MassachusettsHamiltonHistoryCh34
CHAPTER 34: THE NINETEEN TWENTIES
At the Annual Communication of 1922 Dudley Hays Ferrell was elected Grand Master.
Bro. Ferrell was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, January 28, 1879. He was educated in the public schools in Iowa, Monmouth College in Illinois, Tarkio College in Missouri, Princeton University and Princeton Theological Seminary. Upon graduation he took a Presbyterian parish in Slatlngton, Pennsylvania, From there he went to the Unitarian church in Natlck, and, except for the time when he served the Grand Lodge as Relief Commissioner, occupied Unitarian pulpits until his death.
Bro. Ferrell received the Masonic degrees in Paul Revere Lodge in 1906. Becoming a Charter Member of Baalis Sanford Lodge in 1918, he was its first Master under Charter. He was Deputy Grand Master in 1922 and Grand Master in 1923, 1924, and 1925. He was a Director of the Grand Lodge from 1927 until his death in 1932. He became Relief Commissioner in 1927, on the death of M. W. John Albert Blake and served in that office until 1931, when he resigned to give undivided attention to the important pastorate of the Second Church in Boston.
M. W. Bro. Ferrell was a member of all the collateral branches of Masonry but held no offices except in the Scottish Rite. He was Most Wise Master of Mount Olivet Chapter of Rose Croix at the time of his death. He was made an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council in 1924.
Grand Master Ferrell was a man of fine appearance and unusual charm of manner. Trained as he was in the arts of expression, he was a speaker of great force and persuasiveness. He had an unusual power of attracting affection, which made him greatly beloved by all who knew him.
At the March Quarterly of 1923 M. W. Melvin M. Johnson called attention to the activities of certain publications, some of them bearing Masonic names, which professed to be the organs and exponents of Masonic sentiment and opinions, and presented the resolution which follows:
"Resolved: That this Grand Lodge speaks only through its Most Worshipful Grand Master, through its official Proceedings and other instruments issuing under the attestation of its Right Worshipful Grand Secretary, and through Brothers especially deputed by the Grand Lodge or the Grand Master to the extent of their authority; and further
Resolved: That this Grand Lodge maintains no representative in Washington or elsewhere; that no person and no proper, magazine, or other publication has the right officially to voice or to represent the principles, opinions, or attitudes of this Grand Lodge except as hereinbefore provided."
The resolution was adopted and the Grand Secretary was directed to communicate it to the Lodges and the Grand Lodges with which this Grand Lodge was in correspondence. The difficulty appears to have been a temporary one as we hear no more about it.
At the same Quarterly it was announced that the Grand Lodge was soon to become the beneficiary of large sums under the wills of Bro. Orlando P. Davenport and of this widow who survived him but a short time, Bro. Davenport left $100,000 for the benefit of the Masonic Home. Mrs. Davenport left the family estate in Roxbury for a home for aged Masons and an endowment of $150,000. A decree, similar to that issued in the Williams case, was later obtained and the bequest was used to build the Davenport wing at the Masonic Home. This and the Williams Wing are substantial brick buildings. It is expected that ultimately the central building, the original wooden structure used for the Home, will be replaced by a brick building for which funds are being accumulated. There appears to be no immediate prospect of need for further enlargement. We are now able to care for all applicants and the govermental provisions for the aged are preventing any considerable increase in the number of applications.
On November 1, 1923, the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, for the first time in its long history, held a Communication outside the boundaries of its Jurisdiction, By the gracious permission of M. W. James H. Price, Grand Master of Masons in Virginia and the fraternal courtesy of the officers and members of Alexandria-Washington Lodge No. 22, the Grand Lodge met in Alexandria, Virginia, for the purpose of participating in laying the corner-stone of the George Washington Masonic National Memorial. All the Past Grand Masters were present and more than fifty officers of Grand Lodge and private members of the Fraternity, including two from the Canal Zone. The weather was very favorable and a long procession of many thousand Masons from all parts of the United States, escorted by detachments from the termed forces of the country, marched out to the site of the Memorial where the corner-stone was laid with full Masonic ceremonial. An admirable address was delivered by Rt. Rev. Bro. James E. Freeman, Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Washington.
Early in 1924 Grand Master Ferrell began the long fight against lotteries. Taking the ground that lotteries are unethical and inconsistent with Masonic tenets and professions as well as generally contrary to law, he held that such practice must stop, and declared that "the operation of lotteries and the sponsoring of financial methods that partake of the character of gambling by the Masonic Lodges of this Jurisdiction will be adjudged a Masonic offense." The fact that other organizations use these methods is no excuse. The fact that in some cases there is no technical violation of the law is no defense.
There has been very little difficulty with the Lodges. Some has been encountered from organizations which are not Masonic but are composed of Masons. The general public, not aware of this essential difference often, perhaps generally, regards them as Masonic and their acts, good or bad redound to the credit or discredit of Masonry. While these groups, as organizations are not amenable to Grand Lodge control their individual members are liable to Masonic discipline. In one rather flagrant case two officers of ouch an organization were tried by the Grand Lodge Trial Commission, found guilty of conduct unbecoming a Mason, and sentenced to public reprimand. While the defendants do not seem personally to have taken their conviction very seriously, nevertheless the case was a very significant reminder that such offenders were not out of reach of the Grand Lodge and had a most salutary effect. Since that time it has generally been possible for Grand Masters to heed off these improper enterprises by by assuring their sponsors that they would individually be liable to Masonic discipline and in ail probability would have to undergo it. Perhaps the worst feature of these large scale lottery enterprises is that they are promoted by outside parties who make a business of it. They lure local groups into participation by specious promises of easy money and persuasive claims that what they propose is not a technical violation of law. The temptation to get something for nothing is a difficult one to control.
