Grand Lodge. The Grand Lodge resumed its session on Thursday morning, May 3, A.D. 1917, A.L. 5917, at nine o'clock. Present M.. W.. THOMAS PENNEY, Grand Master. Officers and Representatives as before. Prayer by R.. W.. GEORGE FREDERICK WILLIAMS, Grand Chaplain. The following telegram from the Deputy Grand Master was read: ATLANTIC CITY, N. J., May 2, 1917, 11.20 P. M. EDWARD M. L. EHLERS, Grand Sec'y, 50 West 24th St., New York, N. Y. I appreciate very much the kind sympathy conveyed by your telegram. If I could have been present I certainly should have been at this session of Grand Lodge. My fraternal greetings to Grand Master and Brethren, and much for one Edward M. L. Ehlers. GEORGE J. JACKSON. On motion of M.. W.. TowNSEND SCUDDER the transfer of $151,729.73 from the General Fund to the Memorial Fund was again adopted. The following telegram was received: THOMAS PENNEY, ALBANY, N. Y., MAY 3, 1917, 11.50 A. M. Grand Master, Masonic Temple, 24th Street, N. Y. City. Dreadfully disappointed that we are prevented from attending Grand Lodge meeting. Absolutely tied up here, however, by close call of the Senate. Our hearts are with you. Can we not be recorded as present in spirit at least? Most fraternal good wishes to all. GEORGE CROMWELL, On motion of M.. W.. ToWNSEND SCUDDER the following was adopted: RESOLVED that the Grand Master be authorized to appoint à committee of five to prepare, compile and, when approved by the Grand Master, to have printed a set of forms to be used in Grand Lodge ceremonies. On motion of M.. W.. ToWNSEND SCUDDER the following was adopted: WHEREAS, in the growth of the Fraternity in this state, some of the Masonic Districts have, through the addition of new lodges, become too large for the best administration. RESOLVED that the Grand Master be, and he hereby is, invited to appoint a committee on the Redistricting of the State, consisting of five members, who shall report to the next Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge a plan for the reconstitution of the masonic districts in the State to meet the present needs of the fraternity, giving due consideration to such topographical features as mountains, rivers, and other natural obstacles, and also to routes of travel. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON GRIEVANCES. M.. W.. GEORGE FREIFELD, from the Committee on Grievances, presented the report of said Committee, which was received and its recommendations adopted. To the Grand Lodge: The Committee on Grievances respectfully report: That they have acted on four applications for restoration to the rights of Free Masonry. That two of such applications because of material defects in form and substance could not be considered. That the Committee recommends favorable action by this Grand Lodge upon the application of Melville Skidmore of East Moriches, L. I., and of Joseph Goodman of 9 W. 116th St., New York City, for restoration to the rights of Masonry. Fraternally submitted, GEORGE FREIFELD, Committee. REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON WAYS AND MEANS. M.. W.. WILLIAM SHERER, from the Committee on Ways and Means, presented the following report, which was received and ordered printed in the Proceedings: To the Grand Lodge: Your Committee on Ways and Means, to whom, over four years ago, was referred the solution of the problem of securing the moneys necessary to pay off the second mortgage on the New York City property of the Fraternity and its floating debt, and upon whose recommendation the Grand Lodge issued to the Craft an invitation to subscribe for this purpose a sum equal to $7.00 for every member of the Fraternity in this State in good standing at the time of that invitation, believes it to be fitting that there be entered, in the Proceedings of his Grand Lodge, a record of the fact that, at the close of this the fourth year after the issuance of that invitation, there has been contributed over $1,000,000, voluntarily and freely given by the members of the Craft, without compulsion, in recognition of the obligation to establish an endowment of the Masonic Home at Utica adequate to assure the perpetuation of its work on a level in harmony with the Fraternity's high ideals. It is to be hoped and anticipated that when this great task is accomplished the name of no Lodge will be missing from the honor roll. REPORT OF THE FINANCE COMMITTEE. M.. W.. CHARLES SMITH, from the Committee on Finance, presented the following report, which was received and its recommendations adopted: To the Grand Lodge: Your Committee on Finance begs leave to submit the following report: To salary of the Grand Pursuivant... To salary of the Grand Tiler.. .$ 500.00 500.00 To salary of the Grand Lecturer. 2,400.00 To salary of the Grand Secretary. 5,400.00 To surety Bonds, Grand Treasurer and Grand Secretary. 125.00 To Expenses of Standing Committee on Hall and Asylum Fund. $15.24 7,000.00 To Organist, Bugler and Double Quartette.. 132.00 To "Masonic Standard" publication of addresses of Grand Lodge officers, etc.... 200.00 To "Der Fuhrer" publication of addresses of Grand Lodge officers, etc.... 50.00 To the entertainment of distinguished guests of Foreign Juris diction 1,000.00 59.00 70.68 To Geo. S. Tinklepaugh, expenses, Commissioner of Appeals... 