The Builder Magazine
March 1925 - Volume XI - Number 3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Why the Grand Lodge of New York Withdrew From the Masonic International Association - By BRO. WILLIAM A. ROWAN, Grand Master, New York
American College Fraternities, By BRO. CARL A. Foss
THE BUILDER
The Legend of the Quatuor Coronati - By BRO. GILBERT W. DAYNES, Associate Editor, England.
Statistics of Masonic Homes in the United States
Where and When Was Lafayette Made a Mason? - By BRO. HARRY J. GUTHRIE, P. G. M., Delaware
Official Etiquette of the Flag - As Prepared by ROBERT C. DAVIS, the Adjutant General, War Department, Washington, D. C.
How Two Clandestines Were Shown the Error of Their Ways - By Bro. OSCAR C. TAYLOR, Massachusetts
Newton Ray Parvin: In Memoriam - BY THE EDITOR
Great Men Who Were Masons - General James Jackson - By BRO. GEORGE W. BAIRD, P. G. M., District of Columbia
EDITORIAL
On Limiting Size of Lodges
“Abie’s Irish Rose”
A Splendid Research Record
My Philosophy
THE STUDY CLUB - Studies of Masonry in the United States - By BRO. H. L. HAYWOOD, Editor - PART VII. THE PROVINCIAL GRAND LODGE SYSTEM
THE LIBRARY
"THE LITTLE MASONIC LIBRARY"
A HANDBOOK FOR MASONS
"MUCH IN LITTLE"
“A POUND OF NAILS”
What to Read in Masonry - "STORY OF THE CRAFT"
THE QUESTION BOX AND CORRESPONDENCE
ABOUT THE LOST WORD
A MASONIC SILVER CUP
THE H. A. TRAGEDY AND ETERNAL LIFE
ON OBTAINING RELIEF
AMERICAN DEGREES IN AN ENGLISH LODGE ?
A SUGGESTION CONCERNING THE NORTHEAST CORNER
THE CONDEMNATION OF GALILEO
CONCERNING ELIGIBILITY TO GRAND MASTERSHIP
YE EDITOR'S CORNER
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VOLUME XI – NUMBER 3
MARCH 1925
THREE DOLLARS THE YEAR
TWENTY-FIVE CENTS THE COPY
Official Journal of the National Masonic Research Society
1950 Railway Exchange, St. Louis, Mo.
Contents copyright 1926 by the National Masonic Research Society.
Entered as second-class matter at the post office, St. Louis, Mo.; accepted for special rate of Postage provided for in §1103, Act of Oct. 3, 1917:
authorized Feb. 12, 1923, under the Act Of Aug. 24, 1912.
OFFICERS AND STEWARDS
ERNEST A. REED, New Jersey, President
NEWTON R. PARVIN, Iowa, Vice-President
CHARLES C. HUNT, Iowa, General Secretary
F. H. LITTLEFIELD, Missouri, Executive Secretary and Treasurer
LOUIS BLOCK, P.G.M., Iowa
ROBERT I. CLEW, Grand Historian, Ohio
CHARLES C. HUNT, Deputy Grand Secretary, Iowa.
SAM H. GOODWIN, Grand Secretary, Utah
MELVIN M. JOHNSON, P. G. M. Massachusetts
BERT S. LEE, P. G. M., Missouri
F. H. LlTTLEFIELD, Missouri
FRANIC S. MOSES, P. G. M., Iowa
Joseph FORT Newton, Educational Director M. S. A., New York.
ERNEST A. REED, P. G. M., New Jersey
SILAS H. SHEPHERD, Chairman Masonic Research, Wisconsin
OLIVER DAY STREET, Deputy Grand Master, Alabama
JESSE M. WHITED,, Grand Marshal, Order of De Molay, California
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Why the Grand Lodge of New York Withdrew From the Masonic International Association
By BRO. WILLIAM A. ROWAN, Grand Master, New York
DEAR BROTHER EDITOR - In your letter of Dec. 9, you say:
"We have received so many inquiries concerning your withdrawal from the Masonic International Association that I am writing to ask if you would be wining to give us the specific reason in a letter that may be published in THE BUILDER."
Article 7, of the Regulations and Statutes of the Masonic International Association, reads: "Each Jurisdiction may withdraw freely from the Association, if it has met its financial obligations." In his address to Grand Lodge in 1923, M. W.. Arthur S. Tompkins, then Grand Master, in referring to the Masonic International Association, said: "from which Association any Grand Jurisdiction may withdraw at any time for any reason, or for no reason"; New York, however, had reasons, which, in its judgment, called for withdrawal, even though our Constitution permitted membership in the Association, which it does not.
At the session in May, 1919, the following Resolution was adopted by the Grand Lodge of New York:
"RESOLVED, That the Grand Master be and he hereby is invited to accept any invitation which may be extended to this Grand Lodge to attend any Grand Lodge Communication or any conference or conferences of Grand Jurisdictions having for purpose the welfare of the Craft or a closer relationship between Jurisdictions, or any other purpose which in his judgment will promote the interest of the Fraternity, with power to appoint such delegates thereto as in his judgment may be deemed expedient * * * ."
A letter, dated Sept. 30, 1919, was received from Swiss Grand Lodge Alpina, stating:
"During the past years of war we frequently considered whether or not it was our mission to invite the Brothers of an countries to participate in a convention for the purpose of bringing them into closer relation with one another, but after due consideration we felt convinced that the proper time had not yet arrived, and that this wish could be realized only after the cessation of the bloody strife. Now the war is ended. Nations are commencing to resume their relations. The broken threads of manifold skeins of destiny ought to be repaired. In this work of reconstruction Freemasonry must not continue its attitude of waiting. It must no longer remain idle. For is not Freemasonry the one organization that is best qualified to further reconciliation between the peoples, and, by means of personal Contact among its members, to aid in the advancement of Masonic ideals?"
and offered its services to call an International Congress of all Freemasons, to be held in Switzerland during the autumn of 1920, subject to the approval and necessary support of the lodges of all of the countries, viewing the principal value of such a conclave in the exchange of ideas it may bring, in order to break down any barriers that may exist, and to aid the common cause of a closer world brotherhood, stating that "the Congress will act solely in an informatory capacity, and will not pass binding resolutions," and asking New York to consider the proposal carefully, and give it the necessary publicity among all interested circles. Following which, M. W. William S. Farmer, then Grand Master, sent a letter to all of the Grand Masters in the United States asking their attendance, and later sent a letter to all Jurisdictions outside of the United States, expressing the hope for a large and representative attendance by Jurisdictions from all over the world.
In his address to Grand Lodge in May, 1920, M. W. Bro. Farmer said:
"Due to the position it occupies in Freemasonry, the State of New York cannot be backward in expressing its sympathy with and participating in, every movement in the Fraternity in this or any other country which has for its purpose a closer union of Masons, with a view to the promotion of the principles for which the Fraternity stands and the making of the Fraternity a world asset of our civilization.
