The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1875-06-03
BY TELEGRAPH
TO THE
WHEELING REGISTER.
Associated Press Report. by Western
Union Line, Office Northwest cor.
of Main and 18th SITS.
MASONIC DEMONSTRATION
A Very imposing Affair.

A Very imposing Affair.
NEW YORK, June 2.-The Masonic
demonstration to-day, Is most imposing
affair. Flags and banners are everywhere
displayed, and the streets through which
the procession moves, ard crowded. The
ceremonies of the dedication OF the new
Masonic Temple may be said to have
begun Yesterday, when the annual session
of the Grand Lodge of the State was
opened. Very much to the satisfaction
/ OF the thousands who paraded to-day in
/ the procession, and TO their friends, who
numbered many more thousands, the sun
rose upon c!oudless sky. AT AN early
hour the city was astlr with
masonic bodies moving from their
headquarters TO the points designat.
| ed Tor them, an unusual prompt
ness having been observed, and the re-
| suit was that at the hour named for all
to be in line very few lodges were out of
their places. The Red Cross showed in
the sun and familiar mottoes met the
eve at Every turn. Soon after nine
o'clock three guns were fired and the
signal to move was communicated to the
head of the line ut 18th street by the
waving OF guidonS. Marshal Preston
and aids then took their positions at the
head of the line and the procession,
marshalled in divisions, took up its
march. Preceding the Masons came
twenty-four mounted police and two
platoons of officers on foot. The Com
nunderies looked exceedingly well and
the elegance of the appointments to-
gether with the excellence of the diScip.
line, obtained for them many favorable
comments.
The Eve,ing Post says the principal
feature was the Detroit Commandery
No. |. This Commandery is said to be
the most proficient in the peculiar drill
of the Knights Templar of any in the
country. They were not long in dem
onstrat;ng their claims to great deal OF
credit for ccicritv and precision, for soon
after the line moved they begun their
evoutions and continued them at short
intervals along the line Of march. As
the Sth division passed 10Th street the
Blue Lodge filed into their places from
the streets on either side of 9TH avenue.
Previous TO this their lines had been
broken to permit rs many Of the order
as possible to witness the other divisions.
The divisions were each provided with
bands of music, and consisted of from
ten to eighteen lodges each.
Venerable Bible.
In the 2Sth division St Johns Lodge
No, |, carried the Bible on which Wash
iuglon took the first oath Of office ever
administered to President of the United
States. In this division were borne the
vessels containing corn, wine aud oil,
a golden symbolic lodge, carried by four
masters. The orator Of the day, Judge
Lewis, occupied II carriage. In the rear
of the line came the Commissioners of
Appeal, the Grand Secretary and the
Grand Treasurer, preceding the Grand
Master, who rode between fou- Grand
Stewards, bearing their rods of office. 1t
is said that there were not less than 1000
Knights Templar in line, representing
about forty lodges of Masons, and there
were thirtv-nine bands OF music. The
parade was fully $4,000 strong. The
regulations as to dress were almost with
out exception complied with.
Broadway, presented an extraordinary
appearance. Below Canal street the
roadway was blocked by carriages and
wagons, filled with spectators, rs indeed
were all side streets along the line. The
houses were. many of them, decked with
flags and streamers, some of which were
decorated with Masonic symbols. The
windows and roofs of buildings were
crowded with spectators.
After Several Hours
of weary waiting the crowd assembled
in front of the temple were gladdened
by the arrival o. the Grand Lodge. The
officers alighted from the carriages al the
curbstone and marched up the steps,
headed by the Grand Master, accompa-
MED by Past Grand officers, representa-
tives Of ether Grand Lodges, and spe-
cial guests. 1t was ten minutes of
two when the large body began the AS
cent of the stairs, and the last member
did not pass in until nearly
half an hour afterwards
At the head of the stairs they were met
by officers having the ceremonies in
charge, and directed to their proper posi-.
tions in the hall of the Grand Lodge.
The hall was not decorated except at the
East end, where, on raised platform,
there were many beautiful floral adorn-
mentS On either side of the stage stood
the pillars of the temples of the outer
porch, made Of evergreen and ivy leaves
and twined about with red and white
flowers In the centre was large
floral bank of various colors,
representing an altar, TO the left
of which stood the ark of the
covenant draped,w with flowing white cloth.
The Grand Lodge filed in first and were
assigned seats in the body of the
room. The musical programme consist
ed Of Masonic hymn for baritone, solo
and chorus,
Thou who Art God AIone,''
written by DR.. Leopold Damrosch, ex-
preSsly for the occasion, and was con-
Quoted by him in person; Te Deum by
Prot, Caswell; Ms.onic ode, "Our Tenn
pie Reared, Complete it Stands,
by Harrison Milland, and
chants, marches, an invocation,
grand chorus and doxology. The other
exercises began with prayer and the read.
ing of selections of scripture by the Grand
Chaplain, followed by an address by the
GraLd Master, and the presentation of
the architect, y. Lcburn, and the brother
builder, John 7. Conover. \ procession
OF officers WAS then formed aud con-
Quoted around the chambers. The
Grand Chaplain then offered the
consecration prayer.
The Grand Master them poured on the
Lodge vessel of corn, dedicating the
Lodge to Free Masonry; 4 vessel of wine,
defeating it to virtue; and a vessel of
oil, dcdicating it to universal bencvo-
lence. John L. Lewis, Past Grand Mas
ter, then pronounced an Grafton at some
length. The Grand Master next ad-