The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-09-03

| tho College then sang the following
. WELCOME ODE.
Hail, Brethren of the Mystic Tie!
All welcome OH this festal day!
Let gladness CLEAN in every eye,
And listen to our simple lay;
While we, that all the world may know,
The praises Of your Order show.
Your secret rites we may not know,
Your signs and words you can not tell !;
But this your outward actions show,
And all the world may know full we'll:
No widows tear or orphans cry -.
Is seen or heard when you are nigh:
Your sanctum though we enter not,
TO gain instruction at its shrine,
1t falleth daily to our lot
70 delve in Learning's fruitful mine
For Music and Astronomy, ....
Arithmetic, Geometry,
And all the sciences and arts
That you pursue with failhful hearts.
Then, Brethren of the Mystic Tie,
All welcome on this festal day!
Let gladness gleam III every eye .
While you our cornerstone shall lay,
That soon our Temples walls may rise
In stately beauty toward the skies.
Grand Master F. A. Connor then
commanded silence, after which the
craft sang the Ode, "When earth's
foundation. first was laid" A short
prayer was offered by Samuel Lem
der, Grand Chaplain; after which the
stone was raised by means of neat
crane, and as it was lowered by thl ee
gradual motions, the young ladies
sang solemn anthem, "Holy, holy,
holy, Lord God Almighty. Heaven
and Earth are full of thy glory!" j.
The Grand Master then tried the
stone by plumb, square and level, and
pronounced it swell formed, true ind
trusty." Deputy Grand Master Sion
Il. Richardson then presented the
Grand Master with golden vessel of
corn, which the Master scattered
upon the stone. Senior Grand War
den J.,T. Robertson then presented
him with a silver vessel Of wine, and
Junior Grand Warden S. N. Pegg
with silver vessel Of oil, each of
which he poured upon the stone. He
then returned to Mr.. J. N. McElreatG
the architect. the implements Of his
profession, intrusting him with the
completion of the work. The craft
then gave the public grand honors by
three times three. The Ode, "Let
there be light" was then sung, the
Grand Master then delivered a short
address to the vast concourse, and the
benediction was pronounced by the
Grand Chaplain. Cd.
Before the stone was lowered,
Grand Treasurer James Mccullough
deposited beneath it the following,
among other articles Of interest: =.
/ A copy of the New Testament, a
catalogue ofthe College, a programme
Of the last years Commencement,
lists of all tho teachers and pupils of
each session since the establishment
of the College, n list of the stock
holders. of the directors, Of the opera
tives on the building, of tho officers
in Attendance, copies Of late Anderson,
Abbeville, Greenvile, Laurens, New
berry and, Columbia papers.
The stone is Italian marble, l2Xl5
inches and 9 inches deep, highly pol
ished on the visible faces. On the
East face is engraved, Nv. F. c.,
August q, 1873" On the North face,
"Alma matri 6lie dant." Itrests upon
base ofvariegated Tennessee marble.
three inches thick.
! After the ceremony, the company
repaired to the spring lot to listen to
the address of Mr.. w. Christie Benet,
| President Of the Masonic Female Col
lege, Cokesbury, S. c., which reflected
credit upon the learning and talents
of the eloquent speaker. The address
presented an interesting review of
the past history of Female Education,
and u clear statement Of the obstacles
which now impede its progress. We
take pleasure in presenting a. portion
of the address on our first page, and
commend it to. the perusal OF our
readers.
After few further remarks from
Hon. J. C. G.. Featherston, the dinner
came of, aud was truly bounteous
repast of substantials and delieacies,
served up with the skill for which the
good people of the town are noted. =
The new building of which the
cornerstone was laid is 10 be brick
addition to tho present building, 44x67