man residing for a long time in St. Louis, and was at one time Regent of the University of Michigan, so that Michigan and California are tied together by still closer bonds than usual. Michigan extends sincerest congratulations upon his Masonic preferment in the state of his adoption. The proceedings are a finely printed and well arranged volume. The forty-seventh assembly was held in San Francisco, April 15, 1907. Eleven Councils were represented by from one to eight representatives each. Michigan's interests were represented by William M. Petrie our Grand Representative. The Grand Master's address is a short business-like paper. In his opening he says: At our last Assembly we met in the Grand Old Temple, at one time considered the finest building in the West, and all about us were edifices the pride of one of the most unique and famous cities of the world. Everything gave evidence of stability and prosperity. How suddenly all was changed! The forces of nature working within the breast of Mother Earth created a convulsion that will go down in history as one of the most destructive earthquakes ever known. The power of fire was exhibited in greater and more tremendous effects than human sight had ever witnessed. But what a revelation this calamity was the opportuuity, of the warmth and extent of fraternal sentiment in the hearts of men! The afflicted city became the center of thought for a world, and from every direction came the aid so much needed. I take this opportunity to thank in the name of this Grand Council, all Royal and Select Masters, who contributed as individuals, or as organizations, to the help of the needy of this suffering city. Today we learn another lesson, as we look about us, that the Great Architect of the Universe has implanted in the breast of man an indomitable spirit, before which all obstacles and difficulties disappear. We find now the debris cleared away and the foundations already laid for a greater and more magnificent San Francisco. He attended the ninth triennial at Boston and reports that “a notable event was the presence of officers of Michigan Grand Council, which is now considering the desirability of coming into the General Grand Council fold." It's all off Companion Willett. Michigan cannot see it that way. He closes his report with the poem: "I shall not pass this way again." Grand Recorder Davies makes a full and complete report from his office. Regarding the proceedings he says: The issue of the Journal of Proceedings of the last Assembly was delayed for some months, owing to conditions growing out of the late terrible disaster which befell San Francisco. All of the Grand Council records, returns and papers of every description were totally destroyed. As soon as the annual reports could be duplicated and reports rewritten the Proceedings were published and distributed as heretofore. Regarding the correspondence report for the last proceedings and accounting for its absence he says: Many Illustrious Companions both in California and other Jurisdictions noted with regret the absence of the Report of the Committee on Correspondence, Most Illustrious Companion James Bestor Merritt. The copy was left where it was thought to be perfectly safe, in the office of Brother George Johnson, but was finally destroyed in the fire that consumed our Temple; and owing to illhealth and pressure of private affairs Companion Merritt could not spare the time to devote to its reproduction. The Jewels and Paraphernalia of Grand Council have been replaced, and are submitted at this Assembly for your inspection and approval. The Grand Council of California deserves the highest commendation for the manner in which they have.recovered from the terrible shock. He closes with this appropriate verse: "Sleep on, ye dead, and when that sleep Becomes our portion, too, May others, calling up the past, Speak well of us as we of you." They have eighteen. Councils which greeted 104 members during the year, net gain is 54. The annual review is by Companion James Bestor Merritt and he reviews Michigan for 1906. Of the Grand Master's report he says: From the opening pages of the Grand Master's address we infer that he is one of the select few who really appreciate what Masonry is a religious organization whose "chief end and aim is the fitting of the soul of the unending life hereafter." says: Speaking of the Order of the Temple and Scottish Rite, he "The Mysteries unfolded in the preceding degrees, while of value in our present lives, are intended also to spur us on to the reception of the final instruction, wherein the great Mystery of life is sought to be made comprehensible." Grand Master makes none of the usual excuses or regrets for non-performance of duty. He needed none, for he attended strictly to business, as the prosperity of Grand Council attests. Commenting on the report made for the Grand Lecturer by his widow, Mrs. Goodrich, he says: She says: "I am not so versed in Cryptic Masonry as in some other work," yet her report shows that she knows much more of real Masonry than do many who display the jewelry of the High Degrees. He particularly notes that Michigan's correspondence report is not called "Foreign," and says: California gets a good notice, and he welcomes us among the young 'uns. Perhaps we will fail in that category, though over forty years of Masonry has whitened our patriarchal beard, for a man is only as old as he feels. Of course Companion Merritt, the writer meant to infer that you were new of this writer. Undoubtedly the writer stands in the same relation to you. He quotes Warvelle's comments on the writer of this report in which Warvelle said: "He confines himself to reporting, says nice things about everybody, and indulges in no controversal arguments. Perhaps that is the better way." Merritt says: "Perhaps it is-yet, when we see a head we are strongly tempted to hit it." CHARLES WILLIS NORTON, Stockton, Grand Master. COLORADO, 1907. The thirteenth annual was held in Denver, September 18, 1907. George W. Roe was one of the faithful and represented Michigan. He is also one of the very few Grand Representatives who takes trouble to make report to the Grand Council which he represents. In opening his address, Grand Master Foster says of the Rite in that jurisdiction: The Cryptic Rite in this jurisdiction, as in all others throughout our great country, is the weakest branch of Masonry, and consequently needs careful nursing as well as diligent and zealous work on our work to retain its position in the recognized branches of the Masonic system, which, however, without it is incomplete. It is, therefore, eminently proper that, when the opportunity affords, we should display to the discerning eyes of our less informed brethren the fact of the existence of such a Rite in our midst, its usefulness and the advantages to be gained by the study of the history of Masonry contained in the degrees over which it has control. He deviated from the almost universal custom and placed in the hands of the Committee on Necrology all matters relating to that subject. He said three important matters suggested themselves as proper lines in which to direct his energies, visitations, work and charity. On the matter of visitations he said: In the matter of visitations, I resolved to visit every Council, if possible. To visit eleven (11) Chartered Councils, and any I might have the pelasure to organize, did not look a very great task on paper, whereas, in this vast commonwealth of ours it does mean a great deal of time and travel. However, after having drawn the design upon the trestle board, I did not falter, and succeeded, with one exception, in visiting every Chartered Council in this jurisdiction, and also the only Council U. D., which I had authorized, being officially present at the first Assembly of Alpha Council, U. D., at Leadville, for the organization of which I had issued my dispensation. There were no cases requiring official decisions. The time for making the annual returns was changed to July 31st instead of August 31st to allow more time for Grand Recorder before the annual assembly. There is no annual review of other jurisdictions. CONNECTICUT, 1907. A fine half-tone of John H. Pearce, Grand Master, is the introduction to the proceedings of the Grand Council of Connecticut. The eighty-ninth annual assembly was held in New Haven, May 15, 1907, with a good representation of Councils present. The Grand Master made a number of visitations to Councils, and issued numerous dispensations. He reported that peace and harmony prevails and there were no questions for rendering any decisions upon. Harmony Council, No. 8, was invited to exemplify the degrees before Grand Council for its edification. He says that several times during the year the question of affiliating with the General Grand Council had been brought to his attention by Companions of that jurisdiction. In order to obtain the information possible he communicated with a number of Past Grand Masters for their opinion on the matter and in a majority of the cases the answers were opposed to affiliation. The one strong reason offered for affiliating was to make it possible to bring about suitable legislation by other Grand Bodies, making membership in the Council a prerequisite before advancement. Waiving that one feature he could not see where Connecticut would be benefited by such affiliation. He does not recommend hasty action in the mat ter. Grand Recorder McCormick furnished statistics which show 255 greeted, total membership of 4,567. The increase was 136. |