It is scarcely necessary to state that this last remark only applies to your humble servant, who hopes to meet you all at many more of these fraternal reunions.

But we all know, and should ever bear it in mind, that, as the years go by, more vacant place or places will be found.

It may be gray heads that are missing, and it may be the young, with seeming bright prospects before them.

Let us hope that, whoever it may be, the bright prospects, at least, may never fade from our sight.

The following resolutions were adopted:

Resolved, That no honorary member of a Chapter be allowed to vote or hold office in such subordinate Chapter.

Resolved, That not exceeding one substitute shall be used in exalting candidates under any circumstances.

No report on Foreign Correspondence.

*M. E. George L. Kimball, Dardanelle, elected Grand High Priest.

R. E. James A. Henry, Little Rock, re-elected Grand Secretary.

CALIFORNIA.

The Twenty-ninth Annual Convocation was held in the city of San Francisco, commencing April 10, A.D. 1883, A.I. 2413.

M. E. William Monroe Petrie, Grand High Priest. R. E. Thomas Hubbard Caswell, Grand Secretary. Forty-eight subordinate Chapters represented. Twelve Past Grand High Priests present.

The Grand High Priest, in opening his address, says:

It is now one year since, by your kindness, I was placed in this chair, and the time has arrived for me to resign into your hands the gavel, and report to you the manner in which I have wielded it. It has been a year of remarkable growth among the different Chapters, and the Royal Art has been unusually prosperous within this jurisdiction. The increase in our numbers has been something phenomenal, while the material furnished has been of the very highest order. This

* According to circular received from Grand Secretary Henry, December 15, 1883.

is no doubt due, in part, to the desire of many to attain the orders. of Knighthood prior to the meeting of the Triennial Conclave of Knights Templar. Aside from this consideration, however, the Royal Craft has advanced rapidly, all are working in harmony, and perfect loyalty to the Grand Chapter exists throughout the State. In all this we recognize the care and guidance of God, the Great Ruler of Life, without whose protecting care our efforts would have produced results poor indeed.

It is not to Capitular Masonry alone that the revolving year has brought happiness, peace and prosperity. Our beloved State has been richly blessed during the past year, and the outlook for the future could hardly be more encouraging. Yet amid all this prosperity and promise, the dread messenger who, sooner or later, must summon us all to an account for "the deeds done in the body," has not passed us by unheeded. We are called to mourn the loss of two of our most revered members, each of whom had been selected to receive the highest honors in the gift of their companions.

The following rulings were made by the Grand High Priest during the year:

1. Is it necessary for a brother dimitting from a Lodge outside this State to wait until he has affiliated here before he can petition for the Chapter degrees?

That membership in a Lodge of Master Masons is necessary; and that a Chapter of Royal Arch Masons cannot receive a petition for the degrees in the Chapter from a non-affiliated Mason.

2. What course shall we take with a 'companion whose name is on the roll of the Chapter, but is a non-affiliated Mason, and is not contributing to any Lodge of Master Masons?

A Royal Arch Mason situated like the one mentioned is a suspended Mason under the Constitution of the Grand Lodge of this State, and is not entitled to any of the rights and privileges of Blue Lodge Masonry; and being thus suspended in his Lodge, suspends him in his Chapter also. In other words, he cannot be recognized in any manner either in Lodge or Chapter.

3. A Master Mason applies for admission into the Chapter. He is elected to receive the degrees, but before the Mark Master's degree is conferred an objection is made to the admission of the candidate. Must the companion objecting state his reasons therefor, or is it equiv alent to a rejection by ballot?

That it is equivalent to a rejection by ballot, and the reason for such objection cannot be demanded.

He recommends that a committee be appointed to revise the Constitution of the Grand Chapter, and that all former

rulings and decisions heretofore made by his predecessors be collected and placed under the head of general regulations and published with the above.

He closes his address as follows:

Companions, before surrendering the trust which your kind partiality conferred one year ago, permit me to tender my thanks to the officers of this Grand Chapter for the courteous kindness with which I have been treated by them, and to you also for the honor you have conferred upon me; and to bespeak for my successor a continuance of your generous confidence and support. It is a pleasing duty to acknowledge the valuable assistance rendered me by the Grand Secretary, whose extensive experience, sound judgment and logical reasoning render him an adviser and counselor of no ordinary merit. To this accomplished Masonic scholar and jurist, I, like my predecessors, have been deeply indebted. No tribute I might pay to his excellence could add to the brightness of his reputation at home or abroad. All my efforts have been ably and cheerfully seconded by him, and in a manner which has created in my breast a friendship for him which will not cease with the ending of our official relations.

