of the Warnee, has had the effect of bringing the Grand Chapter of West Virginia into the fold, which we trust will be followed by the Mother of the Old Dominion. Wisconsin. The Deputy-General Grand High-Priest, at the triennial meeting of the General Grand Chapter held September 10, 1844, reported having granted a dispensation to two chapters in Wisconsin Territory, viz.: February 16, 1844, to Milwaukee, No. 1; and Washington, No. 2, in Plattesville, July 2, 1844.1 At the meeting September 14, 1847, the same officer reported having issued a dispensation to Southport Chapter, No. 3, in Southport (no date);o and also that his proxy had consecrated Washington Chapter, No. 2, at Plattesville, a Charter having been granted to said chapter, September 11, 1844. A Charter was granted to Southport, No. 3, at the meeting held September 17, 1847.* By authority of the Deputy-General Grand High-Priest under date of January 10, 1850, a convention was held in Madison of the delegates of the three chapters, and the Grand Chapter of Wisconsin was duly constituted, February 14, 1850. The Deputy-General Grand High-Priest having received officially the printed proceedings and grand constitution under date of July 5, 1850, he authorized Argulus W. Stark to install the Grand Officers, which was done August 7, 1850. Wyoming. At the triennial meeting of the General Grand Chapter held September 19, 1871, the General Grand High-Priest reported that he had issued a dispensation to a constitutional number of Companions to form a chapter at Cheyenne, Wyoming Territory, under the name of Wyoming Chapter, No. 1,5 which was chartered, September 20, 1871.6 Evanston Chapter, No. 2, at Evanston, received a dispensation dated April 25, 1876; and Lebanon, No. 8, at Laramie City, had a dispensation granted March 15, 1877; and these two had charters granted August 24, 1877.1 Garfield Chapter, No. 4, at Rawlins, had a dispensation issued March 25, 1884; and a Charter granted October 1, 1886. These chapters are under the immediate jurisdiction of the General Grand Chapter, never having organized a Grand Chapter. CHRONOLOGICAL MEMORANDA OF IMPORTANT TRANSACTIONS OF THE GENERAL GRAND CHAPTER.S October 24, 1797.-Preliminary meeting of three chapters in Boston, Mass. January 24, 1798.—Organization of the "Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the Northern States of America." September, 1798.-First meeting after organization for the choice of Officers. January 9, 1799.-Adjourned meeting; change of name to that of General Grand Royal Arch Chapter of the Northern States of America. January 9, 1806.-Change of name to that of General Grand Chapter of Royal Arch Masons for the United States of America. September, 1812, was, by resolution, fixed as the time, and New York City as the place, for the next Septennial Session. June 6, 1816.-Held in New York City, by reason of failure to meet in 1812. Constitution changed, so as to have a Deputy General Grand High-Priest. September, 1819.-Held agreeably to adjournment. February, 1823.—Adjournment was to Washington, District of Columbia, at this time, but not held. September, 1826.-Met according to previous notice. Meetings made tri ennial. November, 1832.-Held in this month on account of cholera in Baltimore during September. September, 1862.-Appointed to meet at Memphis, Tenn., but not held on account of Civil War then prevailing. September, 1871.-Constitution amended, admitting Past Grand High-Priests as permanent members. November, 1874.-Constitution amended, making the first four Past General Grand Officers permanent members. October 13, 1897.-Centennial Celebration at Baltimore, Md. 1 Proceedings of General Grand Chapter, 1877, pp. 92, 93. CHAPTER LVII HISTORY OF THE INTRODUCTION OF FREEMASONRY INTO EACH STATE AND TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES The Cryptic Degrees N the Freemason's Library and General Ahiman Rezon, by Samuel Cole, P. M., published in Baltimore in 1826, we find a list of forty-three degrees which was taken from a "late publication, 1816," which the author states are conferred in the Sublime Grand Lodges in Charleston, S. C., in the city of New York, and in Newport, R. I., which we have heretofore quoted. "Besides those degrees, which are in regular succession, most of the Inspectors are in possession of a number of detached degrees, given in different parts of the world, and which they generally communicate, free of expense, to those brethren who are high enough to understand them. Such as Select Masons, of 27, and the Royal Arch, as given under the Constitution of Dublin, etc., etc." In a description of the degree of Select Master, the writer says: "There is reason to believe that this degree was in use long before those of Most Excellent or Mark Master."1 It is well enough to quote from the charge to a Select Master, to indicate its proper place in the "curriculum" of the degrees: Companion-Having attained to this degree, you have passed the circle of perfection in Ancient Masonry." "2 This indicates that the Select degree closed all the degrees appertaining to the "Secret Vault," as it really did, up to 1826 at least. The edition of the above work of 1817 contains an article by Hezekiah Niles on the Select degree, in which he says: "Though this beautiful Degree is known to some persons in many parts of the 1" Freemason's Library," Cole, p. 220. 2 Ibid., p. 223. United States, we are not informed that it is worked anywhere but in Baltimore. We have been told that a regular Chapter of Select was held at Charleston, S. C., many years ago, but believe it has declined." 1 Bro. John Dove, of Virginia, says: "This beautiful Degree is comparatively of Modern Origin, having been, with the Degree of Royal Master, in the possession of a distinguished Chief, in the State of Maryland, as a purely honorary Degree, elucidatory of, and appendent to Royal Arch Masonry, and by him conferred without fee; he delegated authority to others, to use them, in the same way, until the year 1824, when the Grand Chapter of Maryland, with his consent, took charge of the Degrees, and ordered them to be given before the Most Excellent Master; where all intelligent workers in the Royal Arch must at once perceive the propriety of their location." 2 Brother A. G. Mackey says: "For many years there have been three distinct claims urged for jurisdiction over these degrees, in America-first, by the Supreme Council of the 33d Degree; next by some of the Grand Chapters; and lastly by the Grand Councils, composed of the subordinate Councils of each State." "Connected with this question of jurisdiction is another in reference to the historical origin of the Degrees, and, as the person or persons, by whom they were first introduced into America. The Masons of Maryland and Virginia contend, that the Royal and Select Degrees were introduced by Philip P. Eckel, of Baltimore, one of the most distinguished and enlightened Masons of his day, who, in 1817, communicated them to Jeremy L. Cross, and gave him authority to confer them in every Royal Arch Chapter which he might visit in his official character." This clearly shows that they were to be subsequent to the Royal Arch. Dr. Robert Folger says: "The Masons of that day (1816) were divided in opinion concerning the proper place to which these degrees (Royal and Select) belonged. One party preferred that they should be kept separate, and left where they were a separate system." At the fourth meeting of the General Grand Chapter, June 6, 1816, a discussion took place upon the proposition for the admission of the Grand Chapter of Maryland and the District of Columbia, 'Schultz's "History of Masonry in Maryland," vol. i., p. 335. 2 Ibid., p. 336. |