The farmer and mechanic., 1915-06-15
JOHN A. LIVINGSTONE)

celebration on June 18th Of the Tooth
anniversary of the date of it's chapter
from the General Grand Chapter Of
the United States by Concord Capter,
No /, Royal Arch Masons, Of Will
mington, will be an event of much in
terest to Masons throughout the coun-
try. While the charter of Concord |
Chapter from the General Grand |
Chapter was granted in 1915, it's
history really goes much farther than
this time. Mention of meeting of
Royal Arch Masons was made in 1877
and the chapter certainly was orga-
nized several years previous to that
time.
However the written history of
Concord Chapter can be traced back
TO 1915 in an unbroken line in the
minutes of the meetings which are
preserved in the archives of the orga-
nization and since that date it has had
a continuous existence and has num-
bered among its members the lead
ing men Of this section. The cele-
brauon on Friday night OF next week
will be an elaborate affair and will
be attended by many prominent Ma
sons from this and other States.
Past Grand Master W. B. Mickey,
Of Wilmington. who is one Of the best
posted Masons in North Carolina as
we'll as being a we'll informed historian
of the Cape Fear section, will deliver
an address in which he will tell some
thing about the early history of the
chapter, the men whom it has num-
bered among its members and other
interesting features.
Past Grand Master Henry Banks,
of Georgia, one of the officers of the
General Grand Chapter of the United
States, will attend and will make an
address at the banquet which will be
Siven next Friday evening. Grand
Lecturer w. G., Wicker, of Elon Col
lege, one of the officers Of the Grand
Chapter of North Carolina, and Hon.
Henry A. Grady. Of Clinton, Lenoir
Grand Deacon Of the Grand Lodge Of
North Carolina, will also attend and
make addresses. 1t is expected that
other officers Of the Grand Chapter
and the Grand Lodge Of North Caro-
lima will also be present.
The address by Past Grand Master
McKoy will be given in the Afternoon
following the comforting of the Roya
Arch degree.
AS early as 1875 charter wa
granted by the Grand Lodge of Eng
land to King Solomon's Lodge on tn
lower Cape Fear and since that Mas
oDry has been formly established II
this section. Masonic lodges an'
chapters throughout the country
extending as far west as Washington
State, have descended from Nortl
Carolina Masonic organizations. Be
ginning on the lower Cape Fear
Masonry spread over the State am
later the grand lodges and gran
chapters of North Carolina wer
formed. The Tennessee Grand Lodg
was originally a part of the Mort
Carolina Grand Lodge and from tn
former the Grand Lodges Of Georgi
ard Alabama we're organized. Fror
these bodies those Of other states wer
formed, the different lodges and chap
ters continuing in an ever Widenln
circle
The records Of King Solomon
Lodge have long since been lost br
IL seems later to have been disbande
and in 1855 St Johns Lodge, No.
OF Wilmington. which is still in exist
ence, being of the three Blue lodge
in the city at this time, was organ1l
ed. Later members from this lode
organized st. Tammany's Lodge, N
20, which took It's name from an II
dian chief, who was noted for n
friendship to the white.
In the minutes Of st. Tammany
Lodge, which are still preserve
mention is made in 1877 Of a meetir
Of a chapter of Royal Arch Maso1
and the presiding officers Of the lods
were also the officeFs Of the chapte
This Chapter was evidently col
nected with the Ancient York M;
sons which were for a long time S
parated from the modern lodges. !
is well known to Masons, the Master
degree in the Blue Lodges is not con
pete in it's symbolical teachings al
the chapter undertakes to compile
and round up the whole Of Mason
by explaining the missing link in tt
Blue Lodge work. The work OF Il
chapter consisted Of four degrees
follows: Mark Master, Past Maste
Most Excellent Master and Roy