‘A word about post-nominals’

   

The Committee on Correspondence chairman received third billing on the title page of the book of proceedings, after only the Grand High Priest and the Grand Secretary.

If you’ve read the books of proceedings of grand lodges, grand chapters, etc., especially from generations past, you noticed the best part of the book is the report of the correspondence committee. There, we find the then current events of other grand bodies, provided they are in amity and they bothered to have sent in their news.

This is the duty of our grand representatives, although I don’t know how many today actually perform this work. For example, the Grand Lodge of ABC’s Grand Representative near the Grand Lodge of XYZ ideally would send XYZ’s annual news, however he might package it, to ABC. (I think that’s right.) ABC’s correspondence committee receives it, and takes what it wants for inclusion in its annual report for the book of proceedings. This annual report is written at the discretion of the committee chairman, who may select whatever information he pleases—and don’t be surprised if he editorializes in relaying the foreign news to you, the reader, which, sometimes, can be fun.

So, for reasons I won’t bother with here, I’ve been perusing the books of the Royal Arch Grand Chapter of New Jersey. In the volume for 1871-72 comes word from the Grand Chapter of South Carolina—land of Mackey, Dalcho, et al.

Comp. Thomas J. Corson, a Past GHP of the Grand Chapter of New Jersey, was chairman of its Committee on Foreign Correspondence (and paid a hundred bucks for it!), and evidently he was the type who would comment on other grand chapters’ reportage.

Apparently, South Carolina Past GHP James Birnie had written of General Grand Chapter Deputy GGHP Robert Bruns’ use of Scottish Rite post-nominals in Royal Arch Masonry.* Excerpted:

Speaking of Comp. Bruns using the “32°” after his name in a Royal Arch connection, he says: “As it don’t hurt anybody, we don’t see why so much ado should be made about it.”

Certainly not. Now, all ye reporters, take due notice that we will severely punish any one of you who dares to make fun of our Bruns. He shall have a tail to his name, so he shall— for doesn’t Darwin say that we are all descended from monkeys?

If Drummond can use his 101°; Robertson, of Canada, his 33°; J. Conway Brown, of Nova Scotia, his 18°; and Wright, of Iowa, his 32°, why should not Robert have his 32°? Wherefore notly?

And if Bruns will come to Trenton, we will initiate him into the “Windy Boys of Waterloo,” and then he will be a “W.B.W.,” so he will.

P.S.  Drummond, Gouley and Hornor need not apply for this degree. They are not eligible, for it’s a strictly moral degree.

And people give me the stink eye for telling it like it is!

*Both Birnie and Bruns would be dead the following year.