The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-09-18
5OYears of Masonry
BY Joe E. Herriford, p. NJ.
CHAPTER |.

souri, would have been one of the
earliest Masonic jurisdictions.
But such was not the case There
are seventeen jurisdictions older than
ours. Even California is sixteen years
older than Missouri
The three lodges in the city of st.
Louis. Prince Hall No. /, Lone Star
No. 2, and H. McGee Alexander No. 3,
had been organized under the juris-
diction of Ohio, and for a number of
years little effort was made to ex-
tend the sphere of the craft to other
parts of the state,
| The institution of slavery which
prevailed in the southern states ma
turally gave the free states an earlier
opportunity for practicing secret rites
as well as other educative privileges
and in this way the lateness of our
beginning may be accounted for. But
with slavery abolished there was no
valid reason for the slowness of
growth which afterwards marked the
spread of the work here even under
the jurisdiction of another state.
However, in 1865, the three st.
Louis lodges formally withdrew from
the jurisdiction of Ohio. A special
communication was called for Dec.
20, 1866, in the city of St Louis, for
the purpose of organizing a Grand
Lodge, a warrant from the National
Grand Lodge having been already OBJ
tanned
H. McGee Alexander was chosen
Grand Master and among the other Of
ficers were w. P. Brooks, who but re-
, Gently died, Grand Treasurer, and
Moses Dickson, Grand Lecturer The
warrant from the national body was
ordered printed and Mackey's juris-
prudence was adopted as the regular
: legal authority. Other preliminaries
{ of institution were formally observed
after which the session closed.
The first regular annual communi-
t cation was held in the city of St
= Louis, June 8. 1867, with a grand
S lodge membership of eighteen, small
p beginning in numbers but in real, un-
d defiled Masonic zeal never since sur
passed. These men met together be-
S cause of their actual love for the sac
e red institution. For them it was
e matter of devout veneration, a cause
e in which each strove not for honors
but 70 ran opportunity to serve.
: Each of these eighteen members
r solemnly resolved to work day and
} night for the spread of the institu-
ton and plans were formally made
10 take the state for the craft.
Before the year had closed, how
ever, the infant jurisdiction was
j thrown into sorrow by the death of its
Grand Master and when the second
a annual communication convened in the
city of st. Louis, June II, 1868,
Q Brother Alexander Clark, R. w. Dep
uty Grand Master was acting Grand
g Master. Brother Moses Dickson,
e Grand Lecturer had been moved up to
r. Depunty Grand Master, protein, and
being man of great personal force
/, and natural traits of leadership, was
If easily elected Grand Master, Brother
e Clark becoming Grand Treasurer.
In the meantime Hannibal had TAX
i en- on the vows of Masonic secrecy
is and the fourth annual communication
was held there beinning on July a.
s. 1870. This was the first time the
grand body had met outside of the
Il city of st Louis.
in 1t appears that at the third annual
s. communication Brother Moses Dick
s. son had declined a reelection and al
the Hannibal session Brother Alexan
" der Clark occupied the oriental chair
"a The Grand Lodge was now getting
on swimmingly and besides a largely
nd augmented number of past masters
ng there were four past grand Officers
present. Here Brother G. w. Guy, nov
la aged and residing in Topeka, Kas
st first came into official notice and TO
two years following distinguished him
lrl self as Grand Secretary.
ty, Under the leadership of Grand Mas
eu ter Clark, who was a man of unusua
sa energy and Masonic alertness tn
ar Grand Lodge made rapid strides 81
Cd that the fifth annual communicated
m was able to be held July 8, 1871 in tn,
lis city of Memphis. Tenn.
The sixth annual communication
ie July /, 1872, was held in the city o
~ Keokuk, Iowa, thus further illustrat
~ ing the rapid spread and growing
~ strength of the order. At this session
10 Brother w. R. Lawton was chosen L
% succeed Brother Clark as Grand Mas
ter after an apparent set-up agains
'e the latter and with no evident adya1
tage to the craft
v Brother Lawton rendered a fai
account of his stewardship at the seV
enth annual communication which bI
gan in the city of Independence. Mo
up July l, 1873. He was man Of fines
Ne ideals and high intelligence, eve
lst though lacking in some of the quail
nj ties necessary for leadership in rul
err ged pioneer service. He was r,
'us elected and at the eighth annual con
ng munication held at Jefferson Cit
ais July II, 1874, opened the NJ. w. Gran
ult Lodge in Ample Form. Brother Gu
nd returned to the Grand Secretary por
in folio after an absence OF one year an
he served two years longer. Broths
OF Alexander Clark was recalled to IL
His Grand East before the end OF the Sc