Companions, the record of my official acts is before you. If all shall be found consistent with the customs, the laws and usages of our Royal Craft, and shall tend to promote the general welfare and harmony of the several Chapters under our jurisdiction, your approval will afford ample compensation for whatever of earnest endeavor and anxious solicitude the performance of these duties may have occasioned me. And in surrendering to you the office with which your partiality invested me one year ago, let me assure you that the pleasing memories of the year now past, will ever be fondly cherished by me; and, that in closing my official relation with you, it is not my intention to retire from active duty as a member of this Grand Chapter, but remembering the debt of gratitude I owe for the distinguished honors conferred, I will be ever ready to do all in my power to promote the welfare of our Royal Craft.

The following report from the Committee on Jurisprudence was accepted and adopted:

The question is asked and referred to your committee, "Is a written objection, made by a companion who is unavoidably absent from the meeting at which a ballot is to be taken and dated prior thereto, sufficient reason for declaring the candidate rejected?"

In the important matter of receiving material into Royal Arch fellowship, the utmost care should be exercised, and every facility given for the fullest expression of the opinions of those who have not only the

privilege, but whose duty it is to weigh carefully and judge of the merits of petitions for this Masonic distinction. Your committee are of the opinion, that in a case such as stated in the question submitted, the High Priest should give the objection such consideration as to postpone the ballot, and if the objection is not formally withdrawn at a subsequent session, it is his duty to declare the candidate rejected. The Grand Secretary was authorized to purchase two hundred shares of stock in the Masonic Hall Association.

Such things read funny to Grand Secretaries of Grand Chapters that have hardly the "wherewith all" to run the current expenses of their Grand Bodies. Our sister California has reason to be proud of her "paying ability.”

Companion Theodore Sutton Parvin, Grand High Priest of Iowa and General Grand Recorder of the Grand Encampment, was received with the honors due his exalted rank, and welcomed to a seat in the East by the Grand High Priest.

Companion Thomas Hubbard Caswell appears as the writer on correspondence. Without fear of the corps reportorial, he injects (I believe that is what they used to call it when talking to me on that subject) his report "amidships" of the proceedings, but if any rash boy of the corps dares pitch into him on that account, he will find that chip knocked off his shoulder in about a minute, "and don't you forget it."

Well, now, to business. Companion Caswell presents his report of the transactions of thirty-six Grand Chapters (Michigan for 1882 among the number), and without "much ado" he proceeds in Caswell's own style to go ahead; and to say it is his report, is a sufficient guarantee that its perusal will repay any time spent upon it.

Under his review of Connecticut, he gives the resolution passed by that body requiring the Grand Representatives to report annually to the Grand High Priest, and comments ast follows:

The whole Representative Corps should rise up in arms against the above resolution. The idea of a Grand Representative being called upon to perform any useful act! Preposterous!!!

So say we all, and it is to avoid placing any such burden upon our companions that our jurisdiction has, up to this time, failed to adopt this grand system.

On the remarks made referring to California's position on the striking from the roll and disciplining companions for non-payment of dues, Companion Caswell says:

To this we have only to say, that we do not believe Massachusetts, Connecticut, or any other State, has the right to enact laws for the government of Masons in California. Our Grand Lodge has declared that none but Masons in good standing shall be entitled to the rights and privileges of Masonry, and any brother who has been "stricken from the roll" for non-payment of dues, or suspended from membership" for like cause, is not a Mason in good standing even in his own juirsdiction. He has been deprived of a part of his Masonic rights, and that deprivation is inflicted as a penalty. Why, we ask, was this penalty inflicted? If the brother had done no wrong, surely he deserved no punishment. The infliction of a penalty implies a wrong committed; an infraction of the law; and he who is placed under the ban, cannot be deemed, by any stretch of clemency, a Mason in good standing. Were we to subscribe to the doctrine of Companions Barlow, Dadmun, et als., we might be subjected to some curious and annoying complications; for instance:-two companions apply for admittance to our Chapter; one from Massachusetts, who has been suspended from membership for non-payment of dues; the other from Pennsylvania, who has been suspended for the same cause; we must say to Pennsylvania, go forth! You are unworthy to associate with Masons; while to the man from Massachusetts, we must extend the right hand of fellowship, and welcome him to all the rights and privileges of Royal Arch Masonry. Is there any justice or consistency in this?

Again these two companions apply for Masonic aid. To one we must say, go! starve if you will; you have no claims upon us; the other we must take by the hand and feed him upon the fat of the land. Both stand, virtually, upon the same Masonic plane; the offense of one is no more henious than that of the other; yet one must be hospitably welcomed, while, if the other asks for bread, we must give him a stone. There is a stern old doctrine called the doctrine of common sense, by which California Masons claim to be governed; and this doctrine teaches us that if a Mason is not good enough to remain in full fellowship with the brethren of Maine or Massachusetts, he is not good enongh to be received on an equality with the Masons of California. Massachusetts may enact such laws, as to her, may seem best for the gov