For the year commencing April, A. I. 2402, and ending April, A. I. 2403. M.. E.. JACOB HART NEFF,....... GRAND HIGH PRIEST,.... .Auburn ; San Francisco; San Francisco; DEPUTY GRAND HIGH PRIEST,. Shasta ; ...San Francisco; E.. HENRY HAY KNAPP.......GRAND CAPTAIN OF THE HOST, Napa; E. NATHAN W. SPAULDING,. GRAND ROYAL ARCH CAPTAIN, Oakland; Comp. IRA COLBURN ROOT,...... GRAND GUARD,. . GRAND LECTURER: M.. E.. THOMAS HUBBARD CASWELL,.. ..San Francisco. Nevada. 7 41 DE2 GRAND CHAPTER OF ROYAL ARCH MASONS OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA. EIGHTEENTH ANNUAL CONVOCATION. The Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons of the State of California commenced its Eighteenth Annual Convocation at the Masonic Temple, in the city of San Francisco, on Tuesday, the ninth day of April, A. D. 1872, A. I. 2402, at ten o'clock, A. M. Upon calling the roll of members there were found present the following And the representatives of thirty-five chartered Chapters, with delegates from one under dispensation, together with a number of Past High Priests, by service under this jurisdiction, entitled to seats. The Grand High Priest filled the vacant stations by the appoint And there being a sufficient representation present, the Grand Chapter of California was opened in Ample form, with prayer by the Grand Chaplain. After a brief recess the committee presented the following report of officers of the chartered Chapters, or their duly appointed proxies, and Past High Priests, by service within this jurisdiction, as being present and entitled to seats, viz: from THEO. ED. SMITH, High Priest and Past High Priest; San Francisco,..No. 1,.... HENRY JAMESON BURNS, King; Nevada,.. .No. 6,... JOHN KIRKPATRICK, THOMAS KYLE, TALLMAN HATHAWAY ROLFE, High Priest and P. H. P.; Benicia,.........No. 7,......TIMOTHY SAGE, High Priest. GEORGE HEIRN GILBERT, High Priest and Past H. P.; FREDERICK FERDINAND BARSS, Past High Priest. REUBEN LEECH, High Priest. WILEY JAMES TINNIN, High Priest and Past High P. ..CHARLES FAYETTE LOTT, King and Past High Priest. .WILLIAM THOMPSON LUTHER, High Priest and P. H. P. .BENJ. FRANKLIN TUTTLE, High Priest and Past H. P. AMBROSE HALL COWDEN, proxy for all the officers. ..RICHARD MUNT, High Priest and Past High Priest. HENRY WARREN RUSSELL, High Priest and Past H. P.; Past High Priests. Georgetown,.....No. 25..... WILLIAM ROUSH, Martinez,. .No. 31,..... THOMAS ALLEN BROWN, Past High Priest. Los Angeles,....No. 33,....HENRY SAYRE ORME, King. Alturas,.... Naval,.. No. 34,.. .NATHAN HOSMER STONE, High Priest. .No. 35,......OSGOOD HILTON, High Priest. Alameda,........No. 36,.. Siloam, Santa Cruz.. Donner,.. Temple,... Chico,. Solano,.. .No. 37,. (NATHAN WESTON SPAULDING, High Priest and P. H. P.; ..JOHN NELSON BESSE, High Priest and Past High Priest. ..JAMES MARTIN RODGERS, High Priest and Past H. P. Which report was concurred in, and the companions therein named were admitted to seats. Comp. THOMAS ALLEN BROWN, chairman of the Committee on Jurisprudence, was excused from further attendance upon the Grand Chapter at this Annual Convocation, important business requiring his presence elsewhere. On motion, the reading of the minutes of the last Annual Convocation was dispensed with, printed copies being supplied to the members. The Grand High Priest then delivered his Annual Address to the Grand Chapter of California, as follows: COMPANIONS OF THE GRAND CHAPTER OF CALIFORNIA: The circumstances under which we assemble at this, our Annual Convocation, are certainly most propitious. Peace and prosperity prevail throughout the land, and harmony and fraternity throughout our jurisdiction. During the past year nothing whatever has occurred to mar in the slightest degree that perfect accord which should ever exist amongst companions; but all seem actuated by the noble spirit of emulation as to who shall best work and best agree. Immediately after the close of our last Convocation, I caused the Chapters which were chartered thereat to be duly constituted and their officers installed. For this purpose I specially deputized the M.. E.. CHARLES MARSH, Past Grand High Priest, to constitute Donner Chapter, No. 39; the R.. E.. JOSEPH ISAACS, Grand Scribe, to constitute Red Bluff Chapter, No. 40; the E... JOHN NELSON BESSE, High Priest, to constitute Temple Chapter, No. 41, and the E.. GEORGE CLEMENT PERKINS, Past High Priest, to constitute Chico Chapter, No. 42; all of whom have made due reports of their having performed the respective duties assigned them. I also took from the Grand Secretary and Grand Treasurer bonds for the faithful discharge of the duties of their respective offices; which bonds I now present to the Grand Chapter. At the last Convocation I was authorized, either in person or by the appointment of a competent deputy, to investigate all matters in connection with the financial transactions of the Grand Secretary's office, and to take any measures I might deem necessary for the recovery of any portion of the deficit of that officer. Upon examination it was found that the books of the Grand Chapter had not been written up for ten years, and that no record existed of the receipts and disbursements of the Grand Secretary. The only entries to be found were those shown by the receipt and order books. It being impossible for me to make the necessary investigation in person, I deputized Comp. WILLIAM E. MOODY, a competent accountant, to make a thorough investigation as to the receipts and disbursements of the late Grand Secretary, from the commencement to the termination of his official connection with the Grand Chapter, and to prepare a statement thereof. This he has done, under my superintendence and direction, and the result of his labors is presented herewith. From this statement it will be seen that the receipts acknowledged by the late Grand Secretary amount to the sum of $41,039, whilst his actual receipts were $42,404, having received the sum of $1315, of which he had rendered no account. This $1315 was received by him in and after the year 1864, at which time it appears the defalcation commenced. The result shows that the various committees on finances since that date, until the last, did not thoroughly discharge their duty. Your last Committee on Finance reported the deficit, from the best information at their command at the time, to be $5777 17, but the thorough investigation which has been made shows that it was $3594 81; $1000 of which was recovered during the last Convocation, and $422 50 has since been paid over to the present Grand Secretary, leaving the amount of the deficit $7172 31. Inquiry satisfied me that the pecuniary situation of the late Grand Secretary was such that nothing further could possibly be obtained from him, and since then his physical constitution has become so completely shattered that, in my judgment, there is no hope that anything more will ever be recovered from him. Charges were preferred against him in the Lodge of which he was a member, and he now stands expelled from all the rights and privileges of Masonry. The investigation showed that only the following subordinate |