Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1868-11-28

An; and unto Thee viii we render prai
and glory everlasting. Amen.
At the conclusion Of the prayer Il
stone rs raised, under the direction
the architect, and q plate with an inscril
ton, several religious newspapers, all
the Memphis daily newspapers of Thur
day, November IS, 1868, and the articli
and tenets of the Baptist faith, were d
posted IN the cavity prepared for then
By Bro- Wheeler, Deputy Grand Maste
repeating the usual formula. Tee eerI
nlOny OF squaring, Plumbing and leve
ing were gone through, End the stone ws
found 20 be "Well-fcrmed, true, an
rusty The usual cstechizlng Of til
Senior Grand Warden AID Junior Gran
Warden wa gone through, and the cert
mony o. pouring out upon the stone ID
corn, sOias, and OIL, emblemstic of th
corn OF nouTishnent, the wine Of re
freshment, and the oil of joy. This don
the Grand Master struck the stone thre
times with his gavei, the public gran
honoTs were given, and the implement
OF architecture handed over to the Rrchi
I tect, end the ceremony closed with tn
! following address from Deputy GRAM
MISTER Wheeler:
Brothers and Friends: We have com
3 ElbNGG TIC @Anot4AO CCACA1VAV VI l1gALi
ihe corner stone OF what Is to be 8 large
beautiful and c6pscioUs edihce, known
as the Central Baptist Church Of the cit
Of Memphis. To many of our emma
sonic friends these ceremonies may have
appeared idle and frivolous, but 10 tn;
initiated and enlightened their use snC
pFOpTiety needs no demonstration at oul
hands. Ages On ages have rolled away
since they were first instituted time ha.
not defsced them +; and with the Mason
nOGs Of them sre considered stale and
Improbable. Amid the changes of cen
turtles these forms, except in language,
are the same IS they EFere hundreds oil
years sgo. Kings, nobies, iords, and the
wisest men Of this and passed sges have
stood In the proud position l this day
hil-applied the plumb, the square and
the level TO the work presented for their
Inspection, pronounced 1t good: true and
Equsrs poured upon il the elements Of
colsecEaticu-corn, wine and Oil-Rnd
isfs the blessing of the Craft upon Il.
What the wisesi and best men OF this
ana pact sges have PFactioed and fully
believe, Il becomes my humble intellect
not to Esinssy. hlssonically, we are
travelling IL dead mems shoes. Religi-
Dusty, the world is doing likewise; Tut
We sre forced to believe that neither are
marching ON with that blind faith that
seek no Improvement or progression in
mind, heart, and spirit, from the ages
that ETe passed. Religion has IFS land
marks as well IS Masonry, and l
trust I shall not De deemed sac
religious when I claim that both
were established snd formed by Divine
Inspiration. Some claim Abraham for
their father, we have Solomon the
Wissst man and chosen Of God for ours.
Before the creeds OF this or that church
was established, IFS had been in exist
ence for ages. II there is merit In sn-
Masonry might claim 70 be the
great great grandfather Of them all.
But aside from antiquity, who were
the msD that performed The ceremonies
such ~ we have attended to this day d?
We VIII leRFe Brother Solomon and his
successor fer g few thousand years and
aOme down 10 this and she past century.
Who yes Sir Christopher Wren? The
noet Ts10wred artist, mechanic and Ma
OF this az pss. ages. For years he was
he head or cur Order aud employed
Ynsons almost exclusively In rebuilding
London. He built snd laid the coFner
tone of that world renowned cathedral
St Paul. Of LoGdor. Fifty-four churches
we're erected under his ssneryision and
.%cDtr0l, besides other public buildings
number. All Brothers, 10 be q
Mason IN that day Nss 70 be ons in spirit
md in tTuth-0perstiye as well as spscu-
alive.
How absurd the IDEA Of your speaker,
7ho never built ought Eut a yard fence
7 = stable, Supplying the plumb, square
nj level 10 the mEgic work Of Sir
'hTistophef's. Christopher Columbus
Well might We pat Cur hands 20 cur
oouth and our mouths in the dust, and
~ unclean when we compare, in an
paTativs sense, the noble, freebOrn,
skiilful Mason of that day
9Th the ignorance sud uuekiliful Mason
( this day. You l mean, my 1rotkers, !
rho hsve Eottbe ingenuity TO build 8
rs.-olsss chicken coop, think you,
on would be on the level with
ls @asoDs OF that day, all
whom, perhaps, bad the skill and
Uilt.y to build 3 structure that would
, ia ornament to any city. When our
order dropped its operative
haEacter how rapidly did the mecharic
stsiiorate IN social and intellectual
.ortb. Think you the Earl OF Penn
-cke, the Earl Of Dandy, the Esri OF
t.. Al5EEs, the Duke OF Bucks, the
axe Of Montague, the Duke Of Rich
aoGd, King William III, King Henry
L, Lord CoisTsne, Lord Weymouth,
ord Byron, Rev. DR.. Desagulier, Rev.
T. Euiick, Sir Christopher Wren, end
other Kings, Lords and No.
ss, thst served oUr order as Grand Mas.
r, wcOiG seel too highly hOnored and
o deeply Impressed with their unwor- &;
insss 20 preside over Our order at this
y, II account Of u architectural skill
ID sbiiity ? inske these remarks with
( any desire 70 eensure or reprcaeh any ,
lie, but simply to awaken, if possible, :
CHER stsnd2Td foE Us all. i want our :
character higher, as well IS our ,
cial, intellectual snd physical. BACK,
OK If possible, 70 the good cid days OF
? ChFistOpher-at least SO far SIS to !
low inst % Be g Mason Is to be consid- ;
ed educated, enlightened, liberal, :
und in mind and body, industrious, +,
and Just. y
But ! would be derogatipg from the ,
srscter Of L order should ! not ae- 1
to the worth, intelligence and
srit that Is 0 srnOng us. A majority :
the most learned, Intelligent, deVout :
d refined people Of this day are MEM !,
rs Of our order. We would, In pFoci +
tSi- wen refer you TO cur own little !
y. Who among us are our leading !,
TEymep, lawyers, doctors and literary "
u? Our Lodge records show them TO he .
isOns ; yet the tears Of tAe angels have =
arIy blotted the record oat, they 80 =
dom visit the Lodge room. We Rsy =
is TO their shame, not to our discredit. :
g are sll Brothers, and 1t is but proper
the world 20 AnOw OF our relationship. y
should not ba ashamed OF tier =
others even II some Gro rich, proud
4 unsocial. We are only ashamed Of
unworthy.
as ia churches, SO in Masonry. We 8
not al ofsOne mind, We have our G
Ie family jars. There is enough dis
ed territory in Masonry to create c.
cusEions, divisions and slight dlsen- o
ns. The Brother Moore dissgrees II
n Bro. Morris Bro. Morris dIssgrees Z
b Bro. Reynolds Bro. Maekey dis L
,ses with Bro. Barns; bro. GurIey
agrees with BSo. Pike; Bro. Pike
agrees with Bro. Mitchell; Bro. a,
tchell dissgTees with Bro. Oliver, and p
Bro. Ford gets up a discussion with
}. Tusks. Little side issues and dis n,
frequently Improve the intel s.
t, eIlightens mankind, illuminates n
Ia as well IN church matters ss 10 n
sonry. n,
But l sm making my remarks too 3,
gthY: q few words more and I cInse- -