The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-05-19

IN THE DAYS OF 1855
First Bylaws Of Gate City Royal
Arch Chapter and Printed by
Tho Gate City Nearly
Sixty Years Ago.

Sixty Years Ago.
There is something in the mystic
ties of masonry which bind together
in fraternal bonds the brotherhood OF
that old organization which dates it's
origin away hack to period In the
traditional and historic past, which 10
past finding out and of which the
world stands in ignorance, only won
derfng at the mystery which for years
and years have kept real, upright
loyalty to principles therein taught
and the apparent sacredness with
which these ties bind
Not many weeks ago there was a
visitor in the city from neighboring
town and entering business house,
casually was waited on by Mr.. Harry
NJ. Carey. They were personally
strangers, but the subject OF Masonry
adroitly slipped into the conversation.
The visitor from neighboring town
was Mr.. w. A. Stewart who let 1t be
known that he had in his possession
an old pamphlet issued by the Keo-
kuk chapter OF Royal Arch Masons,
its bylaws and regulations issued
years ago and said he would send It
to Mr.. Carey on his return, but lest
he forget, IL he did not receive the
pamphlet In a reasonable time to
write him and he would forward It,
1t did not arrive in the time appoint
ed and Mr. Carey dropped line to
his new-made friend; and In few
days, the old pamphlet, with broth
erly letter, came to Mr.. Carey The
let ser from Mr.. Stewart gives few
lines OF history concerning this old
pamphlet. He says of it, that lit
was with my fathers papers and filed
away among the archives. It was CIV
en- him by s. F. Sanford. My father,
H. A. Stewart, afterwards became q
member OF the chapter at Kahoka. =
| This old pamphlet Is fairly well
| preserved and bears these lines On its
title page:
Bylaws and Regulations
Gate City
Royal Arch Chapter
Held at the City OF
Keokuk, Iowa
Read and Adopted in Open Chapter
Feb. n. A. D.. 1855.
Keokuk
Gate City Prin,
1855"
So the old pamphlet has the addi-
tional local interest, in the fact that
it was printed. even to the binding in
the bylaws and regulations were
adopted.
Gate City Chapter.
Gate City chapter. No. Z, was in
stituted when under dfspensatioh
granted December %. 1854, sixty
wears ago next Christmas, to the fol-
lowing named persons: George Rus
sell, J. M. Shelley. John A. Graham.
H. w, Beers. w. H. Wooster, c. Gar
Der, d. W. Pressed, G. st. Clair Hus-
sey. C. F. Conn, William Lamb, ]. T..
Arthur, o. S. Conklin, William T. Day
ana Thomas +. Bruce. How the men
ton OF those names will create a
chain OF memory Of the older resi-
dents of the city. some which names
had even been forgotten but will
come back to them like the reappear-
ance of a dream that had fed.
The first oficers OF the chapter
we're as follows:
Geo. Russell, NJ. E. high priest.
. J. NJ Shelley, NJ q. king.
!. A. Graham, NJ. E. Scribe.
G. st. C. Hussey. c. host
o. s. Conklln. P. sojourner.
d. w. Pressed, r. A. captain.
Keokuk establishment. The Gate
City printing house, very soon after
J. X. Hornish, NJ. 80 v.
J. NJ. Hiatt. NJ. I'd v.
J. Haines. NJ list v.
J F.. Sanford. secretary.
Thomas Haight, treasurer.
Thomas Bruce, guard.
The old pamphlet contains in addi-
ton to the rules and regulations a
list of the officers, several odes used
in their meetings and forms of petit
lions
It is valuable souvenir Of the
early Masonic days in Keokuk and
valuable as memory of the good OLD
days of the past. linking them with
golden cords to the very present. 1t
is refreshing to look upon and will
prove a matter of much interest to
those who have been enlightened in
chapter lore.
Ed Armstrong, who was connected