Let the cost of the edifice be five hundred thousand dollars, and the cost of the site not more than one hundred thousand, making the whole investment, six hundred thousand dollars. For the means let the Grand dues, which are now twenty-five cents per capitum, be raised to one dollar and twenty-five cents. The Grand Lodge has now a constituency of about twenty thousand. This constituency increases in the ratio of nearly four thousand per annum. In January 1867, it was 13,154; in January, 1868, 16,861; being an increase of 3,707, in 1867; in the same ratio of increase it is now nearly if not entirely 20,000, and will be above that before the payment of the Grand dues of the present Masonic year. By a change of the Constitution to this increase of the Grand dues we will still find the same contingent fund from the twenty-five cents, the present rate, and a gross revenue of twenty thousand dollars, arising annually from the increase of one dollar. By this revenue alone, without regard to its increase, through an increased membership, and independent of the revenue arising from the rental of the Temple, the entire debt would be extinguished in thirty years. In the city of Detroit, the most beautiful city of the great Northwest, a city which is rapidly increasing in importance as a great commercial entre pot, and as rapidly increasing in population and enterprise, such an investment would doubtless pay ten per cent upon the capital sum; but, to estimate the net revenue arising from this source, at five per cent upon the six hundred thousand dollars invested, it would produce annually the sum of thirty thousand dollars. This sum, added to the twenty thousand arising from Grand dues and applied to the payment of the building debt, would extinguish it in twelve years. Without an amendment of the Constitution, funds may be raised, by a direct assessment upon the Lodges, of one, two, or three dollars per annum, upon each member, to be paid out of the Lodge funds. The Lodges, by raising the fees for degrees, could make the means of paying this assessment available without becoming burdensome to the Lodges or the members of the Order. Should the committee report the purchase of a site, I recommend that this Grand Lodge, by an assessment of two dollars per head upon the members of each Lodge, to be paid by the Lodge into the office of the Grand Secretary within sixty days, to be applied by the committee upon the payment of such purchase money. The subject was ably and fully discussed after the special committee having it in charge had presented their report, which was as follows: To the M. W. Grand Lodge of Michigan: Your Committee, to whom was referred the subject of the erection of a Masonic Temple, respectfully report: That they have examined various localities suitable for a site for a Temple; but, owing to their limited powers, they have been unable to obtain satisfactory pro posals, but think a suitable lot can be purchased at a reasonable price. As it is necessary that plans should be made to conform to the lot, they have deemed it unwise to incur the expense of procuring such plans, until a lot has been purchased. In their judgment, the sum of two hundred thousand dollars will be required to purchase a site and erect a Temple, suited to the dignity and honor of our Order. They would respectfully recommend that stock scrip should be issued for this amount, entitling the holder to a pro-rata of all incomes accruing from the building; and they believe that with a good selection of a lot, and proper management in constructing, this can be made a remunerative stock. They do not approve any plan that will encumber the Temple with debt. In their judgment, such a course would be injudicious, and have a tendency to injure the prosperity and mar the harmony of our Order. Your Committee would respectfully recommend that a direct assessment be made upon the Lodges, of one dollar per annum for each member, to be paid out of the Lodge fund. This assessment to continue for the period of five years, and on the completion of the Temple that stock scrip be issued to the lodges so assessed and paid. This stock to be subject to purchase by the Grand Lodge whenever they shall deem it advisable to do so, and not transferable without its consent. All of which is respectfully submitted, M. I. MILLS, JNO. P. FISKE, R. W. LANDON, The whole subject was finally laid over until 3 o'clock of the first day of the next annual communication. Among other propositions looking to this end was one from the fraternity in Lansing asking the Grand Lodge to take $10,000 stock in a Temple in that city to cost $30,000. Like all other propositions of a similar kind that came up from time to time, nothing came of this one. The annual meeting of Grand Lodge in 1867, was held in Adrian, those of 1868 and 1869, in Detroit. The addresses of Grand Master Coffinbury were masterpieces of masonic eloquence. He spoke with no uncertain sound upon the subject of temperance among Masons. He said: Intemperate habits in the use of strong drinks among our brothers ought to be severely punished by our Lodges. There is no excuse or palliation that can be now offered for it; and I trust that, in a short time, drunkenness will be unknown among Masons. Our Order owes it to mankind, as well as to herself as a moral institution, to wash her hands before the world of these plague spots so incompatible with her professions of moral purity. Drunkenness in a Mason is such a compromise with dignity, manhood, and individual sovereignty, as to render its victim entirely. unworthy of the title of Free Mason." No man can be free who is a slave to his passions, his