Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-09-30
THE ANCIENT RITE.
Dedication Of the Masonic Temple in
Philadelphia.

The Largest, Finest and Most COST
Structure Ofthe Kiad I'm the World
History of the BuiIding-Descrfp-
ton of the ArchitectuFe-The
Egyptian. Ionic. Norman and Orfen
tai HaIIs-Tbe Grand Lodge and
Banquet HaIIs-The Dedication
Immense Gathering of MasOns-Im-
posing Pageant and Impressive
Ceremonies.
Correspondence of the Union and American.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 25.- The people
of this city are greatly jubilsnt on the COM
pletion of the new Masonic Temple, the
ceremonies in the dedication of which are
Slready commenced, and will occupy several
days to conclude. Yesterday and last night
the hotels we're crowded with members of
the order coming to participate, ard to-day
and tonight trains came from all directions
crowded with MasoDs, their families and
friends to be present, at least one day, to
witness the grand pageant, the equal of
which has nsver been witnessed by the
| Order in this country. These ceremonies
were insugursted tonight by procession
and journal f the knights Templar of this
city, embracing the five Communicates of
the city, with numbers of visiting brethren.
The display has been magnificent, vast
| crowds collecting along the streets in the
| line of march, and about the Temple.
Tomorrow the dedication takes place at
noon, folio wing grand procession, embrae
ing thousands of Masons from this and sis
ter jurisdictions, and occupying four hours
in its progress.
The Masons of Pennsylvania are very
numerous, there being nearly 1900 mem
bers in this city. For years their hall &C
commodstion here has been inadequate,
and, six or eight years ago, the Grand
Lodge of the State undertook the task of
supplying the want. Subscriptions were
taken up and Confined to members Of the
Order. A lot was purchased on the corner
of Broad and Flber5 streets, occupying an
entire square, bounded on the other two
sides by Juniper and Cuthbert streets-the
lot costing about S175, 900. The locality is
between Fourteenth and Fifteenth streets,
and next north of Market, ard is the most
central that could have been selected. A
casual view from the belfry OF Indepen-
dence Hail would place it in the centre of
the vast outstretching city. On this spa.
cious and costly lot the Order have
erected a building, costing, with the
lot, about one million four hun
dred thousand dOllsrsl 1t is Temple in
deed, which has had in extent and beauty
but one rival in ancient or modern times,
that only rival being Solom0n's Temple.
This immense structure is to be used solely
ard exclusively by the Masous for Masonic
purposes. Its size and cost as above stated
would indicate msgDifcence; hut as a mat
ter of in crest TO the fraternity everywhere
and to the public at large, st the risk of
being prOliX, | will attempt an outline de-
scription of its compartments, furniture.
etc for which l am largely indebted To the
architect, Mr.. James II. Windrim, of this
city, himself Mason, and at present chief
officer Of Philadelphia Lodge No. 70
Though this description will be Inadequate
and imperfect, it may serve TO convey to
the Brotherhood some notion of The enter
prise of their Pennsylvania brethren, and
the grandeur Of the result. l begin with
the
HALL OF THE GRAND LODGE.
The meeting-room of the Grand Ledge
is the representative apartment of the
Temple, aud the largest ona in it. 1t is
enc hundred and five feet long, fifty-one
feet wide, and fifty feet high. From an &C.
tagonal vestibule at The western end, tie
visitor enters through massive doors, ar
tistically Constructed of walnut, with cedar
siDkings and raised panels, made OF mottled
walnut imported from France. The work
is highly polished, and these panels present