Descriptions of the ninety-seventh Annual Communication of the Grand Lodge of Ancient, Free and Accepted Masons of North Carolina held at the Masonic Hall in Raleigh from January 8 through 10, 1884, as well as a Special Communication convened at the hall of St. John's Lodge, No. 3 in New Bern on November 14, 1883 for the purpose of laying the cornerstone of the new Craven County Courthouse. Also includes the names of those present at each meeting, reports from various committees, a list of lodges under the jurisdiction of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, returns from all of the subordinate lodges, returns from all of the subordinate lodges, an accounting of the dues paid by subordinate lodges, a recapitulation of the meetings' events, a list of the fraternal dead of 1883, a list of Grand Lodges in correspondence with North Carolina, names of representatives of the Grand Lodge and their respective locations, and an index. Overseen by the Grand Officers for the Masonic Year 1883: Robert Bingham, Grand Master; Fabius H. Busbee, Deputy Grand Master; Charles H. Robinson, Senior Grand Warden; William T. Kennedy, Junior Grand Warden; William E. Anderson, Grand Treasurer; Donald W. Bain, Grand Secretary; Thomas J. Allison, Grand Chaplain; Samuel H. Smith, Senior Grand Deacon; John W. Gidney, Junior Grand Deacon; John W. Cotten, Grand Marshal; M. C. S. Noble, Grand Sword Bearer; George S. Scruggs, Grand Pursuivant; and Miles Goodwin, Grand Tiler.