MassachusettsYear1856

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1856

WINSLOW LEWIS, JR., Grand Master

NOTES

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS

Held at Masonic Temple, Boston

  • 03/12: VI-1;
  • 06/11: VI-14;
  • 09/10: VI-31;
  • 12/10: VI-59; (Annual Communication)

03/12 Agenda

  • VI-6: Partial report of the committee on regalia.
  • VI-8: Complaint on jurisdiction between Mount Tom and Hampden Lodges; referred.
    • 06/11: VI-21; Conflict resolved.

06/11 Agenda

  • VI-17: Report of committee on accepting an instrument used at the laying of the Corner Stone of the Boston Public Library.
  • VI-18: Communication from "a body styling itself the Grand Lodge of Canada‚" referred.
    • 09/10: VI-42ff; This body not to be recognized. Extensive historical argument.
  • VI-19: Conflict between Rt. Wor. Jeremiah Stone and King Hiram's Lodge resolved; Rt. Wor. Stone expelled.
  • VI-20: Report on suspension of Master of Germania Lodge.
    • 09/10: VI-34; Communication from Germania Lodge.
    • 09/10: VI-58; to be resolved.
    • 12/10: VI-67; Resolution of the matter, and decision of Grand Master. Master's suspension revoked.
  • VI-21: Committee appointed on re-engraving of diploma plae.
  • VI-23: Committee report on acquiring a new organ.
  • VI-24: Grand Lodge resolution approving the creation of the Pilgrim Monument in Plymouth (the cornerstone would not be laid until 1859.)

09/10 Agenda

  • VI-33: Communication with the Grand Lodge of California on Pacific Lodge (Bethesda Lodge in Valparaiso).
  • VI-34: Report of the Committee on Charity.
  • VI-37ff: Extensive report of the committee on jurisdictional issue between Grecian Lodge and St. Matthew's Lodge.

This conflict arose due to the incorporation of Lawrence, Mass.; the substance of the argument was based on the claim made by Grecian Lodge over the entirety of Lawrence, incorporated in 1837 "by taking portions of Methuen and Andover lying on the North and South banks of the Merrimac[k River].

When Grecian Lodge had its charter - surrendered during the "Antimasonic excitement" - restored in 1847, it was granted the right to relocate its place of meeting to Lawrence; St. Matthew's Lodge, meanwhile, had never surrendered its charter, and conflicts over candidates had placed the Lodges in adersarial positions.

The following proposition was adopted, and would provide a useful precedent for future jurisdictional conflicts due to the redrawing of town boundaries by the State Legislature. (Eventually, concurrent jurisdiction would be adopted, eliminating the need for this sort of conflict.)

"Any person residing on the South side of Merrimac[k] River, on the territory formerly belonging to the town of Andover, but now forming a part of the city of Lawrence who shall be desirous of obtaining the degrees in Freemasonry shall have the right to apply to St. Matthew's Lodge in Andover or Grecian Lodge in Lawrence, at his option, and the Lodge to which he makes application shall immediately notify the other of said application."

12/10 Agenda

  • VI-60: Report of Trustees of the Temple.
  • VI-62: Report of Trustees of the Grand Charity Fund. Report of the Committee of Finance.
  • VI-65: Petition by Olive Branch Lodge to hold meetings alternately in Sutton and Webster, granted.
  • VI-66: Petition for Central Lodge, Webster: application withdrawn.
  • VI-68: Report of Committee on Regalia.
  • VI-70: Report of the Committee of Finance.
  • VI-71: Committee appointed to consider costs of printing diplomas.
  • VI-72: Report of the Committee of Charity.
  • VI-73: Grand Master Lewis declined re-election due to ‚Äúfeeble health and professional engagements‚Äù; John T. Heard elected (65 ballots) and other Grand Lodge officers elected.

Grand Constitutions Amendment Proposals

  • 03/12: VI-12; Additional amendments to Grand Constitutions proposed.
    • 06/11: VI-30: These were severally rejected.
  • 09/10: VI-40; Committee recommended no change to Grand Constitutions regarding time of meeting for the Quarterly Communications.
  • 12/10: VI-69; Amendment to change the Grand Constitutions with regard to regalia for Grand Lodge and Subordinate Lodge officers.
  • 12/30: VI-91; Amendment to change the Grand Constitutions, Part 3, Article 1, Section 1; referred.