"We have talked much of its universality, but, when we come down to the final analysis, all Jurisdictions are more or less provincial, and, in their association with each other, find themselves divided by barriers for which there would be found little justification, were a perfect understanding had and the differences discussed in a conciliatory and sympathetic spirit; and, of course, all this without any departure from ancient landmarks or standards.
“Realizing the mission of Masonry as an universal institution, its potentiality for good and the great service it can render now in world reconstruction, the State of New York should be willing to lead and to follow and to be represented in every great conference or assembly where it can contribute to the general cause by its counsel and co-operation."
The Congress was not held in 1920, but was postponed to October, 1921; acting under the Resolution, above referred to, the Grand Master of New York, M. W. Robert H. Robinson, appointed representatives to the Conference. The following Jurisdictions were present at this Conference:
Approximate membership
Grand Lodge of New York
1,300 Grand Lodge of Vienna (Austria)
4,000 Grand Orient of Belgium
1,000 Grand Lodge of Bulgaria
400 Spanish Grand Lodge
25,000 Grand Orient of France
10,000 Grand Lodge of France
25,000 Grand Orient of Italy
6,420 Grand Orient of Netherlands (Holland)
3,000 United Grand Orient Lusitania of Portugal
4,700 Swiss Grand Lodge Alpina
2,600 Grand Orient of Turkey
Grand Lodge "Zur Aufgehenden Sonne" (Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun, of Nuremburg)
These Jurisdictions, exclusive of New York, had a membership of less than 100,000; the regular Grand Jurisdictions of the world, exclusive of New York, had a membership of over 3,250,000.
At that time, it was thought that the small attendance was due to the postponement, and that the new date had not been effectively advertised.
The Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun was admitted to the Conference by vote, New York and Swiss Grand Lodge Alpina voting in the negative.
The Conference adopted the following Declaration of Principles:
"The Masonic Grand Jurisdictions represented in Congress, with a view to making more effective their humanitarian and pacific mission, proclaim hereby constituted a
MASONIC INTERNATIONAL ASSOCIATION,
the seat of which is Geneva.
"All Masonic Grand Jurisdictions which subscribe to the principles, herein set forth, shall be eligible to membership.
"Inspired by the ideals shared by all, each Grand Jurisdiction in this Association retains its sovereignty, its traditions and its ritual.
"Freemasonry, founded by landmarks philanthropic, philosophic and progressive, the basis of which is the acceptance of the principle that all men are brothers, has for its object the quest of Truth, the study and practice of morality, and of that which will lead to unity among men.
"It labors to better the conditions of humanity from the material and spiritual standpoint as well as to lead it to a higher and intellectual and social plane.
"It has for principles toleration, respect for others and for self, liberty of conscience. It holds it to be its duty to extend to all members of the human family the bonds of fraternity, which unite Freemasons the world over.
"Freemasonry, deeming work to be one of the essential duties of man, honors equally those who toil with their hands and those given to intellectual pursuits.
"It is composed then of a society of upright men, equality and fraternity, labor individually and collectively to promote social progress, giving expression thereby to beneficence in its loftiest sense."
It also adopted Regulations and Statutes, which will be found on pages "H", "I" and "J", of the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge of New York of 1922.
It will be seen that the original proposition for the Congress to act only in an informative capacity, and not pass binding resolutions, was abandoned; all of the Jurisdictions represented signed the Declaration of Principles, save New York and Holland, which signed subject to ratification by their respective Grand Lodges, and the Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun, whose representative left Geneva before the termination of the Congress.
The report to the Grand Master of New York contained the following paragraph:
"Members of the Association respect the territorial integrity and jurisdiction of each other member. Foreign lodges within our territory, chartered by legitimate Grand Lodges acting however in hostility to our claim of exclusive jurisdiction, will be eliminated."
Reference to this paragraph will be made later.
So much objection was raised to the Declaration of Principles by representative members of the Craft in this Jurisdiction because of the omission therefrom of a belief in God, and reference to the Holy Bible, and to becoming a member of an association some of the members of which did not meet the standards of New York, that in 1922, upon recommendation of M. W. Robert H. Robinson, then Grand Master, consideration of the matter was laid over for a year. In his address at that time, M. W. Robert H. Robinson said:
"It is cause of regret and of no little humiliation to the Fraternity that notwithstanding its universality, various components of Freemasonry have had little in common, co-operating almost not at all, in fact frequently refraining even from recognizing one another. For all this, there may have been, perhaps there is, some justification, yet in these days, when the world is seeking closer co-operation, and men of all races appreciate the necessity of more intimate relationship and understanding, if the present problems of the world are to be successfully solved, it was natural that the Fraternity too should awaken to a desire to frustrate the efforts of its enemies to maintain it 'A house divided against itself.'
"These enemies have in a measure succeeded by accentuating the Fraternity's discords and disagreements. Masonry should endeavor to overcome these designs by establishing some medium through which the truth concerning the several Grand Jurisdictions may be ascertained.
"This aspiration found expression in the Geneva Conference and there was there organized a Masonic International Association which has, as its first purpose, the quest of 'Truth,' the thought being that until we know the truth concerning each other, we are hardly in a position to define wherein we may cooperate, or justify our failure to co-operate.
"This new enterprise is of so great importance to the Craft that it seems proper that ample time to study it should be afforded."
In May, 1923, in referring to the matter in his address to Grand Lodge, M. W. Arthur S. Tompkins, Grand Master, said:
"Grand Lodge, at this session, should take action in this matter and determine whether our Jurisdiction is to continue as a tentative member of this Association or is to become a permanent member, or is to withdraw entirely from the said Association.
"We are opposed to a super-Grand Lodge or any International Association that would dominate our own or any other Grand Jurisdiction but I am in favor of a voluntary association or league of tie legitimate Masonic Jurisdictions of the world upon fundamental principles as to which all can agree and upon the common platform of universal brotherhood, without surrendering or compromising any of our own ideals or landmarks and from which association any Grand Jurisdiction may withdraw at any time for any reason or for no reason.
"The International Association of which we are now a tentative member has in it elements that are not in harmony with all of our Masonic standards, the majority of its members are recognized by us as true Masons and with them we are in correspondence and friendly relations, and the question to be determined by us is whether we shall continue our membership in the Association and encourage other American and European Jurisdictions to become members and in time purge the Association of the bodies that are truly not Masonic and make of it a powerful agency for the spread of Masonic Doctrine throughout the world, or whether we shall withdraw our support and abandon the vision and hope of a world-wide Masonic federation. My own opinion is that we should stay where we are and use our best endeavors to interest other American Jurisdictions in the cause, to the end that we may ultimately eliminate all un-Masonic bodies and perfect a powerful and effective worldwide Masonic alliance."
