PROCEEDINGS OF THE GRAND LODGE OF IOWA Eighty-third Annual Communication THOMAS W. WELLINGTON, Most Worshipful Grand Master. HE members and visitors of the Grand Lodge of Iowa THE assembled in the Garrick Theater at 8:30 A. M. Tuesday, June 8, to witness the moving picture films of the Past Grand Masters of the Grand Lodge. At 9:00 A. M., the meeting was called to order by Earl Peters (140), Right Worshipful Deputy Grand Master, who then requested the Grand Secretary to present the Most Worshipful Grand Master, Thomas W. Wellington (13). Upon being introduced to the assembled brethren, he was received with the public Grand Honors of Masonry. After expressing his appreciation of this reception, Grand Master Wellington opened the Grand Lodge of Iowa, A. F. & A. M., in ample form. INVOCATION Right Worshipful Grand Chaplain, Rev. B. F. Martin (37), invoked Divine Blessing. Thou the Supreme Grand Architect of the Universe, who was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be at this the opening of the annual session of the Grand Lodge of Iowa, we express our most devout and sincere gratitude for Thy guidance and protection across the year through which we have labored; for that Divine light of truth which has guided us, and for Thy love which has enriched us and bound us more closely together by the cement of brotherly love. We seek supreme and continued wisdom that we may faithfully and efficiently perform our labors, not only during the sessions of this Grand Lodge but in all of life as we continue to build into the Super-structure of that House not made with hands, Eternal in the heavens. May the great principles of our Order, born of God and perpetuated by our fellow Craftsmen across the preceding centuries find enrichment and enlargement as we tarry together here through these days and may we here find wisdom and strength to return to our respective lodges and the Craft, there to exalt and make more effectual these lofty principles of the Fatherhood of God and the Brotherhood of Man. This we ask, remembering all our friends, loved ones, Craftsmen.at home and all humanity, in the name of our Lord and Christ. Amen. ADDRESS OF WELCOME Mayor Fred Hunter, on behalf of the citizens of Des Moines, extended a most cordial welcome to the Grand Lodge. Most Worshipful Grand Master and Brethren: About the most pleasant function the Mayor of any city has to perform is to welcome visiting delegates and dignitaries. On this occasion, today, it is not only my very pleasant official duty, but a very pleasant privilege as well. Officially, personally and fraternally, do I greet you in convention assembled and welcome you to the City of Des Moines. I take a pride and a pleasure in doing this. As a Mason—to whom Masonry means MUCH—there arises a great pride and happiness in thus extending the hospitality of our city to the Masonic Grand Lodge of Iowa and its dignitaries. There is no greater work being done in the world than the promulgation of the principles of Masonry, and I stand before you in the greatest humility and with the greatest admiration for you who are active in the work of carrying on just now. This is a Cause; and you men are carrying the torch. You are right now the doers of deeds, and those of us who are laymen reap the benefits even as will future thousands in the years to come. Men may come and men may go, but the principles for which this great Order stands will go on forever. More ancient than any written record of history, it has stood on an invulnerable foundation throughout countless ages. This very age has given it strength, and today the Order is more potent and its achievements more far-reaching than ever before. So we are proud to welcome you here. Des Moines congratulates herself upon your presence within her gates-presents you with the historic keys of the citadel and bids you a most cordial welcome. RESPONSE TO ADDRESS OF WELCOME Deputy Grand Master Earl Peters (140) very ably acknowledged the welcome extended, on behalf of the Grand Lodge. Brethren of the Grand Lodge: We appreciate the cordial welcome extended to us by the brethren of Des Moines. It is both an honor and a pleasure to respond to the expressions of welcome extended to us by Brother Hunter. I feel assured that I am voicing the sentiment of every member of this Grand Lodge when I say that we are glad of the opportunity of being here again to hold another session of the Grand Lodge. We are confident the few days that we will spend with you will be the occasion of pleasant memories, and will not only be the means of renewing old friendships and acquaintances, but will also mark the beginning of many new and intimate ones. We anticipate that our stay with you will be both pleasurable and profitable, and will exert upon us an uplifting and helpful influence in keeping with the high ideals and noble principles of the Masonic order. It is especially gratifying to respond to this address of welcome when I realize that the organization for which I speak is one that from time immemorial has stood for the upholding of our government, for the enforcement of our laws, for the maintenance of order, and for greater respect for our officials and our institutions. Masonry has always sought to make its members better informed, better educated, more enlightened, and consequently better and more useful citizens. The fact that Masonry is of ancient origin is not the real cause of its greatness. To claim its place in our government because of the long years that it has survived would be as unsound as to say that a man is great because he has lived to an advanced age, or to exalt a person of medium ability because he may have a brilliant line of ancestors. It is because of the high ideals and uplifting principles for which it stands that it has during all the years since its organization been able to withstand the ravages of time. It has seen many other organizations flourish and prosper for a time, only to gradually lose their influence, and finally cease to exist. Many of these organizations have long since been forgotten, or if remembered, only as something that existed