Baton Rouge tri-weekly gazette & comet. [volume] (Baton Rouge, La.) 1865-18??, 1868-06-25
The cath Day Of Juns-St. Johns Day
A Day Of Masonic Celebration.

the festal days set forth in the
church calendars Of the various re-
ligious sects Of Christendom are to
them.
1t is on the gath Of June and the
9th of December that the brethren
Of "the mystic tie" make it special
point to gather together in social
harmony within their lodge halls to
renew the incense Of their devotion
upon their noble affairs of universal
love and brotherhood. and to glorify
anew the memories of those illustri-
GUS patrons Of their venerable and
much venerated Order-the two
Saints John.
In accordance therefore, with time
honored custom, the brethren of st.
James Lodge in this city, together
with scjourning brethren, held con-
vocation at St. James Lodge Hall
last evening, and carried into becom-
ing effect the agreeable objects Of
the occasion. The early hour of our
going to press prevents us from max
ing more than bare allusion at
present to this,--one. of the most
pleasurable and interesting rennions
ever enjoyed by the brethren.
1t may be curious to know the
reasons why Masons are given to
these celebrations. In order to
crafty the "uninitiated, let us revert
to "the light Of other days" by way
Of tracing out the origin Of the mat
ter:
1t is of Masonic record that in an
cient times Masonic lodges were
dedicated to the great King Solo
mon. The date of such dedication,
tradition relates, was from the build
ing of the first temple of Jerusalem
to the Babylonian captivity. From
that epoch to the advent of the glo-
rious Messiah, lodges were dedicated
to Zerubbabel, the builder of the
second temple, and from that time
to the final destruction of the temple
by Titus, in the reign of the Emperor
Vespasian, they were dedicated to
St. John the Baptist.
Owing to the many massacres and
disorders which attended the memo
rable event, Freemasonry fell very
much into decay. Many Of the lodges
were broken up, and but few could
meet with sufficient members to con-
stitute their legality. Under these
circumstances general meeting Of
the craft was held in the city of Ben
janin, when it was observed that the
reason for the decline of Masonry was
the want of Grand Master to direct
its affairs. They therefore deputed
seven of their most eminent members
to wait upon St. John the Evangelist,
who was at that time Bishop of Ephe-
sus, to request him to take the office
of Grand Master. He returned for
answer that though well stricken in
years (being upwards of ninety yet
having been in the early part of his
life initiated into Masonry he would
take upon himself that office. He
did so, and completed by his learning
what St. John the Baptist had accom-
plished by his zeal. Afterhis decease,
the Christian Lodges were dedicated
to him and St. Johnthe Baptist, both
Of them being regarded as eminent
Christian patrons Of Masonry. Since
then Masons have ever celebrated the
Oath of June in commemoration of St.
John the Baptist, and the 9th of De-
cember in commemoration Of st. John
the Evangelist.
"a There are sharp boys living
in Jefferson City. They catch and
milk the cows thereabouts, and then
with the coolest faces imaginable
take the milk around in cans, retail
ing it to the owners of the cattle for
the raallv moderate nrica ne five