Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-02-26
ncdicatOry Address.

At the dedication Of the New Masonic Tenn
ple of Alexandria Washington Lodge, No. %,
of this city, on the evening Of the 23, an ac-
count of which has appeared in the Gazette,
W. Il. Lambert, Grand Master Of the State,
delivered the following appropriate aad beauti-
full address:
BRETHREN: ] welcome you with pride und
pleasure to this beautiful temple i'll which you
are assembled, and which we now pr pose /"
consecrate and dedicate to the flu: on ii those
noble principles which are The peculiar charac-
teristics OF our me-honored order
What moro suspicious or appropriate day
C ,uld have been selected for these so.emr ccre-
monies IT'S the anniversary of him, the re
membrance of whose deeds and virtues are So
deeply ensbrlned in the bosom of all patriots.
We, us q lodge, are proud to be II MS name,
there recorded, with his own consent and appro-
val, as our first Worshiplul Master
This portrait, painted rom HE whilst Pre$l-
dent of the United States, adorns your walls,
and is now garlanded with flowers gathered from
his tcnb, and his letters, full of broLherly love
and esteem, are before you. He WAS plcrsed to
participate with his br. thren on convcnicnt oc-
casions in their festivities. and never considered
it dtrogALory to his proud position to Meet VITA
them on the level.
welcome you with pride We u:c An old
lodge soon to celebrate our centennial our fore
| fathers left us home and habtmlion, construct
ed seventy long years ago, ON the site now occu-
| pied by this noble temple. You ali know now
we loved those dear old walls, en- ;ear.,u - us by
50 many hallowed remem ORANGES of tho past. 1t
| was within their pro1lncts ncacly I'LL OF Us had
| received our first light in Masonry, where we
had so often spent the social hour in joy and
mrth, and so often assembled with sadness and
sorrow to follow The remains of our brethren t.
| their last resting place, the silent tomb In u
| f,u h,,r hl,G ra-
| black and smouldering ruins were all that re-
! manned to us. Before the smoke had ceased to
| curl from the blackened remalns the warm aud
| loving heart OF our younger sister tendcrcl us II
| shelter, and welcom us to their home, the re-
mem brance of which should el or be green spot
! in oul memory. But our lorefa,hcrs lrtt us Also
q more priceless heritage-a knowledge of Ma
| sonry-und of those beautiful lessons and sublime
teal hings which neither the unsparng ravaEes
OF time nor destroying elements can or ought to
deprive US Of Have We prosperct? have We
| DIT .fi-d by these lessons? Let the nigh esteem
with which VIZ are regarded by this community,
| the records Of our Lodge. tue PRIDE and respect
| Of the Grand Lodge Of Virginia. this mob Z edi-
| fee, answer the que tions.
| Whilst recalling recollectlons Of the past we
| must not be unmlndtui OF the future. In these
| days of so-called progress, when corruption IN
high places is So prevalent, when the greed of
| gain seems to have taken Possession Of the syuls
| of men, when inLem perance and pro an ~, vices
which are So repugnant and abb trent TO all tytt,
| Masops are ON the increase; wheG those sly ing
themselves phi lo:ophers and men .! science is-
more the Holy Bible that great light in Masonry,
which is ever open before you, and which We
| accept rs the rule and guide Of our faith, bat
which they would wi us 10 believe TO be IL cum
| nngly devised fable; then, nov is thc time for
| Masonry to perform her great work. She must
| not progress She must still preserve iEviOl@te
those ancient landmarks; IN q " I'd, she must
| follow the councils OF our first Most Excel ent
| Grand Master, who, centuries ago, said =
shy son, tory ct not my law, but let thine heart
| keep my commandments, and remove not the
ancient lundmnrks which tiny fathers have Sc. y
| But ia the practice of those cardiaal virtues
which are so beautifully lncu!cat3d 10 the first
| deg "ec, let US progress. Let cacn individual!
| brother rememb II that he nk in that ind -
soluble chain which b ads Us together: that he is
u stone in that Scrlptura building which VIZ are
seeking to erect and that the beauty 81 the 4n"l3
should not be married by any larni*h or stain
which would bring reproach atld disgrace
| upon US.
Brethren Of Alexandria Washington Loige, l
congratu ate you upon the completion OF yolr
TEN pie, which Is al ornament to our u y, and
credit to the fraternity.
Ali prniso TO your architect who hiss SO faith
fully carried out your designs; all praise to your
| Worshipful Master who has displayed such Il al
and eff .iency during It's erection; honor to your
| distinguished and energetic building committee,
whose indumitajle will and perseverance,, amid
| so many difficulties and embarrassments, have
SO nobly discharged the arluous duty impose
upon them and f..aiy, with hearts ove:h pwi; s
with gratitude and love, let US return our thanks
to our Supreme Grand Master for his loving
| kindness and protection, which has been extend
ed over us all during the erection of this build
ing that the lives OF the wUrkmen have been
spared and that 10 accident has occurred to amy
| employed in its construction.
May this building be preserved for ages; may
it withstand the rarages of time; may our child
ren's children assemble within these walls whc7
! we have passed away; my it ever BE- a place OF
retreat tor good and true men may discussions
and strife BIZ forever banished from these wallis,
and l sincerely and devoutly pray that the
promise may be- realized to Us, The glory of
this latter ouse shall be greater than that of the
former, and in this place will give peace"