ANNUAL COMMUNICATION. 1839.
The Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Maine was holden at the Augusta House, in Augusta, on Thursday, the 17th day of January, A. D. 1839.
Present—M. W. A. B. THOMPSON, Grand Master.
R.W. A. R. NICHOLS, Deputy Grand Master.
R.W. THOMAS W. SMITH, S. G. Warden.
R.W. DANIEL CLAY, J. G. Warden, p. t.
R.W. JOHN C. HUMPHREYS, Grand Marshal.
R.W. P. C. JOHNSON, Rec. G. Secretary.
R.W. BENJAMIN DAVIS, Grand Treasurer.
R.W. MOSES SAFFORD, Jr., S. G. Deacon, p. t.
R.W. LUCIUS Q. C. BOWLES, J. G. Deacon, p. t.
R.W. NATHANIEL STEVENS, Grand Steward.
R.W. FREDERICK WINGATE, Grand Steward.
R.W. ISAAC HOBBS, G. Sword Bearer, p. t.
R.W. OLIVER B. DORRANCE, Grand Pursuivant, p. t.
R.W. BENJAMIN SHAW, Grand Pursuivant, p. t.
R.W. EBENEZER WHITE, Grand Tyler, p. t.
DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS.
R. W. CORNELIUS HOLLAND, from the Second District.
R. W. JAMES L. CHILD, from the Third District
R. W. AMOS H. HODGMAN, from the Fourth District.
Lodges represented:
| Portland, | by | J. B. Cahoon. |
| Eastern, | by | Isaac Hobbs. |
| Ancient Land-Mark, | by | 0. B. Dorrance. |
| Washington, | by | Taft Comstock. |
The Most Worshipful Grand Master, on taking the chair, called the Grand Lodge to order, and the same was opened in ample form.
The proceedings of the last meeting were then read by the Grand Secretary.
The Committee on Finance submitted their annual report which is as follows:
The Committee on Finance, having attended to the duty assigned them, ask leave to report:
| That the income arising from the Charily Fund the past year is: | |
| Dividends on five shares in Freeman's Bank, | $40.00 |
| Interest on note collected of General Fessenden and others, | 63.25 |
| Total, | $103.25 |
| The amount paid from this fund the last year is for fees of Secretary, | 30.00 |
| For fees of Tyler for 1838, | 4.00 |
| Printing minutes of proceedings, | 14.00 |
| Printing revised By-Laws and advertising meeting, | 18.00 |
| Sundry costs and expenses in collecting notes, &c., &c, | 24.31 |
| Postage bill, | 1.70 |
| To Committee for revising constitution and superintending printing the same, | 6.00 |
| To amount advanced by G. Treasurer, to pay the Charities as ordered at the last annual meeting, | 135.00 |
| Total, | $233.01 |
It will be seen by the foregoing statement, that there is a deficit of $129.76 to meet the claims of the Grand Treasurer upon the Charity Fund.
His claim arises principally from the loan made by him under direction of the Grand Lodge at their last Annual Communication, to enable him to pay out the appropriations then ordered.
At the time those appropriations were made, it was confidently expected that dividends upon the stock of the Grand Lodge in the Portland Banks would be declared in the course of the year, but being disappointed in this respect, nothing can be distributed in charity the current year. The Committee recommend that the Grand Treasurer be authorized and directed to borrow the sum of $129.76, to be refunded out of interest and dividends which may hereafter be received from the Charity Fund.
| The amount of cash in the Treasury, January 18, 1838, belonging to the Permanent Fund, as appears by the Treasurer's books, was | $84.35 | |
| Since that time he has collected on note, | 200.00 | |
| $284.35 | ||
Making the sum of $284.35 to be appropriated by the Treasurer agreeably to the provision of the By-Laws.
January 17, 1839.
JAMES L. CHILD,
FRED. WINGATE,
Committee on Finance.
This report on being read was accepted.
The Grand Treasurer made a report, giving a statement of the funds under his charge, which was read and ordered on file.
Communications from the Grand Lodges of New York and South Carolina, were read by the Grand Secretary, which, together with sundry other communications, on motion of Bro. Shaw, were referred to the Committee on Foreign Correspondence.
Voted, To choose a Committee on Foreign Correspondence.
