Only two appeals have thus far been filed; that of C. W. Johnson, suspended for unmasonic conduct by Otley Lodge, No. 299, and Peter Stacey, suspended by King Solomon Lodge, No. 210, October 27th, 1899, which appeals have been placed in the hands of the Committee on Appeals and Grievances, together with the transcripts.

Papers in the following cases have been filed, and will be reported upon during the session:

Petition from J. T. Harmonson, formerly a member of Naphtali Lodge, No. 188, for reinstatement from expulsion by Grand Lodge.

Petition from C. W. Johnson, formerly a member of Bunker Hill Lodge, No. 302 (now defunct), for restoration from suspension for non-payment of dues.

Luzerene DeVore, expelled by Mahaska Lodge, No. 336, in 1899, presents a petition for rehearing.

Faithful Lodge, No. 448, at Runnels, petitions the Grand Lodge to refund its Grand Lodge Dues of 1899.

CARELESSNESS OF OFFICERS.

At the time of mailing the Proceedings and Codes (1898) to subordinate lodges in the state we filed their return postal card receipts in order to make certain that each and every lodge had received the same. We are frequently in receipt of letters from members or officers stating that neither Code nor Proceedings can be found in their lodge hall. We find that many of our lodges are using the old edition of the Code, published many years ago.

Each and all lodges have been supplied with the 1898 edition of the Code, and if for any reason the officers fail to find the same on file in the lodge-room, they should notify this office. Under no circumstances should any lodge attempt to use the old edition.

NOTIFY GRAND SECRETARY OF CHANGE IN OFFICE.

When changes occur in the various offices the Master or Secretary should notify this office as soon thereafter as possible, and thereby enable us to make the proper entries upon our mailing list, so that communications for the lodge may be directed to the proper officer.

GRAND LODGE OF SOUTH DAKOTA.

This young but wide-awake Grand Lodge, our first-born, celebrated its quarter centennial the week following our last annual communication, at Yankton, the first territorial capital. It was our privilege to have joined the brethren upon that pleasant occasion, which proved in all respects a most successful event. As all of her constituent lodges had received their charters from the Grand Lodge

of Iowa, this Grand Lodge felt a special interest in the ceremonies in which we took an humble part. Past Grand Master (the first) Brown has presented the Library a beautiful souvenir volume, handsomely illustrated, of the occasion.

WASHINGTON MEMORIAL OBSERVANCE.

The Deputy Grand Secretary, as requested by the special committee (Brother Blanchard, chairman) and Grand Lodge, prepared a brief history of Brother George Washington as a Mason, and published the same in the Quarterly Bulletin for November, 1899, together with a bibliography of the volumes and pamphlets in the Library relating to Washington's history as a Mason.

The Grand Master issued a circular-letter, which was published as introductory to the sketch by the Deputy Grand Secretary.

Reports were received at this office from many lodges of the jurisdiction that the day had been observed by their lodge.

The Grand Master attended the public exercises at Alexandria, under the direction of the Grand Lodge of Virginia, and will, no doubt, report thereon.

In this connection it is proper to mention that the Library has received from the Grand Lodge of Virginia its "Official Souvenir" of the centennial of the death of Worshipful George Washington, in an illustrated volume of two hundred and forty-three pages.

RECEPTION TO GRAND MASTER LAMBERT.

It was our privilege to have attended the reception given our grand Master at his home (Sabula) on the 21st day of June. It was

a notable event, in that it was not confined to his brother Masons, but his fellow-citizens in large numbers not only attended but lent their aid to make the occasion a memorable one, and give due honor to their distinguished fellow-citizen.

The Masons and citizens provided a grand banquet and reception at the public hall, with appropriate music and addresses from their own people and others from abroad. Grand Master Lambert duly appreciated the honor and compliment, and so expressed himself in an address appropriate to the occasion. Brethren from surrounding lodges were in attendance, and those of Clinton chartered a train and came in great numbers with their wives and daughters, for the ladies vied with the sterner sex in showing their respect for their neighbor and friend who had been elected to preside over the craft in Iowa. It was a very pleasing episode in the Masonic history of the year.