At the March Quarterly of 1924 Grand Master Ferrell made another important pronouncement. He spoke as follows:
"During the administration of Most Worshipful Brother Prince he made a definite suggestion which, coming from him, should have carried the inspiration of a recommendation, that the clubs whose membership was confined to Masons and which were located within the jurisdiction of this Grand Lodge should drop the name Masonic from their titles wherever that name was being used. This suggestion was made upon two grounds:
- "The title Masonic can only be used by permission of the Grand Lodge. Not one of these clubs had obtained such permission nor asked for it.
- "It was observed that in their functioning these organizations in varying measure revealed the virtues and the shortcomings that all purely social groupings possess.
Yet bearing the title Masonic they became representative even in their inevitable shortcomings, of the Craft in general. There was slowly growing in the public i Ind a confusion as to who or what represented Masonry; a confusion that was more than liable to resolve itself into a conclusion that was false. The consistently public nature of their life may be considered an excuse for the clubs being placed in this position. Past conditions warranted their b ing falsely regarded as Masonry's representatives. -i-n consideration of these two things, one a fact, the other a possibility very nearly apprehending a reality, your present Grand Master reiterated the suggestion made by Most Worshipful Brother Prince and in a more or less direct way brought the matter to the attention of the clubs. Their response has been most gratifying. Some have already eliminated the term Masonic from their titles. In other clubs the change is in process. We speak of the matter now because by April 30, 1924, it is expected that every club .of Masons in the Commonwealth will have complied with the aforementioned suggestion. The Grand Lodge has tacitly ignored the situation thus far, but because of the considerations above stated, can do so no longer; and, by the above date, the change in tho name of each and every club composed of Masons and within our jurisdiction must be made."
At this time tho regular revenue of the Grand Lodge consisted of (1) a tax of $10.00 on each initiate, (2) a small tax levied on each Lodge, and (3) the net rentals of the Temple property. Added to this were the annual contributions to the Rainy Day Fund, which helped the Relief Department to meet its deficits. These contributions would be entirely Insufficient to meet the inevitable additional expanse entailed by tho opening of the Williams and Davenport buildings. Moreover the Grand Lodge had no adequate means to provide for Masonic service or Masonic education. What little it had for these purposes had to be raised by solicitation.
At the March Quarterly of 1924 M.W. Arthur D. Prince called attention to the situation and declared that all the expenses of the Grand Lodge ought to be provided for by regular revenue and the special contributions of all sorts discontinued. He offered an amendment to the Grand Constitutions providing that the ten dollar tax on initiates should be continued, the direct tax on Lodges should be abolished, and that Grand Lodge dues of two dollars a year should be paid by every affiliated Mason in the Jurisdiction. This measure had been fully considered by the Directors, who were entirely agreed as to its necessity.
The amendment of the proposal in Grand Lodge caused a shock of surprise and the first reaction was evidently against it. An intensive campaign of education was immediately undertaken by the Committee. The Committee in charge of the amendment held four hearings in representative parts of the state. In addition the matter was presented in meetings held in every Masonic District in the state except one. In that District the District Deputy Grand Master reported that the sentiment had become so favorable that no meeting was needed.
At every meeting detailed reports covering the financial operations of the Grand Lodge for the preceding ten years and a tentative estimate of immediate and prospective needs were presented. Very effective work was done in the presentation of these facts by R. W. Frank L. Simpson, the Deputy Grand Master. After the facts end figures had been presented there was general agreement as to the need of Grand Lodge dues for providing dependable revenue to meet Grand Lodge needs.
It soon appeared that the principle of Grand Lodge dues was being agreed to. There was some suggestion chat the amount was too large, but it was easy to show that it was the smallest consistent with financial necessity.
On one point the Committee soon saw the necessity of change. As originally drawn the amendment provided that two dollars per member should be charged to the Lodges and paid by them. It was soon evident that the amendment could not pass in this form. When the Committee reported it recommended that the Grand Lodge dues should be assessed directly on the individual members, the Lodges acting only as collecting agents for the Grand Lodge.
With this change the Committee recommended adoption of the amendment at the June Quarterly of 1924. It was adopted on roll call by the very decisive vote of 804 yea and 46 nay. This vote showed the essential sense and sanity of the Masons of Massachusetts when an issue is clearly presented to them.
There were surprisingly few objections to payment from individual members. The most numerous and most serious of these objections came from life members, who asserted that as such they were not liable to the new dues. The answer, of course, was that Grand Lodge dues had no relation to Lodge dues. The Lodges were fulfilling their contract and would continue to do so. The Grand Lodge dues were not covered by life membership contracts.
The adoption of this amendment gave the Grand Lodge new lease of life. While the revenue thus assessed was not large enough to encourage waste or extravagance, it m a sufficient, if prudently used, to make the Grand Lodge able to meet its organized expenditures, to support its benevolent enterprises, and to render to the Craft many services heretofore impossible. For a few years, while the new enterprises wore developing there was some surplus available and in 1928 the last remnant of debt upon the Temple was paid off. The Grand Lodge was now entirely free from indebtedness of any sort and all current incline was available for current use.
