The Grand Lodge Of Iowa

sent proceedings and past history of the Craft . At all events Iowa occupies one of the most prominent positions among those Grand Lodges in the United States , which strive by every means in their power to encourage the study of Masonic history and

Masonic literature generally , ancl it is not surprising that at the recent 54 th annual Communication , which was held at Oskaloosa on 1 st June and following clays , the record of the work clone during the past 12 months should have been one of which every Iowa Mason must have reason to be proud .

The Communication was held under the presidency of Bro . G . W . BALL , M . W . Grand Master , to whose address we shall have occasion to make reference , while as regards the statistics as to lodges and membership , which are set forth in Appendix

A , it will be sufficient if we note that the number of subscribing Masons in the jurisdiction is close on 27 , 500 , and the number of lodges among which these members are distributed 477 . Such a growth in little more than half a century full y bears out

all that we have said as to the zeal and energy ancl ability with which both the rulers and the lodges and brethren they presided over must have worked in order to produce so splendid a result . As to the Library , we gather from a special account , compiled

by Bro . Rev . H . RUGG , D . D ., for the Freemason ' s Repository , and reprinted , by special permission , in Appendix B to this Report , that it is believed to contain "the largest collection of valuable Masonic curios , proceedings , addresses , sermons ,

and everything bearing the mark of the Craft upon it , to be found in any part of the g lobe . It is especiall y rich in its accumulations of di p lomas , charters , manuscripts , jewels , medals , old lodge paraphernalia , and everything

else to be classed among Masonic curios . ' We are further told that " in the department which may properly be designated as distinctly Masonic , nearly all the standard works of Freemasonry find a p lace . Here are the substantial books which treat of the

history of the Craft and show the steps of its evolution from the distant past . Here , also , are numerous volumes , some of them exceedingl y rare and valuable , which convey information as to Masonic personages ancl events , ( he rituals and ceremonies , thc

laws and regulations of the Order , with various other matters of related interest . One section of this department contains upwards of 2500 bound volumes of Masonic periodicals . " There is , also , in addition a " semi-Masonic Department , "

which we are told is " especiall y rich in its collection of reports and publications issued by the fraternal societies , " and also a " General Department within which arc many shelves tilled with books which treat upon the subjects of Art , Architecture ,

Archaeology , Mythology , Egypt , Bible and Oriental lands , Crusades , Chivalry , Templary , Histories of the Nations , Sacred Works of the East , " & c . There is also an "Art Department " and likewise one which is especially set apart for works written

b y Iowa authors or by authors of other States and countries , but relating to Iowa ; the whole being contained in a handsome building located in the City of Cedar Rapids and erected in 1884 at a cost of 32 , 000 dollars . The paper is embellished with

sundry illustrations of the building and its principal apartments , and it is not surprising that so much prominence should be given to such an institution , which is a credit equally to those who took the lead in establishing it , ancl the Grand Lodge and brethren which so generousl y support it .

It remains for us to offer a few remarks on the subject of the address delivered by Grand Master BALL . Naturally the greater number of the questions referred to by him were ; of local interest ; but two stand out prominently , which are

calculated to attract , ancl which well deserve , attention from the general bod y of Masons . As to one of these—Freemasonry in Mexico—we shall have occasion to speak in some future article . The other concerns the new-fangled ideas on the subject of

" Masonic Relief , " to which the Grand Lodge of Wisconsin has lent the weig ht of its authority , and to which it has invited consideration from other G . Lodges . On the matter being submitted for the first time to the Grand Lodge of Iowa , the latter -at once

decided that it was opposed to the p lan proposed b y Wisconsin , and in favour of that previously prevailing in the jurisdiction of Iowa and in the majority of the Grand Lodge jurisdictions in the United States . But last year the ( irand Lodge of Wisconsin continued its consideration of the subject , and fhe Committee to