Bros. Isaac Hobbs, Oliver B. Dorrance and Lucius Q. C. Bowles, were chosen said Committee.
Proceeded to the choice of officers.
R. W. Cornelius Holland, Amos H. Hodgman and Frederick Wingate, were chosen a Committee to receive, sort and count the votes for Grand Officers, to be elected by ballot, who reported the following brethren as unanimously elected:
M. W. ABNER B. THOMPSON, of Brunswick, Grand Master.
R. W. THOMAS W. SMITH, of Augusta, Senior Grand Warden.
R. W. STEPHEN WEBBER, of Gardiner, Junior Grand Warden.
R. W. BENJAMIN DAVIS, of Augusta, Grand Treasurer.
R. W. PHILIP C. JOHNSON, of Augusta, Rec. Grand Secretary.
R. W. A. R. Nichols, Benjamin Swan and Frederick Wingate were chosen a Committee on Finance.
Bro. Oliver B. Dorrance was chosen a Trustee of the Charity Fund, in place of Bro. Joseph M. Gerrish, whose term of office had expired.
Voted, That this Grand Lodge remit all dues from the subordinate lodges under its jurisdiction, up to the present time.
Voted, That when this Grand Lodge adjourn, it adjourn to meet at this place on Tuesday evening next, at 7 o'clock.
After some remarks appropriate to the occasion from several of the brethren,
Voted, To adjourn.
The Grand Lodge was then closed in ample form.
Attest, PHILIP C. JOHNSON, Rec. G. Secretary.
Augusta, Jan. 22, 1839.
The Grand Lodge met at the Augusta House, agreeably to adjournment.
Present—M. W. A. B. THOMPSON, Grand Master.
R. W. THOMAS W. SMITH, S. G. Warden.
R. W. JOHN L. MEGQUIER, J. G. Warden, p. t.
R. W. JOHN C. HUMPHREYS, G. Marshal.
R. W. BENJAMIN DAVIS, G. Treasurer.
R. W. P. C. JOHNSON, Rec. G. Secretary.
R. W. MOSES SAFFORD, Jr., S. G. Deacon, p. t.
R. W. ISAAC HOBBS, J. G. Deacon, p. t.
R. W. L. Q. C. BOWLES, G. Tyler, p. t.
The Grand Lodge was called to order by the Most Worshipful , Grand Master, and opened in ample form.
The Committee on Foreign Correspondence made a Report, accompanied with a communication from said Committee, to the officers of the Grand Lodge of South Carolina, both of which, on being read, were accepted, ordered to be entered upon the Records, and printed; and the original communication forwarded by the Grand Secretary to its proper destination.
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE.
Augusta, Jan. 17, 1839.
To the Most. Worshipful. Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Maine.
The Committee to whom was referred the subject of communications and Foreign Correspondence, report—
That there have been received by the R. W. Grand Secretary during the past year, the proceedings of the Grand Lodges of New Hampshire, Connecticut,
Pennsylvania, New York, Kentucky, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina, Alabama, Maryland and Florida; and by examination we find them to consist principally of the proceedings of the Grand Lodges of those States, and that no other action is deemed necessary for this Grand Lodge than to request the Secretary to reciprocate the like friendly regards. The communications from New York and South Carolina Grand Lodges contain interesting subjects; the former we are not able to take much part in, and the latter we have considered with much deliberation, and have prepared a communication touching the subject matter of theirs to this Grand Lodge.
All which is respectfully submitted,
ISAAC HOBBS,
LUCIUS Q. C. BOWLES,
B. DORRANCE,
Committee on Foreign Correspondence.
COMMUNICATION
Augusta, Jan. 17, 1839.
Respected Brethren: Your communication bearing post-mark, " Charleston, July 2, 1838," directed to the Grand Secretary, was this evening presented to the Grand Lodge of Maine, at its annual session; and we, the subscribers, were appointed a Committee to examine and consider the same, and in the discharge of the duty imposed on us, we answer your communication. While we sympathize with you, respected brethren, in your recent loss by conflagration, we the more regret our inability to afford assistance at a time when pecuniary aid is so much needed. It must be known to you, that the unfortunate and unjustifiable anti-masonic excitement, which has prevailed throughout New England, since 1826, raging with the violence of pestilential disease, has so far affected our labors, as to produce in nearly all our lodges an entire relinquishment of them. In fact, our work is suspended, and the sound of the Gavel is not heard within our walls consequently our funds cannot accumulate by the means so profitably exercised previous to the injurious influence above referred to; and the funds that we have are so situated, as not to produce more than sufficient to meet our current expenses. Yet, brethren, we do not despair. We can faintly discern the dawn of a brighter day, and are encouraged to hope that the day is not far distant when we can resume our labors—when the benevolent designs of our beloved Institution can be brought into beneficial operation, and its glory be again at "high meridian," and shine with renovated lustre.