This was the period of great business expansion. A good deal of it proved to be unhealthy, but the general feeling was one of great prosperity and the common expectation was that it would be permanent. The natural result was a considerable activity in building projects. In many places Masonic Temples were built in a flush of enthusiasm which in some cases caused serious financial embarrassment later.
Boston did not escape the contagion. For some years there was talk of a new Temple. There was considerable expectation that the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite for the Northern Jurisdiction would co-operate in building a temple on the unit plan to accommodate themselves and the Grand Lodge, No promises to that effect were actually made, but the expectation was supposed to be finally justified.
Accordingly the Directors took the matter up end offered at the March Quarterly of 1925 a proposition for the sale of the Temple and recommended its adoption. The price offered was a million and a half, and the proposition must be accepted or declined at the March Quarterly. Only a few days before the Quarterly it was definitely ascertained that the Supreme Council would not come. The avails of the sale would provide quarters for the Grand Lodge, but if the other bodies meeting in the Temple were, to be adequately provided for at least a million must be raised among them. These bodies had never raised money for Temple building. Like all the other Lodges in the state the Boston Lodges had met the per capita tax of previous years, but that was all. They had always been tenants of the Grand Lodge. Whether so large a sum as a million dollars could be raised among them was open to grave doubt. The matter was discussed at considerable length at the March Quarterly and finally laid on the table. Under the conditions of the proposed purchase this definitely closed the matter. This was probably very fortunate. The Grand Lodge was left with an unencumbered estate and consequently in good position to meet the depression which soon set in.
On February 22, 1925, Grand Master Ferrell left Boston for a visit to the Lodges in the Canal Zone and Chile. He was absent until May 6. It was a very fruitful visit. Especially in Chile, relations were much clarified with the Grand Lodge of Chile and our fraternal relations with that Grand Lodge much improved.
While the Grand Master was still in South America an official invitation was received for the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts to send a representative to the bicentenary observance of the Grand Lodge of Ireland, to be held in Dublin in June. The directors authorized acceptance of the Invitation and requested the Grand Master to go or, if not convenient for him to do so, to authorize some one to represent him. On being communicated with by cable the Grand Master appointed the Grand Secretary to represent him. This the Grand Secretary did, attending also in his capacity as an Active Member of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite for the Northern Jurisdiction, the centenary of the Supreme Council of Ireland which was held concurrently with the Grand Lodge celebration. Curiously enough the only other official representative from the United States was V. W. John Whicher, Grand Secretary of California. Here, as elsewhere in Great Britain, the representative of Massachusetts was accorded all the honor and consideration due the representative of the senior Grand Lodge in the western hemisphere. The visit to Ireland was of especial importance because it was the first personal contact between this Grand Lodge and that of Ireland. It was the beginning of a relation which has since been fruitful in delightful Masonic contacts. After leaving Dublin the Grand Secretary visited Edinburgh and London, where he was able to have important conferences with leaders of the Craft.
The increased income of the Grand Lodge now made possible far wider service to the Craft than had over yet been possible. A Department of Education was established on a state wide basis and a Masonic Service Department was organized, also on a state wide basis. These beginnings were destined to grow to most important parts of our work.
At the very close of his administration Grand Master Ferrell made an extremely important ruling. It had always been customary to allow candidates to sign the by-laws and thus become full Lodge members, as soon as they were raised. This had brought about a very serious difficulty. Candidates were obliged to become proficient in the first and second degrees or they could not be advanced. Having once signed the by-laws many, probably a majority of the candidates, not realizing the very great importance of proficiency in the third degree, and not being under any compulsion in the matter, neglected to make such proficiency and could not be induced to do so.
Grand Master Ferrell ruled that under the Grand Constitutions a candidate might be forbidden to sign the by-laws until he had made due proficiency in the work and lectures of the third degree. This ruling was re-affirmed by the next Grand Master. It is now the well established law of the jurisdiction that a candidate is not entitled to sign the by-laws and take membership in the Lodge until he has made due proficiency in the third degree. It was a most salutary ruling and has been productive of great good.
At the December Quarterly of 1925 Frank L. Simpson was elected Grand Master.
Frank Leslie Simpson was born in South Barnstead, New Hampshire, March 19, 1875. Corning to Lynn in boyhood he was educated in the Lynn Classical High School, Boston University Law School, receiving the the degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1898, Bachelor of Law in 1905 and Master of Laws in 1910. On graduation from the Law School he entered the practice of Law and continued practice ever since. He has been on the teaching staff of the Boston University Law School since 1904. and has been Professor of Law since 1910. He has published several law books.
Bro. Simpson received the degrees in Damascus Lodge in 1911 and was its Master in 1919. He later was a Charter member of Bethlehem, Boston University, and Benjamin F. Arrington Lodges and affiiiated with Fraternity and Dalhousie Lodges. He took dimlts however from all except Bethlehem and Dalhousie Lodges. He served the Grand Lodge as Junior Grand Warden in 1921 and as Deputy Grand Master in 1924.
He was a member of all the collateral bodies but held office in none of them . He became an Honorary Member of the Supreme Council of the Scottish Rite in 1927.
One of Grand Master Simpson's first tasks was the organization of the Grand Lodge activities into related, but autonomous, departments, so as to produce the greatest possible efficiency and economy. This was called for by the much increased revenue of the Grand Lodge derived from the Grand Lodge dues and the consequent increase in Grand Lodge activities. There were four departments which could be immediately organized. The Administration and Property Department had to do with the care and administration of the Temple property; the general purchasing, and the accounting. For the purposes of Masonic Education and Masonic Service the state was divided into more zones. Each department was headed by a Director who was assisted by a Committee of Zone Managers. In this way all sections were represented in the management of the department and the Director was kept in touch with every part of the state. All these departments were created by executive order, as no constitutional provisions were involved.
