| MASONRY IN NORTH DAKOTA |
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Chapter 7 ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
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THE CONGRESS of the United States, in its session of 1889, provided for the division of the Territory of Dakota into two states and their admission into the Union as North Dakota and South Dakota. South Dakota had already practically adopted a Constitution and there was no doubt but that each of the proposed states would become such, in fact, in a few months time. In order to conform to the American plan of territorial jurisdiction which would necessitate the division of the Grand Lodge A.'. F.'. & A.'. M.'. of Dakota, or the formation of a new Grand Lodge in North Dakota, it was decided to take action at the time of the annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Dakota, held at the city of Mitchell, Dakota Territory, on the llth, 12th and 13th of June, A. D. 1889, A. L. 5889. A large majority of the lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of Dakota being located in the southern portion of the territory, the representatives of twenty lodges from that portion of the territory known as North Dakota, who were members of and in attendance at the Grand Communication, having been previously instructed by their respective lodges to take such action as might be deemed necessary in order to form a Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons for North Dakota, presented the matter in due form before the members of the prospective Grand Lodge of North Dakota. They referred it to a special committee of seven of their members. The report of the committee, which was adopted by a unanimous vote, recommended that the assent of the Grand Lodge of Dakota be given to the withdrawal of the lodges of North Dakota from the Grand Lodge of Dakota for the purposes as suggested, and that an equitable distribution of the funds and other property belonging to said Grand Lodge of Dakota be made. Whereupon, assent being granted, the representatives present from the said twenty lodges of North Dakota withdrew from the hall where the Grand Lodge of Dakota was in session, to an adjoining room in said Masonic Hall building, and met in convention for the purpose of forming the Grand Lodge of North Dakota. ________ REPORT OF COMMITTEE ON DIVISION OF PROPERTY The committee appointed to appraise and divide the property of the Grand Lodge of Dakota presented the following report to that body at their session which coincided with the communication of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota: To the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Dakota A. F. & A M. "Your committee submits the following report and recommends the adoption thereof: "From the best information at hand they have appraised the property of this Grand Lodge as follows:
"There are seventy-three constituent lodges in South Dakota and twenty-six in North Dakota, not including those to whom charters have been granted at this communication. But your committee have agreed to recommend the division of the property and funds in the proportion of one-third to the Grand Lodge of North Dakota and two-thirds to be retained by the present Grand Lodge. "This will give to the new Grand Lodge of North Dakota the sum of 81,530.26. "Your committee is pleased to state that its work has been characterized by the most perfect harmony and good feeling. "We recommend that an order be drawn on the Grand Treasurer in favor of the Grand Treasurer of North Dakota in the sum of $1,530.26.
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The convention was called to order by M.'. W.'. Brother Henry M. Wheeler of Acacia Lodge No. 15. On motion Brother Leonard A. Rose of Shiloh Lodge No. 8, was named secretary of the convention. The following named brethren were found to be entitled to seats in the convention as delegates from their respective lodges. Those marked with an asterisk (*) are proxies.
The privileges of the floor were also extended to Brothers Franklin Estabrook, W. M. of Forest River Lodge, U. D.; A. F. Price, W. M.* and L. W. Babcock, J. W.*, both of Golden Fleece Lodge, U. D. The following resolution was unanimously adopted: "Resolved, that this convention deem it expedient for the good of Masonry that a Grand Lodge be organized for North Dakota." After due consideration by the convention, the Constitution and By-Laws of the Grand Lodge A. F. & A. M. of North Dakota were adopted. Following the adoption of the Constitution and By-Laws, a motion prevailed to adopt the decisions of the Grand Lodge of Dakota as the decisions of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota. The following elective Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota were then elected by ballot:
The convention then adjourned to meet the following morning, at 9:00 o'clock. JUNE 13, 1889 The convention met pursuant to adjournment and transacted routine business, after which M.'. W.'. Brother Henry M. Wheeler announced that the M.'. W.'. Grand Lodge of Dakota had extended an invitation to the members of the convention to take part in the installation of officers of that Grand Body, and that the officers of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota would be installed at the same time and place. Accepted. The convention was then declared adjourned.