The recommendations were referred to committees on Jurisprudence and Foreign Relations, which committees presented to the Grand Lodge the following recommendation:
"The Joint Committee of Jurisprudence and Foreign Correspondence begs to report:
"'The portion of the Grand Master's address relating to the Masonic International Masonic Association, which has been referred to us has been duly considered.
" 'It seems to your Committee that as a matter of comity to our sister Jurisdictions in the United States it is better not to authorize the consummation of the membership by New York in the Masonic International Association before the subject of membership on the part of other American Jurisdictions has been called to their attention, and an opportunity afforded them of acting.
"'Your Committee therefore would recommend that the status quo of New York with reference to the Masonic International Association be maintained for another year and until three or more other American Grand Jurisdictions have signified their intention of joining with New York as qualifying members and that the dues of New York for the coming year be paid; but without prejudice.
"'(Signed) S. Nelson Sawyer, for the Committee.'
"I concur in the foregoing compromise report only because of the hope that it will make for greater harmony here at home and yet afford some protection and comfort to our brethren in more troubled parts of the world where to be a Mason invites danger and even death.
" (Signed) Townsend Scudder."
It is not necessary to relate here what took place when this report was presented, further than to say it was emphasized "that this report was a compromise, and all that was being asked was to sit down around a Council Table, not even within a lodge, and talk over with the representatives of these other Grand Lodges, which we know within their origin to be legitimate, to see whether or no we cannot help and guide them to our standards." That the Association "admits, for the purpose of its organization, any Grand Lodge which is supposed to be legitimate; and then at the Council Table it is discussed and thrashed out." "When, after discussing with them the conditions that prevail, their ideals, purposes, aims, and efforts to serve mankind, we reach the conclusion that we cannot co-operate."
The following amendment was offered:
"That it is the sense of this Grand Lodge in present session that the Grand Lodge of New York forthwith consummate its membership in the Masonic International Association."
In the discussion that followed, "It was urged that the whole purpose of the thing is to sit at a Council Table, and there discuss the matters which are dividing us, in the hope that possibly we may find a way of uniting." "We do nothing more than sit at the Table and listen to what these people have to say, and then see whether we can inspire them to our ideals, our standards, and our usefulness to humanity, that they may share, in their woe-befallen country, where their suffering, as their contribution to humanity and human happiness;" that having to subscribe to the Declaration of Principles had been entirely eliminated at the last meeting of the executive session of the Association.
“Some thought that it might be urged that they were in substitution for the landmarks, that the landmarks were being east to one side and in their place these principles instituted, consequently it was said, 'away with the whole thing, all that we want members to do is to come here and to discuss the purpose of our getting together,' so the idea of the principles is out of it."
The Amendment was adopted by 542 votes to 397.
Representatives were sent to the meeting of the Masonic International Association at Geneva in September, 1923, which meeting was attended by representatives of the following Grand Jurisdictions:
Approximate
membership
4,000
Grand Orient of Belgium
34,000
Grand Orient of Italy
25,000
Grand Orient of France
10,000
Grand Lodge of France
1,300
Grand Lodge of Vienna
110
Symbolical Grand Lodge of Luxembourg
400
Grand Lodge of Barcelona
1,000
Grand Lodge of Bulgaria
3,000
Grand Orient of Portugal
4,700
Swiss Grand Lodge Alpina
2.600
Grand Orient of Turkey
Grand Lodge "Zur Aufgehenden Sonne"
3,800
Grand Lodge of Chile
*1,500
National Grand Lodge of Colombia
400
Grand Lodge of Yougoslavia
*800
Grand Lodge of the United States of Venezuela
Grand Lodge of New York
6,420
Grand Lodge of the Netherlands
* 6,680
Grand Lodges of the Philippine Islands
*Provisionally admitted by Committee, to be confirmed by Association.
Non-members by proxy:
Hungary
Porto Rico
Czeeho-Slovakia
San Salvador
It is fair to assume that more publicity was given to this meeting than to the meeting in 1921, and that the absence of other Grand Jurisdictions was for reasons other than for lack of knowledge of the time and place of the meeting.
New York consummated its membership without reservations; Holland consummated its membership with reservations; the admission of the Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun was considered, the President of the Association stating: "This Body is unable to prove a regular origin in the strict sense of established usages ;" the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun contended they were already regular members of the Association; eventually he asked the Convention to remit the question of its membership in the Masonic International Association to the next year. Some discussion followed, in which, in one case, it was stated that his proposition was that he retire for one year, to the end that he may be given time to regularize his Jurisdiction; to this, the Grand Master stated: "That is correct. You will then have entire freedom to settle the question of inquiry ;" a member seconded the request of the Grand Master with the statement, "Let us adjourn the matter for a year, the time needed by the Rising Sun to secure its regularization." Another stated: "He asks one year to regularize his Jurisdiction and that we ourselves make whatever inquiry seems desirable to us to make. At the end of the year we shall have the necessary information, but from now till then I ask that his Jurisdiction cannot remain a member." To which the President replied: "That is evident. The Rising Sun will withdraw: that is understood.” The President then put the following proposition: "Do you, Brethren, approve this idea that for one year the Advisory Committee will gather all useful information, and that at the end of this time the Rising Sun will raise its candidacy anew and will come with titles of regularity? For the present, it is therefore considered as retiring voluntarily from the Association."
According to the Minutes, this was unanimously adopted.
The question as to the requirement in the Declaration of Principles that "all Masonic Grand Jurisdictions which subscribe to the principles, herein set forth, shall be eligible to membership" was taken up, and before the vote one representative stated:
"It is well understood that the Declaration of Principles stands as we have adopted it. What is suppressed is simply the obligation on the part of Jurisdictions which shall adhere in the future, and should have not signed this Declaration, to consider it as a credo, as an article of faith. With this understanding, I am wining to support the proposition which asks us to suppress the obligation."
"The Assembly goes against the obligation unanimously, minus five votes." Whereupon the President announced, "The Resolution is adopted. We shall keep the Declaration but from this time on the Declaration of Principles is no longer obligatory." (The only other provision for membership is in Part 2, Article 5, of the Regulations and Statutes, as follows:
"The candidacy of a Grand Jurisdiction for membership in the Association cannot be considered, excepting it be seconded by three Grand Jurisdictions which are members.
"Among the Grand Jurisdictions sponsoring a candidacy, must be included those members of the Association having their seat in the same territory as the candidate."
This question was disposed of prior to the action concerning the Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun.
Article 1, of the Regulations and Statutes, reads:
"The object of the Association is:
"To maintain and to develop existing relations between Masonic Grand Jurisdictions.
"To create new relations."