The Relief Department presented much greater difficulties because changes there required constitutional amendments. The existing organization was outgrown and Inadequate and open to serious fundamental objections. It should be said at once that there was never the slightest suggestion of malfeasance on the part of the Board of Masonic Relief or any officer or member of it. The sole difficulty was with the cumbersome and inefficient organization. It was well enough for a relief budget of $25,000 a year, but the budget had grown to nearly $150,000 a year and was likely to grow further.
As organized the Board consisted of twelve Active Members elected by the Grand Lodge and one Associate Member from each Lodge. The Grand Master was ex officio a member of the Board, which elected its own President. Thus the Grand Master was not necessarily President of the Board, although in fact he always was so. The Grand Treasurer was Treasurer of the Board, but it elected its own Clerk and Relief Commissioner and the President approved the Committees. Two of them, the Executive Committee and the Finance Committee practioally managed the affairs of the Board.
The executive Committee consisting of the President of the Board, the Relief Commissioner and one other had charge of the land and buildings, the employment of employees and fixing their salaries. It had authority to purchase supplies, to make rules for the government of the home and dispose of all complaints, grievances, and oases of discipline, whether among employees or Residents.
The Finance Committee had charge of the raising and spending of all funds for the support of the Home, and had general supervision of the accounts of the Home, and of the methods of keeping the same. The Finance Committee passed all bills for approval and recommended them to the Board for payment.
The Grand Lodge had nothing to do with the Board of Masonic Relief except to elect the twelve Active Members who were chosen, four each year for three year terms. The Active Membership was a source of constant irritation. If a roll-call was demanded on any question before the Board only the Active Members could vote and their decision was final. In fact there never was a roil call, but there was always a possibility that there might be one at any time and the great majority of the members of the Board might find themselves helpless.
At the March Quarterly of 1926 the Grand Master resented an amendment to the Grand Constitutions providing for a reorganization of the Board which would do away with the obvious inconvenience of the existing articles. The Committee on the Amendment reported at the June Quarterly. After considerable discussion including lost motion to refer the report back to the Committee, the Amendment was defeated by a vote of 412 to 282, 52 votes short of the required two thirds.
At the December Quarterly of 1926 a new Amendment was proposed. This was adopted by the constitutional majority at the March Quarterly of 1927.
In the general revision of 1930 the final changes were made in the relief machinery, resulting in the present very efficient organization.
The Board consists of three classes of representation, (a) twelve Representatives at large elected by the Grand Lodge, four each year for three year terms (b) District Representatives, one chosen annually from each Masonic District, (c) Lodge Representatives, one chosen annually by each Lodge. The Grand Master is ex officio President of the Board. The Grand Master appoints annually a Standing Committee of at least six members of the Board. The Standing Committee annually elects the Relief Commissioner, with the approval of the Grand Master.
The Board has full charge of the relief work of the Grand Lodge. All applications for admission to the Masonic Home and to the Masonic Hospital and for outside relief are decided by the Board, The Board deals only with Lodges, never with individuals.
Applications for admission to the Home and to the Hospital are made by the Lodges. Applications for outside relief are mode to the Lodges. If the demands are too heavy to be met by the Lodge, the Lodge applies to the Board for assistance. The case is then carefully considered and a division of the burden between the Lodge and the Board is agreed upon. If assistance is granted it is voted as assistance to the Lodge in coring for A. B. All grants are limited to three months to Insure regular examination of all cases.
All requests for admission to the institution and for outside relief are submitted to the Standing Committee by the Relief Commissioner. The Committee considers them carefully and recommends such action as it deems wise to the Board, which meets monthly,
The Board has charge of all major oases of discipline among the Residents, Through the Relief Commissioner it has charge of the operating personnel of the Institutions. The Home and Hospital estates are, like all the other property of the Grand Lodge, in charge of the Directors of the Grand Lodge. All the bills of the Board of Masonic Relief ire passed by the directors under budgetary provisions.
It will.thus be seen that the Board of Masonic Relief is exactly as defined in the Grand Constitutions, "the charity Committee of the Grand Lodge." As such it functions smoothly and efficiently. There are no Home Trustees or other complicating machinery.
There is only one machine —the Grand Lodge - and that is fully competent to discharge all the functions which fall to it.
At the March Quarterly of 1926, the Grand Lodge for the first time adopted a budget. In theory, and undoubtedly in law, the monies of the Grand Lodge had always been expended by authority of the Grand Lodge itself. The records show many cases where the Grand Lodge made specific appropriations, sometimes in very small amounts. The Grand Lodge had also ratified interlm expenditures made by the Grand Master or by the Dlrectors. The Directors, however, having change of all the property of the Grand Lodge had become accustomed to spending the Grand Lodge income at their discretion. Full accounts were rendered to the Grand Lodge annually. There was no question as to the ability or the integrity of the Directors. There was, however, wide and fully justified dissatisfaction with the method. The greatly increased revenue and expenditure of the Grand Lodge very materially altered the picture. The feeling became very strong that the Grand Lodge ought not merely to know how its money had been spent , but also to know how it was going to be spent, and to have something to say about it beforehand.