The Grand Lodge Of Iowa

which the matter was referred favoured Bro . BALL with a further letter inviting renewed consideration " owing to the apparent misunderstanding and misrepresentation of the plan " as ori g inall y proposed , and offering additional and more

elaborate arguments in favour of the p lan . Accordingl y Grand Master BALL carefullystudied the fresh arguments laid before him , and , having done so , remains as ( irml y as ever of opinion that the Wisconsin ideas about Masonic relief are " not based upon

any principle taught in Freemasonry . " And Bro . BALL added the following exposition of the principle of Masonic Charity , which , in our judgment , cannot be improved upon , and certainl y deserves quotation : " We are taught to relieve the distressed

and to dispense Charity , but nowhere in the teachings of Freemasonry can there be found a line or a precept teaching us that relief of the distressed is made compulsory upon the members of the Order , or that the reimbursement of those

Masons or lodges furnishing such relief should be made compulsory upon any lodge , subordinate or Grand . That Charity which one Mason exercises towards another when he furnishes him with means of relieving his distress is , and must be , purely

voluntary . When it ceases to be voluntary , then it is no longer Charity , but is changed into the form of a debt which one Mason owes another , or which one lodge owes to its members , and the collection of which may be enforced b y the method

provided b y the Wisconsin law . When such a law is adopted the Masonic Fraternity loses its character as a purel y Charitable ancl benevolent organisation and assumes the character of an insurance company . " We trust this declaration of Bro .

BALL ' S , which was subsequentl y endorsed b y the Grand Lodge of Iowa , will have the effect of putting an end for ever to the monstrousl y absurd ideas about Masonic Charity which appear to have seized hold upon Lhe minds of our Wisconsin brethren .

United Grand Lodge.

UNITED GRAND LODGE .

ihe following is thebiisniess to be transacted in Grand Lodge on Wednesday , the ist proximo : 1 . The minutes of the quarterly communication of the 2 nd June for confirmation . 2 . Report of the special meeting at the Royal Albert Hall on the 14 th

June . The Grand Secretary will read a communication addressed to the Most Worshipful Grand Master , by the Secretary of State for the Home . Department , in reference to the presentation of the address to her Majesty .

3 . The Most VVorshipful Grand Master will propose that the thanks of Grand Lodge be given to R . W . Bro . Sir Albert W . Woods , K . C . B ., K . C . M . G ., Garter , P . G . W ., Grand Director of Ceremonies , and to R . W . Bro . Thomas Fenn , P . G . W ., for their efficient arrangements for the Masonic meeting atthe Royal Albert Hall on the 14 th June last , to celebrate the long and glorious reign of her Majesty the Queen .

4 . COMMUNICATION FROM THE MOST WORSHIPFUL GRAND MASTER . It having been represented to the Most Worshipful Grand Master that some Provincial and District Grand Masters are desirous of commemorating the completion of the 6 o : h year of her Majesty ' s reign , by conferring Past

Provincial and District Grand Rank on brethren in their provinces and districts , and that Article 87 of the Bxik of Constitutions would have to be specially suspended by Grand Lodge before any such appointments could legally bs made .

His Royal Highness now submits the matter for the consideration of Grand Lodge , with the suggestion lhat if it be thought proper to sanction the suspension of the law , the number of appointments authorised should not exceed one for every 12 lodges in the province or district where the lodges

do not exceed 30 in number , with one additional if the broken number exceeds six ; and one appointment for every eight lodges in such provinces or districts in which the number of bdges is more than 30 , with one additional when the broken number exceeds four .

5 . Report of the Board of Bsnevolence for the last quarter , in which are recommendations for the following grants : The widow of a brother ot the Palatine Lodge , No . 97 , Sunderland ... ... ... ... £ 75 o o

The widow of a brother of the John Hervey Lodge , No . 12 C 0 , London ... ... ... ... Co o 0 The widow of a brother of the United Lodge , No . 697 , Colchester ... ... ... ... 75 o 0

6 . REPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES . To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of England . The Boavd have to report that the following presentations have been made to the Library and Museum since the last meeting of Grand Lodge , all of which have been accepted with thanks ;