The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-10-28

The Masonic Brothers turned cut In force last
night at the dedication of their new organ and
their elegant rooms in Masonic Hall appeared
more than usually attractive under the blaze o.
the gas-lights. The new organ is great ad-
dltion to the adornments of Egyptian Hall
with its rich, dark polished case, its gilded
pipes and tracery surmounted by the Maltese
cross
The exercises OF the evening opened shortly
after IL o'clock by the calling OF the brethren
to order by William Ross, Jr, to whose indie
fatigable exertious and personal superintend-
'nce are due the happy result of plan long
since conceived-who made full and snccinci
statement of the progress of the work from its
inception to its completion.
From the remarks made by Mr.. Ross we
learn that in 1865 when the Order held their
meetings in the Woodman and True Block on
Middle street joint committee was appointed
by the different Masonic bodies to purchase
pipe organ. The order had been given before
the great fire occurred, but was countermand-
ed Immediately after the great confagratiop
before much work had been done on it. When
he Dew Masonic Hall was dedicated the ex
penses of fitting up the rooms was so great
hat the Trustees deemed it inadvisabe to pur-
chase an oroan at that time and the matter
was lett in allegiance till last May when a few
of the mem ers thought the necessary means
could be raised by subscription aud measures
were at once taken to carry out the plan which
resulted in giving an order to Mr.. George
Stevens of East Cambridge, who has erected
this splendid instrument which, the speaker
thought, without regard to cost or size, was one
OF the finest toned organs in the city. Mr.
rheodor johnson has carved the elegant cas-,
which, as specimen of fine carving and ex
;ellent workmanship, will compare favorabl.
with any other work of the kind wherever you
may 60.
The cost of the organ we learn was $1,000,
which sun was literally and willingly sub
scribed by the bret hren in this city. The or
gan was then presented by Mr.. Ross to the
Board of Trustees, re presented by Mr.. Olive,
B. Gerrish, its chairman.
Previous to entering Egyptian Hall the
Trustees had met and drawn up a series of res
buttons and, at the close of Mr.. Ross remarks,
having accepted the organ, these resolutions
we're presented and adopted by the whole as
sembly by rising vote amid great applause.
ReSolUed, That the Masonic Trustees accep
with gratitude, on behalf OF the Masonic bodies
which they represent, the substantial aud ele
CANT gift which has been bestowed upon them
oy the voluntary subscriptions OF the crafts
men.
Resolued That the special thanks of the
whole fraternity, as well as of the Trustees, are
iue to Bro. William Ross, Jr., who has so
earnestly labored and SO successfully carried
through the undertaking. Our best acknowl
edgment is the assurance thai as he has taken
upon himself the whole burden he shall re
ceiye, the whole credit. and the organ shall be
The perpetual memorial of his labors.
The music exercises were then entered upon
under the direction of Bro. Ross, who intro-
duced Mr.. Kotzschmar, that gentleman's ap
pearance being the signal for another outbreak
Of enthusiasm, at the close of which Mr.
Kotzschmar seated himself at the organ and
displayed its power and fine tones to their best
advantage. At the close of Mr.. KS playing
the Arion Club sang onr-part song with
great taste and expressions They had scarcely
when Bro T. r. Harris epppg to
the front in few well chosen and graceful re-
marks, stated that the fraternity, feeling high
" indebted to Bro. Ross for his efforts in their
oOhai Whioh Hau uVCu CopHucu ~ uO pdTGlCu-
lar occasion, but were inpumerable, were not
satisfied with the resolutions of thanks that
had been voted him, good as they were, but
begged him to accept the piano that they offer
ed. (Tbis instrument was an elegant 5000 rose
wood cased, seven octave square piano OF Brad
bury's make Of New York; In reply Bro
Ross said he was wholly taken by surprise and
could only thank them from the bottom of his
heart He had hardly finished when Shaw's
trio sang, with grand effect, Long live my
boy" wi. the refrain, "be happy Bill" which
brought down the hon>e. La response Brother
Ross sang the pathetic air of "Simple Simon, -
which nearly convulsed the audence-but not
with tears.
This ended the formalities, and the rest Of
the evening was devoted to further excellent
,rgan nlaying by Mr.. Charles A. Libby and
inc singing by the Arions and Shaw's trio
The whole affair was jolly. and that the prop
Or word to express it. There was no Stiffness
but everybody had had a thoroughly good time.
There was plenty Of hearty laughter, and jokes,
and repartee and we must confess that we have
yet to find IN organization who are more thor
'aghiy acquainted with the art of how to eu-
ov themselves than the Brethren Of the Mys-
.Ic Tie.