The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1886-11-04
A. F. and A. M. Centennial celebra-
ton.

-
Sir Knight w. B. McChesney was Chic
Marshal, with Brothers Fl. NJ. McIlnan
and John w. Stou. as Assistant Mar
shals.
They all wore handsome goldfringe'
blue silk badge with the inscription il
gold letters-ssl7s6, Centennial Stauntol
Lodge No. 10 A. F. and A. NJ, Octoba
%. 1886, Stanton. Va
The Band played whilst the procession
was entering the building. E. M. Cush
ing, present Master of Staunton Lodge
No. ID, presided.
After rapping to order, he said it was
the custom of Masons to invoke divine
blessing and assistance. and announced
that prayer would be offered by the Chap
lain, Rev. j. G. Dice. After prayer by
Mr., Dice. the Band again played.
Mr.. W. H. H. Lynn, Deputy Crane
Commander. appeared, and in a very grace
full and appropriate manner gave an inter
esting sketch of the Lodge from it's birth
down to the present time. Mr.. Lynn
said
One hundred years ago to-day, Staunton
granted by the Grand Lodge Of Virginia ' and nd
It might not be inappropriate on this centen-
NAL occasion to make a brief mention of those
who had actively participated in symbolic
Masonry as members as well as Ma .ters of the
Lodge since Alexander Long was installed as
its first Master one hundred years ago.
1t was list which embraced many distin-
guished citizens. Along with, and followin !.
Alexander Long, were VIM. Chambers and
ewe1t Tanp Rnbt Gratan um
phreys, jacob Kinney, John Fackler, Benz II.
Brady. John Wayt. Samuel Clarke (the first
l. Stevenson (for a number Of terms Master of
this Lodge, also Grand Master of Masons of
Virginia; for seventeen years Grand Lecturer
years thereafter Grand Lecturer of the Grand
Lodge of North Carolina, and who handed
down unimpaired the Masonic work received
David W. Patterson. also Grand Master as well
as Master of This lodge; Lewis Hartman, the
stannton and Augusta; Isaac Collect, John
Merritt, John Eagon, Nicholas G. and Jefferson
Kinney, the Circuit and County Clerks of Au-
Thomas j. Niche. the famous lawyers; Adam
Lushbaugh, Kenton Harper, John Carroll.
Merrill Gushing, Gather ofthe present Mastery
Geo. W. Fuller, A. M Simpson, Rev. r. H.
Phillips. Robert Hemphill, James Points.
master OF this Lodge. Grand Master of Virgin
districtl J. Worthingto on Smith, distinguish
ed educator; John B. Garrett Chas. H. Lewis
Samuel 2. Clarke, ]. D. Imboden. Henderson
man. (mhny times Attorney for the Common
wealth for Augusta and Master of this Lodge
and Grand Master of Virginia. who fell at
Waynesboro' during the civil wary Thos. P
Eskridge. W. l.. Baithis. mayor of Stauntong
DR.. A. N. Fauntlerey. and about ITO other sur
Masers oua iaSS
Adds 4 Cochran, and E. NJ Cushing.
Under such Masters and with the assistance
even tenor OF her way SO noisessly that, but
for the fact that the old Lodge on the hill and
the new Hall on Main street. were and are
known as Masonic buildings, and an OCCASION
al public appearance with white gloves and
aprons to pay the last tribute of respect to
departed brother. it would scarcely have been
known t. many that Masonic body existed
in stanton.