- In the report of the Secretary is the following:
"The questions relating to the League of Nations have been attended to. We have received different communications about the Russians and massacres of Greek populations at the Black Sea. The League of Nations has acknowledged the receipt of our letter. We have pursued the same course in that which concerns the alleged massacres of Boy Scouts, as the Turks call them. We have written to the League of Nations conformably to the decision of the Congress with regard to re-patriation of the prisoners of war. They have informed us of the receipt of our letters. We have in the same manner disposed of the question of the Greeks as regards the massacre of the Boy Scouts at Sofia."
The Secretary presented a letter addressed to the Peace Conference at Lausanne, saying:
"By this letter the Masonic International Association unites its views with that of numerous societies which have demanded of the Peace Conference at Lausanne the creation of national independence in favor of the Armenian, and this in the name of Right, Justice, and of Humanity; " adding, "it means only a simple expression of good will and interest for a people which suffers."
The proposal was adopted without objection.
For the information of the Association the Secretary reported having met two delegates of the International Syndical Federation of Amsterdam, which represents, he was told more them 24 million members of Metallurgic Syndicates. He was told that the delegates had adopted a formal resolution at Rome concerning war against war; that they had decided not only to suppress war by honest means, but that they were ready to suppress it by a general strike, and asked if the Masonic International Association would not be disposed to lend its co-operation, to which he replied, "that we were not sufficiently informed"; "for the two hundred years that Masonry has existed, it has been pacifist; hence, we are older than all the Peace Associations. . . . We have entered into no acknowledgment whatever on this side."
The Secretary reported:
"I was notified by the International Peace Bureau at Basle, along with a number of Associations which stand for peace. I have been asked if as a Masonic International Association we would be disposed to lend our help to the International Peace Bureau at Berne. This Bureau has sent us its Constitution and a number of questions, all of which will be submitted to the Advisory Committee when it meets."
A representative of one Jurisdiction, who at that time was Secretary of the International Labor Bureau, stated:
"Several delegates have expressed a desire to visit the International Bureau of Labor of the League of Nations. You know that this Institution follows objects and an ideal which corresponds to those of Masonry, and to which we all have an attitude to contribute.
"Albert Thomas, the Director of the International Bureau of Labor, has charged me to inform you that we will be happy to receive you and to receive all of the delegates of the Masonic International Association at 6:30."
A representative proposed the following Resolution:
"Sharing the emotion of the Brethren of the Masonic International Association provoked by the existing condition of Hungarian Masonry, the Convention of the Masonic International Association at Geneva, regrets sincerely that events of a political nature have kept the Hungarian Brethren separated from their labors. It is hoped that a more complete understanding of the true character of the Hungarian Masonic Lodges will put an end to the present situation. There is to be addressed to the Brethren an expression of our keen sympathy in the hope that it may soon be serving anew by their activity the glory of their nation and the cause of humanity."
According to the Minutes, the above Resolution was "unanimously adopted." A letter, signed by the President of the Convention, is sent to the President of the National Ministers of Hungary, Budapest. A representative stated:
"I ask that this order of business, which is certainly voted unanimously, be transmitted to the Government of Admiral Horty. There have been various interviews with the Government itself, as you know. I believe that if this order of business is transmitted to the Government, making known the different Jurisdictions which have adopted it that is to say the unanimity of the Convention, I believe that this may have a very considerable influence on Admiral Horty. I ask that in doing this, we make known to Horty of how many Jurisdictions the Masonic International Association is composed."
"Adopted unanimously."
The above in face of the fact that the Minister of the Hungarian Government had stated, "The Masonic question has become, however we may judge it individually, a burning political question of such intensity as to cause the Government to proceed with the greatest caution; reopening the Lodges would mean signing an order for renewal of bloodshed."
The following Resolution was approved as a sense of the meeting:
“The Masonic International Association has for an object to create a fraternity between peoples and to make war on war."
An official statement for publication in the public press, contained the following:
"The Convention unanimously adopted the following Resolution: 'The Assembly uniting its endeavors with those of the League of Nations, affirming that all conflicts between peoples should be decided by an International Jurisdiction * * * .' “
The above acts of the Association were not submitted to this Grand Jurisdiction [New York] for information or consideration, either before being put into effect, or for ratification afterwards, although each Jurisdiction is supposed to retain its sovereignty; (no provision is made in the Regulations and Statutes that any such submission is to be made, but on the contrary the Statutes provide that the Advisory Committee:
"(a) Has in charge the execution of the resolutions of the Congress.
" (b) It takes the steps necessary to realize, within the provisions of the regulations, the purposes of the Association."
The acts above set forth, and others hereinafter referred to, are not the results sought by M. W. Bro. Farmer (as expressed by him in above quotation), who accepted the invitation of Swiss Grand Lodge Alpina, or by M. W. Bro. Robinson, who appointed representatives to the first Conference, and whose views are quoted hereinbefore, or by M. W. Bro. Tompkins, whose views and recommendations are also quoted hereinbefore; furthermore, these acts do not meet the purposes of the Association, as set forth in Article 1, of the Statutes, above quoted, nor do they conform to the purposes urged in the Grand Lodge of New York in 1923, hereinbefore mentioned, and so far as the League of Nations is concerned, the United States has refused to become a member, and in this country it has become a matter of political dissension.
In making up its program for the meeting of 1924, the Association included therein the subject of Labor; the question of Labor from the general and social point of view. The Grand Lodge of New York was not advised that this subject was to be discussed; obviously, it has nothing to do with the purposes of the Association, nor with discussing at a Council Table the matters which are dividing us, nor with inspiring other Jurisdictions with our standards of Masonry.
"AVOID PHILOSOPHICAL DISCUSSIONS
There was also included in the Program for the meeting of 1924 the subject of Legitimacy of Regularity (referring to Grand Lodges), with the understanding that the discussion was to "avoid philosophical questions"; that "philosophical questions are of an internal concern", and "that means not to consider the landmarks, the questions of divinity; things which have nothing to do with the subject." Without the restrictions placed upon this discussion, here was an opportunity to discuss one of the matters which are dividing us, and to see whether or no we could help and guide such of the Jurisdictions as are not in harmony with all our Masonic standards; but with the restrictions, nothing helpful could come out of the discussion, for were everything else agreed upon, there would still remain the one obstacle upon which this Jurisdiction is unyielding, and that is the requirement of a belief in God and the Holy Bible. This attitude furthermore eliminates from consideration the essential Landmarks of the Craft, by which regularity is truly established, after evidence has been presented of legitimacy by descent or proper regularization. This elimination would make impossible the realization of the hope with which New York entered the Association, that these Landmarks would be accepted ultimately as binding upon all members of the International Association.
At the banquet which followed the session, statement was made, referring to those present, that "it is impossible that such men can be separated, divided, simply because there exist between them very small differences".... "If there exist any differences between us, they are not deep; if that is once realized, the attainment of our object will not be far off." Another speaker stated: "And yet these principles were worked out in 1877 at a time when our Jurisdiction, concluding that the symbol of the Great Architect of the Universe was of a nature to create an ambiguity not in harmony with the Masonic Doctrine, eliminated it from its formulas."