Following the adjournment of the convention at which the Grand Lodge of North Dakota was formed, the Grand Officers elected and appointed, together with the members present, met with the Grand Officers and members of the Grand Lodge of Dakota, when a joint installation ceremony was held. Past Grand Master George H. Hand of Yankton officiated as installing Grand Master and Brother Leonard A. Rose of Fargo, as installing Grand Marshal. The Grand Officers of South Dakota were installed first and were invested with the grand jewels which were their property. Then followed an impressive ceremony which accompanied the installation of the Grand Officers of North Dakota and has been beautifully recounted by Brother James McDonald, Senior Warden of Crescent Lodge No. 36 of Grafton, who was present and later became Grand Master. "Following the forming of the two Grand Lodges and the election of their officers, the Grand Officers of South Dakota were duly installed and invested with the jewels of the Grand Lodge of Dakota, which were rightfully theirs. Then occurred one of the finest demonstrations of brotherly love and friendship one could possibly conceive. By prearrangement on the part of South Dakota, the Grand Officers of both Grand Jurisdictions lined up, each facing his corresponding Grand Officer, and at a given signal, the South Dakota line advanced and invested the Grand Officers of North Dakota with their respective jewels. There was not a dry eye in the room as this generous and significant ceremony was performed and no one could trust his voice to properly convey the gratitude and appreciation of the North Dakota brethren to their neighbors from the South." (These beautiful jewels were used continuously by the Grand Lodge of North Dakota until June, 1959, when they were replaced by a splendid gift of new jewels presented by Past Grand Master Arthur D. Gumming of Calgary, Alberta, and the original jewels of Dakota were retired to the museum in the Grand Lodge Library.) Whatever method may have been used in the actual presentation of the jewels of the Grand Lodge of Dakota to the Grand Lodge of North Dakota, the closing pages of the proceedings of the former for 1889 contain the following:
PRESENTATION OF GRAND LODGE JEWELS M. W. Brother Blatt (1), on behalf of this Grand Lodge presented the Grand Lodge of North Dakota with the jewels of this Grand Lodge. Grand Master Cloes (19), on behalf of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota, accepted the gift so generously bestowed, returning thanks therefor in a fitting manner. Two gracious resolutions were also passed by them before adjournment: "1) Be it Resolved, That this Grand Lodge (Dakota) extend to the Grand Lodge of North Dakota A. F. & A. M. the hand of full fellowship and recognize the said Grand Lodge of North Dakota as an independent and supreme Grand Lodge in and for North Dakota, and "That such recognition is accompanied with a fervent prayer for her prosperity and advancement to a high position among her sister Grand Lodges upon this continent, and that we enter into immediate fraternal correspondence and the exchange of representatives with our new sister Grand Lodge, and: "2) Be it Resolved, That each past elective Grand Officer of this Grand Lodge, being a member of a Lodge in North Dakota, as well as each elective Grand Officer of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota, be and is hereby constituted an honorary member of this Grand Lodge." The fifteenth annual communication of the Grand Lodge of Dakota was one never to be forgotten by any of the brethren who participated therein. Harmony and the best of feeling prevailed throughout the entire session, tinged with a vein of sadness at the thought of separation. The scene after installation at the formal leave-taking of the members from North and South Dakota, will ever linger pleasantly in the memory of all who were present, and was a fitting reminder that brotherly love and affection are not among the least of the teachings of our institution. The brethren of South Dakota vied with each other as to who could do the most towards perpetuating the fraternal feeling then existing between them and their brethren of the North. The prevailing sentiment was well and tersely explained by Brother Leonard A. Rose (of Fargo), who remarked: "The South, liberality; the North, appreciation."
PROCEEDINGS—FIRST SESSION
Immediately upon the adjournment of the Grand Lodge of Dakota and at the hour of 12:00 M., the Grand Lodge of North Dakota met at the Hall of Resurgam Lodge No. 31, in the City of Mitchell, D. T., and opened in ample form for the transaction of business, with M.'. W.'. Brother James W. Cloes, Grand Master, presiding. Several matters of routine business were attended to and the following Resolutions were unanimously adopted: "Whereas, The M. W. Grand Lodge of Dakota has so cordially extended to this Grand Lodge the right hand of fellowship; therefore, be it Resolved, that we as cordially extend to them the same courtesy by the immediate exchange of representatives, and be it further Resolved, That all past elective Grand Officers as well as all present elective Grand Officers of the Grand Lodge of Dakota, be and are hereby made honorary members of this Grand Lodge." The Committee on Resolutions made the following report which was read and adopted: "Whereas, In the division of the Grand Lodge property, our brethren residing in South Dakota have beautifully exemplified the tenet of brotherly love and exhibited a spirit of benevolence, not equaled heretofore in the history of Masonry; and "Whereas, in the presentation to this Grand Lodge of the jewels of the Grand Lodge of Dakota, our brethren have added another golden link to the indissoluble chain of sincere affection which joins the Grand Lodges of North and South Dakota; Therefore, be it "Resolved, That the thanks of this Grand Lodge are hereby gratefully tendered to the Grand Lodge of Dakota for the kindness, consideration and generosity which they have shown towards us in the division of the Grand Lodge property; and Be it further "Resolved, That in the Grand Lodge jewels we recognize and acknowledge a lasting memorial of our past fraternal relations; an offering of love and affection that shall forever unite and cement us to our brethren of the Grand Lodge of South Dakota, our appreciation of which was best spoken in tears of gratitude and thoughts expressed in silence.
Congratulatory remarks were made to our visiting brothers, Past Grand Masters Blatt and Braden, which were well received. There being no further business to be transacted, the first communication of the Grand Lodge of North Dakota was closed in ample form and until the first annual communication to be held on the third Tuesday, the 17th day of June, A. L. 5890, A. D. 1890, in the City of Grand Forks, North Dakota.
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