(E'T RACT FROM T H E RECORDS . )

IN G RAND LODGEJune 4 th , 1 9 02 .

73 1410 11 §>prrial (flnm m ifin fiHrZKinlpg m em orial.

Broth e r M orco m be Cha i rman of the Com

m it tee . presente d th e report , wh i c h

'pon mot i on of B rothe r Wi lk i nson was

adopted by a r i s i ng vote .

Brothe r H ugg ( 1 8 ) mov ed that a copy of the

memor ia l , as read , be appropr i a te ly pr i nted and sent

to M rs . Mc K inley , wh i ch mot i on

Carr i e d .

(grant: ungr nf ulna,Ant ipnt , Efirpp , anh At t em pt'm ag m a .

N G RAND LODGE , F i fty - n i n t h Grand Annua l

Commun i cat i on , he ld a t Dubu'ue , I owa ,

June 3 d to 5 t h , A . D . 1 902 , A . L . 5 902 ,t he fo l l owi ng Proceed i ngs we re had , and

are h ere ext rac te d from the records .

The M ost Worsh ipfu l Grand Maste r , LEW IS

JACK SON BAK ER , i n h i s Annual Address , re fe rred to

th e death of B rothe r and Pres i de nt MCK INLE' i n the

fo l low i ng language

(19m m art grrh iiir'

m ihpni.

N Saturday morn i ng , t he 1 4 th day of

last Septembe r , Brothe r W ILLIAM

MCK INLE', t h e Pres i dent of these

'n i te d States , d i ed from th e effec ts

of a bu l l e t wound rece ived abou t e i gh t

days befo re from a man mank i nd ,

I beg your pardon— an enemy of government , ofc iv i l i zat i on , of progress , a dasta rd ly , l awless be i ng , an

anarch is t , who wi th a revo lve r concealed i n h i s r i gh t

hand , wh i ch had been bandaged so as to convey the

impress i on that i t had been i nj u re d , extended h is l e ft

to be gree te d by our Pres i d en t , whom he then shot

tw i ce . Shot ou r Pres i de nt , d i d I say ? No , my

bre th ren , i t was our count ry h e t r i e d to assass i nate

and destroy—your home , my home . Eve ry M asonand eve ry t rue Amer i can , yea , human i ty throughout

the c iv i l i z e d wor l d , was appa l le d at the cr ime and

bowed i n gr i e f and sorrow H e was a man of the

people and for the peop le . A devote d love r of h ome ,

state , count ry , and human i ty , i n defense of wh i ch h e

offe re d h i s l i fe upon the f i e l d of batt l e . H e d ied as

he l i ve d— t rue to human i ty and h is God . Liste n toh i s dy i ng words , Good bye i t i s God

’

s way : H is w i l l

be done .

Masonry has an abso lu te abho rrence fo r a l l people

who by d i sda i nfu l word or act e ndeavo r to weaken the

pr i de i n or love of country . Masonry stands fo r

h ome , fo r country , for God , and for human i ty .

I wou ld recommend that a comm i tte e be appo i nte d

to prepare a prope r memor i a l to be presente d to M rs .

M cK inley by th e Grand Lodge , and furthe r . t hat a

su i tab ly i nsc r i be d memor ia l table t be p laced i n our

annua l Proceed i ngs .

H e fell at the post of duty .And the na tion ’s hear t is wrung ;

No death ofgreater beautyBy poet ha th been sung,

In s ilence deep he shares the s leepTha t falls on o ld and y oung.

Out of the crime and madness ,Out of the gloom and pa in ,

Out of the shame and sadness ,The purp ose of God is plain

That the nation rise through sacrifice ,Ana

’ turn its loss to gain .

In th e repor t of the Grand Secre tary we f i nd t h i s

a l lusion to th e

Afinafisinafi m t nf Tfirnthrr flariKiulpg .

