Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1917-05-10
TO CELEBRATE Centennial
Grand Chapters Convocation
Here June his to Be Notable.
Grand High Priests and General Grand
High Priest Invitcd-History Of
Grand Chapter-Grand Bodies
Meet June ILLS.

The grandest grand conyocstion
which the Grand Chapter of Vermont
VIII have held in many a year will he
the annual gathering next month. when
the state body will celebrate its CEN
tennial. Grand High Priest James r.
Roberts announces that the executive
heads of all the Grand Chapters in New
England New York and Quebec, Cam
ada. as we'll as the General Grand High
Priest of the General Grand Chapter.
who is the head of capitular Masonry
in the United States. have been invited
to help observe the event. Never hith-
erto has the latter attended an annual
convocation of the Grand Chapter here
An echo of anti Masonic days lies in
the coming celebration, for the Grand
Chapter of Vermont was really organ
lied on December 90. 1904, but suspend
ed meetings. while retaining the same
officers. between June Is, 1894, and
July IS. 1S49.
Past Grand High Priest George w.
Wing of Montpelier will read an his
torical paper, and the usual ceremonial
routine in full and ample form will he
, carried out. The afternoon of June II
will bc'given up to social observances
with dinner for all Royal Arch Ma
in the assembly hall of the temple at six
l
vited guests will be dined at one of the
| local hotels. Grand Chapter day is the
| 9Th. the 14th is the regular meeting
day of the Grand Chapter. At nine
o'clock in the morning of the 18th the
order of the High Priesthood. a purely
! honorary degree to which only Grand
| High Priests are eligible. will be work
ed on the Grand High Priest elect.
! Grand High Priest Roberts, anointed
high priest. will preside.
| June HIS, inclusive, are the dates
OF the annual meetings of the Vermont
Council of Deliberation, the Grand
Commandery, Grand Council Grand
Chapter and Grand Lodge. The meet
ings will he held as usual at the tenn
pie
HISTORY OF THE GRAND CHAPTER.
The story of the beginnings of the
work of the Royal Arch and other de-
grees goes back to January %. $500,
when Dewitt clinton. the noted gov
crnor of New York. Grand High
Priest of the Grand Chapter of New
York granted "A charter to Green Noun
tain Chapter No. |. of Rutland. 1t was
not until December 20. 1904. that the
chapter, by virtue in part perhaps Oh
the Jurisdiction given it by the three
: Mark Masters lodges-Temple Of Ben
nington, Aurora of Poultney and Union
of neutrality-suspicious. a Grand Chap
2 ter The three lodges became the
chapters which bear the same names,
except that Aurora's title was changer
e to Poultney. No. 10. The first officers
of the Grand Chapter then organized
, were: Jonathan Wells. grand high
$ priest; Ozias Fuller. deputy grand high
n priest; BENJAMIN Lord. grand king
Ezekiel Porter grand scribe; Cephas
1 Smith, grand secretary and John Cook
I grand treasurer.
GENERAL GRAND CHAPTERS sTAhl
Before entering upon the part which the
= grand chapter Of the State took IN inc
s organization Of the General Grand Chap'
. ter a little of the latters history migh'
e he given. Up to 1897 the chapters were
!, under blue lodge jurisdiction. The mrs
: convocation was held at Boston. MASS
G on October p. 1877, the chapters presen
. beinp ST. Andrews of Boston, Temple o
= Albany and Newburyport of Newbury
a mort. Mass They adjourned until Jan
s uary a. 179S. when at a meeting in Hart
e ford. Conn. delegates were present IRON
$ nine chapters in Massachusetts, Rhod'
. Island, Connecticut and New York, and
e transition organization was formed. Oh
Y January ., 1899. at third convocation II
: Providence, r. l., constitution wa
|. adopted and the rite modified for the si'
q northern States.
Il Vermont chapter first appears at con
; vocation on January 3, 1906 in Middle
town. Conn. when the title was formal
adopted of General Grand Chapter.
= Philip C. Tucker, who succeeded Natha
. y. Haswell as grand high priest Of "
Z Grand Chapter of Vermont, became dci
v uty general grand high priest Of the Gen
II eral Grand Chapter then organized MI
% Tucker is regarded rs the greatest Ma
a sonic light Vermont Frcemasonry eve
! produced. Tucker Chapter No. IS, n
Morrisvlle and Tucker Lodge. No 4, q
- North Bennington are named after hin
4 Mr.. Haswcll, also a grand high priest 9
:, the Grand Chapter of Vermont. gave hi
"a name to Haswcll Lodge of Perfection .
" the Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. I
. Haswell Chapter. No. II Of st. Johnshur
b" and HasweI Lodge, No. 20. of Sheldon.