"A VERY SMALL DIFFERENCE”
The difference between the requirement of a belief in God, and the Holy Bible, and the non-requirement may be regarded by some as a "very small difference" and "not deep", but in this Jurisdiction it is a difference between a Mason and a clandestine-Mason.
Among the membership of the Association are some so-called Masonic Jurisdictions, who disregard the Landmark, defined by New York, as follows:
"That every candidate for admission to the privileges of Freemasonry must before initiation declare his belief in one ever living and true God, the Creator and Ruler of the Universe, and the immortality of the soul."
The Association, in its Conventions, disregards the Landmark, defined as follows:
"That no candidate or brother can be questioned as to his peculiar mode of religious or political opinion, nor can any discussion upon such subjects be permitted in any assembly of the Craft."
Some of the so-called Grand Lodges, members of the Association, do not hold to the Masonic belief that, "The Holy Bible is the Great Light in Masonry, and the Rule and Guide for faith and practice."
At the meeting of the Advisory Committee, Feb. 22, 1924, in Paris, it was stated that the total membership of 1924 consisted of twenty-five adherents, of which Ecuador, Guatamala, Peru, and Haiti are provisional.
The question of the Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun again came up; it was stated that the Grand Orient of France had authorized its representatives to support and defend the Rising Sun.
The League of Nations was discussed, and a Committee was appointed for propaganda in favor of the League of Nations. One representative quoted Albert Thomas as having said:
"We have advanced beyond the studies of the subject, we have today the sovietism in Russia and obligatory labor in Bulgaria; are not these indications of a new conception of what labor is and what it is to be? Labor from the beginning was slavery which then developed into wage earning; isn't it possible that we may approach a new Era?"
He then asked, "Would it therefore not be useful to study theoretically, 'academically,' what labor is?"
It will be noted that persistent efforts have been made to introduce into the membership the Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun, an organization which is Masonic only in name, and composed of lodges, none of which is in possession of a charter from a regular Jurisdiction. This self-constituted organization, moreover, has stated officially that it has been established to combat orthodoxy in religion and orthodoxy in Masonry; saying in fact, "We are against Masonic orthodoxy which bows to the Bible and exacts a belief in a personal God, Grand Architect of the Universe." From the fact that there are members in the Association who do not require a belief in God, or the use of the Holy Bible, it would seem as though all the Association expected this organization to do within a year was to find some Jurisdiction that would regularize it without altering its principles or beliefs. Should the Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun, in its present condition, or after being healed, be admitted, it would have the veto power over the Grand Lodges within the territory of Germany, so far as admission into the Masonic International Association is concerned, unless of course the Association amends its Regulations and Statutes, which read:
"Among the Grand Jurisdictions sponsoring a candidacy, must be included those members of the Association having their seat in the same territory as the candidate."
This may have something to do with the efforts to secure its admission, or the persistency in trying to have this Association admitted, may be in the nature of a response by some of the Jurisdictions in the Association to the statement of M. W. Bro. Tompkins, above quoted; however that may be, the quibbling which has taken place concerning the Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun does not inspire confidence either in the judgment or usefulness of the Association.
GRAND ORIENT GETS OUT OF LINE
Referring to report of an agreement made at Geneva in 1921, which report is quoted in the early part of this letter, the Grand Orient of Italy, respecting the agreement, eliminated the lodges of its obedience in this Grand Jurisdiction. The Grand Orient of France has not only disregarded the agreement, but to this day has a lodge of its obedience in this Jurisdiction, which lodge, subsequent to 1921, has been empowered to confer the Degrees of the Scottish Rite up to and including the 18th Degree.
According to our information, the Grand Orient of France, since the Geneva Conference in 1921, has taken under its official patronage a spurious organization with headquarters in the Jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and has authorized it to establish Masonic lodges in all parts of the United States, including New York, except the Jurisdictions of the Grand Lodges of Rhode Island, New Jersey, Minnesota, Iowa and Alabama, so long as these five Jurisdictions shall remain in fraternal relations with the Grand Orient of France.
Article 3, of the Regulations and Statutes, of the Masonic International Association, reads:
"All Grand Jurisdictions belonging to the Association must be composed of men exclusively."
While the letter of this law appears to have been observed by all the members, there is plainly an evasion of the spirit of it on the part of the Grand Orient of France, as since 1921 it has entered into fraternal relations with a co-Masonic Order, so-called, which admits men and women on equal terms. It is true that inter-visitation is limited in that only men belonging to the co-Masonic Order may visit lodges of the Grand Orient of France, but the fact remains that the principle announced in Article 3 has been violated by recognizing as Masonic an organization professing to initiate women into the Craft, and making them members thereof.
These actions of the Grand Orient of France could be corrected, but it is not to be expected that the Grand Orient will require a belief in God as a pre-requisite of membership, or restore the Bible to its altars. According to the Minutes of the Supreme Council of the Grand Orient of France, which is the governing Body of the Grand Orient of France, the attitude is to never restore the requirement of a belief in God, nor to replace the Bible on the lodge altars.
NEW YORK LAYS DOWN A POLICY
At the time of our withdrawal, in addition to New York, the Association was composed of eighteen Grand Lodges recognized by this Grand Jurisdiction, and seven not recognized; of the six candidates for membership at that time, only one is recognized by New York.
My reaction to the situation, as above presented, determined me to lay down such a policy as would make our position definitely known to the Association; and to make certain that I had the authority to do this, being unable myself to find such authority, I referred the matter to the Judge Advocate, Right Wor. Harold E. Lippincott, who advised as follows:
"The Grand Lodge of the State of New York has adopted for the Preamble of its Constitution the expression of Masonic belief essential to its existence and to which all members of the fraternity within its jurisdiction must subscribe in order to be Masons of good standing in membership in the Grand Lodge of the State of New York.
"In addition, it has prescribed the Constitutional form of petition for initiation (Section 87) in which are embraced in questions 10, 11 and 12, relating to the Landmarks of the Fraternity to which each candidate must answer, and to be acceptable, his answers must disclose his belief in God his sound bodily health and freedom from any physical, legal or moral reason which would prevent him from becoming a Free Mason and to describe any physical deformity or defect, which later must be of such character as not to be in contravention of the qualifications prescribed in Definitions Section 6.
"The Landmarks as defined for the purposes of the Constitution, are contained in the appendix thereto and follow the rules of order. In addition, the Standing Committee on Foreign Correspondence is the recognized body through whom the relations of the Grand Lodge of New York with Lodge or Grand Lodges of other Jurisdictions, be established. And, for one claiming to be a Free and Accepted Mason, to be recognized as such by the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, he must have received degrees in a Lodge recognized as regular by our Grand Lodge, and for a Lodge to be recognized as regular, and to have Masonic intercourse with the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, such Lodge must act under authority of a source duly recognized as regular by the Grand Lodge of New York.
