The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-10-30
Fifty Years
of Masonry
BY JOE e. HEREFORD, P. M.
Chapter z.

For several years the administra-
tive officers of the Grand Lodge had
been deeply concerned over the lack
of sufficient funds to properly finance
the institution. The attention of the
craft had been called to this matter
time and again, but had always fallen
upon Indifferent ears. So potent was
the conviction among many of the
brethren that money was unnecessary
for the proper promulgation of Free
Masonry that many in the subordinate
lodges flatly refused to pay even a
small monthly fee, evidently upon the
theory that the craft should receive
wages rather than pay, as was the
custom at the building of King Solo
mons Temple.
When it came to increasing the
grand dues from the small pittance of
25 to so cents in order that the ex-
penses of the body might be properly
met, the members always resisted it,
even though they were well able to
stand the tav, being at all times the
most prosperous members of our race
in the state. It was not surprising
that the fraternity should not take
warmly to such an evanescent idea as
Scent tax for the purpose of pro-
viding Grand Lodge library, for such
plan appeared wholly impractical
even to the laymen, especially as the
Grand Lodge had no fixed place of
meeting or any secure place for the
depository of a library.
So when the fourteenth annual COM
munication was convened in Hanni-
bal on Aug. II, 1880. with Grand Mas
ter Brent presiding, these questions
were foremost for consideration. To
us at this time it appears that the
Grand Lodge had very tiresome and
desultory way of transacting it's busi-
ness, most of the earlier part of each
session being frittered away and dur
ing the latter part the work being
either hurried through or entirely
overlooked. There was always much
speechmaking and the practice of in
Producing all sorts of resolutions was
so common that many fthese brought
on heavy consideration even before
the Grand Master could deliver his
annual address. This of course was
the fault of the Brand Master, who
shduld have insisted upon and exer-
cised the prerogatives of his office
even when these may have been
usurped by the friends to whom he
looked for his support and perhaps
his reelection.
Grand Master Brent was weak on
this point, contrary to what might
have been expected from Mason of
such wide experience and scholar so
profound.
At the Hannibal session quite bit
of routine work and resolution bait
ing was indulged in as soon as the
body was formally opened, it being
motion to limit the time for debate
on these premature subjects.
One of these resolutions offered by
Brother ]. M. M. Stokes provided for
an increase in the grand dues, not
withstanding the frequency with which
that idea had been turned down, and
the fact that the Grand Master had
encouched that idea into the recon-
mendations of his annual address,
to deliver
The annual address was forced
through during the afternoon session
and was a very high class, well bal
anced production. 1t dealt at some
length upon the matter of territorial
jurisdiction which the white Grand
Lodge had urged against the Negro
I.rsnfh crrhf f0WfHr rurn n
their prejudice and really deserving
of no attention.
The old Compact ha dtried to come
to life and had done some wiggling
about in Kansas City, st. Louis and
other places, but the Grand Master and
his deputies had been equal to the
occasion and had put quietus upon
the effort. Fifteen new lodges had
been set to work All the seventeen
formal decisions were sound and have
to this day been lived up to by the
fraternity in our jurisdiction. Grand
Master Brent was a thorough master
of Masonic law and knew how to ex-
press it tersely and plainly.
The election always being big
event in the Grand Lodge, it was
staged promptly on the second day
before any reports were heard from
committees. The Grand Master was
reelected unanimously, none of the
old guard presuming to run against
him, but earch now treading upon the
other in hastily mounting the band
wagon. Chinn was advanced to the
position Of Deputy Grand Master after
a spirited contest with Brother James
w. Grant. 1t took two ballots to elect
Junior Grand Warden, Brother AL
len Goodin being defeated for re-elec-
tion.
This was the first session from
which Brother Alexander Clark had
been absent, and he sent a communi-
cation. the contents of which were not
published. Brother Ricketts, received
vote of thanks in the form of reso-
luton for his skill as newspaper re-
porter. this being only one of his many
excellencies as Grand Lodge worker,
Mr.. and Mrs. o. V. Watts, 1907 East
18th street. are the proud parents OF