I NGE our last mee t i ng th e b lack shadow of

gr i e f has fa l le n across our land . The

hand of a coward has str i cken down the

Pres i den t of these 'n i ted States i n t he

pe r i od of h i s r i pes t usefu l ness , and when

h i s w isdom and expe r i ence seemed most

necessary to the we l l - be i ng of the nat i on . There

fo l l owe d a br i ef t ime of wor ld - wi de anx i e ty and earnest

praye r— and th en the end . The nat i on cease d i tslabors

,that i t m igh t knee l reve rent ly bes i de the b i e r of

i ts dead ru le r , se rvant , and fr i end , wh i le the who le wor l d

for a space forgot i ts b i cke r i ngs to j o i n i n sympathy

and mourn i ng .

To the M ason i c frate rn i ty th i s death brough t added

gr i e f . As c i t i z ens , we fe l t t h e loss as keen ly as d i d

our fe l lows , wh i le we also mourned the brothe r

s tr i cken down i n the performance of h i s du ty , a

martyr to h i s f i de l i ty At th i s commun i cat i on of the

Grand Lodge . t h e f i rs t s i nce h i s death , i t i s mee t and

f i t t i ng that some act i on be taken wh i ch sha l l stand on

record foreve r as an express i on of gr i ef for our em i nent

brothe r , l oya l ty to the land we love , and de testat i on of

the hor r i d c r ime , and the h e l l i sh doct r i nes wh i ch made

i t poss i b le .

The Comm i ttee on the Grand Maste r 's Address

subse'uen t ly presente d the fo l l ow ing

We m ost heart i ly end orse that part o f the G ran d M aster'

s

address w here in he recommen ds the appo in tmen t of a comm it tee to draft a su i tab le memo r ia l in h on o r of our marty red'res iden t . Bro therW i ll iam M c K in ley . We recommend tha tthe com mit tee be appo in ted an d repo rt a t the presen t sess i on .We a lso re commen d tha t a tab let be in serted in th is y ea r

’

s

'roceed in gs in con fo rmity w i th his recommen da t i on .

Whereupon the Grand Maste r announced as a

Spec i a l Comm i t tee on the Mc K inley Memor i a l

B rothe rs M orcom be (25 ) and Coburn to repor t

at presen t sess i on .

Dur i ng the afte rnoon of the sess i on of the second

day , Brothe r M orcom be , from the Spec i a l Comm i t tee ,

presented and read the fo l lowi ng t r i bute to the memory

of our late Broth e r , Pres i dent M c K inley ; wh i ch , on

mot i on of B rothe r Wi lk i nson was adopted by a

r i s i ng vote .

' ways i ncomprehens i b le , th e purposes

of God are wrough t i n the affa i rs of

men and the dest i n i es of nat i ons . Eve r

and aga i n the re i s demanded from thei nd iv i dua l o r th e peop le a supreme sacri f i ce , t hat on

the pa i nfu l pa th of sorrow men may r i se to h i ghe r

th i ngs . In th e hour of nat i onal pr i de death c la ims th e

man l i est and k i ngl i est , that th e lesson of hum i l i ty may

be learned and fa i t h be not forgotten .

Thr i ce w i th i n th e l i fe of a gene rat i on has th i s

nat i o n ben t i n gr i e f at t he b i e r of i ts nob les t and best .

death - str i cken by murderous hand ; thrice , with bowed

head , has i t share d i n the b lack sacrament of gr i ef ,

hop i ng aga i nst hope th rough dark days of suspense

and long n i gh ts of agony ; th r i ce has a who le peop le

paced w i th s l ow and solemn t read i n fune ra l march ;

and th r i ce wi th revere nt hands have the names of ou r

martyrs been i nsc r i bed on Fame’

s e ntab lature and

Sorrow ’s symbo ls give n p lace to the bronze - l e t te re d

record of eve r last i ng remembrance .

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and , l e t me add , i n Amer i can M asonry . Whateve r

th e duty presented , humb le o r h i gh , i t becomes to such

sou ls the i mpe rat ive , God - given work of th e present .

To the future i s le ft i ts own labors and i ts own

respons i b i l i t i es . Reward may we l l be t ruste d to the

j ust i ce of men , th e approval of consc i e nce , and th e

approbat i on of the Al l—Wise .

