After a long and severe illness, he passed into the life beyond, Friday, August 15th, 1890, at his residence, 2001 Michigan avenue.

Seven new lodges began their existence in Michigan under dispensations granted by Grand Master Allen. They were located at Schoolcraft, Lawrence, Eastmanville, Charlotte, Pokagon, Commerce and Hudson. All but the last one have continued to this day and made honorable records.

Grand Master Allen made numerous addresses upon masonic occasions during the year 1859. One of these addresses was delivered at Allegan, on February 24th of that year, and, being published and widely circulated, a certain masonic journal attacked it as teaching doctrines not consistent with Masonry. This matter received the attention of the Grand Lodge at its next annual meeting, and an able committee reported as follows upon the subject, and the Grand Lodge adopted the report:

We have carefully examined the address delivered by the M. W. Grand Master, at Allegan, February 24th, 1859, and especially to that portion of it (pages 14 and 15) against which comments have been published in a Masonic journal circulated within this jurisdiction. Your Committee cannot agree with that journal in its assertion that

"We see no difficulty in a Master assenting to the charges in the Monitor, and yet doubting the Divine authenticity of the Scriptures."

We believe this doctrine to be downright heresy. In the judgment of your Committee, the divine authenticity of the Holy Bible is the great, grand basis of masonic belief. It is the life and soul of Masonry in all Christian countries; and at every step in the onward progress of the Masonic journey his mind and his thoughts are directed to the Holy Bible as containing, not only the elements of his faith, but the very essence of his masonic existence. If the Divine authenticity of the Bible be ignored, then of what use can it be in the Lodge room within this jurisdiction, more than the Koran or any other book?

Your Committee find no heresy in the address alluded to, and most cordially endorse and approve of the sentiments therein expressed.

ANNUAL MEETING OF GRAND LODGE IN 1860.

The annual communication of the Grand Lodge for 1860, was held in Detroit, commencing January eleventh and lasting two days. One hundred and five lodges were represented, and masonic matters in Michigan were shown to be in a flourishing and prosperous condition.

The address of Grand Master Adams was a masterly one, and showed most clearly that he had fully comprehended the importance of his exalted station. A few short extracts are here given; choice gems culled from a vast mine of literary wealth:

To-day Masonry in Michigan occupies the highest position it has ever knownwhether we consider its moral or material grandeur.

So far as I have been able to ascertain, the accessions to the Order have, in the vast majority of cases, been of the very best material which our State could afford. Meanwhile the Brotherhood have manifested an increasing and healthful desire for light, and their energies have been directed to attaining a more thoroughly complete understanding and appreciation of the great fundamental principles which are the basis and inseparable bond of our union.

To-day the Grand Lodge of Michigan can point, with all the pride of the Roman Mother, to her affiliates of the year past and say: "These are our jewels.''

Masonry is eminently a social institution. It is not a theology, or a vague code of morality. It is not a reformatory association, or a school of practice for acute and profound intellects. Yet it in some degree involves each and all of these. It seeks to make the man better socially, by first making him better personally.

In ancient times when Masonry first originated, men were divided by hereditary • national antipathies and perpetual wars; in later times by fierce religious strifes and frequent civil revolutions; now by commercial and business rivalry, or the bitter dissensions of the political arena. Masonry lifts men from the sway of petty differences and sharp disputes, and brings them upon the level of those higher faculties and emotions which make the world akin. Its true mission is to make true friends.

It is said that at one time every rope in the royal navy of England had intertwined throughout its length a single scarlet fibre, not to be removed without destroying the entire cord or cable. Thus not an inch could be taken for other uses without detection-the scarlet fibre betrayed the rightful owner. And thus in Masonry the mystic blue intertwines with all the myriad-threaded and world-encircling bond of union. True friendship or Brotherly love must prevade all, or it is a fictitious, a worthless tie-it belongs not to our Craft, but to some clandestine ship. Externally the same-internally, alas! how utterly diverse!

Let us not lose the substance in anxious efforts to grasp the shadow which it necessarily casts in varying forms.

It is a genial, social, companionable, fraternal thing, this system of Masonry, and if hearts do not throb with warmer emotions at the very approach of a Brother of the mystic tie, they are no true Masonic hearts, but icy impostures.

Your cold-blooded, emotionless, calculating, scheming devotee of self, and slave

to sordid motives, has no more business in the masonic circle, and is as much out of his proper place, as a boulder of ice tumbled from the region of eternal snows into the lap of a cultivated valley smiling under the summer sun.

Enthusiastic sentiment is not antipodal to majestic judgment; but rather heightens and enobles it. The cultivation of fraternal emotions is not incompatible with the sterner qualities of caution, prudence, foresight and calm appreciation-all these but intensify the former when worthily directed. The solid and massive trunk and wide spreading branches of the mountain oak, are not lessened in ideal strength by the overlying fretwork of delicate leaves and buds "inlaid on the blue field of the sky, trembling and undulating with wondrous intermingling of light and shadow, before the winds and under the storm-they are its crowning glory.

