodge of Perfection and |
Pelican Chapter of Rose Croix: Rufus |
EE. Fleming, 32o; Marc al. Brewer, 32@;
Harry Richards, Thomas G. Paxton.
Albert B. GIptill, LIE Baron Yerxa, Will
liam E. Ro1ph, gRollin Thomas Rolph, |
Maurice Sheehan, Eugene Bernont
Talmage. Norman Maxwell Campbell,
John H. Spaulding, Theodore S. Ben
Daniel b. Burdette, John J. Buck
Harry G Stevens, Joseph Seldom
Huntington.
The Communication OF the degrees
was completed June /. and Enochi