The l i fe of Wi l l i am M c K in ley teaches us that

opportun i t i es are made by human effo r t and ene rgy ;

that h i gh p lace and honor comes to h i m who dese rves

we l l of h i s fe l lows , wi th ou t the advent i t i ous a i ds of

wea l th and b i rth . We fol low th i s expand i ng and eve r

r i s i ng caree r w i th i n te rest and w i th prof i t i n th e

contemplat i on . We fi nd h i m eve r bea r i ng fu l l sha re

of c i t i zen duty i n c iv i c l i fe , answe r i ng to th e ca l l when

men were sore ly needed to test war ’s ste rn arb i t rament ,

and afte r bat t le tak i ng up aga i n th e home ly round of

to i l .

So from po i n t to po i nt we t race h i s path unt i l th e

suffrages of the nat i on had p laced h i m as the pee r of

earth’

s greatest . We see h im wi th head bare d and

bowed implor i ng God ’s gu i dance as he takes up h i s

m igh ty task . H e hears th e cry of a suffe r i ng race i n

the i s lands of th e sea . When protest was wi thout ava i l

and t ime had r ipened to the purpose , h e launched

aga i nst anc i en t wrong the young st rength of Amer i can

manh ood , and made a free peop le of those who had

st ruggle d i neffectua l ly i n the i r bondage . I n the f i e ry

1 0

heat of po l i t i ca l b i t te rness he prese rve d h i s sou l i n

ca lm , and che r i she d wi th j ea lous care th e honor of

h i s peop le .

Then the M aste r saw , pe rchance , what ou r bl i nded

eyes m igh t not beho l d— that th i s l i fe had reached i tshe i gh t of earth ly greatness , and that as remembered

example and i ncent i ve i t m igh t g ive more and be

more to the nat ion and the wor l d than i f i t wrough t

l onge r i n th e ways of morta l i ty

In o l den s to ry the re i s to l d of one , who sat at

Arth ur ’s tab le , type and patte rn of a l l t rue manhood

and perfec t kn igh th ood wh i l e the wor l d may last ,

whose st rength was as the stre ngth of te n , because

h i s hear t was pure . ' I n to h i s t ranced and s i n less s i gh t

th e re swept a v is i on of the H o ly Gra i l , unseen by

grosse r eyes . So to th e sou l of th i s our brothe r we

be l i eve the re was vouchsafed , or e re he passed , a v i s i on

of th i ngs unu tte rabl e i n mor ta l speech ; t hat h i s c lean

sp i r i t l ooke d beyond the m ists of t ime i nto the spaces

of e te rna l sun l i gh t . And thus see i ng the glo ry , as S i r

Galahad behe l d the ho ly vesse l swi ngi ng down paths of

heaven ly sp le ndor th rough the n i gh t , our brothe r gave

to the tearfu l watche rs h i s last'

m essage , that i t m igh t

forever re i nfo rce the fa i th of a l l m en I t i s God’

s

way ; H is w i l l be done .

N eed we he re recount h i s pr ivate v i rtues , or te l l you

ye t aga i n of that manhood st rong and true and tender ,

whose st rength found noblest , most ch iva l r i c use i n

l ov i ng guard i ansh ip Of h ome whose tende rness neve r

fa i le d for those he loved . The f i e rce and p i t i less l i gh t

wh i ch beats on th ose i n h igh p laces found no f law or

blem i sh of wh i ch even j ealous calumny m igh t wh ispe r

to h i s det r i ment o r shame .

H is love was a l i fe—l ong i dyl l ; no dream of a

summer day , to pass when f lowe rs had faded . There

was no ca l l so imperat ive , no duty so engross i ng , no

p leasure so a l lu r i ng bu t th at h i s th ough ts were tu rned

by n igh t o r day to the w i fe who so sore ly ne eded h i s

constant suppor t .

And when at last t he b lack - wi nged ange l touched

h i s l i ps to muteness , s til l he tu rned fast - fa i l i ng eyes to

that pa l l i d face bes i de h i s bed , that h e m igh t repeat

yet aga i n i n sou l language a message of l ove and

comfort t o the fra i l but c he r i sh e d flowe r of h i s l i fe .

