The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-11-12
Masonic Dedication at Martins Fer.

ness the interesting ceremonies incident 10
the constitution Of new Masonic Lodge
The lodge room Is the uppermost In the
building and Is convenient In all its ar
raDgements and commodious In size.
The walls are decorated with come fine
pictures, 10 addition 10 the usual insignia
Of the Order, which latter to the uninitist.
ed are as sealed book, q mystery which
rouSes the curiosity ofthe transient visitor
but from whose eyes their beautiful sig
niacsnce Is yelled.
The Assemblsge was called to order By
]. Pollard Jordan aud the exercises were
commenced with singing by q choir Of
Martins Ferry gentlemen and ladies led
by Mr.. John Wallace and Mayor Dean,
after which the most Worshipful Grand
Master Of Ohio, Mr.. Baton, accompanied
BY members representing the Grand
Lodge approached the Altar and per.
formed the
cRRRNoNY OF CONSIDERATION,
the order Of which was, first q prayer
made By Rev. Edwards, OF the N. 3.
Church, alter which, corn the Masonic
emblem Of nourishment, wide the en-
blem Of refreshment and oil the emblem
Of Joy were poured out before the Altar,
upon which lay an open Bible. The Hext
ceremony was the installation Of the Of
fcers elect.
THE MOST woRsHIPFUL GRAND MASTER
in solemn and impressive manner deliv-
cred to ]. Pollard Jordan the charges
and the insignia belonging 10 and EN-.
blemstic Of the office OF Grand Master
OF the new Lodge and he took bis seat in
the East In like manner ]. H. IDglebright
was indicted into the office OF Senior
Warden and took his seat 10 the West,
and h. Flesher BY like ceremony was
indicted into'the office Of Junior Warden
and took his seat in the South.
ROSE J. ALEXANDER
then declared Ohio City Lodge F. & A. N.
No. 4s6, constituted, and the officers duly
installed in accordance with the establish.
ed usages OF the Ancient Order Of Free
Masons, after which there was singing by
the choir. Grand Master Jordan then an
nounced an address, by Mr.. Baton, the
Grand Master Of the State Of Ohio. The
address was quite lengthy and embraced
all that was necessary for the world to
know as 10 the question, What is Masonry?
The gentleman enunciated as TACT that
the Order Of Mssons was not q secret Or.
der; it was an Order that had secrets just
as churches had secrets, just as business
men in oil branches Of the worlds affairs
had secrets, just as families had secrets.
Life itself had secrets that mortal vision
had never looked upon. He said that the
character Of the Order, its offices, it times
and Plao0a oil meeting were familiar TO all
men. It's secrets were only such as were
necessary TO preserve it from imposition.
The Order, in its constitution was q
beautiful syatem Of morality, while teach.
ing morality 1t was not strictly re.
ligious organization. 1t requires Of every
applicant for membership the strictest
acknowledgement oil God as the Supreme
Author and Ruler Of the Universe. 1t
dealt not with sects or creeds, but &C
knowledges all men as brethren, leaving
each to choose for himselE the particular
branch Of the church with which he will
affiliate.
NO ATHEIST CAN BECOME A MACON,
the Laws ofthe Order imperstively require
belief in God. Masons recognise the
great fundamental laws Of religion, cast
ing aside all sects and creeds, although
they were charged with refusing 10 &C
knowledge the Christ, the Savior Of the
World, in their rites and ceremonies. he
said their order was established five
thousand years ago; It had in no respect
ever been changed, and there is but one
God. Theteschings and morality Of Ma
sorry are founded upon the Bible, and all
all that it teaches was held as true.
The liberslity Of the Order was the
most beautiful and valuable feature oil the
orgslzation. Sectarisn creeds were the
fruitful source Of discord, the first blood
shed upon the earth was the result Of q
difference in faith. The rack, the gibbet
were the sectsrian instruments once used
to regulate the conscience, man was the
worst enemy OF men, hunting them to the
ends Of the earth for difference Of faith.
AAsONs CHOOSE RATHER
to go about like the Savior doing good,
than to quarrel about things he never
taught. As to the symbols of the Or.
der, they were the beautiful language oil
the East, the country Of mans origin, the
land Of the infancy Of the human race;
they were older than language. EXPIRES.
Give symbols were the best and most cf-
iectual methods Of fixing the mind, and
the most beautiful allegorY characterized,
above all others, the Hebrew Ian
guage, in which the Bible wss written.
We have attempted TO give but the
iaintest outline Of Mr.. Batton's address
which was listened 10 with the closest at.
tenlion BY not only the members Of the
fraternity but by the audience generally.
ROSS J ALEXANDER
followed in very brief address in which
he showed that the Order Of Masons had
reached It's present numerical proportion
and its high standing by the simple force
Of its principles as carried out in the lives
and actions Of its membership, for, he
said, no member Of the Order was allow
ed under any circumstances TO enter into
an argument in defence Of its principles
or in advocacy Of them. No mason dare
ask any man 10 join the order, 1t had
worked its way into the hearts Of men by
l. II NHn