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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 16, 1921)
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTLAND, JANUARY 16, 1921 HISTORY OF MASONRY IN OREGON IS TRACED BACK 80 YEARS Hot Sands Crossed by Captain John C. Ainsworth at Washington, D. C, in 1860, After Long Trek to Capital From State. : 'TWk.V. v; r 1 Mi 1 Pi ----- By Kobcrt B. Smith. 52d Degree. THE history of Scottish Rite Ma sonry fn Oregon begins In the year 1860 when Captain John C. Ainsworth made the long- Journey to Washington, D. C, to receive the de grees of the rite. Captain Ainsworth was the leading Mason on the Pacific coast. He was -the first Mason wect of the Missouri to be elected and installed master of a Masonic lodge. He with two others were the first Masons to receive the chapter degrees on the entire Pacific coast and he received the Templar degrees in 1S60. He had served as grand master and grand high priest and his entire life was wrapped up in the Masonic fraternity. Because of his devotion to the craft the supreme council conferred upon him the de trree of 33d honorary and nine years later (1869) made him a full 33d de frree Mason and appointed him in- Epec tor-general Xor Oregon, Washing ton and Idaho. From the early records wo find that in 1869 there were within the Jurisdiction of Oregon, then com prising the states of Oregon, Wash ington and Idaho, the following brethren of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite: Captain John, C. Ainsworth, 33d de gree. Rockey P. Earhart, 32d degree, j" Ferdinand N. Shurtleff. 32d degree. J James R. Bayley, M. D, 32d degree. ; Harry C Morrice, 14th degree. Illustrious Brother Ainsworth called to his assistance illustrious Brother iH 11. Shaw, 33d degree, active in spector general of California and by dispensation, communicated the de prees from fourth degree to 32d de gree upon the following bretheren, and in January, 1870, they became charter members of Oregon Lodge of Perfection Xo. 1, located at Portland, Or., filling the various offices as fol lows: John C. Ainsworth, 33d degree, active inspector general; died Decem ber 30. 1893. - John McCraken, 32d degree, vener able master; died February 15, 1915. A. B. Richardson, 32d degree, senior warden; died February 8, 1899. .. Josiah Myrick, 32d degree, junior warden; died December 27, 1906. LaFever A. Shaw, 32d degree, secre tary pro tern; died January 3, 1871. Simion G. Reed. 32d degree, treas urer; died November 7, 1895. Vllliam W. Upton. 32d degree, orator; died January 23, 1896. Theodore Wygant, 32d degree, lmoner: died February 9. 1905. Richard B. Knapp, 32d degree. senior expert; died February 2, 1907. William W. Francis, 32d degree. Junior expert; died March 8, lfcbi. Harry U. Morrice, 32a aegree, aster of ceremonies; died February 1. 1905. James A. Chapman, 32d degree. captain of guard; died December l, 18!5. Albert Zieber, 32d degree, tyler; died ADril 26. 1890. John D. Biles, 32d degree; Qiea September 13. 1890. Elwood M. Burton, 32a aegree; died June 10. 1888. Joseph N. Dolph, 32d degree; dlea March 10. 1897. Joseph Kellogg, 32d aegree; aiea November 30, 1903. Soon after Lodges of Perfection (1 degrees ) were organized at Salem and Corvallis, Or., but apparently there was not sufficient interest amonfir Masons to keep these lodges alive and they surrendered vneir cnar- ters In a year or two. Ainsworth chapter of Rose Croix No. 1 (18 degrees) was Instituted at Portland November 1. 1871, and Mult nomah council of Kadosh l-o. 1 tiu degrees) on January 8, 18i3, the above-mentioned officers holding their respective offices in chapter and council. The first person to receive the de crees in the Lodge of Perfection was Brother Charles F. Wiegand. and his also was the first name on the roll of the dead. During the years 1870-71 several took the degrees to the 18th, the 4th, 5th. 6th and 14th being conferred. lit T r (ALU I i , 1 Prvoent Scottish Rite cathedral, wblch has been outgrown. 2 Philip S. Malcolm, present Inspeetor-genernl, Scottish Rite. 3 I. W. Pratt. fourth Inspector-general In Oregon. 4 Colonel John McCraken, second inspector-general In Oregon. 0 Rockey Preston Earhart, third lnspector general in Oregon, ti I. C. Alnsnorth, first inspector-general in Ore gon. 7 Governor Stephen C'hadniclc, named as inspector-general but did not serve, h Original Scottish Rite home at Front and liurnslde streets. 9 Second home at Third and Alder vtreets. 10 Masonic emblem presented to J. C. Ainsworth. 11 Old Marquam building, third home of Scottish Rite. the other communicated. The fees for the degrees were: ' 14 degrees... J110 I 30 degrees. ..$ 30 17 degrees... 12 I 32 degrees... 60 18 degrees... 30 j Total 232 When the Council of Kadosh was instituted several new brethren came in. and having taken the 18th de gree, the first class receiving the de grees from 19th to 30th degree to gether, were as follows: William A. Atlee; died September 23, 1903. John W. Brazee, died January 13, 1887. James W. Cook, died October 15, 1913. James R. Cardwell. John R. Foster, died June 11. 