The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1870-07-02
y, 4 their childhood were

memories OF the vineyards OF france, OF
the orange groves Of Spain, ofthe sunny
skiesof Italy, mirroring their magnificent
beauties inthe ELECTROMAGNETIC sea, and of
that Crescent City of Louisiana whose
form. is clasped ID the soft embrace of
tirs mighty Father of waters. And
here in the year of light $500, on these
broad and beautiful p~rairies of the West
ern World, these children OF the mys-
tic tie had erected an altar to friendship,
morality and brotherly love, around
which they and their brethren might
meet III the advancing years under the
distinctive title and number of a char
tered lodge. The secretary's minutes
inform us that the reception ofthe char
ter, ETC., was greeted by the brethren
with q triple huzza and a triple battery,
10 honor and to the glory Of fhe Illus
trious Grand Lodge of louisiana; the
same in honor Of our godmother, a
raine, Perfect Union lodge, No. L..
OF New Orleans, and the ann IN honor
Of our godfather, parJass. and dear
brother, Philip Pedesclaax, who repre-
scented us in the Grand Lodge On
the 23d day Of September, a.. D 1920
Al 5S20-thel lodge was formally
~conaeerated and dedicated under the
distinctive title and number Of Loge
Humble Chaumiere,, No. 49, and the
aforesaid officers elect were regularly
installed the ceremonies DEMONSTRATION,
dedication and installation, being con-
Quoted by brother D. r. d.. Desessarts,
g in due and ancient form"
The first profane initiated in the
lodge was, as We learn from the min
ates, /" Manuel Galban--born of a free
woman, in Cadiz, Spain aged 80 years !;
by religion, a Christian Catholic /;
C1rStiew CatAoIaq9e; by occupation, a
barber and cooper"
Like all other Masonic lodges of long
standing, Humble Cottage Lodge, No.
10, has had its bright and dark hours I;
its seasons Of joy and despondency--of
prosperity and embarrassment Iregret
that Il have but time now to notice on
ly two incidents in its history ;one Of an
amusing, and the other Of a serious, ma
ture trusting that the Masonic fraternity
may be hereafter favored with the many
salient and interesting facts in its long
record offifty years.
As already indicated by its title, and
by the names of its founders, the lodge
was composed in its infancy almost,
If not quite, exclusively of Masons'
of foreign birth. Most Of them were
Frenchmen, and all spoke the French
language. Indeed for eleven years
the proceedings Of the lodge, and the
minutes Of those. proceedings, were con-
Quoted and preserved exclusively in
French. In the fourth year of its ex-
i~stence, A. d. 1924, that illustrious
Mason, Thomas Ell. Lewis, subsequently
Deputy Grand Master Of the Grand
Lodge of Louisiana, and for several
years Master Of this lodge, was initiated,
passed and raised therein. At that
time, among eighteen members of the
lodge, there were but two of American
birth, and they spoke French fuently;
probably no member of the lodge better
chan brother Lewis himself. Soon af-
ter receiving the Third degree, brother
Lewis presented in open lodge a motion
that ths Worshipful Master should be
requested to appoint some brother, ia
miliar with French and English, IS a
translator, for the benefit Of such breth-
rem, who might thereafter be admitted,
Oh could not speak nor understand
French. To his amazement and dismay
brother Lewis saw liz a moment that he
had virtually thrown a lighted bombshell
into the lodge. The motion was not
seconded, and for a monsent the breth-
rem maintained an appalling silence, as
il paralyzed by It's audacity. Then,
with all the vehemence Of g~esticulation,
and volubility Of utterance, peculiar
to their race, the French brethren de-
nouaced the proposed and daring fnno-
walton. 1t was proclamation. II was
sacrilege. 1T was an insult to the
founders and to the name of the lodge.
Had it not been chartered, consecrated,
and dedicated, under the distinctive
title and number Of Loge Humble
Chaamierey No. 1872 Did not every
member ofthe lodge understand French
Did any Of them understand or speak il
better than brother Lewis himself
Was there any man in the community,
worthy Of being made q Mason, who
did not understand it? And if there
was, and be should apply for initiation,
which would be more proper-that the
lodge should give up its established
language for his benefit. ii that he
should acquire the language Of the
lodge z Brother Lewis saw the inevi-
table fate Of his motion, and withdrew
it;and the brethren, being partially
modified thereby, became quiet, and at.
Ter grave deliberation decided by a large
majority, that in consideration Of the ex-
treme Masonic youth. and consequent
Masonic inexperience, Of brother Lewis.
his temerity should be rebuked merely
by q reprimand from the Worshipful
Master. in open lodge and then and
thsre, brother Lewis received it and
msexcellert French lit that.
a circumstance in the history Of this
lodge, deserving special notice On this
occasion, is the fact that for 4 period Of
eleven consecutive years-from 1916 to-
fs57-the fodge was IN D languishing
condition, and would certainly have for.
feited, or been compelled to surrender,
ifs charter but for che zeal and devotion
of FIVE Of it's members. 1t Is unneces.
sary, and perhaps injudicious, ID notice
"a detail the causes Of this unhappy Pc
Rod 10 your lodge history. It is sniff
eient to say thar II was caused partly By
The Ruthless attempt of some of the