Grand Master's Address

  • 03/12: VI-2; Review of the Grand Master's address in December 1855.
  • 12/30: VI-85; Address by Grand Master Lewis, "congratulating the Brethren on the prosperous state of the Fraternity."

Lodge By-Law Changes

None.

Necrologies and Memorials

  • 06/11: VI-22; Death of Rt. Wor. Samuel P. P. Fay, Past Grand Master; memorial delivered by committee.
  • 12/30: VI-87; Death of J. J. Loring, Past Senior Grand Warden; memorial delivered by Rt. Wor. I. H. Wright, Master of Hiram Lodge.

Petitions for Charters

  • 03/12: VI-6; Petition for Agawam U.D., Wareham, dispensation continued for three months.
  • 03/12: VI-7; Petition for DeWitt Clinton Lodge U.D., Sandwich; granted when by-laws are in accordance with Grand Lodge requirements.

Petitions for Dispensation for Lodges

All dispensations were mentioned in the Grand Master's Address on 12/30/1856, beginning on Page VI-85:

Petitions for Restoration of Charter

  • 03/12: VI-4; Petition to restore Social Harmony Lodge, Middleboro; returned to petitioners because provisions not yet met regarding nearest lodge.
    • 06/11: VI-18; granted. (Restored 06/12/1856)
  • 03/12: VI-8; Petition to restore Mountain Lodge, Colerain, and to remove to Shelburne Falls; granted if the nearest lodge concurs. (Restored 03/24/1856 and removed to new location.)
  • 06/11: VI-15; Petition to restore Marine Lodge, Falmouth; granted. (Restored 06/12/1856.)
  • 09/10: VI-32; Petition to restore Thomas Lodge, and remove to Palmer; granted. (Restored 09/10/1856 and removed to new location.)

SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS

None.

FEAST OF ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST

(held at Masonic Temple, Boston, 12/30/1856)

  • VI-77: Opening on 12/27/1856 and adjourned.
  • VI-78: Lodge of Instruction.
  • VI-80ff: Acquisition of an armchair that had belonged to Grand Master Henry Price.
  • VI-85: Valedictory address of Grand Master Lewis.
  • VI-89: Installation of Grand Master John T. Heard, and other Grand Lodge officers.
  • VI-90: Address by Grand Master Heard including praise of his immediate predecessor.

LIST OF LODGES BY DATE OF PRECEDENCE: 1856

When more information is available, this will be updated with district information. (Note: There were 10 "reorganized" Districts in 1856, plus special areas for Nantucket, Provincetown and Valparaiso Chile.

  • DISTRICT 1: Hiram G. Clark, Boston, District Deputy Grand Master
  • DISTRICT 2: Isaac P. Seavey, Newburyport, District Deputy Grand Master
  • DISTRICT 3: Peter Lawson, Lowell, District Deputy Grand Master
  • DISTRICT 4: Jonathan Greenwood, Framingham, District Deputy Grand Master
  • DISTRICT 5: Albert Case, Hingham, District Deputy Grand Master
  • DISTRICT 6: Horace Chenery, Worcester, District Deputy Grand Master
  • DISTRICT 7: J. Edson, New Bedford, District Deputy Grand Master
  • DISTRICT 8: Sylvanus Baxter, Provincetown, District Deputy Grand Master
  • DISTRICT 9: W. Franklin Weston, Dalton, District Deputy Grand Master
  • DISTRICT 10: Charles Mattoon, Greenfield, District Deputy Grand Master
  • NANTUCKET: Benjamin Brown, Nantucket, Special Deputy for Nantucket
  • PROVINCETOWN: J.P. Johnson, Provincetown, Special Deputy for Nantucket
  • VALPARAISO: C.T. Ward, Valparaiso, Special Deputy for Valparaiso

Note that District Grand Lecturers were appointed, as per the vote in Grand Lodge; the District Deputy Grand Masters were appointed, except for District 1 (Wor. William C. Martin).

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