lusts, or his appetites. True manhood, the spirit of freedom, and the force of independence, are manifested in openly meeting our seducing lusts, appetites and passions, and, without aid from others, but by force of our own moral will, wrestling with and conquering them. In the victory over his own passions, by force of his own will, is embodied the true greatness of virtue. He who has met himself in such a conflict, who has battled with himself, and has arisen, freed from moral bondage, may well be called a "Free Mason," and may well claim our highest approval and commendation. But, when all mankind are growing wiser and better, and when our institution is tendering her aid, as a moral instrument in the great work of humanity, the brother who will embarrass her efforts, reproach her good name and bring her into shame and scandal by his drunkenness and immorality, is unworthy the honored title of FREE MASON. He recommended the establishment of some system of Masonic life insurance in this state. This idea was afterwards taken up and companies organized to carry out the plan. It worked very successfully for some years, but later, very disastrously for all connected with. it. The year 1868 witnessed the close of Father Blanchard's service as Grand Lecturer. After having filled this important place for twelve years, he retired and gave place to others, who have since been building upon the foundation he laid so deep and strong. At the 1869 meeting the Grand Lodge first adopted a code of bylaws for the government of subordinate lodges, which were ordered to take effect the 24th of the next June. An edict was also passed that no lodge should vote or levy any tax or assessment upon its members for the purchase of real estate, or for the purchase or building of any masonic temple or edifice, or for the discharge of any indebtedness incurred for either of the said objects. The officers chosen for the year 1869 were: A. T. METCALF, Kalamazoo, A. PARTRIDGE, Birmingham, E. R. LANDON, Detroit, M. W. Grand Master. R. W. Deputy Grand Master. J. V. LAMBERTSON, Rochester, RUFUS W. LANDON, Niles, H. M. LOOK, Pontiac, THOS. H. LEE, Jr., Houghton, R. W. Junior Grand Warden. R. W. Grand Treasurer. R. W. Grand Secretary. R. W. G. Visitor and Lecturer. W. Senior Grand Deacon. W. Junior Grand Deacon. Grand Sword Bearer. Grand Pursuivant. Grand Steward and Tiler. The growth of the institution in Michigan during these three years had been large in membership as well as in lodges. In the year 1866 there were initiated 2,679, in 1867, 2,656, and in 1868, 2,337, making a total of 7,672 for the three years. The membership at this time had reached 18,016. ROYAL ARCH MASONRY IN 1866. At the annual convocation in this year a revision of the Constitution and By-Laws was reported by a committee having this work in charge, but action thereon was postponed until the next year. M. E. Companion A. B. Cudworth governed the Royal Craft during this year to the satisfaction of his constituents. He gave dispensations for new Chapters in St. Johns and Bronson, both of which were given charters at the end of the year. The year 1866 closed with forty-four chartered Chapters and two under dispensation, and the membership in the state was three thousand, one hundred and seventy-three, of which number seven hundred and two were exalted during that year. SKETCH OF A. B. CUDWORTH, G. H. P. A. Bernard Cudworth was born at Schenectady, N. Y., November 19, 1891. He came to Michigan, and the township of Avon, in 1838 or 1839. Before he came to this state he taught school in New York-a profession he followed for a short time in this state. He studied law with Edward P. Harris. He was admitted to the bar in 1842, and for some years had quite an extensive Circuit Court practice. He liked politics, and for some years was an active worker in the local Democratic ranks, wieiding quite an influence in the party in county politics. In the spring of 1865 he was elected Mayor of Pontiac, a position for which he was peculiarly fitted from his familiarity with parliamentary law. As a presiding officer he had few equals in the county; and in public affairs, this gave him recognition and prominence. During his term of office as Mayor, the nation's greatest calamity occurred in the assassination of President Lincoln, when he issued an official proclamation and presided at a public meeting in recognition of the event. This was the pride of his life. Prompted by patrotic impulse, often in conversation he would speak of those sad days, and the conspicuous part he officially played in the local observance of this, the saddest event in the history of the country. In the fall of 1882 he was elected Circuit Court Commissioner, holding the office for one term. When a young man he became a Mason, and an earnest student of the ritual of the order, becoming a fluent and active worker from the tesellated pavement to the temple. As the representative to the grand bodies; as Master and High Priest of the local orders, he soon got to the front, and in 1865 was elected Deputy Grand High Priest, under the venerable Ebenezer Sprague, who was Grand High Priest. In 1866 he was exalted to the position of Grand High Priest of the Grand Chapter of this state, at a convocation held at Adrian. Masonically, this ended his official relations to the order. During the late years of his life he was scarcely ever absent from meetings of the local bodies, and was at all times a present aid and support in filling the position of absent officers. Nature had been liberal in her gifts to him. He was a student of literature, and as a result was a fluent, entertaining conversationalist, |