Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-06-14
EUROPEAN MASONRY IS SPLIT
War Brings Schisms, Says Grand
Master H. H. Ross.
Grand Lodge Elects To-day-vetefans
Association Elects ana Takes in 80
Members-Noted Masons
Here.

The 124th annual communication of the
Grand Lodge Of Vermont. r. and A. NJ
the annual meeting of the Grand Imperial
Council Of Vermont of the Red Cross Of
Constantine, and the 9th annual meet
ing Of the Masonic Veterans associa-
ton were yesterdays events at the
Masonic Temple. War has brought |
many schisms In European Masonry, said
Grand Master Ross In his address,
! The council is the oldest of Masonic |
bodies, dating from A. d. 313. It's chief |
business was the election of officers. |
! The former officers were reelected.
The veterans took In SO members at
| their meeting last evening, making a |
total Of A3 since organization. These |
officers were elected: Venerable chief (,
H. T. Seaver of Barton; first associate,
william w. Jones of Windsor; second
associate, Henry II. Ross Of Burlington;
veteran treasurer. Edwin l.. Wells of
| Lyndonville: veteran secretary. George F.
Root Of Newport; veteran chaplain. the
Rev. A. J. Hough of White River juno
ton; veteran marshal. F. H. Babbitt
Of Bellows Falls; veteran sentinel. s. E.
Brownell Of this city.
George r. Corson of Washington, D. c..
general high priest of the General Grand
Chapter who Is here to attend the
Grand Chapter meetings. made short
address. The address of the Rev. A. j.
Hough on the work and an organ recital
by Ernest L. Mehaffey of Brookline,
Mass. were the features of the meeting
Gounod's "Serenade," Sullvan's The
Lost Chord" Thomas "Gavotte" from
"N1ignon,'' and Memberships War
March of the Priests" among other
numbers. brought out the organs effects
in a charming way.
Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecti
cut and New York it was said last
. night, would have representatives pres
ent at the annual meetings of the Grand
Chapter tomorrow. Alfred A. Adams
of Brooklyn. past grand high priest of
. the Grand Chapter of New York. is one
of the New York Masons to attend.
BLUE LODGES GROWING
There are 1900 Master Masons in ver-
mont. Grand Master H. H. Ross told the
! Masons assembled in the 124th annual
communication. During the year sos men
were made Masons. NJ. w. Charles A.
Calderwood of st. Johnsbury and NJ. w.
6 Kittredge Haskins of Brattleboro are
/. among the well-known members that
v have died during the year. George w.
$ Wing of Montpelier, who became a Mas
!, ter Mason in 1858 and was grand master
!. in 1889 and 1890, is the oldest Mason in
the State
european ITeemdSOnTy mas OeeH spit
badly by the war. Grand Master Ross
said in his annual address. The perma-
nent charity fund has reached $500
E. The address follows:
GRAND MASTERS ADDRESS.
70 Grand Master H. H. Ross. in his annual
It address. said in part:
= I'VE are met here on a notable ami
r. versary. Eleven days from this date
l. will mark the 2OOth anniversary of the
/, organization of the first grand lodge
lie of Masons. On June "a. 1717, at the
s. Goose and Gridiron Tavern in London
ID the representatives of four old lodges
g. met and organized grand lodge. An
thony Sayer being elected grand master
s. You will note that this was not the be-
n ginning Of free-Masonry. These foul
,r lodges and others besides were already il
8, existence and it was to give more definite
" form and added efficiency to the institu
sr ton that this bond of union was formed
Of Historians and scholars may search ant
Y. seek to determine the exact beginning o.
r. Masonry. but it is shrouded in the dark
NJ ness of antiquity. Sufficient for us to -da!
Of that from this grand lodge thus estab
lished has descended all that we nov
AZ recognize as legitimate Masonry. Thou
to sands of so-called Masons there are o
m other lands and tongues who are no
10 recognized as regular by most English
,d speaking grand lodges because, forsooth
". they lack the warrant Of "apostoli
H. descent" Masonry to-day as a world
~ wide institution presents a sorry spec
-. tacle. What of it's claim as a universe
- brotherhood The Grand Lodge of Eng
NJ land has excluded from itself and from
Il; all its subordinate lodges all Mason
~. belonging by birth or descent to any o
~ the nations with whom she is at war
. ! For this action she has been severel
criticised in some quarters by those VIII
, can hardly realize her true situation.
:. the statements of reliable writer's ma
be accepted as true. we must certainl
ed sympathize with this restriction. If tn
instances cited by the author of 'Germa
Spies in England are authentic and tn
OF spy system therein set forth is a fact
he the Grand Lodge of England is emf
'rt nently Justified. This action, at leas
as for the period of the war. can work n
on real harm to honest German-born resi-
Ike dents Of England but one unworth
n one might work much harm with tn
possible knowledge obtained in the socis
We freedom Of the lodge room. AS a wa
I'M measure it is warranted. Country is s,
OF perior to Masonry and its interests mus
IL always be first and foremost.
ng Grand Master Ross read quotations frol
Is; German Free Masons, one of whol
Is: says: THE great extension of tn
Of tMasonic) idea to the whole of mankin
IS is the work Of International "Deutscf
It'll tum.' They attack English and Lati
la Masonry.
ms AT banquet rendered to Marsh;
s. Joffre In Boston the New England GO,
AS; ernors were invited guests and Gale
ne upon for brief. ten-minute speeche
"a AS our Governor and Masonic broths
its Graham spoke, the marshal heard Gel
10 tain familiar names pronounced an
I'M catching the import of what was sal
its at the completion of his remarks rusi
its ed to the end of the tables and seizir
les the Governors hand wrung 1t aga
"A and again. Among other things IL
an Governor said Our State is Vernon
Sc Our capital city is Montpelier. o,
its oldest city Is Vergennes Our lake
25 Champlain. The corner stone of O,
M State University was laid by Lafayett
IRIS Of whom perhaps the finest likene
stands upon the State universal
zen grounds. We are with you in this W;
and we mean to see 1t through to Il
end" May l not for this Grand Lodf
and for the people of Vermont Of who
you are fair representatives say to OF
allies We are with you in this WI
md and we mean to see it through to Il
end
m. LIBERTY BONDS.
ay, II need but to mention the wor,
rhe Liberty Bonds to suggest a possib