The Nebraska Squabble.

THE NEBRASKA SQUABBLE .

( Continued from Vol . 31 , page 403 . ) The Committee on Jurisprudence reports , in addition to the p < e-¦ n cand resolution adopted by the Grand Lodge , the following : — " We cordially endorse the law as recognised and promulgated by our Grand Master . " . .

This endorsement by the committeo does not appear , however , to havo boon acted npon ; tho Grand Lodge , presumably , would not so stultify itself . 1 st . That two bodies claiming to be Masonio , of tho same grade cannot lawfully exist in the same State at the same time . 2 nd . That the first lawfully constituted authority established in a » i

State thereby obtnins exclusive jurisdiction in suoh territory , and that any other body of the same grade or rite entering later within snch territory is in itself unlawful . "If two bdies , claiming to be Masonic , with power and right to confer or control the degrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft , r . r Mastt-r Mason , neither of them would bo lawful , nor could either of

them exist lawfully one hour in Nebraska ; but if they do not claim the power or right to control or confer the degrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft or Master Mason , the * a tbe Grand Lodge , by its vote , has - declined to recognise or claim jurisdiction over any snch body ; as they recognise and have jurisdiction over no other degrees than those of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft or Master Mason . "

Therefore the first endorsement of the committee is useless and without force or effect . They having no jurisdiction over such bodies , and the Grand Master of Nebraska deriving all his power and authority from , and having no power as Grand Master other than that which ho receives from the Grand Lodge , has issued Edict No . 1 , of 20 th Jnly 1889 , without authority and in direct opposition to the expressed will

and action of the Grand Lodge of Nebraska . Why does tho Grand Master put himself in suoh a peculiar position before the Masonio world ? Is he alarmed lest we , by onr popularity as a representative body in opposition to the Soothe : n Jurisdiction Autocratic System , absorb the greater number of tl e eight thousand Master Masons subordinate to the Grand Lodge of

Nebraska , and thereby lose his popularity as a 32 Mason , also his chance to receive his 33 rd degree in consequence thereof P Existing a little more than one year in Nebraska , we have one hundred and ninety 14 th degree brethren in tbat State ' . The bodies subordinate to the Southern Jurisdiction Scottish Eite were organised in Nebraska in 1870 , and after nineteen years '

labour have only one hundred and fifty 14 th degree brethren on their rolls in tbat State . We sympathise with tbem in their nn-Amerioan , Autocratic unpopularity , and invite them and all Scottish Rite Masons of Nebraska to come with us , where tho will of the majority make the laws we are governed by . As to No . 2 , endorsed by the committee , this is also tbe law of the

Grand Master , not of tbe Grand Lodge , and it falls with No . 1 . If , however , it is good law , the 32 nd degree Southern Jurisdiction S-oifc ' sh Rite Grand Master of Nebraska , would at one fell swcop — by his edict—squelch and stamp ont the Northern Jurisdiction S' -oitish Rito Supreme Council , so called , as 111 . Joseph Cerneau , D .-Witt Clinton , Cadwalader D . Colden , and those associated with them

organised it in 1807 . Emanuel Do La Motta , tho creator of the Northern Jurisdiction , did not organise nntil 1814 , seven years after Cerneau's organisation If the G . M . is not more carefnl in making , ' recognising , and pro . mitigating Masonic law on hia own personal account , bo will hat o

Brother Henry L . Palmer ' s party and Brother Albert Pike ' s parly in a Killkenny cat controversy , and compel ( hem to call upon us to settle it . He shonld at least wait until he is reworded with t ! o 33 rd degree before he attempts to bring additional tronblo in the Scottish Rite .