The Directors recognized the situation and were entirely ready to co-operate, A detailed budget was presented to the Grand Lodge at the March Quarterly, accompanied by a full explanation by the Grand Master of the several items. The budget was printed and placed in the hands of all then present. The budget and the explanations were so clear end satisfactory that the budget was accepted and the votes necessary to implement it were passed without debate or dissent.
The annual budget has ever since been a regular feature, end has added much to the smooth and satisfactory operation of the Grand Lodge. It is interesting to note that up to the time of this writing no budget item has ever been questioned in the Grand Lodge. A small reform, but one which obviated many minor annoyances, was the abolition of the charge for supplies. Many printed forms were needed in the work of the Lodges. It had been customary to make a charge for these to cover the cost of production and of handling. The amount realized was Insignificant and the charge might well have been considered unjust, although there are no records of complaint on that score. The use of the blanks was necessary to the functioning of the Lodges and was compulsory under Grand Lodge legislation. It was only fair that the Grand Lodge should furnish them. From 1926 onward all required blanks have been furnished by the Grand Lodge without charge.
At the March Quarterly of 1926 Grand Master Simpson called attention to the need of better regulations governing the reception of visitors. The principal trouble lay in the proper establishment of the fact that the visitor was in good standing in his Lodge. Visitors properly admitted in the first place became known to the Tyler and were allowed to visit indefinitely, in some cases for years after they had been suspended. Sometimes the production of a "traveling card" or pocket diploma secured admission. This of course, was entirely wrong, as the traveling card showed that the Brother had received the degrees in a certaln Lodge at a certain time. It carried no information as to standing. Cases even occurred where money was improperly obtained on the strength of these documents from persons who were not informed as to their real nature and limitations. Shortly hereafter the issue of pocket diplomas was discontinued to the great advantage of all concerned. The Lodges issued their own receipts for dues, with resultant great confusion, particularly as to the time covered by the receipt. The Lodges usually began their fiscal year at the annual meeting.
The Grand Master recommended the adoption of a uniform receipt for dues, such receipt o be furnished by the Grand Lodge to all Lodges. The result was the adoption of amendments to the Grand Constitutions at the September Quarterly which put the matter of visiting on a much sounder basis.
The fiscal year of all Lodges was fixed at September 1 to August 31, the period already covered by the annual returns. Uniform receipts were to be issued by the Grand Lodge to all Lodges. Dues were payable annually in advance. The receipt showed that the holder was square on the books of the Lodge up to the date named on the receipt. The receipt covered Lodge dues and Grand Lodge dues, as separate items, The same form was used whether the member paid all dues, Grand Lodge dues only, or had the dues remitted The visitor, before being vouched for or examined, was required to produce his receipt for the current or next preceding fiscal year. If the visitor came from another jurisdiction similar evidence of standing must be shown.
This was a great reform, it finally placed upon a definite and intelligible base a matter which had become a cause of confusion ever since the Grand Lodge came into existence. During the summer of 1926 important changes and improvements were made in the Temple. The building, when built had been equipped with hydraulic elevators. The electricity needed for light and power had been produced on the premise. The old elevators were now in need of replacement. The old elevators were taken out and new electric elevators were put in their place. An electricity needed for power and light was henceforth purchased from the Edison Electric Illuminating Company.
All this necessitated extensive dangers in the electric wiring and equipment, many of which could not be anticipated until the work was actually in hand. The work was completed when the Lodges resumed work in September. The total cost was in the neighborhood of $50.00.
The outside of the Temple was showing signs of weathering and the masonry was repointed at a cost of $950.00.
A rearrangement of rooms added greatly to the facility of administration. Two rooms on the second floor were turned over, one to the Records Department and one to the Education Department, later transferred to the Service Department.
During 1926 Grand Master Simpson made a number of important rulings. Several of them were interpretations of the laws relating to the jurisdiotlon of bodies and waivers under those laws, They will be more appropriately discussed when we record the change in the system which took place in 1930.
One ruling was that if a member of a Lodge in this jurisdiction was also a member of a Lodge in another Jurisdiction with which we are in relations should be suspended for non-payment of dues in the foreign Lodge he comes under that provision of the Grand Constitutions which provides that when a member of two or more Lodges is suspended for nonpayment of dues he cannot attend the meetings of any Lodge until his accounts with the suspending Lodge have been adjusted.
If a candidate was objected to and refused advancement, the Lodge might later, by majority vote, waive the objection and permit his advancement in that or another Lodge. A very important ruling ordained that a candidate might be raised only by a present or Past Master of a Massachusetts Lodge or by a Warden in his own Lodge. He might not be raised by a Past Master from another jurisdiction, even if Massachusetts ritual was used. ThB by-laws of a certain Lodge required that certain action could be taken only by a vote of two-thirds of the members of the Lodge. Owing to the difficulty of obtaining the presence of two-thirds of the members, the Lodge asked for a dispensation to allow a vote to be taken by mail. The Grand Master ruled that such action would be improper and refused the dispensation. In such a case the only remedy is first to amend the amending clause in the by-laws in such a way as to make it possible to get the necessary votes. In some by-laws the provision is that certain action may be taken only "with the consent" of a certain proportion of the members. In such cases the consent may properly be obtained by mail.