There are but few natures so encased in ice, but what, under circumstances which enlist confidence, will thaw at manifestations of cordiality and hearty cheerfulness. There are some men, unfortunately, who always wear the porcupine shield-they have their uses-they are strong in attack-impregnable in resistance; but they are not, neither can be, Masons. The Mason's heart and hand go together to those of his Brother, and he is very little punctilious as to the surroundings. To him

"A man's the gowd for a'that."

Under the influence of ideas like these, it has been my constant study, in the year now passed, as your representative, to enkindle and fan the flame of true fraternal feeling. It has been my ambition to be a pacificator rather than a judge-to conciliate rather than to overpower by the temporary authority committed to me.

After having made a careful study of the work of the Grand Lecturer, he evolved a plan which he thought would work more advantageously to the fraternity than the one previously employed. He reported his plan thus:

The plan which I would propose is this: Let the 120 or more Lodges of the State be divided into three or four classes or sections-adjacent Lodges being respectively connected with different sections. One of these classes or sections may be designated at each communication of the Grand Lodge as embracing the schools. of instruction for the ensuing year. These schools of instruction being equally distributed throughout the State, may, during their session, be attended by the Officers and Brothers of other Lodges in the vicinity. Thus in the course of three or four years, each Lodge would in turn have once been visited as a school of instruction.

In the interim of visitation of the regular Lodges of Instruction, the G. V. and L. might, by provision, be directed by the Grand Master to visit and instruct new Lodges under dispensation or charter. For these services the G. V. and L. may be paid from the funds of the Grand Lodge-the Lodges of Instruction for the year paying such a porportion as may be fixed by the Grand Lodge.

This matter was referred to a committee who recommended the adoption of the plan thus outlined and its reference to a committee to report the details of the plan the following year. The Grand Lodge approved the report and so referred the matter.

Another of Grand Master Allen's recommendations was in reference to a history and compendium of the edicts of the Grand Lodge. He said:

It would seem desirable that a committee be appointed at the present Grand Communication, to collate from the published transactions of this Grand Lodge, and from its predecessor of early times, all such valuable historicial matters as they contain, together with such reliable information, bearing upon the same, as they may be able to secure from those venerable Brothers, whose forms are too well known on this floor to need personal designation.

Now is the time for this work to be performed easily and at slight expense. It is unnecessary to argue its importance or interest; they commend themselves to your understanding and judgment. Such an historical epitome would be invaluable. An edition should be published, which, after supplying the Brothers of each Lodge in the State, would still enable the Grand Lodge to extend and receive the courtesy of exchanges, which are constantly being tendered, but which have thus far been hopelessly impossible.

In consideration of the importance of this subject, I venture to commend it to your especial attention, that such incipient steps may be taken as the Grand Lodge may elect.

A committee having this subject in charge, strongly recommended that the suggestion be carried out, but the Grand Lodge, not then seeing its great importance, refused to sanction the project and nothing was done with it.

Among the masonic incidents of the year 1859, was a fire which destroyed the hall, furniture and jewels of Rising Sun Lodge, U. D., at Lawrence, and the members were authorized to hold their lodge meetings either at Decatur or Paw Paw, until they could procure

another suitable room in Lawrence.

At this meeting of the Grand Lodge the constitution was amended so as to provide for the election of a Grand Architect, in addition to the other Grand Officers.

The following Grand Officers were elected to serve for the year 1860:

FREEMASONRY IN MICHIGAN.

Hon. WILLIAM L. GREENLY, of Adrian, Grand Master.
S. B. BROWN, of St. Clair, Deputy Grand Master.
DAVID A. WRIGHT, of Austin, Senior Grand Warden.
ELISHA LEACH, M. D., of Owosso, Junior Grand Warden.
Rev. GEORGE TAYLOR, of Ann Arbor, Grand Chaplain.
ALBERT H. JORDAN, of Detroit, Grand Architect.
JAMES FENTON, of Detroit, Grand Secretary.

WM. H. MCOMBER, of Niles, Grand Treasurer.

383

STILMAN BLANCHARD, of Tecumseh, Grand Visitor and Lecturer
F. CARLISLE, of Dexter, Senior Grand Deacon.

T. H. TRACY, of Battle Creek, Junior Grand Deacon.
JOSEPH P. WHITING, of Detroit, Grand Marshal.
T. B. ELDRED, of Climax, Grand Sword Bearer.
A. PARTRIDGE, of Birmingham, Grand Pursuivant.
CHARLES D. HOWARD, Grand Steward and Tiler.

The year 1859 witnessed the initiation of nine hundred and fiftyfive, in the one hundred and twenty-two Michigan lodges. Nine hundred and twenty-three were raised and admitted, and sixty-two died. The year closed with five thousand, eight hundred and sixteen members in the jurisdiction, and with a balance of $68.91 in the treasury of the Grand Lodge.