The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-10-02
Fifty Years
of Masonry
Chapter 8.
BY Joe E. Herrlford, p. NJ.

tanned tne M. w. Grdnu DOuBe OF MIS-
souri, Much progress had been made
and many changes brought about since
the last session in that city. The
grand body had cut loose from the ma
tional and the membership had great
ly increased, bringing into the craft
many young men who have since dis
tinguished themselves as Masons.
At the morning session the Grand
Master was not present, being out of
the city, and delayed in returning,
so p. G, M. Moses Dickson presided
as acting Grand Master during the for
NAL ceremonies.
Rev. Richard Ricketts,, father of the
since illustrious Grand Master and
Masonic scholar, Matthew o. Ricketts,,
was Grand Chaplain and invoked the
divine blessing upon the convocation.
The lodge at Fayette had been named
in his honor and the name must have
been an inspiration, judging from the
excellent record which the lodge has
sustained even to this day.
telegram came from Grand Mas
ter Clark asking that the Grand Lodge
be called off until he might arrive at
8 p. m. Though there appears to have
been no good reason for such pro-
ceeding, all the other grand officers
being present, the request was heed
ed and the remainder of the day was
spent at refreshment.
The evening session was begun
when the presence of the Grand Mas
ter was made known. The record says
"he was received in due form and es-
corted to the o. C. s." The 30" stands
for Oriental,
In the report of the committee on
credentials ST. Louis showed up strong
with her masters, wardens and past
masters through whom the city hoped
to be able not only to be felt in all
forms of legislation but to secure a
vote favoring the permanent location
of the Grand Lodge at that place.
The Grand Masters annual address
followed on the second day and while
very able review of his years work,
provement over that of the year pre-
vious. Brother York E. Anderson of
Keokuk had died during the year and
upon his many virtues tie Grand Mas-
ter delivered a feeling eulogy. There
was the usual my very dear brother"
with the Grand Orient
of France in which the Grand Master
too kspecial delight.
Seventeen new lodges had been
formed, all strong and promising at
that time, but only half of which have
lived down to our time. OF the ma
terial the Grand Master said they
were "of the very best character, well
and youched for"
Four corner stone layings were re-
ported, one of these being that of
Allen chapel, Kansas City, at which
Past Grand Master Moses Dickson
had charge of the ceremonies. Pritch-
ard lodge and Rome lodge turned out
in force upon this occasion and it was
the biggest Masonic affair ever held
in Kansas City up to that time.
The list of thirteen recommends
tions submitted by the Grand Master
was almost identical with the list of
the year before, showing that the
Grand Lodge was not inclined to act
with haste upon the plans laid out
on the T. B. and that the Grand Mas
ter was correspondingly persistent in
keeping his plans before the brethren.
The list of decisions contained all
sound doctrine even If some of these
went into the Royal Arch degrees.
Visitation of lodges all the way from
Minneapolis to Memphis was careful
ly covered and much was said about
suppers rendered by the ladies and
serenades by "colored brass bands"
The Grand Master had $621.45 charged
u pagainst the Grand Lodge, includ-
ing one counterfeit $40 bill which some
lodge had put over on him. The ac-
counts of the Grand Treasurer and
the Grand Secretary did not in any
way correspond except to show that
there was very little money on hand
outside of several promissory notes
which lodges had given for payment
of dues.
The five lodges of st. Louis decided
that it was time to act on the propo-
sition to permanently locate the meet
ings of the Grand Lodge in that city
and a memorial was presented to that
effect on the third day The vote of
the body showed, however, that the
psychological moment had not arrived
for the memorial, and st. Joseph won
the next meeting.
The Grand Lodge by resolution re-
ceived the sister jurisdictions Of Ohio
and Kansas into its good graces, thus
forgiving Brother Boyd for all that
Missouri had said about him and CIV
ing an official black eye to W. d. Mat
thews and his King Solomon Grand
Lodge forever.
Just before the annual election the
st. Louis members under the lead
ership of Brother John w. Wheeler.
whom many of us remember. retired
for consultation. Upon their return
seven true and trusted brethren were
placed in nomination for Grand Mas
ter, all of whom except Brothers Alex
ander Clark and w. p. Brooks, de-
clined to make the race. Clark beat
Brooks nearly 20 to / and everything
was serene. st. Louis won the two
wardenships as a consolation, Broth
er John Lange. Jr., declining to stand
for reelection and making the way
easier.