The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-10-16
Fifty Years
of Masonry
Chapter S.
BY Joe E. Herriford, p. M.

of the M. W.. Grand Lodge was held
in the city of Sedalia, being opened in
ample form with Grand Master Moses
Diskson presiding. It was memorable
in many ways. The jurisdiction had
rapidly increased in size and such tai
ent among the laymen had developed
until the clergy, who had hitherto
held all the important offices, here
found themselves unable to longer
maintain their leadership. Not that
their leadership had been in any sense
a failure, for the work spoke for it
self butt that it had in a sense be-
come monotonous. The reelection of
Moses Dickson as Grand Master on
the preceding year after he had al
ready held the office few years
prior and the support which the broth
er ministers gave him in that re-elec-
tion, created a suspicion among the
laymen that the system was to be
kept up indefinitely, and these, led
by few dissenting ministers, fore
most among whom was Rev. John w.
Wheeler, organized their forces and
after a most sanguine contest, took
the reins into their own hands.
The annual address of Grand Mas
ter Dickson was model of concise
ness and brevity. No mention was
made concerning the Grand Orient of
France, nor was there any reference
to the fraternal dead.
Tho nrard Morkar 1a.o4od ,oo,1,,
two pages to an euiogy of the Past
G. NJ, Alexander Clark, his friend and
comrade. Twenty new lodges had
been formed, one of them being Gold
en- Rule No. " at Chillicothe, in which
the writer first saw the light (years
afterward, however).
OF the five decisions rendered at
least three of them were out of har-
mony with the adopted Mackey and
have since been entirely reversed by
the Grand Lodge.
The Grand Master took a final shot
at the Matthews King Solomon Grand
Lodge, which operated chiefly in Kan
sas. The Matthews body had been
peddling their degrees throughout
Missouri. notably in Liberty, where
they had found particularly fertile
field, and had committed other acts
of marked effrontery. Grand Master
Dickson issued an edict closing all
Missouri lodges against the invaders
and asked that the order be made per-
petual. 1t had to come at some time,
as our body could not logically recog-
nize two grand lodges operating in the
state of Kansas, and Brother Mat
thews by his imprudent attitude only
hastened the day. However, with the
doctrinal idea that there is a fool
born every minute, Matthews went on
making Mason at sight every min
ute and for several years thereafter
liYed upon the proceeds of his work.
He, no doubt, thought he was right
and Missouri had no one to blame but
herself that she had in any way be-
come his prey. Missouri tried to
cut loose from the compacts and at
the same time hold on, an inconsis-
tency which has been proved in more
than one field of experience.
The Grand Masters address was
by motion referred to a special dis
secting committee but Immediately
afterwards the regular committee on
the subject came forward and made
report which was approved.
For the first time in our printed
proceedings we note the name of our
now distinguished Brother Matthew
o. Ricketts,. He was appointed to
membership upon the obituaries COM
mittee but was by no means a dead
one during the session. He shows up
in several spots thereafter and must
have taken an active stand against
the reelection of the Grand Master
as the successful candidate after
wards gave him the office of Grand
Registrar, leaving Chinn, a Dickson
man, out in the cold.
The election of officers started on
the second day and continued through
the remainder of the four days ses-
sion. Brother Willis N. Brent was Sc
lected to run against Moses Dickson,
a resolution denouncing rotation in
office" or really repeating in office
was introduced and a long parley en-
sued up to the hour of calling off the
afternoon session.
At the evening session the oppos.
ing forces came out strong and the
insurgents won out after a thrilling
struggle. Brother John w. Wheeler,
another insurgent, was chosen Deputy
Grand Master after two exciting bal
lots, and Brother T. A. Head. a com
panion in arms, was chosen Senior
Grand Warden.
1t appears that after this every
body was tired out and the remainder
of the roster was filled with less ex
citement.
Macon City was so anxious to be
honored with the next session of the
Grand Lodge that she offered to give
free board to all the grand Officers
and charge the representatives only
so cents per day. Kansas City made
a similar offer. The records of the
year do not show it but Macon City
was the choice of tine brethren.
The three Past Grand Masters
Clark. ksawton and Dickson, were or
dered to furnish photographs OF them
selves to each subordinate lodge, bu