New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-31
The Environ. of New Orleans.
NUMBER sIXTY-FIvE.

I
ants, the ordinary routine of business was resumed
and commerce and industry once more took start
in the Western metropolis. Under these auspices,
the first Protestant church, named Christ Church.
was erected in the summer of 1915. The foundation
stone of this edifce was laid, under the usual ma
sonic ceremonies, on the 27th of July of that year
assisted by the whole Masonic brotherhood, who
were then presided over by the following breth-
rem members of the Grand Lodge of the State of
Louisiana, to-wit: Jean Soulie, grand master; L.
E. G. MORGAN Lislet, deputy grand master; Domi
nique Rouquette, first grand warden, and j. B.
Modesto Lefehvre, second grand warden, and the
other brethren and members composing the Grand
Lodge of the Masonic fraternity in our State. This
ceremony took place at the corner of Bourbon
street and Canal avenue, at the present day oc.
cupied by the splendid French dry goods store of
Messrs, Levois & Co., occupying one of the magni-
fcent buildings of the late Judah Touro's row,
erected by his executor, the late Resia David
Shepherd. 1t is not necessary to inform our read
ers that at masonic CONSIDERATIONS for the erection
Of any public buildings, the chief magistrate and
other civil officers Of the city are specially invited
to attend on these occasions.
When properly conducted nothing is more i'm
posing than these masonic solemnities for the in
Quoting of the handicraft labors of the ordinary
workmen. At the appointed time, the whole ma.
sonic fraternity forms into solemn procession,
and, clothed with the insignia and regalias of the
order, march to the place Of the laying Of the
foundation There, after a band of martial music
has performed appropriate airs, the grand master
commands silence, and the necessary arrange
ments are made for laying the stone, on which the
year of masonry or arlnuno m2undj is engraved,
with the names and titles of the officiating digni-
taries of the fraternity After the stone is raised
up, the grand chaplain and orators recite the
usual prayers; which, being over, the grand treas
urer, by the grand masters order, eonsgns under
the stone sundry coins and medals of the actual
age. Solemn music is then anew introduced, and
the stone is let down to its proper place. The
principal master builder then presents the working
tools to the grand master, who applies the masonic
Jewels, the plumb, square and level to the stone
and having thus aseeTtained its proper position,
pronounces it to be well formed, true and trusty.n
The golden and silver vessels are then broughtfor.
ward, which passing successfully through the
hands of the several grand officers of the lodge
are finally handed to the grand master, who, &C.
cording to the ancient usage, pours the corn, the
wine and the oil contained in them upon the foun-
dation stone, saying May the all bounteous Au-
thor of Nature bless the inhabitants of this city
with all the necessaries Of life, all the con
venienees and comforts thereof; may he assist
in the erection and completion of this building
protect the workmen against every accident and
long preserve the structure from decay; and may
he grant all in needed supply the corn of nour-
ishment the wine Of refreshment and the oil of Joy
Amen! so mote it be amen! After which he
strikes the stone thrice with the nallet and the
public honors of masonry are given. These cere-
monies are closed by the grand master returning
to the architect the several implements Of work
manship, intrusting him with the superintendent
and direction of the work after which suitable
Grafton is delivered upon this occasion; sometimes
q collection made for the benefit of the workmen
and laborers, and song in honor of masonry
terminates the festival. The masonic procession
returning with their martial music to their place of
is there closed by the masonic usages
in proper lodge. We have given the foregoing de-
tails because at that early time in New Orleans
these masonic displays were not so frequent as we
have seen them in later times in our midst. Al.
though the masonic brotherhood, since the cession
Of Louisiana, had considerably increased, and, at
the time of which we speak, in 1916, there were
no less than seven or eight regular lodges, some
Of them working in the higher degrees, or what is
called the Scotch masonry, to whom the immortal
General Jackson belonged, even as the grand
master of the State of Tennessee, still at that re.
mote period such occasions would cause great
stir in the whole community, particularly when we
,ecollect that there were then so few protestant
families in the country
tits, indeed, proof Of the then tolerant spirit |
n the country'when we are able to state that no
objection whatever would be made on account of
different religious creeds respecting marriage ALI
lnees, Protestants of all denominations, as well
Is the children of the Hebrew persuasion, would |
marry into Catholic families without any difficulty |
whatever and old Father Antoine, who, as
,urate Of the parish generally performed the cere
nony of the marriage benediction inquired very
little about the creeds Of the bridegroom or the |
parties willing to enter the holy bonds of matri-
nony. Under these tolerant Influences, people |
would attend divine service as much at Protes
ant meeting house as in the Catholic churches or
,hapels most frequented bythe old inhabitants Of
he country. But, whilst this seeming Indifference
existed among the male population, foreign as
we'll as native at that time there was in regard to
,he masonic worship, much greater feryor and
much stronger attachment than at the present mo-
ment. This condition is easily accounted for;
here had not been such an abuse made of the old |
initiation of masonry as has been the case in the
United States since the old traditions OF the fra
ernity have been abandoned, or but loosely OBJ
eryed. This has given rise to a number Of psuedo !
masonic associations, or half limitations, which |
AVE Slapped the real spirit of the institution, and
t viii require, no doubt, some time till spirit
# purgaton or reform shall have brought
Jack the primitive landmarks Of the hal
owed fraternity. We may, in some future
lumber pursue this subjeot-a very interesting
ne in our midst and under prevailing circum.
tances; for the present it is incumbent upon ms
0 complies the history of that protestant church,
enominated Christs Church, Of which we have
1st mentioned Inauguration of the corner stone,
his first evangelical temple in New Orleans was
ing underline pastorship Of the Rev D, D. Hall. We
tended more than once in that religious commu-
ity, where the service was much after the Pro
astant, reformed communion, but we observed
nth pain that the congregation was indeed
very slim one, and that there were not
antilles sufficient for the support Of the officiating
aston. Notwithstanding all the efforts of some
the more wealthy members belonging to this
hurch, it seems that the costs of the original
uildihg had never been collected or made up, SO
nat mortgage in favor of the architects finally
ad to be settled by the seizure and sale of the