E. H. ADDINGTON

26 APPENDIX REPORT OP COMMITTEE
We regret to notice that Bro. McDonald was unable to present his
work in person: An accident had kept him at home. We trust that long
since this he has recovered, and that his genial presence will for many
years shed sunshine upon the convocations of the Grand Lodge, and
cultivate pleasant feelings around the Bound Table of the Correspondents
Guild. A sweet aroma distils from his facile pen.
IOWA, 1911.
The Grand Master, M. W. Bro. Frederick W. Craig, said in his Address:
"How much there is in Masonry! As one studies the great principles
of our fraternity he gains that impression, and the more he
studies the stronger the impression becomes. Symbolic Masonry alone
contains vast stores of wisdom and almost any of her truths are capable
of marvelous application. To illustrate: It is tritely said that we
are to subdue the passions, act upon the square, keep a tongue of
good report, maintain secrecy, and practice charity. Here is a great
code of morals and ethics contained in a few words, and one who follows
the admonitions therein contained will not be a bad fellow-inhabitant
of mother earth.
"Masonry is not a religion; yet Masonry is founded upon religious
truth, and whether he wills it or not, or is even conscious thereof, the
Masonic votary is brought nearer to the Supreme Being in whom he has
expressed a belief. The whole Masonic fabric is to make men wiser,
better, and consequently happier." -
His decisions were chiefly interpretations of local law, but one of
them being otherwise. That ruling was that a Warden was eligible for
election as Master irrespective of the time he had served as such. This
may be according to the letter of the ancient law, but we doubt even
that, for the purpose of the rule is clearly indicated, that it was made
to secure skilLand experience in the Brother to be chosen Master of a
Lodge.
While we think that it should not be required that a Brother should
serve a year as a Warden to be eligible for election as a Master, yet we
do think that there should be some minimum limit. Otherwise the law
would be made nugatory—a man might be elected and installed as a
Warden, and under the ruling of Brother Craig be eligible to election as
Master a day, or an hour afterwards. It seems to us that opening the
door so wide is destructive of the spirit of the ancient law.
The Grand Master made the following very reasonable remarks upon
the matter of Life Membership:
"Life membership based upon the fact that the member has paid
dues annually for a certain period of years is inequitable, unjust, unfair,
and unsafe. The dues paid year by year are for the expenses of those
years, or -for the benefit of the paying member during that particular
period of time, and unless he is charged an unjust amount he obtains
no credit in any sense for the future.
'' Life membership based upon the payment of a lump sum, while
not recognized by our law, may be perfectly fair to the other members