1906. William H. Harris, died May 22, 1912. James H. Hatch, Remitted March 6. 1876. L. C. Henrlcksen. Lair Hill, demitted February! , 1906. tr r 4: 'A gf. jw W -w r (IS.i -VT? t'( V. -r 'vVapffJt 1 A0 sif-1 W'1 U'Sl ni""' i'vH ill Iff II JiVVvT v--I : 111 fSi Robert Irving, died January 13, 1911. Kenneth Macleay, died August 22, 1895. Daniel C. McKercher, died Septem ber 22, 1904. Irving W. Pratt, died July 11, 1908. Seth L. Pope, died October 27, 1912. Thomas M. Richardson, died April 20. 1905. Andrew Roberts, died August 27. 1898. George L. Story. John F. Steffin. died May 29, 1900. Thomas H. Veasey, died May 26, 1901. Charles F. Wiegand, died July 4, 1872. All of whom received the 31st de gree and 32d degree from Illustrious Brother J. C. Ainsworth. April 30. 1872. In the meantime the following brethren, members of the Scottish Rite bodies at Salem and Corvallis, having removed to Portland, affili ated with the bodies here: F. N. Shurtleff, 32d degree, died April 6, 1903. Benjamin F. Goodwin, 32d degree, died September 21, 1893. Henry L. Hoyt, 32d degree, died July 27, 1898. George A, Pease, 32d degree. George McD. Stroud, 32d degree, died April 16, 1899. Robert R. Thompson, 32d degree, died March 10, 1908. John B. Congle, 32d degree, died April 7, 1888. Rockey P. Earhart, 32d degree, died May 11, 1892. James R. Bayley, M. D., 32d degree, died May 24, 1901. William Underwood, 32d degree, demitted May 15, 1877. These brothers formed the nucleus of the Scottish Rite bodies in Ore gon, and from among them we find that before and after this date (1872) the following have held grand of fices in various Masonic bod'ies: As most worshipful grand master in grand lodge of Oregon, Brothers Ainsworth, McCraken, Congle, Bay ley, Earhart, Dolph and Stroud. As grand high priest of the grand Royal Arch chapter of Oregon, Broth ers McCraken, Bayley, Ainsworth, Congle, Shurtleff, Pope, Stroud and Earhart. As venerable masters, lodge of Per fection, Brothers McCraken, Pratt and Pope. The first meetings of the Scottish Rite bodies were held In the Masonic hall, located on the southeast corner of Front and Burnside streets, but with the growth of Masonry in Tort land larger quarters were required and it was decided to erect a new temple. The selection of a site re ceived careful consideration and was the subject of some debate. The first Masonic lodge was held in a log cabin on the corner of Alder and Third streets .and it was therefore proposed that this site be selected for the new temple. Many of the craft demurred on account of the in sularity and urged that a site closer to the business center of the city be selected. It was argued that a elte on Front or First streets would cost from $20,000 to $30,000, and as the Third and Alder street property could be purchased for $5000, it was se lected in spite of the fact that it ad joined the residence section of the city. Accordingly a new temple was built on this site and was dedicated in June. 1S72. The Scottish Rite bodies shared the top floor with Oregon Commandery No. 1. In 1874 Captain Ainsworth moved to California and was succeeded by Colonel John McCraken, who went to Washington to receive the 33d de- gree and his appointment as active inspector-general of Oregon. Colonel McCraken took office on May 6, 1871, and eerv'ed until May 6, 1878, when he resigned. The third Inspector-general was Governor Stephen F. Chadwick, who received his 33d degree in Washing ton, D. C, from Grand Commander Albert Pike on December 187". while he was governor of Oregon, bpon the resignation of Colonel McLraken in 1878, he was appointed inspector general but being still governor was unable to give active attention to the duties of the office and in the same year resigned, being succeeded bv Illustrious Brother Rockey 1'. ..ar hart. Brother Earhart received his Scottish Rite degrees to and includ ing the 32d degree in Washington from Grand Commander AlDert i-iKe in December 1869 and received his 33d degree in Portland on December 27. 1878. from Active Inspector-Gen eral McCraken. He served as in spector-general until the time of his death. May 11,' 1892. and under his administration a Consistory charter (31st degree and 32d degree) was granted to Oregon. On October 12, 1S92, Irving Wash ington Pratt was appointed inspector general. He, with his predecessor, Brother Earhart and. Brother E. J. Bayley had received the 33d degree bv special dispensation in Portland from Brother Colonel McCraken, assisted by Colonel Ainsworth, Governor Chadwick and Brother J. L. Lawson, 33d degree, of Washington, D. C. By 1S93, a year after the appoint ment of Brother Pratt, the Masonic bodies had outgrown their quarters in the temple at Third and Alder streets, and the Scottish Rite bodies rented the top floor of the Marquam building. Special scenery and para phernalia were purchased, the rooms