Freemasonry In Ohio.

FREEMASONRY IN OHIO .

The Grand Lodge of Ohio , if not one of the oldest , is certainly one of the strongest and most influential of the Grand Lodges in the United States of North America . The number of

subscribing members on its lodge rolls on the 31 st August , 18 9 6 , was 40 , 8 39 , while the number of active lodges on the 24 th October following was 497 . According to the Grand Treasurer ' s

account for the past year , the total income to the 15 th October last , including a balance of 26 , 186 dollars brought forward from the previous account , was 53 , 412 dollars , while the expenditure was 28 , 120 dollars . Such a body , which comprises upwards of 40 , 000 members distributed among nearly 500 lodges , and whose

annual statements of account show balances in hand of £ 5000 and upwards in English money , must be a power in Masonry , not onl y in the United States , but throughout the civilised world ,

and the annual Reports of its Proceedings are sure to contain , in addition to what is locally interesting , a considerable amount of what is often found to be most valuable information . Even

if we take account only of those voluminous Reports on Foreign Correspondence , which are almost invariably appended to the record of what is done at the annual Communication , there will herein be found enough , in the way of statistical and other

matter , to satisfy the craving for knowledge of the hungriest of Masonic students , while there is rarely a Grand Alaster's Annual Address contained in these Proceedings which does not throw light on the usages and customs which are peculiar to the

jurisdiction itself , or , which , though they are almost in universal application among Masons of all countries , are yet interpreted "i a different sense from other Masonic bodies , by the G . Lodge of that jurisdiction . In the case of the Grand Lodge of . Ohio ,

with a copy of whose Proceedings for last year we have been favoured , Bro . VV . B . MELISH , who was then M . W G . Master , delivered an address which fills no less than 53 pages , and though it must have taxed his vocal powers to read it and the

patience of his audience while giving it the respectful hearing 't deserves , and no doubt received , there is also , we rejoice to say , much in it that must have repaid both the distinguished

brother who compiled it and the brethren to whom it was addressed , in the one case for his exertions , and in the latter for their patience . Thus , as regards the Ohio Masonic Home , we learn that the total amount of subscriptions from all sources

Freemasonry In Ohio.

since its establishment amounted at the last return to close on 163 , 000 dollars , of which , however , some 10 , 500 dollars remained still unpaid . The payments to date amounted to , say , 151 , 000 dollars , and the amounts still due and payable to

some 14 , 000 dollars , the assets being about 1800 dollars , while the unpaid subscriptions were estimated to realise not more than 5000 dollars , "the universal business depression throughout the country" being set down as accountable for these

shortcomings on the part of brethren whose subscriptions had been promised in perfect good faith . However , what with the nearly Sooo dollars " set aside by the legislation of last year , " together with the donations recently . made by the chapters of

Ohio and the Grand Commandery , there was sufficient according to Grand Master MEI . ' statement , to place the Home " entirely out of debt" on the r 6 th November last , when the Ohio brethren found themselves in possession of " a magnificent piece of

property of a total cost of over two hundred thousand dollars , " and with no other responsibility resting upon them than that of turning it to practical account b y supplying it with such an income arising out of their annual donations and subscriptions as will suffice

to enable it to meet the claims of indigent brethren , their widows , and orphans upon its resources . We are also delighted beyond measure to find Bro . MELISH presenting the question of " physical qualifications" so reasonably and with so much sound

common sense . The Old Charge to the effect that a Master should take no apprentice unless he was " a perfect youth , having no maim or defect in his body , " was , he says , " a wholesome regulation for the employment of apprentices in operative Masonry , "

and was doubtless incorporated in the Ancient Charges as published by the Grand Lodge of England in 1723 , " with a desire to keep up , as far as possible , the connection between the Operative and the Speculative Masonry . " But it is his

opinion that it should be " taken no more literally than other parts of the Ancient Charges : such as ' All Masons shall work honestly on working days that they may live creditably on holy days , ' & c . ; or ' All Masons employed shall meekly receive

their wages without murmuring or mutiny , and not desert the Master till the work is finished . ' " His argument is that " if the Ancient Charges are still in force , they should be observed in their entirety , " otherwise , any custom or observance for which

there is no longer " any possible or conceivable use , " but which may be , and often is , " injurious to the Fraternity , " ought to cease . Bro . MELISH cites two cases within his own knowledge , one being that of a mm who was rejected " because he had an

artificial foot , a fact which no one in daily contact with the candidate knew until he told it . " In the other case , " a mm of the highest standing was refused because he had a stiff knee . " And to further show the absurdity of retaining this Ancient

Charge , Bro . MELISH went on to point out that it applies only to Entered Apprentices , and that while " a man of high social standing" with a stiff knee must not be made an Entered Apprentice , a one-legged or one-armed Entered Apprentice

may be made a Master Mason . As regards another decision that a man who " is deficient in any of his limbs or senses cannot be made a Mason , " he remarks " This ought to bar out the nearsighted , the partially deaf , & c , as all are deficient in some

one of their senses , " and poii . ts out that according to another decision " a one-eyed man is not deficient in any of his senses , " and is accordingly ad . nitted . He then proceeds to ask " which part of a man hears at orphan ' s cries or a widow ' s appeal , or is touched by the distress of the poor ?

Contents.

CONTENTS .

PAGE

LEADERSFreemasonry in Ohio ... ... ... ... •¦• 73 An Historical Address ... ... ... ... •¦¦ 74 Provincial Grand Mark Lodge of Kent ... ... ... ... 74 Grand Lodge of Scotland ... ... ... ... ... 75 Fourth Ladies' Night of the Molesey Lodge , No . 247 S ... ... ... 75

Annual Dinner of the Emblematic Lodge of Instruction , No . 1321 ... ... 75 Laying the Foundation Stone of a New Masonic Hall at Greenock ... 76 Presentation to Bro . George Abbott , P . M . 192 ... ... ... 76 Inauguration of the Zodiac Lodge of Instruction ... ... ... 76 Consecration of the Stellenbosch Lodge , No . 26 4 6 ... ... ... 76 Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... 7 6 MASONIC

NOTESAnniversary Festival of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution _ ... 79 Special General Meeting of the Royal Masonic Benevolent Institution ... 79 Freemasonry in Madras ... ... ... ... ... 79 Correspondence .,. ... ... ... ... ... So Reviews ... ... ... ... .,. ... ... So

Craft Masonry ... ... ... ... ... ... So Royal Arch ... ... _ ... ... ... ... ... 82 Lodges and Chapter of Instruction ... ... ... ... ... 83 Allied Masonic Degrees ... ... ... ... ... ... 83 Masonic and General Tidings ... ... ... ... ... 84