The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-30
Golden Rule No. 80, A. F. and
A. NJ, Is Fifty Years Old.
Only Two Charter Members
Are Now~Hiving.
Early History of Masonic Order
Given by j. w. Priddy.
Was Organized March IL, 1870,
Charter Granted Later.

A history of Golden Rule lodge, No.
80, A. f. and A. M, compiled by j.
w. Priddy. q charter member, was
read by HIM at the fiftieth anniversary
celebration held Wednesday evening
October 20, at the hall, oil North
Kansas avenue. 1t follows in part:
Fifty Years and Beyond of Golden
Rule Lodge, No. 80. A. F. and A. NJ.
Worshipful Master, Ladies and
Gentlemen:
Fifty years ago the nth of last
March this lodge was organized. AS
one of two surviving charter mem
beers I was requested by our officers
to prepare brfefrsketch of the early
history and activities of the lodge dur
ing the first half century of its eX-
istence.
On this semi-centennial occasion we
can well rejoice over the present pros
porous conditions of Golden Rule
lodge, No. go, A. F. & A. M, Wh1ch
was organized under dispensation
March IT, 1870. with A. c. Beckwith
w. NJ, Samuel Dolmap S. w. and y.
.. Kelsey J. w. Seven months later
or fifty years ago today, our charter
was issued. when Samuel Dolman be-
came w. NJ, o. o. Kelsey S. W., e. W.
Baker j. W.. r. H. Waterman, treas
urer, Joshua Barratt, secretary, C. L.
Haywood s. D.. J. w. Rigdon j. D., G.
A Rigdon. s. s., Herman Fensky (the
made Masons during the Dispensation
period, J. s.; Jos. S. Dowdell. tyler
and the Rev. d. p. Rhodes, chaplain
Big Change in Lodge Home.
What a change in places of meet
ing then and now In our own hall,
with modern equipment and conVen-
fences. we meet in comfort here at oil
North Kansas avenue, while then, for
the first forty months, we met IN the
half-story hall above the Barrett q
Lukens' hardware store, located IN
Eugene { 6bw North Topeka at what
is now numbered 613 North Kansas
avenue The twin small frame Dullo-
ing next north our hall still stands A
view of that dilapidated building VIII
enable Won to guess how comtortap pie
the upstairs hall of the other ike
building was, especially on hot sum-
mer nights. The lodge held twenty
one meetings during the remaining
six and half months of the Masonic
vcar.-rshich closed September 80, ana
so continued to close until the cal
ender wear was adopted and com
menced on January 1, 1881, following
q fifteen months report, from sep
tcn1ber 90. 1879 to December 81, 1881.
Ar the time the first report should
have been made on September 80
1870. only eight members, strictly
s-.eaking, were entitled to be reported,
consisting of the master, wardens ana
these five initiates: Herman Fensky'
US. d. Marston, j. w. Ridgon, Cyrus
~. X ssler and J. n. Hodges. who We're
node Masons during the dispensation
pcr'od. on account of some REQUIRE
merit or agreement. nearly all of us
petitioners had to make formal appli-
cation even tho we had understood our
DENTS entitled us to immediate en-
rollment. Thus we find only fourteen
of our twenty-seven original petition
ers-aside from the master and
wardens-compl.ed with in the petit
ton requirement during the first char
ter year ending September 30, 1871, as
follows: f. w. BakerAJoshua Barratt,
Jos. S. Dowdell. c. L. Haywood and r.
II. Waterman were elected December
Is. 1870; b. T. Payne. il. Wright and
George l.. Young on December 29,
1870; John NJ. Bryan, Robert Forbes