At the September Quarterly of 1926 the Veterans' Medal was established by constitutional amendment. This medal may be awarded to members of Massachusetts Lodges who have been continuously in good standing for fifty years. It may be awarded to members of Massachusetts Lodges who were raised outside this jurisdiction, provided the continuous standing has been kept. It may hot be awarded to Brethren raised in Massachusetts but holding their membership elsewhere. It is awarded on request of the Master of the Brother's Lodge. The medal is highly prized. During the remainder of Grand Master Simpson's administration he spent much time visiting Lodges and presenting these medals in person. Since the first applications, which were naturally numerous, were granted the medal was in general delivered to the recipient by the District Deputy Grand Master for the District. If the recipient is not a resident of Massachusetts, the Grand Lodge having jurisdiction is asked to make delivery. These requests have met with most courteous and fraternal reception. In not a few cases Grand Masters have delivered the medal in person.
Again Massachusetts extended a helping hand to Brethren in distress. On September of 1926 southern -Florida was devastated by a destructive hurricane, with great loss of life and property. The Grand Lodge promptly met the call of the Masonic Service Association for relief and the particular Lodges were circularized. The total contribution sent from Massachusetts was approximately $5,500.
In the late fall of 1926 the Grand Lodge suffered a great loss in the death of M. W. John Albert Blake. He had played a great part in securing the Masonic Home and as Relief Commissioner he had directed the Grand Lodge relief work with energy, tact, and sympathy ever since the organization of the Board of Masonic Relief. His problems were numerous and new, but he attacked them with vigor and solved them with success. He was emphatically the right man in the right place. Although he had attained the ripe age of eighty-three his health and vigor seemed so unimpaired that his death after an illness of only a few hours was a shook and surprise to all who knew him.
He was succeded as Relief Commissioner by M. W. Dudley H. Ferrell.
At the March Quarterly of 1927 a report came in from a special trial board in China which found the respondent guilty and recommended suspension for a definite period. In discussing the report the Grand Master set forth dearly and cogently the objections to suspension for a fixed time. Masonic suspension is not, strictly speaking, a punishment, analogous to those accused by the civil courts. The question before a Masonic tribunal is whether or not the respondent is fit to be a member of the Craft. If on the whole he is so worthy, though guilty of a temporary or venial lapse the Grand Constitutions provide appropriate methods for dealing with him. If he is not fit, he should be removed from the Fraternity by expulsion or suspension. Suspension for a fixed period goes on the entirely unwarranted assumption that the man who Is today unfit will have bee.me fit at the end of the terra. We have no right to make any such assumption. All suspensions should be indefinite. Should the suspended Brother later become once more fit for Masonic association, the machinery exists for his reinstatement.
In this particular case the Grand Lodge voted indefinite suspension. There has been no instance since of suspension for a fixed time.
In 1925 a Dispensation was issued for a new Lodge in Canton, China. At the March Communication in 1927 the Grand Master reported that owing to the very disturbed political conditions in China the Dispensation had been surrendered. This action was recommended by the District Grand Master and was undoubtedly very wise.
At the March Communication the Committee on Recognition of Foreign Grand Lodges made report upon matters in Egypt. In I876 the Grand Orient of Egypt (Scottish Rite) surrendered all control over symbolic Masonry to the National Grand Lodge of Egypt. In 1922 the National Grand Lodge elected as Grand Master Prince Mohammed All. The presiding Grand Master Idris Bey Ragheb declared the election illegal on the ground that the Prince had never been Master of a Lodge and left the assembly. He later held a meeting of his adherents who elected him Grand Master, This set up a lasting schism in the Grand Lodge. Massachusetts had never recognized any Egyptian Masonry. The Ragheb body had now requested recognition. There was a good deal of doubt as to which body would survive, as they were nearly equal in strength. Political conditions in Egypt were much confused and their outcome was liable to affect the Masonic situation. Under these circumstances the United Grand Lodge of England had refused to recognize either body pending an adjustment of these differences. The Committee recommended that this Grand Lodge take same position and was so voted. We have never recognized any Egyptian Grand Lodge. The United Grand Lodge of England does not now recognize any Egyptian Masonry.
In April of 1927 the lower Mississippi Valley was devastated by the most disastrous flood in the whole his Lory of the region. Many thousands of square miles in Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Arkansas were laid under water and many thousands of people were made homeless. Among them were thousands of members of the Craft. Grand Master Simpson immediately arranged for a contribution of $3,000 from Grand Lodge funds which were later increased to $5,000. He promptly circularized the Lodges and appointed Committees of twenty-five to have the contributions in charge and arrange to forward the moneys collected to a local Committee of Masonic Belief consisting of the Grand Master of Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. Altogether nearly $64,000 was sent from the Masons of Massachusetts. The total amount of Relief money sent to the devastated areas from all sources was about $600,000.
Later in the year, early in November, we had a minor flood problem of our own. Torrential rains, 5.71 inches in twenty-four hours, caused bad floods in Vermont and western Massachusetts. A dam above the town of Becket broke and released a large body of water whlch tore through the center of this town and down through the Westfield River. There was some loss of life and much destruction of property. The District Deputy Grand Mastery for the regions affected and the Service and Relief Committees of the Lodges went promptly and efficiently into action and all urgent cases were quickly relieved. Offers of aid were received from outside but none was needed. Our machinery for handling such emergencies demonstrated its efficiency, as it has served in times since.
