COMING REUNION DATES

The Bodies of the Rite in the Valley

of Washington, D. C., will hold meetings for the conferring of degrees every Tuesday evening during the winter. The thirty-first degree will be conferred in full form on February 27, and the thrity-second degree on March 6, 1917. A Spring Reunion will be held during the second week in May.

The San Francisco and the California Bodies of the Rite in San Francisco, Cal., hold their meetings, the former every Friday evening, and the latter every Wednesday evening.

The Bodies of the Rite in Oakland, Cal., hold meetings for conferring degrees every Monday evening.

The Bodies of the Rite in Seattle, Wash., hold their meetings every Tuesday evening.

During the months of February and March, 1917, the Scottish Rite Bodies

in St. Paul, Minn., will hold meetings for the conferring of degrees every Wednesday evening.

The Reunion of the Bodies in Denver, Colo., will be held February 19 to 22, 1917.

Reunions will be held in the Masonic Temple at Cristobal, Canal Zone, March 17 and 18, and April 21 and 22, 1917. The Scottish Rite Bodies in the Valley of Spokane, Wash., will hold meetings for conferring degrees every Thursday evening during the month of March, 1917. The meeting on Thursday, March 1, will be the occasion for the annual election of officers of the Lodge of Perfection.

The Scottish Rite Bodies in Fargo, N. Dak., will hold their March reunion on the 12, 13, 14 and 15 of that month. The Spring Reunion of the Bodies in San Antonio, Tex., has been set for March 26, 27, 28, 29 and 30, 1917.

Pilgrim Chapter of San Antonio, Tex., San Antonio, Tex., will hold meetings every Saturday evening during the month of February for conferring degrees on a local class.

The Bodies of the Rite in Galveston, April 23, 24, 25, 26 and 27, 1917. Tex., will hold their Spring Reunion

The Bodies of the Rite in the Valley of Chicago, Ill. (Northern Jurisdiction), hold their meetings every Thursday evening.

THE FALL REUNION AT

LOUISVILLE, KY.

We hear from Louisville, Ky., that the fall reunion recently held in that valley was a grand success and that all members are highly pleased with the result. The Scottish Rite Bulletin of that city has to say:

"Never before in our recollection

have the arrangements been more successfully carried out, the lessons more impressively or beautifully taught. It seemed, during the entire reunion, that every plan prepared on the program was successful, and that each officer and degrees gave to the Rite the best that those who took part in the different

was in them."

The class numbered twenty-eight, and was noted for the high character of its members, for the strict attention paid. to the work, and for its dignified bearing through all of the degrees. In short, it was a class of representative men, and one of which the Scottish Rite may justly be proud.

FROM RIO GRANDE CITY, TEX.

Brother E. L. Gammage, 32°, of Rio Grande City, Tex., sends us the following very interesting bit of news:

"Under special dispensation from the Army Consistory No. 1, of Fort Leavenworth, Kan., Brother E. B. Wooten, 32°, visited Fort Ringgold, at this city, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, January 3, 4 and 5, 1917, and conferred the Scottish Rite degrees by communication on a class of Army officers stationed at this garrison. All the degrees from the fourth to the thirty-second, inclusive, were communicated to

the class, numbering twelve, as follows: Maj. Frederick B. Shaw, 36th Infantry; Capt. Thomas C. Musgrave, 36th Infantry; First Lieut. Max R. Wainer, 28th Infantry; First Lieut. Percy E. Van Nostrand, 26th Infantry; First Lieut. Harry H. Towler, M. R. C.; Supply Sergt. John C. Hahn, 3d Cavalry; Battalion Sergt. Maj. Alfred G. Eritsland, 28th Infantry; Assistant Band Leader Chas. B. Tyler, 28th Infantry; First Sergt. William L. Born, 28th Infantry; First Sergt. Peter Swanson, 28th Infantry; First Sergt. Carl B. Strother, 28th Infantry; Sergt. Bugler Fred H. Voll, 28th Infantry.

"The following visitors were present: Capt. M. N. Falls, Honolulu Consistory No. 1, H. T.; Ector Lafayette Gammage, Galveston Consistory No. 1; Calixto Valle, Galveston Consistory, No. 1; Herman C. Seyler, Army Consistory, No. 1, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.; Chas. O. Stalsburgh, Army Consistory No. 1, Fort Leavenworth, Kan.

"At the close of the convocation a banquet was served at Cafe de Salinas in private parlors.

"Mr. Wooten is departing for Mc

Allen, where he will communicate the degrees to another class of Army men."

AN EXCELLENT RECORD Brother William Buzzard, 32°, secretary of the Scottish Rite Bodies in Fort Scott, Kan., sends us the following very interesting information:

"Knowing you to be interested in reunions, we beg to give you herewith a statement of what we did during the year 1916. We think you will admit that it is very good for a consistory located clear in the southeastern part of the State in a town of a little over 11,000 inhabitants.

