, 1875-09-11

the Officers then IN command anu lne
present fOrUs stationed there.
IL. Photographs OF Port Townsend.
seen from the bluff at Mr.. Rea's cot
tage, one of the lower and one of the
upper town.
II. Specimens of dried sea-mosses
and immol telles.
13: A 5O-ccnt silver piece of this
years coinage.
IL. Original copy Of correspondence
between the pastor and the Grand
Lodge of MasOns regarding the laying
of the cornerstone by them.
Is. A copy of the Shorter Catechism
OF the Westminster General Assembly.
containing the Creed and the LOrl's
Prayer. =
ID. Copy of Constitution and By
Laws of Lafayette Lodge of Masons,
Port Townsend.
The Grand Secretary having
read the list the casket, with its
contents, was transferred to the
Grand Treasurer, to be by him
committed to its receptacle. This
being accomplished the top-stone
was lowered to its place. The
square, level and plumb were ap-
piled and the work pronounced
well done. The Grand Master
then stepped forward and scatter
ed corn (the emblem of plenty
upon its level surface; next he
poured wine (of rcfreshment), and
lastly, oil (of joy). DIR. T. 7. Mi
nor, orator of the occasion, was
called upon and made an eloquent
address, as follows:
Most Worshipful Grand Master
and Brother Masons, Brethren
of the Order of Red Men and
Friends:
do not think a few words
would be inappropriate at this
time in regard to the propriety OF
the Masonic Order laying the cor
ner stone of a Christian Church.
Masonry has existed for thous-
ands of years. Its mysteries have
bound together, elevated and en-
nobled the craft. Operative ma
sons at one time embodied in their
handi-work almost all that was
known to the world Of the true, the
beautiful and good. They stamped
their characters upon the pillars Of
that age, and left enduring monu-
ments Of human genius which will
last as long as humanity remains.
The orders of Architecture,
Doric, Ionic and Corinthian, are as
much admired to-day as they we're
a thousand years ago, and the
words Of the poet well apply to
. They shall resist the En7Iro Of decay,
When time Is DER and worlds have passed
Cold in the dust the perished heart NAV lie.
But that which warmed Il once can never
Operative Masons find much
cause for rejoicing in an occasion
like the present; for though they
have assisted in the erection Of
every important edi6ce of history,
peculiar emotions naturally arise
in the mind of the true craftsman
at the initiation Of Masonic work in
new country. No longer does Op-
eratiye Masonry occupy the i'm
portant position it once held. As
ideas have taken the first place
once held by mere mechanics, so
has Operative Masonry been sue
ceeded by Ideal or Speculative
Masonry.
Side by side with our Order for
hundreds of years has existed
another noble, divine institution.
Hand in hand the Church and Ma
sonry have gone forth over the
world, spreading broadcast the
seeds Of good living and estab-
hshingtrue principles of life. This
is not the time or place to even
hint at the differences existing be-
tween them, nor would / be the
one 10 point out the impeffec-
tions in either. Sufficient for US
is it, that with scarcely an excep-
ton, for more than q Thousand
years the Christian Church and
Masonry have lived together in
that harmony whichisthe sffeneth
and support Of every brotherhood,
and we stand here to-day not to
seek out points Of difference but
10 rejoice in the grounds Of unity
between them.
Speculative Masonry and true
are in many respects
IDENTICAL. The great principles
underlying them are the same.
The corner store which we have
aid OF this church, and of every
rue church as well, in its spiritu-
i sense gives US the divinest
mage the world ever saw Of Heav.
snly love and Christian charity;
md the corner stone of every Ma
ionic edi6ce is the same love and
iharity, reaching not only to our
brotherhood as some imagine, but
throughout the world, beyond all
ime. Aye, we are taught that the
hree principal rounds ofthe ladder
~ which we mount upward are
faith, Hope and Charity, admon-
shing US to have Faith in God,
Hope in His salvation, and Charity
o all mankind; and Faith may be /