Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-01-14
THE GRAND MASTER.
RECEPTION TO THE GRAND MASTER OF MAsoNS
AN ENJOYABLE OCCASION.

| RECEPTION TO THE GRAND MASTER OF MAsoNS
AN ENJOYABLE OCCASION.
| The spacious Lodge room of the Masons in
this city was well filled with the venerable and
the middle-agcd and the young of the Masonic
! fraternity Friday evening. the 9th instant, to
participate in an occasion OF the highest inter-
est to the Order. Nearly one hundred were
present. Among them were Mr.. George w.
Fuller. who is IN the seth year of his age, and
| was made Mason In the Staunton Lodge %
years ago. There were also Messrs. A. NJ Simp
son and G. A. Armentroutv venerable members
of the lodge.
RECEPTION OF THE GRAND MASTER.
| The occasion was the reception Of the Grand
Master of the Grand Lodge Of Virginia-Mr.J
Howard Wayt. After the ceremonies prescrib
| ed by the ritual in that particular were ended,
Rev. James Nelson, DID,, on behalf of the
Lodge. delivered the address as follows:
THE ADDRESS.
| MOST WoRsHIPgUL A most pleasant and
agreeable duty devolves upon me this evening.
some words of welcome to you, as Grand Mas
| Ter OF Masons in virginia. We congratulate
you that you have been chosen by the suffrages
of our fraternity to this exalted postton-an
honor not unworthy of man ofthe highest
rank and the most distinguished abilities
Our Order is an ancient one-"mOre ancien:
than the Golden Fleece or Roman Eagle; more
honorable than the Star and Carter" Its his
tory is not one OF Strife conflict and blood. but
men. Our mission In this world of sickness,
and suffering and sorrow, Is to visit the father
less and widows In their aihiction, TO rescue "a
aud to give, as far as human ministries can,
the oil of joy for mourning and the garments
of praise Tor the spirit OF heaviness. Before
mission noble and sublime. all mere earthly
honors grow dim and gloi les fade away. True.
as beautiful are the words OF Englands poet
laureate:
"Howeer it be, it seems to me
Ills only noble to be good;
Kind hearts are more than coronets,
Aud simple faith, than Norman blood"
Office. you are, by your words and influence
and example to animate and inspire the Craft
to the performance ofall the obligations that
rest upon as Free and Accepted Masons.
Then, you are called upon to preside over our
Order in Virginia at an suspicious and mo-
mentous period in the history OF our beloved
State-''drst in peace, first in war;" and now
fast becoming first in industrial progress and
material prosperity.
a Greek, and an Athenian, and that live IN
the age of Socrates" We may proudly rejoice
that we are Americans. and Virginians. and
Masons, and that we are living in the closing
decade of the nineteenth century, whose reltg
ous light is filling the earth with its glory and
coloring the sky with Its crimson and gold.
"We are living, we are dwelling
In grand and awful time,
In an age on ages telling,
To be living, is sublime"
May you be as lone OF the men OF Issacher. |
what Israel ought to do" and may you be SO
guided by Divine wisdom in the administra- |
ton of your office as to prove that you nave
We also congratulate you that you have at |
tanned this distinguished honor at an earlier |
age in life than any OF your honored predeces |
sors. We felicitate ourselves and greatly re |
ioice also that this high office is filled for |
the seventh time by one of our own number,
tho To- Watt h IDIOT nf h 10 do HI
vigor of manhood.
And permit us, in conclusion, to express
our sincere prayers, that when your gay OF
Craft to rest and refreshment that you may !
then become living stone 'in that house not |
made with hands, eternal in the heavens" of
which King Solomon's temple was q beautiful
and eloquent symbol in stone. And now we.
as happy: united and rejoicing Lodge, give
,oil, in hope, in love, and as expressive too, of
our heartiest congratulations and our gladdest
welcome.
THE RESPONSE.
The Grand Master delivered a response in
he finest taste aud highly interesting in the
history of Masonry here and the distinguished
ervice and positions occupied by citizens OF
his city in the progress of Masonry in Virgin
a and the country,
The Staunton Lodge was Instituted october,
1856. The charter is dated the 9th of that
brand Master, who was an eminent statesman
nd member of General Washingtou's Cabi-
et
Staunton occupies leading place in Mason>
, history By virtue of the prominent and
alented citizens whom the fraternity in its
till existing organization had called to pre-
ide over It's interests. To this high position
here was first called David W. Patteson in
,26; Levi L. Stevenson in 1888; J. Worthington
NTH in 1913; James Points In l84S: ard Col. 6
Vm. H. Hartman in 1868, whose term of service ,
ad not expired when he was killed on the ,
ED of battle in March, 1865. /,
The above Is a brief reference to the response
Grand Master Wayt. who is the sixth CT the
lembers Of the Staunton lodge that lave been
allied to the head of the f. aternity. /
There were present in addition to Rev. DR.. 6
elson, Rev. J. II. Waugh and Rev. W. @. 7
[uliiheu.
The ceremonies over in the lodge room. the
aft were called from labor to refresh ment. G
here the banqnest was spread and enjoyed in q
le style usual with the fraternity. In that n
allure of the social hour of the brotherhood. ,
he occasion was one that will be long re-
rendered. cementing the ties and must uring I
,e spirit in which ali good masons accept the t
lission of usefulness, SO beautifully portrayed .
the characteristics of Masonry in DIR. Nell
ms address.