With fraternal esteem, respectfully yours
ISAAC HOBBS,
LUCIUS Q. C. BOWLES,
O. B. DORRANCE.
To M. W. Charles M. Freeman, G. M.; R. W. George B. Echhord, D. G. M. ; B. W. William B. Foster, S. G. W. ; R. W. John Evans, J. G. W.; R. W. J. W. Bruen, C. G. S.; of the Grand Lodge of South Carolina.
The M. W. Grand Master was then pleased to make the following appointments, which were announced by the Grand Marshal, viz:
R. W. A. R. NICHOLS, of Augusta, Deputy Grand Master.
R. W. ZINA HYDE, of Bath, Corresponding Grand Secretary.
R. W. JOHN C. HUMPHREYS, of Brunswick, Grand Marshal.
R. W. MOSES STONE, of Jay, Grand Chaplain.
R. W. FREEMAN PARKER, of Winthrop, Grand Chaplain.
R. W. MOSES SPRINGER, of Gardiner, Grand Chaplain.
R. W. DAVID NEAL, of Gardiner, S. G. Deacon.
R. W. MOSES SAFFORD, Jr., of Augusta, J. G. Deacon.
R. W. NATHANIEL STEVENS, of Hallowell, Grand Steward.
R. W. W. L. WHEELER, of Augusta, Grand Steward.
R. W. FRED. WINGATE, of Augusta, Grand Steward.
R. W. OLIVER GERRISH, of Portland,Grand Steward.
R. W. OLIVER S. HARTSHORN, of Portland, G. Sword Bearer.
R. W. BENJAMIN SHAW, of Gardiner, Grand Pursuivant.
R. W. JOHN D. LORD, of Augusta, Grand Pursuivant.
R. W. BENJAMIN COOK, of Gardiner, Grand Tyler.
The foregoing Officers were duly installed by the M. W. Grand Master, either by themselves or proxies.
DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS.
First District—R. W. Eleazer Wyer, of Portland.
Second District—R. W. Cornelius Holland of Canton.
Third District—R. W. James L. Child, of Augusta.
Fourth District—R. W. Amos H. Hodgman, of Warren.
Fifth District—R. W. Hezekiah Williams, of Castine.
Sixth District—R. W. Isaac Hobbs, of Eastport.
Seventh District—R. W. Daniel Shepherd, of Sebec.
Eighth District—R. W. William Trafton, of Shapleigh.
Voted, That the Grand Treasurer be authorized and requested from time to time to invest such sums as may come into his hands, belonging to the principal of the Charity Fund, in such Bank Stock as in his opinion shall be most productive and safe.
Voted, That the Grand Secretary be directed to procure the printing of the requisite number of copies of the proceedings of this Grand Lodge, and to forward one copy to each of the officers of this Grand Lodge, one copy to each of the subordinate lodges in this State, one copy to each of the District
Deputy Grand Masters, and one copy to all legal Masonic bodies which are in correspondence with this Grand Lodge.
Voted, That this Grand Lodge now adjourn.
The Grand Lodge was then closed in ample form.
Attest, PHILIP C. JOHNSON, Rec. G. Secretary.
The following Brethren compose the Board of Trustees of the Charity Fund.
M. W. A. B. Thompson, Grand Master, ex officio.
R. W. A. R. Nichols, Deputy Grand Master, ex officio.
R. W. Thomas W. Smith, Senior Grand Warden, ex officio.
R. W. Stephen Webber, Junior Grand Warden, ex officio.
R. W. P. C. Johnson, Recording Grand Secretary, ex officio.
R. W. James L. Child.
R. W. John H. Ingraham.
R. W. Benjamin Swan.
R. W. Daniel Clay.
R. W. Elias Bond.
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