God be t hanked , i n an age of i n d i ffe rence , when

men boast of a l l th e t i es of h ome re laxed and broken ,

and st ray h i th e r and th i th e r i n d i sregard of vows and

duty , t ha t one t rue sou l , stand i ng fu l l h i gh to catch

at te nt i on and enfo rce respec t , has se t examp le of

man ly v i r tue and domest i c h onor . To such as th i s

the re comes anew the prom ise u tte red f i rs t on the

M ount of Beat i tudes : Bl essed are the pu re i n heart ,

for they shal l see God .

'ou can reca l l the sudden shock w i th wh i ch the

nat i on h eard th e news of murde rous assau l t . 'ou

remembe r the short pe r i od of praye r , of anx i e ty , and

1 2

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reprobat i on of th e cr i me and th e dogma of b i tte rness

wh i ch prompted i t . Devote d to God , to l oya l ty , and

to our fe l l ow - men , we wish to th us p lace ourse lves on

record . But'

for th e bro th e r passed , fa i t h takes up fo r

us a j ub i lant s tra i n , and we be l i eve tha t

When

H is life burst its worn manacle of clayAnd wore God ’s splendor ’ round it l ike a raiment ,Throbbing with glory like a midnight s tar ,A ll H eaven was hushed to hear the Lord ’s Well doneThen shining hosts and 'uir ing orbs sang WelcomeAnd angels crown ’d him in the ir cap ital .For in his hear t he kept God 's image br ight .Love was his life- blood . Thro ' the long work—dayThe dark and terr ible night - time ay e , to deathH e nursed his love ; and God H imself is love .

To the suffe r i ng sou ls God give th comfort , to th ose

who mourn t i me br i ngs re l i e f , and when such nat i ona l

be reavements , seem ingly w i th ou t purpose , prompt

despa i r

Take hear t ' Tho ’ sown in tears and blood ,No seed , that

’

s 'uick with love, ha th perished ,Tho

’

dropped in barren by ' way s GodSome glorious flower of life ha th cher ished .

JOSE'H E . M ORCOM BE ,

G . F . COB'RN ,Comm ittee .

1 4

AT T EST

A true from the records .

Witness our hands and th e seal

of the M s . W . . Grand Lodge of

I owa , at Cedar Rap i ds , th i s f i rs t

day of August , A . D . 1 902 .

Grand M aster

Grand Secretary .

1 5

m ag m a: Eernrh of William illilrlk'

inlm .

ILLIAM MCK I N LE'’

S entrance i nto the

O rde r was an i nc i dent of the war be tween

the S tates . I n Wincheste r the re was a

regu lar Lodge of Masons , off i ce re d by

Confede rate so l d i e rs , or c i t i zens on paro le .

The des i re of young M c K in ley was made known to

the off i ce rs of H i ram Lodge , No . 2 1 , of Wi ncheste r .

h i s pe t i t i on was presente d , and he was e lecte d . On

th e n i gh t of M ay l s t , 1 865 , at o’

c lock , he presented

h imse lf for i n i t i at i on . J. B . T . Reed , a Confe de rate

chap la i n , was M aste r of the Lodge , and confe rre d t he

Degree of Ente red Apprent i ce upon the cand i date . -On

th e fo l l owi ng morn i ng he was i nst ructe d i n the work ,

and on th e even i ng of the same day the Degree of

Fe l low Craft was g ive n . The re was more i nstruc t i on

on the day fo l l ow i ng , and on th e afte rnoon of May 3 d ,

at th ree o ’c lock , h e rece ive d the M aste r M ason Degree .

But th ree M asons are now l iv i ng who wi tnesse d the

i n i t i at i on .

Re tu rn i ng from the war , Maj o r M c K in ley dem i t te d

from th e Wi ncheste r Lodge , and f i rs t aff i l i ated w i th

Canton Lodge , N o . 60 , of Canton , Oh i o . When Eagle

Lodge , No . 4 3 1 a lso of Canton , was organ i zed , Brothe r

McK inley became one of i ts c har te r membe rs , and

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