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Shelby County |
CHAPTER XXIII - FRATERNAL ORGANIZATIONSThe spirit of fraternity has existed in the mind of man in all ages, and among all people the desire to associate in closer bonds of friendship among his fellow man has existed from the earliest dawn of time; the divine attribute of charity, that awakens the better impulses of man's nature, has alone influenced man to aid and assist his brother. This spirit or desire has resulted in the formation of secret societies which by their acts have done much good in elevating the standards of morality, inculcating the practice of the virtues and ever opposing vice in every form. Among those societies that have been most active in this great work none stands higher in the opinion of the observing world than the Ancient and Accepted Fraternity of Freemasonry. If age is considered, it stands alone among the secret societies of the world, for its origin can be traced back through the dim and misty ages of the past beyond the time of recorded history. In this country it has ever followed closely upon the footsteps of civilization. Some of the Pilgrim Fathers who landed at Plymouth, as well as the Cavaliers who settled at Jamestown, were honored members of the Masonic fraternity. As the nation has grown in strength and power so has Freemasonry steadily increased in membership and influence. Many of the earliest settlers of the state of Iowa were members of the Masonic society, who organized Masonic lodges soon after their coming here, or joined the lodges that they found already organized by those who had preceded them. As the state of Iowa passed from the formative period of a territory into the full powers and prerogatives of statehood, Masonry had so grown in numerical strength that the grand lodge of Iowa, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons was duly constituted as the official head of the order, and has ever since enjoyed exclusive and undisputed jurisdiction over the entire state. It has kept step with the state in its unimpeded march from a territory to the proud position it occupies among the other states of this great nation and today the grand lodge of Iowa, with more than five hundred active lodges, embraces a membership of more than fifty thousand of the best men that Iowa can produce, coming from all vocations and professions of life. In the early days, when the tide of emigration commenced its westward march from the Eastern states, crossing the Mississippi and over the rolling prairies of Iowa, it found what is now known as Shelby county a spot of rare beauty, yet untouched by the hand of man, its virgin soil ready to yield forth its increase at the hand of the tiller of the soil. It was organized as a county in 1851. The first Masonic lodge to be recognized in western Iowa was in Council Bluffs where those early settlers who were Masons were compelled to go to attend the lodge meetings. Another lodge was soon organized at Sioux City. Then another lodge was located at Magnolia, Harrison county, and another at Dunlap in the same county, but when Mt. Nebo lodge was organized at Avoca, the brethren living at Harlan and vicinity were quite regular in their attendance at either the lodge at Dunlap or Avoca, depending upon what part of the county they resided. They would arrange to attend lodge, going in groups, almost always on horseback, returning home sometimes at a rather late, or early hour. As the county continued to settle up, the desire for better lodge facilities soon became apparent. It was quite an event when Parian Lodge No. 321 was organized at Harlan on November 30, 1872. The charter members are names quite familiar to the older citizens of the present: they were H. S. Burke, William Wyland, Thomas W. Chatburn, James Lambert, F. A. Bayer, David Carter, William H. Griffith, Platt Wicks and Samuel Slates, all of whom have gone to their long rest, except Thomas W. Chatburn, who resides at Independence, Missouri, and David Carter, who removed to Arkansas a few years ago. Several lodges have since been organized within the county, viz., SilentiaLodge, at Shelby, Guardian Lodge, at Defiance, and Sardius, at Irwin, thus affording the members opportunity to attend the meetings of their several lodges without encountering the inconveniences incident to frontier life upon the western prairies. Harlan has from almost the beginning been regarded as an active Masonic town. Its members are embued with intense Masonic spirit and are ever ready to devote a considerable portion of their leisure time towards the upbuilding of the fraternity. Olivet Chapter No. 107, Royal Arch Masons, was organized at Harlan in 1885. This is a body closely associated with the lodge and carries on the work and continues the history of the order and is known and designated as the capitular degrees. It receives its members from the membership of the lodge. Olivet Chapter has grown and prospered since its organization. Adelphi Council No. 4. Royal and Select Masters, is the next body in what is known as the American system. It is designated as the cryptic rite, is the summit of Ancient-craft Masonry and completes the history of this branch of Masonry. Its membership is made up from the chapter, the degrees being received in their order, lodge, chapter and council. Mount Zion Commandery No.49, Knights Templar, is a Christian order of knighthood that in this country follows after the chapter. To receive these orders of knighthood the petitioner must be a member of both lodge and chapter. This commandery was organized at Harlan in 1886 and enjoys the honor of being one of the best commanderies in the state. Lebanon Chapter No. 8, order of the Eastern Star, was organized at Harlan more than a quarter of a century ago. It has a large membership of the Master Masons, their wives, daughters and sisters, and has added much to the social life of the community. Ever since the organization of these several Masonic bodies, they have exerted a beneficial influence upon the lives of their members; they have contributed to the social life of our city, broadening the views of their members, making them more tolerant of the opinions of others, ready to help the unfortunate and needy, and to strengthen the ties of friendship and brotherly love. These are some of the objects and the mission of Masonry. It will continue to grow and perform its duties to mankind so long as man is influenced by his baser nature and does not accept and endeavor to live up to the divine comand, "Love thy neighbor as thy self." The names of the masters of Parian Lodge to date are: John Fritz, W. J. Davis, J. H. Louis, F. A. Bayer, P. B. Hunt, J. W. Chatburn, J. I. Myerly, D. B. Shellcr, O. P. Wyland, L. C Lewis, W. C. Campbell, O. F. Graves, Charles D. Booth, J. W. Bailey, W. F. Cleveland, H. E. Swain, W. E. Cooper, C. F. Swift, O. S. Donahue, W. T. Shepherd, E. Lockwood, John Sandham, Nathan Booth, Thomas H. Potter, J. H. Frederickson, L. M. Kerr, Gottlieb Walter, Hal W. Campbell, Gaillard K. Swift and J. H. Deen Deen. The secretaries in order have been William Wyland, D. M. Wyland, A. F. Holcomb, T. E. Palmer, S. A. Burke, J. W. Latta. Wesley Scutt, O. P. Wyland, Cyrus Beard, L. M. Kerr, W. B. Rowland, H. E. Swain, J. W. Bailey and O. F. Graves.
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