What is bis present position ? Bro . John J . Mercer , a 32 ° Mason of the Southern Jurisdiction Scottish Rite , with bombast equal to " The three tailors of Tooley Stro ? t . " announces to tho world by a printed circular , tbat tha Supreme Council of tho 33 rd and last degreo of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the United States of America , their

territories and dependencies , of which I am tho Grand Commander , is unlawful and clandestine . W nonsense ! What a « snrnnco from one having no knowledge of the Scottish Rite beyor 1 receiving the 32 nd degree . He also announces in said circular , and uses my name in full in that connection , " THAT CERTAIN EVILLY -DISPOSED AND DESIGNING

MK . UI 1 EKS , V . ITI * INTENTION OF DECEIVING BRETHREN / ND CIRCULATING VOKGED RETORTS , " & C , & C . Said circular is sent by mail throughout tho United States , and partkul rly in the State and City of New York , where I reside nnd om well known , having lived thoro among my neighbours , respecUd nnd respectable , for over sixty years , and for thirty-five years a

Master Mason , always in good and regular standing . How silly ! How ridiculous ! How criminal ! How untruthful so far as I am concerned ! How undignified i ' or a Grand Master to issue , print and circulate such a paper . It is a criminal libel to circulate , or cause to be circulated , such a

paper in the Stateof New York ; punishable by fine or imprisonment , or both . I do not propose , however , to proceed against him criminally at this lime , unless he particularly desires it . But is it not timo to discontinue this vile , cowardly sort of Freemasonry , used in place of sound , discreet Masonio knowledge and argument among Masons ?

ir Supreme Council is in fall sympathy and accord with U e Gruiid Lodge of Nebraska , ancl agrees that it aud all regular Grand Lodges Lave full , exclusive and absolute power and authority over the decrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft and Master Mnso ** , in their several territorial jurisdictions ; also , power to make just and equal laws , rules and regulations for the government of Grand r : ii

The Nebraska Squabble.

subordinate Lodges and individual Irethren , tbat will not conflict with the high and exalted duties they owe to God , their neighbour , their country , and themselves ; and such that will not interfere with their moral , social , or civil mind , in making and administrating said laws , rnlea , and regulations , tbat ifc is fcheir highest duty to constantl y view their brother ' s interest as inseparable from their own .

This is tho well--. ettlod fundamental principle of the Supreme Anci' -iit and Accepted Scottish Rite for the United States of America , their Territories and Dependencies , founded in 1807 , in the city of Now York , by Illustrious Brother Joseph Cerneau , Grand Commander ; Do Witt Clinton , Governor of the State of New York ; Cadwalader D . Golden , Mayor of the City of New York , and those

, associated with them , and successfully continued from Joseph ' Cerneau 33 , ° through De Witt Clinton 33 ° , Elias Hicks 33 ° , Edmund B . Hays 33 , ° Hopkins Thompson 33 , ° to John J . Gorman 33 ° . As early ns 1808 it sent a communication to the Grand Lodge of New York , disclaiming any power or anthority over the degrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft , and Master Mason ; and neither

since that time , n > r at any time during their entire existence , have they in any way interfered with or conferred either of the said degrees . They have not now , nor have they ever had , any power , right nr control over either of the said degrees ; they do not now and never have exercised , attempted or desired to exercise any power or control over said degrees in any way or manner ; nor have they

anything to do with tho said degrees , except to require that any brother receiving the degrees of our Rite shall present positive evidence tbat he is a member iu good and regular standing in a Lodge of Master Masons under tho jurisdiction of a Grand Lodgo in fraternal correspondence with the Grand Lodges of the United States of America . I have thus clearly shown tbat this Supreme Council has no control ,

nor does it claim to control , any of tho degrees under the jurisdiction of tbo Grand Lodge of Nebraska . j I will now show that tho Southern Jurisdiction Scottish Rite body j of which the Grand Master of Nebraska is a 32 nd degree member , does claim to have control and the right to exercise it , if they wish , ¦

over the degrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Ci aft or Master Mason , to wit : — i The Supremo Council Ancient and Accepted Rite , Southern Jurisdiction , claim to have the right to establish Master Masons' Lodges , and to confer the degrees of Entered Apprentice , Fellow Craft or , Master Mason in any part of the world , as will be seen by the

following : — I From memoranda by J . J . J . Gourgas , published in the reprint of I Proceedings of the N . M . J ., vol . I . part 1 , page 39 : — - 1 " The Grand Council of the Princes of Jerusalem , afc Charleston ,