"It is therefore my opinion that before the Grand Lodge of the State of New York, or any of its duly accredited representatives, may hold Masonic intercourse or enter into any engagements affecting or incidental to Masonry as accepted by the Grand Lodge of the State of New York with foreign bodies or Grand Lodges, it is pre-requisite that such a Lodge or Grand Lodge must meet every requirement which the Grand Lodge of New York considers necessary for official recognition and that such recognition has actually been granted by the Grand Lodge of New York by due presentation by the Committee on Foreign Correspondence of the qualifications of such a Lodge or Grand Lodge."
This decision was submitted to the Chairman of the Committee on Constitution, M. W. Bro. S. Nelson Sawyer, whose decision I quote below:
"I have read the copy of Bro. Lippincott's opinion concerning the International Association with much pleasurable interest and, with the exception herein noted, am in full accord with the conclusion he has reached as well as his reasons therefor.
"The last two and a half lines seem to indicate his thought that the Grand Lodge has no power to act except upon recommendation of the Committee of Foreign Correspondence. It is my belief that the Committee is created by the Grand Lodge solely for convenience, and that the Grand Lodge, if it so desires, may act directly and without reference to the Committee. This, however, does not mean it may act in contravention of its self-imposed constitutional limitations. When in May, 1923 we attempted to associate ourselves with this so-called International Masonic Association, a number of the members of which are not Masonic at all according to our standards, we violated our own constitution and the action so attempted is an absolute nullity. It could, in my judgment, have been lawfully taken only after such amendment of the constitution as would waive, our present requirements and raise the ban against non-belief and clandestinism, both of which are fully represented in that Association."
His decision was concurred in by M. W. Bro. Thomas Penney, and M. W. Bro. Arthur S. Tompkins, the other members of the committee.
This left no alternative, and the following cable was therefore sent to the Chancellor of the Association:
"I am directed by the Grand Master of New York to request you to convey to the President of the International Masonic Association incumbent or to follow the following official message:
" 'Grand Lodge of New York withdraws from the International Masonic Association on constitutional grounds and will not be represented at coming conference in Brussels. Letter follows.' (signed) Kenworthy, Grand Secretary."
This cable was confirmed by letter, as follows:
"Confirming our cable message to you today, copy enclosed, I am directed by the Grand Master Most Worshipful William A. Rowan to inform you that, while this Jurisdiction is desirous of a closer and more intimate relationship and for some basis for united co-operation with all jurisdictions adhering to the Landmarks both in this country and abroad, and is willing to enter into relations with any jurisdiction meeting the requirements of our recognition, it cannot be a member of a Masonic Association, some of whose members do not adhere to the Landmarks.
"Having met its financial obligation, Grand Lodge of the State of New York withdraws from membership in the International Masonic Association.
"Will you be good enough to convey the purport of this letter to the Brother President incumbent of the International Masonic Association and his successor when selected."
There are reasons, other than those herein stated, or indicated, or which may be inferable therefrom, which we prefer to withhold for the present. If any doubt should remain as to the weight of judgment in favor of our withdrawal, a reading of the Minutes of the last Session of the Association (1924) would be helpful.
At the 1924 Session, "The President reported that the prize of One Hundred Thousand Francs to be awarded in a competition in French on the subject of Peace, has been won by Ed. Naurette belonging to the Lodge 'Fidelity' at the Orient of Paris. He proposed to send to this brother a telegram of felicitations. Adopted unanimously."
The member Jurisdictions are termed "Obediences".
“THE RISING SUN" AGAIN
The question of the Grand Lodge of the Rising Sun came up, and was put over another year by a vote of 11 to 9, after its admission had been demanded and the Association asked that they be accepted without examining too closely into the question of regularity.
The following proposition was submitted:
"The Masonic Obediences which solicit admission into the ranks of the I. M. A. bind themselves to submit to the arbitration of the I. M. A. any differences which may arise between them an Obedience belonging to the I. M. A. and to accept the verdict of such arbitration."
A Resolution was passed, reading in part as follows:
"Considering that the Hungarian Government has dissolved that Grand Lodge so that our Brethren cannot meet freely:
"We invite our delegates to the I. M. A. to use all their efforts in common with the delegates of the Powers represented, so as to cause to be lifted an interdict which nothing can justify."
The following Resolution was approved by acclamation:
"International Masonry views always with sorrow any blow struck at the liberty of peoples and that of their citizens.
"It reproves notably violence and massacres.
"The International Masonic Congress protests therefore against the massacre of the Georgians and expresses the wish that soon will cease the fratricidal struggles unworthy of our civilization and of the pacific era which seems at last to be opening for Humanity."
Upon the question of Masonic regularity, one Jurisdiction presented its conclusions, one of which was that it considered as regular the Powers already admitted to the Masonic International Association. Another Jurisdiction proposed that new Obediences ought to be consecrated regularly by the Masonic International Association. One representative proposed that "The recognition of the regularity of an Obedience, such as the Masonic International Association will define it, ought to have as a consequence the interfrequentation [right of visitation] of the lodges by the brethren belonging to all of the Obediences making part of the Masonic International Association."
The following Resolution was unanimously adopted:
"The Convention recommends with the greatest earnestness to all the affiliated Obediences to have recourse to arbitration in order to settle any differences which may arise between them and charges the Consultative Committee to regulate the methods and penalties of such arbitration."
Our withdrawal leaves the Masonic International Association without representation from any Grand Jurisdiction in the United States. It will have been observed that the attempt to have a closer world brotherhood resulted in a few regular Jurisdictions combining with Jurisdictions not recognized by New York, and, exclusive of the membership of New York, having less than 3 per cent of the membership of the regular Grand Jurisdictions of the world in this Association.
If this were a possible way to reach a closer world l brotherhood, it seems strange that the representatives of the 3,250,000 regular Masons of the world have stood aloof from it; perhaps some such thought has arisen in the minds of the representatives of several of the member Jurisdictions, and that we are not alone in our conclusions as to the futility of the present Association.
Our Committee on Foreign Correspondence has continued right along with its duties, and during the time of our connection with the Masonic International Association, and independent of it, has acquired information concerning other Grand Jurisdictions, some of which has been acted upon by Grand Lodge, and the rest, as far as it has been completed, will be submitted for consideration at its next session.
That "There is one God, the Father of all men", is the rock upon which we build; and that "The Holy Bible is the Great Light in Masonry, and the Rule and Guide for faith and practice", and an adherence to the Landmarks, governs our procedure. Upon this basis, I dare say, this Grand Jurisdiction will join hands with all the Grand Jurisdictions of the world within its recognition for a better understanding, closer relationship and co-operation, and in any practical move to attain unity and advance the spirit of Brotherhood.
