Omaha daily bee., 1915-08-29
General Grand Council, Royal Arch
MaSonS, Meets at Frisco This Week

Jurisdiction, but to make II merely sd-
visory, without the right to enforce its
/ DEGREES. But even with this concession
the Masons OF the country declined to
endorse the idea.
Grand Lodges Controlled.
/ The opposition was led by the grand
lodges. which were unwilling 70 surren-
der their own supremacy In order TO form
national body TO rule and govern them
An effective general grand lodge would
Of course. have meant the giving up OF
much authority by the several grand
lodges, just as the formation Of the fed
eral union meant the giving up of much
authority by the several states. In the
( latter case. however. there were com
pelling political reasons In favor Of a
strong central government, and the
states, some OF them with confessed un-
i Willingness, and after deferring the mat
/ ter from time to time, finally accepted
the constitution drawn up by the con-
Vention which met at Philadelphia In 1851
/ John Fiske well calls this the critical
period OF American history, for the doc
trine OF states rights was 20 popular that
Tor a considerable time there was danger
that an effective union of the thirteen
states could not be made. But ulti
mately, 10 strong were the arguments
advanced, the preiudices Of the people
were overcome, and the federal union
was the result.
! but when II came time to take Up the
question OF forming general grand
lodge OF Masons to exercise over The
fraternity as whole an authority SINH
lar TO that to be exercised over the peo
pie generally by the new fe,NN-ai govern
mont there were no compelling reasons
such as had caused the constitution 10
be ratified, and the men OF that day IN
their capacity as Masons were at fun
liberty TO insist upon the doctrine OF
states rights and demand that Il be an.
piled without Limitation 10 the American
Masonic system.
Merely to Advise
J When the question of organizing thu
general grand chapter of ROYAL Arch
Masons came up. this old thought of the
supremacy Of the several grand chapters
prevailed. and the rev national body
soon 10 hold its sixty-sixth triennial con.
vocation. came into existence merely for
advisory purposes. Later the general
grand council of royal and select mas.
ters standing at the head OF the orvntic
school of Freemasonry, was Organized
on footing precisely similar to that of
the general grand chapter
There is no national scott,sb r,,,.
body that lie generally recognized az req
ular. The two controlling bodies OF mi.
rite have divided the United States he
tween them. The northern turisdio,ion
with headquarters at Boston. exercises
authority over It adherents IN the states
above the old Mason and Dixon line M,
to the middle west; tho southern turis.
diction controls the south and west ana
has its headquarters in this city.
Chronology f. Interesting.
the following statement OF historical
iacts VIII serve to show the insistency OF
the Masons who from time 10 time hayo
lodge e"'"
lTs' The subject of general grand
iouse was first mentioned. army lodges
supporting II. The grand lodge of Penn.
syiVania approved II and named Wash.
ihsuon Tor the first general grand master
INV The idea was formally renewed
by the grand lodge OF Georgia, which
Favored II. The other grand lodges paid
no attention to IT,
1888 The movement was revived. but
!" no purpose, by resolutions passed by
ohe grand lodge of South Carolina.
lSoS The grand lodge of North Carolina
hlaoe an unsuccessful effort TO interest
the craft in the question.
1907. Alluslons to a general grand ,oa1.
were made In the proceedings OF a num-
per Oh grand lodges, but nothing came
OF the agitation.
1911 There was an unsuccessful effort
70 prlhg ABOUT meeting in this city In
me interest OF a general grand lodge.
Si1' the grand lodge OF South Carolina
made second unsuccessful effort 10 in
terest the fraternity in this question.
lSzz meeting composed OF 'fnembers
OF congress and strangers." ACCORDING 90
the grand lodge OF Maryland. was bela
In this city I'm the interest Of n .general
grand lodge. Henry Clay presided over
II, and In addition to delivering a wonasr.
ful Grafton In support OF the idea. he
wrote report In which he advanced nj,
the arguments supporting IT, His report
was sent to all the grand lodges OF the
country. but nothing further was ever
heard from II.
1875 The grand lodge OF MARYLAND In
vited its sister grand lodges 10 attend a
meeting in Baltimore to discuss the oDes.
ton Seven grand lodges were rem
resented at the meeting by two dele
gates each They adopted favorable reso-
lutions' and sent them to all grand lodges.
by which they were promptly pigeon
holed.
lSS The grand lodge OF New York urpea
mat meeting be held In Boston IN 1850
TO consider the question and each grand
lodge was invited to submit at the meet.
ing the draft of a general grand lodge
constitution It would agree TO support
me Grand lodges OF Rhode Island and
the District OF Columbia indorsed the
New York plan; but the meeting was
not held.
lsoS' The general grand lodge effort In
this year looked merely TO confederated
league. with no authority 10 enforce its
decisions, no penal jurisdiction. and only
such special powers as might from time
to time be given It by the grand lodges
entering the confederation. This effort
also failed to produce results.
1851 The grand lodge OF Maine issuea n
circular asking that a meeting be held
IN Chicago In 1853 to consider the forrna-
zion OF a general grand lodge. The meet
No MA klnA -