in the long ago. The ideals for which Masonry stands today are not a new departure, but it has advocated these same principles from the time we have any authentic record of its workings. Because of these high principles and objects it not only has survived the centuries, but as it has gone down the corridor of time it has increased in strength and in usefulness until today it is outstanding in its efforts to make not only its own members, but all other citizens of this Republic, better and more useful members of society. Its membership is not taken from any one class of persons, but comprises men from all walks and stations in life, and its usefulness extends over many lines of activities. Not the least important of these activities is its endeavors to secure a more loyal, a more enthusiastic, and a more patriotic citizenship. One of the most serious matters with which we are confronted today is the spirit of discontent that exists among so many of our citizens. There is today too much of a tendency to criticize and find fault with the things that are not wholly to our liking, rather than to give credit where credit should be given, or to praise where praise is due. No republican form of government can long survive unless it has the co-operation and support of a majority of its citizens. Whatever can be done to increase the respect of our citizens for our government, and secure a more active and hearty support for it, cannot but help to place it on a securer and a firmer foundation. One of the most effective methods of securing this result is by education, by instilling in the minds of the people a better knowledge of our government and our constitutional system. Nothing will do more toward the making of a loyal and enthusiastic citizen and upholder of our government than a study and broader knowledge of our history and system of government. Without such knowledge no one has a thorough education. Without it his education is deficient. Under our present educational system at least a common school education is within the reach of everyone, while many have the opportunity of obtaining a high school and college education. Under this system there is no excuse for illiteracy, and while they are obtaining a common school education, much can be done toward liberalizing the minds and broadening the visions of our younger generation along these lines. Let the public schools devote more time to the teaching of the principles of American constitutional government, and give every boy and girl a more thorough grounding in American history and the principles of our constitutional government, and we will have in the coming generation a more devoted and enthusiastic citizenship; more who will stand up for and defend our institutions, and less to criticize and find fault with them. In other words, more constructive, and fewer destructive, American citizens. In order to foster this spirit of Americanism among our high school students, a number of newspapers of the United States have sponsored a series of oratorical contests to determine the championship in oratory among our high school students. The country is divided into seven zones. Each high school entering this contest chose its representative from among varying numbers of contestants. Then there were county contests, then district meets, and so on through different elimination contests until the winner for each of the seven zones was determined. On last Friday evening the final contest between the winners in these seven zones was held at Washington, D. C., and the champion high school orator of the United States was chosen. More than one and one-half millions of students participated in these contests. One of the requirements for entering these contests was that the subjects of their orations should all be on the Constitution of the United States. For these students to prepare these orations meant that each devoted considerable time to the study of the Constitution and constitutional government, and each has a broader and more comprehensive view of our form of government. These boys and girls of today will be the men and women of tomorrow. Upon their shoulders will rest the responsibiity of perpetuating our institutions. It is in their hands that the destiny of the nation will be placed. And I know of nothing that will do more toward insuring the future of our constitutional government, than these oratorical contests. I feel certain that their continuance in the future will be of great value to our country. Another great weakness with which we have to contend is the attitude of indifference that exists among our people. This is one of the hardest things there is to overcome, and instead of lessening it becomes more and more pronounced as time goes by. This spirit of indifference is aptly illustrated by the small proportion of our voters that avail themselves of the right of franchise on election days. At the last two presidential elections less than sixty per cent of the qualified electors of the country went to the polls and availed themselves of the privilege of the ballot box. The proportion of voters participating in other elections is even less. In several states in recent elections candidates for United States senator have been elected who have received less than ten per cent of the eligible vote. This condition in many instances results in weak and incompetent men being chosen to manage our affairs. The blame for this rests largely upon those who have not taken enough interest to devote a few minutes, or at most a few hours, of their time at each election to exercise the greatest privilege that has ever been granted to the American citizen. There is today more of a tendency to criticize the manner in which our public affairs are being conducted, than there is to take an active part and participate in them. But the citizen who does not interest himself enough to go to the polls and vote has no right to criticize; that privilege should rest alone with those who have taken enough interest to have exercised this right of American citizenship. It is not only a responsibility, but it is the duty, |