On October 29, 1927, Mrs. Gertrude Clark Whittall, widow of R. W. Matthew John Whittall, recently deceased, a member of the Board of Directors, deeded to the Grand Lodge the beautiful estate known as Juniper Hall in the town of Shrewsbury. it was her desire that the estate should be used as a hospital for worthy and indigent Masons, their widows and dependents. The estate consisted of between eighty-five and a hundred acres of land beautifully improved and a large Georgian house. Tie house stands upon a lofty court and commands a magnificent view. The Grand Lodge accepted the gift under the terms and conditions set forth by the donor, and passed suitable resolutions of thanks which were engrossed and sent to Mrs. Whittall.
On May 30, 1928, a Special Communication of the Grand Lodge was held at Shrewsbury, and Juniper Hall was formally dedicated as a hospital, and the keys were formally delivered to Grand Master Simpson. The building was delivered fully furnished and in addition after deeding it to the Grand Lodge Mrs. Whittall had spent several thousand dollars in the purchase of silver ware, glass and crockery, bedding, and linen, and other furnishings necessary to fit the house for immediate use as a hospital.
At the June Quarterly the Grand Lodge voted to open the hospital at once and the first patient was admitted June 29. It was decided to admit only incurable cases for whom no other place was available. Contagious, infectious and mental cases are nor received. At first cancer oases were freely admitted, but later such admission ceased because of the unfavorable effect upon the other residents. Cancer cases are often very offensive and there is a general and very strong, although quite unfounded, impression that cancer is infectious.
Obviously the Whittall house, which would accommodate only about a dozen residents, was entirely inadequate for hospital purposes. At the same Quarterly it was voted to construct an addition at a cost of approximately $200,000. One hundred thousand dollars was appropriated from Grand Lodge funds. The rest was to be raised by subscription and the Grand Master at once issued a call for subscriptions.
The corner-stone of tho addition was laid September 26, 1928 and work was at once commenced on the construction. The needed money came in and the work way rapidly pushed to completion. On October 27, 1929, the hospital was completed and open for inspection. Some ten thousand visitors came. They saw a thoroughly equipped, up to date, hospital with every facility for the care of the type of cases to be accommodated. Since then the hospital has been in successful operation. Many gifts and bequests for its benefit have been received. Through the years Mrs. Whittall has been a generous friend and supporter of the hospital. She has frequently vislted it, has made many generous gifts to it, and has cheered the residents by many personal gifts and attentions.
The Grand Lodge voted at the December quarterly of 1929 that all sums received by subscription In excess of $100,000 be set aside on the Juniper Hall Fund, the interest to be used for maintenance purposes. Ae is almost inevitable in most cases the actual cost of the building somewhat exceeded to $200,000 but the cost was met by Grand Lodge.
At the December Quarterly of 1927 Grand Lodge voted that until otherwise ordered three Standing Committees should be annually appointed by the Grand Master, (a) a Committee on Recognition of Foreign Lodges, of not less than five, (b) a Committee on Masonic Service, of not less than seven, (c) a Committee on Masonic Education of not less than seven. This action was not new in substance. it simply pieced the authority of a Standing Regulation usage which had grown up in the operation of the Grand Lodge.
In January of 1928 Grand Master Simpson made his official visit to the Canal Zone. As usual he was warmly received by the District Grand Lodge of Panama. He returned highly gratified by the conditions on the Zone and by the splendid work being done there by the Brethren on this outpost of Massachusetts Masonry.
Mention has already been made of the death of Orlando H» Davenport and his legacy of something over $100,000 to the Grand Loage. Mrs. Davenport died in 1924 and bequeathed to the Grand Lodge the family estate on Waverly Street in Roxbury and $150,000 in cash to be used in making the Roxbury property the Orlando H. Davenport Home for indigent Masons and their dependents.. The establishment of a second Home in Roxbury did not appear feasible and Grand Lodge and the Trustees of the Masonic Education and Charity Trust petitioned the Supreme Court for instructions as to the use of the money. They asked for instruction that the purpose of Mrs. Davenport would be carried out by building an addition to the Home at Charlton, to be known as the Orlando Henry Davenport Home. The Attorney General appeared for the Commonwealth, as required by statute and assented to the petition and the Court issued a decree to that effect. An authorization was given to the Directors to proceed with the proposed addition. Work was promptly begun, and the new building was dedicated on May 23, 1929.
This addition, like the Williams Home is connected with the original Overlook property, so that all parts of the Home may be reached without exposure to the weather. The building contains 68 single rooms for guests and an auditorium capable of seating 225 persons and provided with a stage. It contains a Matron's suite, rest and recreation rooms for female employees and other accessories. The whole forms a needed and very welcome addition to the facilities of the Home.
At the March Quarterly of 1928 the necessary constitutional amendments were passed to provide for the introduction of the representative system. The Grand Master was empowered to appoint Brethren to represent Grand Lodges with which we are in fraternal relations near this Grand Lodge. The method is as follows. The Grand Master requests to the Grand Master of the United Grand Lodge of England for example,to nominate one of the members of that Grand Lodge to represent the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts. On receipt of the nomination a commission is issued to the nominee. Conversely the Grand Master of Massachusetts, nominates a representative near the united Grand Lodge of England, and in due time his Commission is received. Representatives of foreign Grand Lodges are entitled to seats in the Grand Lodge and to the privilege of the floor when any matter before the Grand Lodge which concerns the Grand Lodge which they represent. They do not, however, have any votes in Grand Lodge. By the end of the year the system was in working order. The foreign Grand Lodges check attendance and are much disturbed if their representatives are not reasonably regular in their attendance at Grand Lodge communications. Representatives are supposed to keep in touch with the Grand Lodge which they represent and are often used as characters of communication between Grand Lodges.