ST. JOHN'S DAY, JUNE 24TH.

This day of Masonic significance to the fraternity seems to have been more observed of late than ever before in our history. Several of our Iowa lodges have held memorial services in memory of their dead, while others, as a body, have visited the cemetery and strewn

flowers over the graves of their fallen brethren with appropriate ceremony; again, others have joined with neighboring lodges and held a Masonic picnic, to which the families of the brethren were invited, and carried out a special program of song and story. We care not what plan is adopted, but believe it a good idea for each lodge to set apart that day for special services, which might be changed from year to year. It would bring the brethren in touch with each other, and cause them to feel that there was a tie binding them together as brethren.

Fraternally submitted,

J.S. Purverf, Sohre

CEDAR RAPIDS, May 10th, 1900.

[Fifty-fourth as Grand Secretary, and Fifty-first as
Grand Librarian.]

BY T. S. PARVIN, GRAND SECRETARY AND LIBRARIAN.

JUNE, 1900.

ITH THE closing year of the century we present our annual report of the Iowa Masonic Library. It is the sixteenth since the Library was transferred from rented rooms in Iowa City, in 1885, to Cedar Rapids, and into our own Library building, the first and only one ever erected for a Masonic library. When this beautiful house was completed and occupied the least sanguine of the members said it would be large enough for a hundred years (we said twenty-five), but time has abundantly proved that we all were wrong, for ten years had not come and gone till every available space was occupied, and the attic (fourth story) and the basement (both divisions) fitted up at considerable expense, and all filled with books, periodicals, and proceedings, and the cry is more urgent for more room.

It is a pleasing thought upon which to review the past to note that the Library, the great work of the Grand Lodge from the morn of its organization, has become nearer and dearer to the fraternity, and its volumes more frequently read by the craft throughout the jurisdiction (state) and the country, as well as abroad in foreign lands.

Our country (as well as others across the seas) is still engaged in war, and many of our people and "brothers of the mystic tie" are battling for the right under the flag of liberty and progress.

Nature has ordained us for peaceable pursuits and placed the pen, not the sword, in our hands with which to serve our fellowmen.

Hoping thereby the better to be able to serve my brethren who called me to their service so long ago.

ALL DEPARTMENTS GROWING.

In each of the several departments of the Library, the Masonic, Iowa, and Reference, there have been goodly additions made during the past Masonic year. The Grand Lodge meeting at the home of its Library for the first time in six years, will enable the brethren to see something of the Library belonging to them, and we trust each and all will find much therein to interest them.

LIBRARY SUPPORT.

We have before quoted, and will again, the homely truth that no organization or great enterprise can become stationary, it must either advance and progress or go backward

"Must grow and never cease to grow

For when growth ceases death begins.

"Though boats go down, men build anew,,
Whatever winds may blow;

If blight be in the wheat one year,

We trust again and sow,

Though frost may come and change once more
.The sunshine into snow.'

A few years ago, when the Grand Lodge inaugurated and adopted the plan of support for the Library which has worked so well and satisfactory, by setting apart eight and one-half cents per member as returned by the lodges, the sum was sufficient to meet the expense and keep the Library on a progressive basis; but it has so grown in its several departments that that sum is no longer adequate to its proper support and development, and the same should, indeed must, be increased to ten (10) cents, or the Grand Lodge prepare to not only look but take a step backward. Will the Grand Lodge of Iowa do such a suicidal act the last year of the century, and bequeath to the opening century an inanimate body?

NEW CASES.

During the year it was found necessary to make more room in the library hall for our growing collection of Masonic works, which we did by taking a large number of the general works from the library hall to the basement. In order to do this it became necessary to purchase and add a number of new cases. We procured two goodsized library stacks, which can be taken down at any time and placed elsewhere, and we find them very convenient, giving more room for books than the old style cases, being easily and quickly adjusted. In this way we have been able to make room for nearly twenty-five hundred additional volumes.

The space in the building is now utilized to its utmost extent, and we are at a loss to know where additional cases can be placed.