Note: - Since above communication was drafted, I have received a letter and memoir from the Advisory Committee of the Masonic International Association asking for the reasons of our withdrawal, to which I shall reply in a little while. This memoir was sent in conformity with the following resolution, passed by the Association last September:
"The Congress expresses its profound regret over the withdrawal of the Grand Lodge of New York from the I. M. A., a withdrawal decided by the Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of New York.
"The Congress charges its Consultative Committee to cause to communicate to the Grand Lodge of New York a memorandum expressing the sentiments of the I. M. A. to put itself in relation with the Grand Lodge in order to examine with the latter the differences which appear to exist, and expresses the wish that they may be dissipated in the shortest possible time."
You may not be aware of the feet that I was born and raised in Missouri, and of course naturally acquired some of the characteristics of that nativity. Believe you will agree that so far as Masonic International Association is concerned "I have not been shown." (Signed) William A. Rowan.
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American College Fraternities
By BRO. CARL A. Foss,
NATIONAL SECRETARY OF THE INTERCOLLEGIATE MASONIC FRATERNITY OF SQUARE AND COMPASS, NEW YORK
THIS article, to be concluded next month, should prove of permanent reference value, it is so rich in history and fact. Bro. Foss is a member of Alexandria Lodge, No. 297 Alexandria Bay, N.Y., and of Rockbridge Chapter, No. 44, R. A. M., Lexington, Va. He was one of the founders of Square and Compass, is now National Secretary of that Fraternity and editor of "The College Mason." Among other college fraternities he holds membership in Phi Delta Theta, Phi Delta Phi (legal), and Delta Sigma Rho (forensic).
WHEN, on the 24th day of June in the year of our Lord, 1717, a number of Master Masons met in an ale-house in London, known by its sign of the Goose and Gridiron, and completed the organization of a Grand Lodge of Freemasons which they had begun the year previous, they started something whereof the end is not yet seen. Without entering into a discussion as to whether their step was a new beginning or a re-organization of a Grand Lodge, it safely may be assumed that this action of the English Masons was the popular beginning of what is now one of the most extensive features of civilized human society, especially in our own country. The inauguration of Symbolic Freemasonry is not only the beginning of a fraternal system of ethical principles and conduct, with a world-wide membership, but has led also to the foundation of other organizations that have copied, to a greater or less extent, the fundamental teachings of Freemasonry and many of the characteristic forms and practices of the Craft. The number of such organizations is almost incalculable and new ones are being started every year. Imitation is the sincerest commendation.
It is said that Americans are a nation of joiners. We doubt whether Americans are born with any greater urge to become members of secret or fraternal organizations than are the citizens of any other country or the members of any other race. It is probable that the large number of such organizations in the United states is due to the early popularity of the Masonic Order in America. When Washington and almost all of his major generals were Masons, when Franklin, Hamilton and Marshall and a majority of the signers of the Declaration of Independence were loyal members of the Craft, in short, when practically every man of consequence in the early days of the American Republic wore the lambskin, it is not to be wondered that men were eager to be enrolled in the Brotherhood. Neither is it to be wondered that other fraternities were started which sometimes provided a means of social intercourse that was not possible to Freemasonry under some conditions and in some localities and that these newer organizations received, in many cases, those who also bore allegiance to the Craft. Some of the newer fraternities, because they were young and less conservative, have often times accepted those rejected by some Blue Lodge, but no reproach should be made against them for this. There have been for many years in this country certain fraternities that have had and do have a particular appeal to certain classes of American people and, of course, many American social organizations have been founded with different motives and principles with a consequent appeal to those in sympathy with such ideas. The fraternal organizations, offering the benefits of insurance, have combined the benefits of a social organization with the advantages of an insurance company, but in the case of some of these it is sometimes difficult to recognize the jointure as the insurance features predominate over those of a social character.
DEMOCRACY ACCOUNTS FOR THEIR GROWTH
Events have proven that the Anti-Masonic period was less of a catastrophe than it was an occasion of an awakening interest in secret societies, for new organizations sprang up by the dozen during this period and closely following it.
We believe that the principal reason for the growth in number and membership of American fraternal organizations has been the democracy of membership. Probably no country in the world, with the possible exception of Canada, has a greater democracy in fraternal membership than the United States. This democracy has been inherited from the Freemasonry of Revolutionary days when a Masonic lodge included judges and farmers, generals and private soldiers, statesmen and fishermen. Freemasonry in England today includes the king's uncle and the king's sons and we suppose half of the House of Lords, and it may include the king's servants for all we know, but we doubt if the Craft in England is composed of such a mixture of wealth and influence and lack of them as in America. This may be caused, to some extent, by the English practice of limiting the membership of a lodge to members of a particular calling or business, and we may presume that in the natural course of events more lodges will be made up of the wealthier and more influential classes than of those less able, in wealth and influence, to maintain a lodge. In America we have few "class" lodges and may the good Lord preserve us from them for democracy in membership has been the natural result of almost every lodge in the United States being made up of rich and poor, professional man and laborer, doctor, lawyer and Indian chief. We have such a multitude of fraternal organizations in America, in consequence of the democracy and early popularity of membership in the Masonic Order, that there isn't an American, no matter how poor, who cannot belong to at least one. This is a good thing.
In the United States we have the Owls and the Orioles, the Eagles and the Elks, the Woodmen and the Foresters, the Knights of Columbus and the Knights of Pythias (we were going to write the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan), and hundreds of other organizations called by plain names, names of animals, birds, insects, fish, the moon and the stars. And to keep up the procession we Masons have the Royal Arch, the Knights Templar, the Scottish Rite, the Mystic Shrine, the Veiled Prophets, the Sciots, the Tall Cedars, the Eastern Star and its appendages, and numerous other Side Degrees with more imposing names but less actual worth. And then our Negro citizens have carefully compiled a list of the entire bunch and multiplied the number by two, using the same names and, generally, the same rituals used by the organizations limited to members of the white race, adding a few more organizations of their own devising for good measure.
And, finally, not the least important members of the fraternity system, there are the college fraternities. Baird's Manual of American College Fraternities (10th edition) mentions almost one thousand college organizations, either clubs or fraternities, that have been born in the United States and have since departed or else are still in the land of the living. Decidedly, one would think we had sufficient organizations from which one could select at least one to make a connection with. The number of American secret organizations has reached an imposing figure, but the saving characteristic of their existence is that about 99 and 44/100ths per cent of Americans belong to at least one of them. Some of our most careful politicians belong to at least a dozen all at the same time.
