The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-10-15

LAYING THE CORNER STONE OF THE
UNITED STATES COURT HOUSE AND PosT
OFFIoE-INrEREsrISa CEREMoNIRs.-The
cornerstone of the United Statea Court
House and Post Office, located on the
Southwest corner OF Richardson and
laurel streets, was laid, yesterday morn
ing, with appropriate ceremonies, by the
Masonic fraternity OF the city. At 10
O'Clock, tho procession was formed in
front of Masonic Hall, and under the
direction Of Grand Marshal r. e. B.
Hewetson, proceeded to the new build
ing. Prof. Buchar, with the fine bnud
Of the 18th Infantry, furnished the
music. The entrance to the grounds, as
well as the derrick, ETC., was decorated
with wreaths and garlands. Upou reach
ing the platform, tho ode, "When earth s
foundation first waslaid," was sung 10y the
choir-the voices being accompanied by
parlor organ. After music by the band
and a short prayer by Deputy Grand Mas
ter Berg, the stone was raised, and in the
cavity O hermetically-sealed iar-con-
tanning lists OF tho National, State and
city governments, names of the super
vising and experimenting architects,
Masonic lodges, copies of city daily pa
pers and coin of this years date-was
placed. The stone was then lowered by
means Of derrick, and properly ad-
justed by Superintending Architect p. j.
Mccullough and Mr.. F. Grieshaber.
The stone boing fou nd in proper posi-.
ton, "well formed. true and trusty, !"
the silver cups containing the "corn of
nourishment," "the wine OF refresh
ment, and ''the oil OF JOY" were sue
cessiyely presented, and the contents
emptied upon the stone. After prayer,
Deputy Grand Master Berg delivered
the working implements to Superintend-
ing Architect Mccullough, and tho an
them, "Let there be light" was very
prettily rendered by the choir. Grand
Master Berg then delivered most ex-
cellent and we'll written address, which
was responded to by the brethren with
$50 mote it be-Amcn. Another an
them-"Hail, Masonry Divine" = aud
then the benediction. The procession
then reformed and marched back to
Masonic Hall, where it was dismissed.
There was large number of persons
present-among them Senator Robert
son, to whom the credit justly belongs
Of being the cause Of the erection of the
building. Seats had been erected for
the accommodation Of the ladies, a
goodly number Of whom were present
The following is the address in full OF
Deputy Grand Master Berg:
LADIES, GENTLEMEN AND BRETHREN:
We are assembled here as FREQ aud Ac.
cepted Masons, to lay tho corner stone
of stately building, the United Stntes
Court House and Post Office-a building
long needed in our community, and now
successfully commenced through the in
strnmantality of one of our brethren and
citizs.is. Col. r. J. Robertson, United
States Senator of our Congressional Dis
trict. We regard this as an interesting
occasion-interesting, because it leads
us back to the time when our ancient
order still practiced the operative art.
How for back wo may trace the origin
of Masonry, We leave to the speculation
Of those who desire to make this mat
ter of Investigation and study. I will
only passingly remark. that there are
some who endeavor to trace Masonry
back to the creation of the world. Some
date its origin from the time of Noah;
others, from the building of King Solo
mons Temple, and others content them
selves to trace it to Ia time of the Ger
man Steinmetzen, sone-masons.) who
hourished and wrought in the thirteenth
and fourteenth centuries; while still
others claim the seventeenth century as
the time when Masonry was first fairly
organized. Several incontrovertible facts
lead me, however. to believe that we may
safely go far beyond the seventeenth
century i'll tracing our ancestry. Be this
rs it may, all are agreed that the order Of
Free and Accepted Masons ia very
ancient brotherhood, possessed Of i'm
portant secrets, which are carefully
guarded, and transmitted in their pris-
tine purity to the initiated from genera