The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1916-02-12

Only twenty lodges were represented
by proxy and of these one-half we're
safely given into the hands of Pelham,
Ricketts, and Chinn.
Brother R. H. Cole of st. Louis de-
livered an eloquent address OF well
come to the assembled guests and
was responded to by the Peerless G. n.
Grisham of Kansas City. During the
morning President Page was heard as
was o. NJ. Wood, Rev. ]. L. Cohran,
and J.. w. Dorsey.
Brother Million F. Fields who was
at that time the official head of the
Royal Arch Masons and who had done
so much to establish that department
was voted the privileges of the floor
and accorded other honors.
The Grand Masters address was a
real gem of elegance and lustre. With
a view toward Masonic recognition he
had correspondent with grand lodges
of four foreign countries and several
jurisdictions of this country. The
American bodies, deep dyed in the
stain of ace prejudice, not only were
obdurate themselves but stood in the
way of the foreign bodies who hest
tated to aggravate them by manifest
ing too much interest in the black
brethren.
The subject of Masonic Temple was
not made a part of the address but
there was a recommendation to invest
fifteen hundred dollars in government
bonds, also to institute a system OF
small loans to lodges attempting to
erect halls. The Masonic Relief dues
were increased to one dollar and fifty
cents per member and the benefits
to one hundred dollars. A net bal
ance of over two thousand dollars
general fund was held by the treasur,
er, Brother William H. Jones.
Upon the election of officers during
the second day the same opposition
toward the Grand Master was appar,
ent but he was re-chosen. w. w,
Yates received the well deserved hon
or of being chosen Deputy Grand Mas
ter and Charles Griggsby as a rec
ognition of his high conceptions of a
real Masonic worker was made Junior
Grand Warden. For several years he
had been and is until this day one OF
the most devoted craftsmen and the
fine Masonic Hail at Liberty is large
ly the result OF his ~tireless energy
and honest administration.
There was also at this time and
had been for several years a young
Mason by the name of Harry r. Ora
ham. He was the organizer of Graham
Lodge. No. So, of Kansas City, and
afterwards being employed as a teach
er at Gallatin, Mo. built up Anchor
Lodge, No. 133, managed the purchas
ing of a hall and had established the
work of the craft in several other sec
tions of the state. He was very useful
at all meetings of the Grand Lodge
being accurate and painstaking in rec.
ord work. quiet, dignified and unassum
ing at all times. :
1t was about this time that the bond
of fellowship and manly affection be
came so strong among several of the
younger set of the organization that
the famous X. Y. Club was formed fol
the purpose of promoting aggressive
service to the Grand Lodge and fol
practically 'extolling the virtues Of
manly devotion. Its principal mem
bers were Chinn. Ricketts,, Cooper
HEREFORD, Moore. Winston. Williams
w. II. Jones. Wood and jenkins. A
Masonic Glee Club was organized un
der the support of this club and the
members pledged themselves to for
get self and act together for what
eve the majority deemed TO be ia
vorable to the advancement of Mas
onry.
On the evening of the third day o
this session the X. Y. Club made til
first record by forcing an all-nigh
session In a successful fight agains
the extraVagant allowances which haC
been made to certain members Of tn,
Grand Lodge who acted in the capaci
ty of minor officials or chairmen o
committees. The payroll of the bod,
was completely revised and the SEIZED