Gain in cash and bonds during 1916

124.548.17

$31,028.03

There you are, brethren. How many of you can beat that-or even equal it? NEW MASONIC TEMPLE AT

PARKERSBURG, W. VA.

On the outside of the front cover of this issue of THE NEW AGE we show a picture of the new home of the Masons of Parkersburg, W. Va., which was opened for inspection by the public for the first time on New Year's Day. This event, then, marks the opening of the new building, although its formal dedication will not take place

until later, at which time an elaborate program lasting a week will be carried out. In the meantime, however, the new building will be used for all Masonic gatherings, as the last meeting has been held in the old temple.

The new Temple represents a total investment of about $175,000, and is a thoroughly up-to-date home, embodying, as it does, all the newest ideas, including efficient heating, lighting and ventilating systems, and a new pipe organ costing $2,000, the gift of Brother Ed Rich, a prominent Mason of Overton, N. J.

The new structure will be the home of all the Masonic bodies represented in Parkersburg.

AN EXQUISITE GIFT

There has recently been received at the House of the Temple a beautifully finished box containing a Sword of State and a Marshal's Baton, which are to be presented to the Supreme Council of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, by the members of the class who received the thirty-third degree at the dedication of the House of the Temple, Washington, on October 22, 1915.

The Sword and Baton were specially designed and executed under the supervision of Illustrious Brother Charles E. Rosenbaum, 33°, at the request of the members of the class. The Sword is of the heavy, two-handed variety, with a blade some 3 feet 3 inches long and about 2 inches in width, beautifully chased and inscribed. It has a cross hilt, decorated with the three interlaced triangles of the thirty-third degree and the crowned, double-headed eagle. The pommel is a terrestrial sphere of gold about two inches in diameter. The length of the sword, from pommel to point, is something over 4 feet. The Baton is a little over 2 feet in length, and each end of it is ornamented with a heavily chased golden urn, surmounted by a doubleheaded eagle.

The Sword and Baton have a value

of $300, and no duplicates in design are ever to be made.

A VALUABLE FIND

Brother Julius F. Sachse, Librarian of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, writes that the Grand Lodge has secured, and now has on exhibition in its Masonic Museum, a a silver medal, three and one-half inches in diameter, which is said to be one of the original jewels of the Emperors of the East and the West, the founders of the Rite of Perfection, circa 1758. It will be seen by the cuts that we print herewith that the obverse of the medal shows an upright sword surrounded by five stars, and above are seen the Scales of Justice and the two letters, D. Z., which will immediately be recognized as the insignia of the Princes of Jerusalem. On the reverse are a number of Masonic emblems and implements, a group of mounted knights, a group of trumpeters and others clothed in Masonic aprons. On the opposite side of a river are seen a group of buildings and, in the distance, King Solomon's Temple. This may have been one of the original jewels that came over with Stephen Morin; of this, however, there is no proof.

There are said to exist some ancient documents relating to this medal, but,

REVERSE

thus far, no trace of them has been obtainable. In any case this is a most interesting discovery.

NEW SCOTTISH RITE BODIES IN MIAMI, FLA.

From the Scottish Rite Bulletin of Louisville, Ky., we gather that Brother James McCants, of Tampa, and Brother Wm. C. Sessions, of Louisville, Ky., worked up a Scottish Rite class in Miami, Fla., intending to get about ten candidates and have Brother Olin S. Wright, 33° Hon., Deputy for Florida, go to that place and communicate the degrees with the idea of helping out the Bodies of Key West, which are only about a year old and have been badly handicapped by several unfortunate happenings. They found the task so pleasant and met with such success that they did not stop until fifty-three candidates had signed applications.

After they had secured twenty-eight, Brother Sessions went back to Plant City and talked to Brother Wright, and then went to Tampa to help the brethren there to prepare for a trip to Miami. They took along with them the paraphernalia for the degrees which they had decided to confer, as the list had grown too large to give the degrees in plain communicated form. The party was composed of Bros. O. S. Wright,

James McCants, A. B. Steuart, A. S. Thornton and Ceferino Balbin, of the Tampa bodies; Charles Ketchum, secretary of the Key West bodies, and Brother Sessions.

A Lodge of Perfection was instistituted in Miami. About twenty members of the Rite living in Miami, together with the members of the new class, constituted the charter membership. The membership of the class for the three other bodies were placed in Key West.

How many times has it been demonstrated that a little time and a little earnest attention devoted to matters of the Rite will bring most encouraging and glorious results?

A special meeting of the Board of Directors of the home was held on December 23, at which meeting it was decided to erect a new structure that will cost about $300,000. An appeal for funds will be made to individual Masons all over the State. The new building is to be of steel and concrete, and will be absolutely fireproof.

Bishop John Hennessy, of the Roman Catholic diocese of Wichita, at once offered to take care of all the inmates of the home at St. John's Institute, Mt. Carmel Academy, St. Mary's Academy and St. Francis' Hospital until the new home can be built. The Sedgwick Home and the Children's