were hung in royal purple and the quarters were elaborately furnished. Brother Pratt served as inspector general until the time of his death, June 11, 190S. and was succeeded by our present inspector-general, Philip Schuyler Malcolm. Long before his appointment as inspector-general, Scottish Rlto Masonry had been greatly stimulated by Brother Malcolm, his devotion to the Kite having twice been recog nized by the supremo council. In 1S90 he was elected 33d degree honorary and In ll95 was voted the grand cross of honor for extraordi nary service. The following extrart from tho official records in t lie archives of the lodge, written shortly after his appointment, will indicate- the ardent and faithful character of his service: "When Brother Malcolm arrived in Oregon the Scottish Rite bodies con sisting of lodge, chapter and coun cil, had a very small membership, no paraphernalia, and as ' -e officers seldom conferred a degree, they had not committed the work to memory. He was induced to take the office of wise master of Ainsworth chapter of Rose Croix, and in two years had a well-drilled corps of officers and $600 in the treasury; during his ab sence in England this was dissipated and work had again practically ceased in the bodies. So discouraged were the members that when he re turned in 18S6 a meeting was called for the purposo of surrendering the charters. The late George E. With ington, 33d degree honorary, an en thusiastic Scottish Lite Mason, pro posed that instead of doing so, they apply for a consistory charter, and that Brother Malcolm be elected head of the four bodies with power to se lect his own officers; this course was pursued and in comparatively short time the old hall was refitted, officers drilled and the bodies active ly at work." Under his guidance the Scottish Rite has grown in numbers and in fluence and has prospered financially. Its roster carries approximately 3500 names1 and its assets are In excess of half a million dollars. It is fit ting that the erection of the new Scottish Rite cathedral, which is to be the finest structure of its kind In the world, should be during the ad ministration and under the active supervision of such an honored and devoted member of the fraternity. MASONRY EXISTS PRINCIPALLY FOR TEACHING MORALITY AND FRATERNITY Basis Is Blue Lodge, in Which the First Three Degrees, Entered Apprentice, Fellowr Craft and Master Mason, Are Confirmed. MASONRY is an institution which exists principally for the pur pose of teaching morality and fraternity. The basis of an jjiasomjr is the Blue Lodge, in which the first three degrees, entered apprentice, lei low craft and master Mason, are con ferred. In English-speaking countries these first three degrees are conferred by the York Rite and the Scottish Kite accepts as candidates for its degrees only those on whom the iorK ue bodies have conferred the degree of master Mason. In countries other than English-speaking countries all . of the degrees from one to 33 are con ferred by the Scottish Rite. All Masonry is an evolution and its origin is lost in the mists of an tiquity. There are many theories re specting its origin, none of which can be definitely proven or successfully denied. Masonry Traced to China. Tradition tells us that it originated at the building of King Solomon's temple but Masonry likewise has been traced to China, Europe and Arabia, many centuries before Christ. Undoubtedly, associations of crafts men who nad secret initiation, meth ods of recognition, obligations and codes of morals, have existed from the earliest times of civilization. Fashions in morals and even phil osophy have changed but little in the last few thousand years and there la nothing particularly significant in the fact that those of antiquity are sinii lar to those which are taught in pres ent-day organizations,, including the Masonic fraternity; but investigators have found other similarities which may be purely a matter of coincidence or which may indicate a definite con nection between these ancient organ izations and Ma$onry as we know it today. Those who believe that , symbolic Masonry is a direct descendant of the early Jewish crafts, trace its history through the Essenns, a secret semi religious Jewish sect which flour ished shortly before and after the time of Christ, and the secret organ izations of the Roman empire. They contend that through the conquests of Rome the craft was planted on for eign soil where it appears in the same form but under different names, a typical example being the Culdees of Britain, a sect of Celtic priests which some historians believe was organized by Roman craftsmen at the time of the conquest of Britain. They con tend that the operative Masonry which flourished throughout all of Europe particularly in the ninth century originated in this manner and that symbolic or philosophical Mas onry is its direct and immediate de scendent. Documents which were writ ten in the 13th century and which purport to