46.50 There was before your Committee an application for refund of dues from Warren Lodge No. 32, and as the Grand Secretary has, upon investigation, discovered some counter-claims, the matter cannot be disposed of at this time, but must lay over for future consideration and investigation. The Committee further recommends that the Grand Treasurer be, and he is, hereby authorized to pay, upon the Certificate of the Grand Secretary, the necessary expenses connected with the office of the Grand Master, Grand Secretary, and Grand Treasurer, for postage, printing and stationery for the ensuing year. All of which is fraternally submitted. M.. W.. GEORGE FREIFELD addressed the Grand Lodge upon the subject of the Brooklyn Masonic Guild, which was referred to the Committee on Hall and Asylum. THE GRAND MASTER: Brethren, give your attention to M.'. W.. Brother Freifeld, who has an important matter to present to you and to the brethren of the Grand Lodge. M.. W.. GEORGE FREIFELD: Brethren of the Grand Lodge: In the neighboring Borough of Brooklyn, from which some of us have the honor to hail, there is a large company of the fraternity who during the past 15 years particularly have devoted their efforts to the establishment of a Masonic Temple with a great underlying purpose. The cornerstone of that temple was laid some ten years ago, although the work was really begun by an organization for the purpose of its construction about 15 years ago. In that time there has been accumulated a plant of actual value exceeding half a million dollars. Very little assistance or contributions were received from exterior places or from those not connected directly with the fraternity as represented there. The land, the building, the furniture, represent that actual outlay with out one dollar directly, indirectly or otherwise expended for administration purposes, and it has the unique distinction also, in this great country of large constructions, that not one cent of waste or of graft is represented in its cost. Not a man got a dollar or a tuppence in commissions for anything. During these 15 years there was received from legacies, free-will offerings and donations about $213,000. There was earned as profits of fairs, receptions and kindred enterprises over $87,000. There is a bonded debt of $225,000 and a sinking fund accumulated against that of over $50,000. The surplus income last year, the year ending March 31, 1917, amounts to upwards of $14,000. All of this, brethren, perhaps sounds commercial and boastful, and would be so if it were not dedicated and sanctified by a far finer purpose. In the charter of that organization there is a provision that as soon as possible, as soon as it may be deemed wise by those who have administered the affairs of the Brooklyn Masonic Guild, the entire net proceeds of the Guild shall be devoted to the erection of a home or asylum. It is with reference to that noble purpose that I wish to say a word or two by way of invitation. We have all realized that our splendid home at Utica is one of our proudest boasts, and rightly so. It has done and is doing magnificent work. We wish if we can to supplement that-not to rival it, not to compete with it, but to add to it. The brethren over there have considered for some time the feasibility of asking this great fraternity, of which they are a devoted part, to give an opportunity in due time of taking the children from Utica (who go there from all over the State) after they have arrived at a certain age and at least accomplished their elementary education in the public schools, but not by any means before that time, because we realize that there they are in the open under the fine supervision and receiving the benefit of the noble efforts of Mr. and Mrs. Wiley and their daughter. No better place could be found for the young. But when these boys and girls have practically finished with what can be given them there under the present institution, it is our desire that we receive such of them as we can and gather them into a home where they will be continued under fatherly and loving care and supervision and have the fine opportunities of settling for life in this great bee hive of commerce, manufactures, arts and sciences and industries of all kinds. Over there near us is an institution noted for its success in fitting young men and young women for all the different businesses of life. There young men and young women are taught the rough and the fine arts. We would make good housekeepers, where that is feasible, of some of the girls, seamstresses, milliners, nurses of others, and give others still a knowledge of occupations of different characters particularly fitting them for their life work. The boys can be made good plumbers and shoemakers and brick layers and lawyers and clergymen, if they are fitted for it. There we have the Pratt Institute, the Adelphi College, the Polytechnic, the Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences, and here we have Columbia College with a hundred institutions right at our doors which can be availed of readily. Meanwhile the young men and young women will be under the constant oversight of those who will have a loving and tender solicitude for them. We have nothing as yet to say in the matter of detail, but |