The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1915-12-11

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Pelham. No mar ever began a service
more auspiciQusly. He was not only
gifted with the highest order of schol-
arship and tact, but he possessed that
rare art of leadership which is to be
found in few men, and his dignified
congeniality won the blind confidence
of everyone who merely touched his
hand. His slightest favors which he
knew so well how to bestow made each
recipient a retainer ready to fight for
his leader at any time and in any
place. Grand Master Pelham was a
remarkable man indeed. Outside of
the Grand Lodge he was even more
popular as a teacher and a politician.
1t was no uncommon thing to see white
men high in political life vieing with
each other to obtain his favor. Many
political honors came to him as a
result of his recognized ability and
through his wisdom as a man of bust
ness affairs he soon became the recog-
nized leader of his race in the West.
There is something quite fascinating
in the style of English which he en-
ployed in his set addresses. 1t was
precise rather than deep, sometimes
too academic in spots, but always at
tractive. He possessed a remarkable
memory and his knowledge covered a
wide range of subjects.
No wonder that seated upon the
pedestal of such high distinction and
glory, one of the first things essayed
by the Grand Lodge was to remind
him that he was mortal by setting
aside 500 to be used toward the ex-
pense of his burial.
Just as the evanescent Masonic lib
rary had to become the official hobby
of former Grand Masters, so the new
leader took up the idea of a Masonic
Temple, a more tangible thing, and
urged its erection as a fixed abode for
the Grand Lodge. A committee was
even appointed to receive bids and
bonuses for the venture and to select
a suitable city to be honored. When
it came to the latter consideration the
contest between Jefferson City and
st. Joseph became so animated that
the matter had to go over for a year
or more of sober consideration.
The idea of Masonic institutes was
also advanced by the Grand Master.
These were to be training schools for
the brethren in the clerical processes
of the lodges and in the esoteric rites
of tn order. 1t was cited that very few
of the subordinate lodges ever sent
in correct annual returns, that the
lodge records were always in confus-
ion and that the finances were handled
very poorly. The institutes would cor
rect all this and would further har-
monte the formal ceremonies of the
jurisdiction.
The Grand Lodge library was to be
collected and placed into the hands of
the Strand Gecretary who should pub
lish a list of the same and the lodges
were all to be remembered so as to
fill up the gaps created by the falling
down of the mushroom lodges set up
in many desert places. OF these the
lodge at P~rairieville, instituted for
the purpose of giving Brother Pelham
a pas mastership was a good example.
Grand Master Pelham headed his
official discussion of the Masonic lie
lief with the q~lp'iation, MOT failure
but low aim is crime" He assured the
brethren of his unchanged devotion
to the ideals of the department and
suggested that a part of the relief
say S3O-should be set aside as a bur
ial expense for each deceased member.
This might be denoted the pioneer
note of the Burial Fund Department
which is now so popular in VI own or
ganization and in others as well.
1t will be recalled that prior to the
withdrawal of the Iowa lodges from
Missouri there had been set up in
that state a body designated as the
African Grand Lodge of Iowa. Bit
ter contentious had been rife in that
quarter Tor many months and the act
of forming a second Grand Lodge nat
urally added fuel to the flames. Mis-
souri, took the side of the younger
body, while Illinois and Kentucky en-
couraged the older. The Africans"
under the lead of one Brother Bland,
We're very aggressive and eve in
vaded the city of st. Paul where Mis-
souri, had at least one good subordin-
ate lodge. Pioneer Lodge No. 5.
A great deal of big talk was done
about this condition at the meeting
under consideration and it was voted
to take a roundabout course by first
recognizing the younger Grand Lodge
then Withdrawing the hand of fellow
ship from Illinois and Kentucky unless
they did the m Here it rested for
the time being.
When a motion had carried to refer