The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-19


DRESS, &C. M
The lay ing OF The cornerstone Of the jew
lsl synagogue Beth Ahaba Ube house OF
love-, on Eleventh street near Marshall. yes
terday evening. was made the occasion Of a
very imposing demonstration by our Israel
| i'lsh population, the Masonic fraternity, and
OF our citizens generally, regardless OF creed
The ceremonies were under the immediate
auspices Of Loge Frarciise. No. 50, but was
participated in by representatives Of The
craft from all OF The lodges in the city and
from Manchester.
by q O'Clock the feIlow-crait began as
semhIing, but It was after 3 p. VI. when
the line was formed, in the following order !:
Kessnich's band. Loge Franchise and vi
sting brethren, the officers bearing the in.
sigma OF their offices and the impliments
and material to be used in the ceremony.
Then followed the Congregation Of Beth
Aha5a; Rhnmon Lodge, No. 6S, 1. o OBJ.
Benjamin Lodge. No. 90, !. o. B. B.; Para
disc Lodge, No 227. Free Sons OF Israel:
Friendship Lodge. No. A., Free Sons OF Is
rael; 1lillel Lodge, No. 81, y. X. s. b.: JEFF
ierson Literary and Social Circle; Young
Mems Jewish Social Circle; Members Con.
gregatiOn Kennesseth Israel; Members
Congregation Beth Saome; Members Con-
gregaion Beth Ababa; Board Of Managers
of Congregation Of Beth Ahaba, in car
riaees; Ladies of the Social Circle and He
brew Benevolent Associations, on foot
Citizens, on foot.
Carriages followed, with Rev. a. Harris,
the ofciating rabbi; X. w. w. +. Drink.
ard, ID. ID. e. NJ; X. w. William j. Isaacs,
Grand Secretary; Past Grand Master B. II.
Wexford. and other high dignitaries.
WOrshipful j. Thompson Brown acted az
chief marshal, assisted by Brothers T.. Hol-
Finger and Charles Millhiser as assistant
mPrshals, and WOrshipful Julius Straus as
master OF ceremonies.
The band along the line OF march dis
coursed its sweetest strains, and the route
was lhrongcd with interested spectators.
OF THE GROUND.
1t was nearly O'clock when the column
reached the place appointed for the cere-
mony. Some little time was spent in ar
ranging the preliminaries, and after music
by the band Rev. A. Harris read a selection
OF scriptures, and afterwards preached Il
sermon in every way appropriate. The
language OF the speaker was not only hap
PLY chosen, but breathed the most liberal
>IlIU, anu was ltCtlNcu WIN Idpl ullcu-
tiOn and interest.
In the absence OF Grand Master Peyton
s. Coles, Il. W. w. +. Drinkard, ID. u. G.
cluded the ceremonies.
The exercises were very beautiful and
impressive, and were interspersed with
music and singing OF appropriate Masonic
odcs.
do. lo tto,, ~ tlan
Grand Master, applied the square, the
plumb, and the level to the stone, and
pronounced it well formed, true, and trllsty.
The ceremony Of pouring in the corn and
oil and wine was then performed, the band
PLAYING the meanwhile.
The Grand Master then concluded the
ceremonies in these words:
May corn, wine, and oil, and all the ne
cessitIes Of life abound among men through
out the world; and may the blessing OF
Almighty God be upon this undertaking
and may the structure here to be erected be
preserved 10 the last ages, in order that il
may promote the purpose for which 1t Is
designed.
The Grand Master then presented the i'm
pements TO Mr.. Lybrock, the architect, say
ing:
ITO you, brother architect, are confidcd
the implements OF operative masonry, with
! the fullest confidence that by your skill and
taste fabric shall arise which shall add new
lustre 70 the city OF Richmond. May it en-
dure for may ages Ia monument OF the
zeal and iberality Of the pastor and mem.
bels Of the Congregation OF Beth Ababa.'
COLONEL EvANs's ADDRESS.
At the conclusion OF the above exercises
Colonel Thomas J. Evans delivered an ad
dress. In his opening remarks he alluded
10 the antiquity OF the Israeites and OF Ma
sonry, and OF the peculiar appropriateness
Of the ceremonies OF the day; alluded tc
King Solomon as the first grand master. and
traced the union OF the fellowship OF the
faith and the craft all through the long ages
of the past. 1t closed as follows:
Freemasonry was never designed to be-
and is not, religion for any man-neithel
for lew or Gentle. 'Tis true we recOgniz
the only true and living God in all his attri
butes. The eve of God which takes within
its vision the entire universe, and teaches
us 10 remember, Thou God seest us. The
ear OF God which hears the cry OF His hum
bIest creature. The hand OF God which
rules the world. The wisdom OF God which
knows all things. The omnipreseDce OF
|
nresence OF God which holds the sea in thu
| hollow of His hand, which deals with the
earth as His ioot-stool, and which hurls
stars and planets into and 1t OF existence
at His will. The goodness OF God. which
crowns our lives with so many blessings
The eternal existence OF God, who was
from the beginning the Great Am-fron
everlasting to everlasting the same un-
changeable Being.
Yes. Freemasons acknowledge all these
And vet Freemasonry is not religion, nor ;
substitute for religion, and he who takes il
as such has been badly taught, or has sadly
mistaken the teachings.
But Freemasonry does undertake to teach
and enforce high moral lessons. These les
sons need not be named. They are known
and read OF all men. With what success We
teach them il is not for us to say.
| We are not now operative, but specula
tive Nasons. As such we are not archl
tects i'm the erection OF buildings OF stone
| we do. however, strive to aid each member
in Incoming the architect OF bis own cha
racter and fortune, in erecting for himself
moral ediice more enduring than marble
snpported by the moral pillars, Jachln anC
Roaz. crowned with pomegranite and MY
Tbus trained, and taught, and aided, Ia
will be better prepared for the reception o
that truth which will shape and hit him 10
n living stone in that spiritual building
that - house not made with hands "-eter
pal in the heavens.
THE CONTENTS OF THE STONE.
| At the request OF the Acting Grand Mas
ter. here were read the inscription on ID
cornerstone and named the foilowing a
the list of contents Of the box deposited 1
the sacred cornerstone:
I. List of members and scholars OF Cor