Just so it is in all communities; yet the in
huence of Masonry, though the cause is unseen,
has every where beeD felt for good, the wonder
of all save those within her walls, and her
charity has been SO dispensed. that not only
even the recipients themselves in many in
stances are ignorant whence the relief has
come. Unselfish IN purpose. untiring in zeal
and unwearied in effort for the attainment of
noble ends she Should have universal approx
al. On the contrary. the shafts of envy, NAL.
ice, and ignorance have oft-times been hurled
at her. but panoplied in the armor of conscious
rectitude, they have fallen harm: essly at her
public defence Tor Masonry neither seeks, nor
wants, nor needs defence. She has witnessed
the rise and fall of princes and pOtentateS, the
growth and decay OF Kingdoms and, empires.
yet unchaneing and unchanged. she stands to-
day after the test of ages, strong as when she
to those Who VIII oriaina,ed ana d those Who have
upheld her hands in disseminating the cardi-
nal virtues Of Temperance, Providence, Forti
The speaker then proceeded to correct the
impression. which he said obtained in many
he ne he Bbe
the foundation and orner-stone of Masonry,
and ii ssasOns lived up to their professions
in no way considered the order substitute
for the Church. which had divine mission,
higher. grander, hollier mission,to which
Masonry could only lend feeble, helping
hand-the redemption of sin stricken world.
At the conclusion of his address, he said
he had been commissioned to introduce
the orator of the occasion, whereupon he
introduced R. T. W. Duke, jr., Past Mas
ter of Widows Son Lodge of Charlottes-
vile,
Mr.. Duke stepped forward, and gave a
sketch of Masonry, both interesting and
instructive, which commanded close at
tention from the audience. The following
synopsis will give an idea of Mr.. Dukes
remarks:
"History, Says the philosopher, counts time
not by the Hours, but by the Ages Standing
In the presence OF an organization whose origin
Is lost In the mists of antiquity, we may well
say. Masonry counts time not by the centu-
ries, but by the cycles" The speaker then dis
Of or Of its
aud kindness, believing that they spoke for
themselves; and after short allusion to the
whose names we're on It's rolls, reminded them
OF the fact that In the year Ofits foundation one
Mason.-Edmund Rurke..was thrilling England
with his eloquence in the Warren Hastings
impeachment, and anOther-Roberb Burns-in
that year published the drst collection of his
: He said that his first idea was 20 choose that
period as the subject of his address, or 10 con-
trast 1t with the present century, and from it
that Yesterday is Times. Tomorrow Gods,
To-day alone our own.' he preferred to address
them upon questions of the day.
The speaker then alluded to the grave ques-
lions that face the present generation and said
that the peculiar characteristic of the age was
Haste" and q mad desire to get wealth. This
hurrying madness had perme ted all ranks of
society, and the rapid accumulation OF wealth
had brought about q dangerous tl-fseling be-
in making men conservative the Masonic Order
was not to be disregarded. and he had accord
ingly chosen as the subject OF his address 1.-The
Conservatism Of Free Masonry"
The speaker did not claim that Masonry by
itself could hope to check the haste and evil
make men Conservative. it could give great aid
In helping all efforts in that direction. The
conservatism of the order was then shown at
length and with some particularly OF detail,
by describing Its adherence to an unchapging
and interchangeable ritual, anu to ancient and
venerated customs and ideas; that it inculcated
respect for ancient landmarks. and enforced
habits of obedience and admiration for law
and order, and Its teachings tended to make
men respect each others natures, foibles and
needs.
sharp contrast was drawn between the or
ders that only admitted laborers in the mar
rOwest sense of the word 10 their membership,
and the Masonic order which knew no class
rich or poOr-brafn or hand-worker, and the
speaker urged with much force, that by unit
ing wage-payer and Wage-earner In Masonic
lodges much might be done to reconcile the
laborer and the capitalist
Asa last and still stronger evidence of its
conservatism. he alluded to the fact that the
tendency OF all Anarchists was to Atheism.
and that Atheism and Masonry could not exist
together. Across the portal OF her mysteries
stands the impenetrable bar that turns back
the rash and giddy footsteps of the fool who
says "there Is no God"
The necessity of belief in God and respect for
Gods laws, was then urged as the greatest need
OF the age, and as the only remedy for the dis
eases OF the body polite and the spread OF Ma
sorry and faithful adherence to its truths
was insisted upon as one of the means to the
desired end of the happiness of the human
race. The speaker concluded with the follow
ing DorOralfOn. stWhO can fOrpSae the gOnd she