give a history of operative Masonry agree in a general way with the foregoing. All of the organizations, orders and sects which are supposea to be the antecedents of preseht-day Masonry were semi-religious, their initiations were funereal in character; they be lieved in one God and in the immor tality of the soul, moral living, equal ity, brotherhood, toleration and char ity. All were philosophical in char acter and had secret methods of rec ognition and obligations with severe penalties for non-observance. All used symbols to illustrate the meanings of their initiations and the lessons which they sought to teach. They all had three periods or degrees of serv ice, a probationary or apprentice period, a fellowship and master. The Masonic brotherhoods of the middle ages were organized incorpora tions, not substantially different in their nature from the other guilds, governed by rules of their own and recruited from a body of apprentices who had undergone a period of pro bationary servitude. Skilled Men Prized. Men skilled in the hewing and set ting of stones were naturally prized in an eminently church-building age. Their vocation necessarily involved traveling from place to place in search of employment. A mason, therefore, after going through his apprentice ship and probations, could not settle down like other craftsmen among his neighbors and acquaintances, but must travel from place to place to find employment; hence it became de sirable or necessary to devise means J by which a person once a member of the fraternity might be universally accepted as such, without requiring, wherever he went, to give fresh evi dence of his skill, or having to under go a renewed examination of his qualifications. In order to accomplish this end and to enable a mason trav eling to his work to claim the hos pitality of his brother-masons on his way, certain signs and words were conveyed to him, which he was bound to keep secret. "Free," as applied to the craft, was originally used as an abbreviation of the term "freemen masons" free of their guild. Scotland possesses the earliest -record of the presence of theoretical or speculative masons in mason lodges . This is shown in the minutes of the lodge of Edinburgh, held at; Holyrood house in the year 1600. Grand Lodge Formed. The lodges of England go still farther back to an assemblage of masons held by King Athelstan at York in 926, while those of Scotland probably date from the visit of for eign masons to build the abbeys of Holyrood, Kilwinning and Melrose in the 12th century. The mother-lodges of York and Kilwinning were the parents of many lodges erected in dif ferent parts of Great Britain; while several of the pre-18th century Scot tish lodges were self-constituted. In 1717 a grand lodge was formed in London, with power to grant charters to other, lodges. Under its sanction the first edition of the con stitutions of the fraternity was pub lished. Modern Freemasonry spread from Britain to the continent of Europe, to our own country, and to India. It was introduced into France in 1725, Into America in 1730. Russia in 1731, and Germany in 1740. Grand lodges now exist in all parts of the world. There are 48 grand lodges exercising control over 10,000 lodges in the United States and nowhere is Masonry i in greater honor or importance. The earliest "regular" .lodge was opened at Boston, Mass., in 1733. Lodges Multiply Rapidlr. Lodges multiplied rapidly in every country during the 18th century and numberless new degrees arose, one of which, the "Scottish rite" (Scot tish only In name), extended partic ularly in the Latin country and among ourselves. It is only in some of the countries of South America, however, that the rite overthrows the authority of the English "blue lodge" system. The present constitution of the An cient Accepted Scottish Rite, curiously enough, is thoroughly American. It came from France about 1762, con sisting of 25 "Scottish" degrees, but to these eight were added at Charles ton, S. C, in 1801, making the 33d the governing body. The rituals have been greatly en riched by the work of Albert Pike, whose profound acquaintance with the literature of philosophy and whose remarkable vocabulary have enabled him to teach in the most felicitous language the wonderful lessons which the degrees were originally designed to inculcate. The United States Is divided for Scottish Rite purposes into two juris dictions. The states lying east of the Mississippi and north of the Ohio and Mason and Dixon's line are under the jurisdiction of the northern council, whose headquarters are at Boston. The remainder of the union. Including all colonies and dependencies, is un der the jurisdiction of the southern council, whose headquarters are at Washington, D. C. The southern coun cil lays great emphasis on the serv ice held on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday preceding Easter of each year. This is an obligatory service under the regulations of the council and