S . C , granted , 5 th Jnly 5801 , a warrant of Constitntion , to open a ! Master Mason Lodge , and to form and constitute a Grand Elect Perfect and Sublime Lodge of Perfect Masons , to initiate brethren into the Superior degrees , as far as the Sublime degree of Perfection , inclusive .

[ Signed , as follows : ] I " John Mitchell K . H . S . P . R . S . S . G . I . G . 33 ' I "T . B . Bowon K . H . S . P . R . S . S . G . I . G . 33 ° " E . De La Motta K . H . S . P . R . S . S . G . I . G . 33 ° I "Abraham Alexander K . EI . S . P . R . S . S . G . I . G . 33 ° I " Frerl . Dalcho K . H . S . P . R . S . S . G . I . G . 33 °

! " Benj . Cudsworth Pi inco of Jerusalem . I "Joseph Bee Princo of Jerusalem Knight of E . ancl W . " S . Hardy Prince of Jerusalem . " Israel do Leibon K . H . S . P . R . S . "Isaac Auld Princo of Jerusalem .

¦ ' Enos Reeves Knight of the E . and P . I . " I ' eter Smith R . X . " Abraham Sasportnz K . H . "James Allison S . P . R . X . " E . Elizor S . G . S . K . H . S . P . R . S .

j E . de la 'Motta , in his denunciation of Joseph Cc-rnoau in tho year 1814 , openly published the following : — "I havo nothing further to cay except that although Sublime Masons hive not , in this conntry , initiated into the Blue or Symbolij decrees , yet their Councils possess the indefeasible right of granting : Warrants for that purpose If is common on the continent of Europe , and may hr the caso here , should circumstances render the exercise of

tha ' . power nec-sary . The legality of this right i * dtriv . il from thc highest Masonic authority in the world ( however ready Mr . Cerneau and his gentlemen have beeu to relinquish it at once , and in to'o , which is another strong corroborative proof of his irregularity , or else they never could Lurfully alienate thtir rights as Sublime Ma'ors ) , aa can bo demonstrated to tho perfect satisfaction of every Masonio judicial and legislative body . "

In "Transaction . " , " 1857 to 18 G 6 , p 347 , Brother Pike states : — "Undoubtedly wo have ample power to commission a Deputy Inspector G-neral to confer the Blno degrees , and to create Symbolic Lodges in any unoccupied foreign country . Beyond a question one of us as Sovereign Grand Inspector General could do so . Wo aro sho n of none of our ancient powers . To avoid prejudice « uZ quarrels we refrain from the exere ' se HERR of our power . ; over the Blue degrees , with , on tho whole , very beneficial results . ' '

upon tlio Adjacent sk'n , unless tho friction should cause pain . Holloway s I'dls should lie simultaneously taken to reduce inflammation and lo purify the blood . THIS vcitment aliates the violence , and lessens th-. i frequency o £ rout , rbourruitiiiin , and spasmodic diseases , which sprint- f . orn hereditary pre * disposition , or from any accident : 1 weakness of constitution . This Ointment checl-s the loc im ' scl ' cf . The J'il ' s restore the vi _ .: l power * .

HOLIOWAT ' On ,. JIKNI AXD PILLS . —T * lictimatism and Gout . —These purify-1 inir and snothi ' i -j ; remedies demand the o . irnest attention of all persons Unb ' . e to pout , sciatica , or other y . uii . fnl affections of the muscle * , riorvos , ur joints-TUo Oimmcnt should l > o applied after tho a ! fc .: ted part-hive been ratioiitly fomented with wmm water , when tho u illicit s ' lould ho diligently u ' lhod