At the March Communication the Committee on Recognition of Foreign Grand Lodges presented a very important report. The Committee said a study of the records of the Grand Lodge reveals a very curious situation which in part at least, probably arises from the fact that we have never up to this time had the practice of exchanging representatives with other Grand Lodges. This Grand Lodge apparently never asked recognition from the five Grand Lodges older than itself. It had only formally recognized six of the forty-eight other Grand Jurisdictions in the United States. There is no record of formal exchange of recognition with England, Scotland, Ireland, or several other Grand Lodges with which it has for many years been on most cordial fraternal relations.
The Committee then submitted a list of 86 Grand Lodges which "in view of their generally accepted regularity, their actual relations with the Grand Lodge, amounting to de facto recognition, or specific votes of Grand Lodge ought to be regarded as now being in fraternal relations with this Grand Lodge of Massachusetts."
The acceptance of this report did much to clarify a somewhat confused situation. There was no longer any doubt as to what which Grand Lodges were recognized by this Grand Lodge. There was no longer any room for doubt as to the propriety of admitting visitors. Shortly after the acceptance of this report the exchange of representatives was completed and the list of recognized Grand Lodges and Grand Lodge Representatives is annually published and in the hands of all Lodges.
Another important action of 1928 was the creation of a reserve for replacement at the Masonic Home. The original Overlook building being of wooden construction was obviously less permanent than the Williams or Davenport additions. It was in good repair and was well protected from fire, but it must some day be replaced by a permanent structure. There was no immediate emergency, but it was time to provide for the future. To this end at the June Quarterly of 1928 the Home Replacement Fund was sot up. This fund consisted of $100,000 transferred from the Masonic Home Fund and the Residents Fund, which amounted to nearly $12,000. All persons admitted to the Home were required to transfer all their property to the Grand Lodge. In case of withdrawal or discharge subsistence was charged at the merely nominal rate of one dollar a day for the period of residence, and any money remaining was repaid to the resident . The money this received was the Residents' Fund. The replacement fund was to be increased by the earnings of the fund and by any additions which might be received to the Residents' Fund. T is wise measure made it reasonably certain that when it became necessary to replace the Overlook building there will be on hand the money necessary for the work.
At the September Quarterly the control of the War Relief Fund was finally put on a permanent basis. There had been several changes in the administration of the fund which at this time was in the hands of a special Committee of the Board of Masonic Relief. The entire reorganization of that Board which had now taken place called for a new arrangement. The Fund was now placed in control of the Board of Masonic Relief as a whole. The Board was authorized to expend the Fund, principal and interest, for war relief as defined by the purposes of the Fund and the Masonic Education and Charity Trust, the custodians of the Fund, was authorized and directed to make payments from the Fund as authorized by the Board of Masonic Relief. This greatly simplified procedure and has worked excellently.
In September the island of Porto Rico was devastated by a hurricane which caused immense loss of life and property. The Grand Master of Porto Rico sent out a call for assistance for our suffering Brethren and the matter was very promptly taken up by the Masonic Service Association. The response of Massachusetts, as usual, was prompt and generous. A contribution of $3,500 was immediately forwarded to the agency in Washington, D.C., which had charge of the matter.
The current edition of the Grand Constitutions was ten years old. Within that time many and important changes had taken place and a thorough revision seemed called for, Upon recommendation of the Grand Master a Committee of five, with M. W. Melvin M. Johnson as Chairman was appointed, under authorization of a vote of Grand Lodge "to prepare the amendment, revision, and codification of the Grand Constitutions."
The old question of the territorial jurisdiction of Lodges came up once more at the December Quarterly. A Committee which had been appointed to consider the matter presented o long and interesting report which covered the whole history of the matter and set forth the legislation upon it. The Committee however, made no recommendation for the reason that a Committee on general revision of the Grand Constitutions had just been appointed and the matter might better be left for them to deal with.
At the December Quarterly the Board of Masonic Relief presented for approval a code of rules for the Board governing admission to the Home and Hospital and the government of the Residents. The rules were approved by the Grand Lodge and are still in effect.
At the Annual Communication Herbert W. Dean, of Cheshire, was elected Grand Master.
The administration of Grand Master Simpson was in many ways one of the most momentous in the history of the Grand Lodge. The incoming Grand Master said at the Feast of St. John "He (Grand Master Simpson) was confronted with one of the most difficult problems that any Grand Master could face: the necessity of a period of reconstruction. The increased funds which were accruing to the Grand Lodge made a complete reorganizatlon necessary. There was a demand for program, a need of changes. Any period of reconstruction is bound to cause differences of opinion. There is bound to be dissatisfaction, caused by misunderstanding. What is needed during such a time is a man whose strength of purpose and vision are such that he may look wisely into the future, disregard the present, and plan for the years to come, and I feel that the Grand Lodge of Massachusetts could have chosen no more fitting man for the critical period than the man we have had as our leader during the last three years."
Among the especially notable things dating from this administration we may specify the acquisition of Juniper Hall and the raising of the large sum necessary to enlarge it and make it a thoroughly efficient hospital, the discharge of the mortgage on the Boston Temple, the establishment on a sound basis the reserve for replacement at the Home, the introduction of uniform receipts for dues, the establishment of the representative system, the organization of the Departments of service and education on a state wide basis, the systemization of the Lodges of Instruction, and the entire reorganization of the Board of Masonic Relief.