it is the duty of all Scottish Rite Masons who have attained the 18th degree to be present at the serv ice if they reside within 20 miles of the place where service Is held. i FIRST MASONIC ALTAR ON COAST OUTGROWTH OF CALL Joseph Hull, Peter G. Stewart and William P. Dougherty Appear as Signers of Notice on February 5, 1846. BY GEORGE H. HIMES. Oregon Historical Society. nrHE erection of the first Masonic I altar upon the Pacific coast was the outgrowth of a call from three Masonic brethren which was published in No. 1, Vol. 1. of the Ore gon Spectator, Oregon City, February 6, 1846, the first newspaper in Ameri can territory west of the Rocky mountains, in the following words: Masonic Notice The members of the Masonic fraternity in Oregon territory are respectfully requested to meet at the city hotel In Oregon City, on tne HIM lnst., to adopt some measures to obtain a charter for a lodpe. JOSEPH HULL. PETER G. STEWART, WM. P. DOUGHERTY. February 5, 1846. Hull was a native of Ohio and came to Oregon In 1845. Stewart was born in New York and Dougherty in Pennsylvania; but both crossed the plains to Oregon in 1843 from Missouri. Aside from the three men named four others responded to the call, viz.: Fendal C. Cason, Leon A. Smith, Frederick A. Waymire, and it is be lieved -that William Holmes, also a pioneer of 1843, was the fourth. After discussion and an agreement reached that "Multnomah," suggested by Mr. Stewart, should be the name of the lodge, a petition was for warded to the grand lodge of Mis souri, that being the nearest one, by Joel Palmer, a pioneer of 1845, who was returning to his former home in Ohio. This petition reached the Missouri grand lodge on October 17. 1846, while in session, presumably in St. Louis, although it is not definitely known, and the charter was issued on the 19th to "Multnomah lodge No. 84, to be located at Oregon City. Oregon Territory." The officers were. named as follows: Joseph Hull, worshipful master; Wm. P. Dougherty, senior warden: Fendal C. Cason, junior war den. The names of the officers of the grand lodge of Missouri signing the charter were: John Ralls, grand S aster; J. D. Taylor, deputy grand aster; F. S. Ruggles, senior grand warden; L. F. L. Jacoby, junior grand warden; attested by F. L. Billow, grand secretary, with the seal of the grand lodge. Owing to the great distance Mid scant communication, no dependable method of transm'tting the charter to the Oregon brethren occurred un til the latter part of December, 1847. Then it was found that Brother P. B. Cornwall was making up a train to start west from St. Joseph early in 1848, and the charter was intrusted to his care. He started from St. Joseph April 1, but was detained at a point near what is now Omaha for a few days on account of Indian disturbances. Upon the arrival there of a large train of immigrants from Ohio Corn wall's party joined them and traveled westward as far as Fort Hall. There the news was received of the dis covery of gold in the Sacramento valley on January 24. Then Cornwall decided to go to California instead of Oregon, the latter being his orig inal intention. Then he placed the charter in the hands of two Masonic brethren he had found) in the Ohio company, Orrin and Joseph Kellogg, father and son. The latter had a small cowhide trunk which he had made In 1834, and in this the charter was placed and conveyed safely to Oregon City, and delivered to Joseph Hull, one of the original petitioners, on Septem ber 11. thus making two years, seven months and six days from the timo when the first Masonic notice was published calling the informal meet ing which led to the preparing of a petition for a charter. This trunk was presented to Mult nomah lodge No. 1, in the Oregon Masonic jurisdiction, by Joseph Kel logg several years ago. Hull called his brethren together that day and organized the lodge In the upper room of a log store owned by W. P. Dougherty. The officers were In stalled by Berryman Jennings, ac cording to the best information ob tainable, as follows: Joseph Hull, worshipful master; Orrln Kellogg, senior warden; Fendal C. Cason, junior warden: Joseph Kel logg, treasurer; Joel Palmer, secre tary; Lot Whiteomb. senior dea con : Berryman Jennings, junior deacon; J. H. Bosworth, tyler. The lodge furniture was of the most primitivo character. The altar was a rough packing box; the mas ter's pedestal, a barrel of flour: the senior warden's, a barrel of whisky; the junior warden's, a barrel of salt pork all from supplies belonging to the Hudson's Bay company thus representing the corn of nourishment, the wine of refreshment and the oil of joy. Owing to loss of the earlv records of Multnomah lodge No. 1, by fire In 1857, sources relating to its early history are very meager. There seems to be no doubt, however, that Chris topher Taylor, A. L. Lovejoy and Al bert E. Wilson were the first Masons made on the Tacific coast, and that Taylor was the first one to take the Master Mason's obligation.