"WELL KNOWN MEN ARE JOINERS"
To convince one that there are mighty few Americans who do not belong to some secret organization, we have only to investigate. President Coolidge did not join any fraternity while in college, but has since become a member of Theta Delta Phi, a college law fraternity. Secretary Hughes is a member of Delta Upsilon, a college social fraternity. Neither Mr. Coolidge nor Mr. Hughes are Masons, but it is not difficult to assume their friendliness towards secret fraternal organizations because of their own membership. Both Mr. J. W. Davis and Senator LaFollette are Masons. Henry Ford was a Mason in good standing some time ago, if he is not now, and the leader of what Mr. Ford considers his enemies -Mr. J. P. Morgan of Wall Street--joined one or more secret fraternal organizations in college. Those who have received the honor of election to Phi Beta Kappa, the college honor society for scholarship, are legion and you will see a Phi Be Kappa key jingling in all of the best circles. The Roman Catholic church countenances a number secret fraternal organizations and there are a numb of fraternities limited to those of the Jewish faith. to Newport, Bar Harbor or Southampton and you w find most of the men there will acknowledge membership in some secret fraternal organization, college otherwise. And then, while the old Ford is running good, run into some less desirable places for living an ask the men you see there if they ever heard of a secret society. Even down to the lowest stratum of American society, your informant will reply that he goes, or ought to go, to lodge every Monday night or as the case may be. Almost everyone, from banker to ditch digger, will acknowledge membership in one or more of the secret societies that offer social or other benefits Because of this fact, an anti-secret society period, such as that of the Anti-Masonic agitation, will not recur in America; no one is left to become the plaintiff in the case. (This is neither the time nor place for a discussion of the merits, or lack of them, of the agitatior against the Ku Klux Klan. In the matter of practice: and principles, that society has made such startling in novations that its enemies are fighting less its character as a secret fraternity than the innovations it has adopted.)
But we meant to write about college fraternities. To most men who have never gone to college, these organizations are more than secret; they are unknown. An yet, the American college fraternity system is a very vital part of the entire American fraternal system an not simply an adjunct of more or less value. There may be those who believe that Freemasonry would be stronger if there were no other American fraternities if so, they are blind indeed. In the opinion of the writer there is no factor that lends such great strength to the Masonic Order as the existence of our America college fraternities. To some this statement may appear to be unsupported by the evidence, but we believe that acquaintance with college secret societies leads thousands of the future leaders in America to become Masons as soon as they are eligible. Anyone who wishes may read the evidence in favor of the college men. The Federal government tells us that less than one per cent of American boys go to college and yet eighty-five per cent of the men listed in "Who's Who" are college men. The facts of the case are all with the college man and as long as Freemasonry keeps pace with, or exceeds the progress of our country, the Craft will need college men.
THEY ARE INDEBTED TO FREEMASONRY
American college fraternities owe a great deal to Freemasonry. Some of the customs of college fraternities that are known to us are copied directly from Masonic practice and are probably the result of some of the founders of the oldest fraternities being also Master Masons. In the case of Phi Gamma Delta, founded in 1848 at Jefferson College, Canonsburg, Pa. (since united with Washington College at Washington, Pa., to become Washington and Jefferson College), and now one of the largest and best known of the college societies, all of the five founders were, at the time of founding the fraternity and writing its ritual, members of the Craft. It is not unlikely that were we Phi Gams we might recognize many points of similarity in ritual and practice between Freemasonry and the college fraternity. However, notwithstanding this connection of the college fraternity system with Freemasonry, there is one point of difference that is universal in the college system with the exception of the organization of which the writer has the honor to be a member and an officer. This difference is in the method of becoming a member. As is well known, to become a Mason we first apply for membership. In the college system, if one wishes to become a member of a certain fraternity he simply waits until he is asked to join. College custom is so severe that if one were to intimate to a member that t he wished to join Alpha Beta Gamma, for instance, he probably never would be asked to join that particular organization, for, strange as it may seem, visible preference for an organization is viewed in the light of a faux pas so pronounced that the guilty person cannot possibly be worthy for membership in that society. This form of invitation to join is known in college circles as "bidding" and we know of no college organization other than Square and Compass that does not practice it. Square and Compass practices the Masonic custom of application for membership.
This custom of "bidding" produces a great deal of excitement in college fraternal circles at the time it is practiced. Some institutions require a student to be in college a whole year before he is invited to join a fraternity; others require a less period, either a term or a semester. Whenever the time comes, the members of the different fraternities are zealous in their efforts to obtain the best men for their respective societies. Rules are adopted for the same reason that we have Marquis of Queensberry rules and International Law governing the methods of so-called civilized warfare. And then it is considered significant by some that the rules are generally drawn up and enforced by a council (nearly always called the Pan-Hellenic Council, meaning, all Greek) known to the students by a name that would appear to outsiders as having the significance of a group made up of the damned. A prominent freshman will generally receive two or more "bids" and so he will be invited to numerous luncheons and parties, so far as the purse-strings of the "bidders" will allow, in order to induce him to believe that one fraternity is better than another. He will be told that some President of the United States, long since dead and almost forgotten by everyone except the chosen orators of that fraternity, was a faithful member of the society and thought more of it than anything else in the world. And then there are Senators So-and-So and other celebrities seeking to convince the young freshman that the greatest mistake he could possibly make would be to accept the other "bid" and not the one from that fraternity. Old and learned professors indulge in this persuasion. A dear friend, professor of philosophy at one of the state universities, has told us he always felt more or less foolish when he sat down with some green freshman to try and convince him there was just one fraternity for him to join when he knew there were a dozen along the row in which the freshman would probably be just as happy. After a "bid" is once accepted, it is the height of college dishonor to accept a "bid" and initiation from another fraternity.
PHI BETA KAPPA IS OLDEST
But to get back to the beginning of the college fraternity system. The oldest American college fraternity that exists today is the Phi Beta Kappa, founded on Dec. 5, 1776, at Williamsburg, Va., by five students of the College of William and Mary. The society was preceded by the Flat Hat Club which numbered among its members Thos. Jefferson, George Wythe, Edmund Randolph and others who later became famous. A number of these men were Masons but whether they were Masons before becoming members of the Flat Hat Club, or whether any of the founders of Phi Beta Kappa were Masons is unknown to us. We are not certain why the founders of Phi Beta Kappa selected the Greek alphabet from which to find a name, but the fact that they did so has resulted in American college fraternities being called Greek-letter fraternities, for most of the college organizations have followed the practice of Phi Beta Kappa. It is customary for the founders of a college society to select a secret motto made up of two or three Greek words and call the society by a name composed of the first letter of each word, or this can be reversed by finding a motto that will fit the letters chosen. (To one unfamiliar with the Greek alphabet it should be explained that the Greek words used are simply the English forms for words used by the Greeks to represent the letters of their alphabet, i. e., A, B and C in Greek are Alpha, Beta and Gamma. Although there are many points of similarity, the Greek and English alphabets are not identical in limit, meaning, sound and writing. Ancient, not modern, Greek is used.) Phi Beta Kappa was secret and members were required to take an oath of fidelity. In December, 1778, the society adopted a provision where by non-collegians could become members and plans were laid for extending the fraternity by means of "branches." Five charters were granted for "branches" but nothing is known of the fate of these offshoots.
