Telegram-herald., 1891-01-28
HONE DEDICATED
4 0rees Day in the History Of
4ichissn Masonry.
TIE NEE1IyC OF TIE GRAND LODGE
rhs Tsvs Etiis4 Wfth Dississs sishsd
nasoas Essn Al Fsrss 81 The STATE
The = eel Basissss st shs Gsasa
Ledge VIII Hsgis ysaAy.

Masonry in the State of Michigan, has
come and gone. and the Michigan
Masonic Home now stands dedicated
ITO the purposes for which it Was er-
ected, to Virtue and TO Universal
Beneyolsnce, In the Name Of the
Supreme and Eternal God. the Grand
Architect Of Heaven and Earth"
The Grand Lodge Of Michigan
opened At Hsrtman's Hall at high
twelve yesterday. The most necessary
routine preliminary. business Was trans
acted before tho procession formed the
march to the Masonic Home, on the
banks of Reeds Lake. A train OF pine
coaches conveyed the Grand Lodge
and . part of the visitors to the home
from the Union depot, and the dummy
conveyed . large number over the
street railway company's tracks.
When the dcdicatory ceremonies At the
home began, the lower floors and
staircases of the building were COM
pletely choked by the crowd; 90 much
so that the movements Of the officers
were seriously hampered for want of
room.
The ritual of dedication as prepared
and published was carried out to the
very letter. Every grand officer was
in his place and the ceremony was per-
foImed with great solemnity. When
ihe moment arrived for the grafton OF
the day. President William Durham
introduced Past Grand Master Hugh
McCurdy, of Corrunna, whom he called
1.-The silver tongued orator of Corrunna."
The Grafton itself sustained the judg-
ment OF the president.
In the opening of his address. the
orator referred to Drummond's 8 lately
published sermon entitled "Thc Great
est Thing in the World" Love is
the greatest thing, greater than elo-
quence. greater than martyrdom,
greater than charity and greater than
faith. Other foundation for every
deed doth no Freemason lay than the
fatherhood of God and the father
hood of man. After the delivery
of a most eloquent and touching Grafton
on the principal tenets OF the order,
love, fraternity, benevolence and the
like, the orator concluded as follows:
"In recognition of these principles
and teachings your noble men, devoted
women and happy children have
brought hither your gifts to gladden.
the hearts OF those who may live here
in the sunshine of your own happy
lives. comforted with the comfort ye
yourselves have received. What
blessed economy this of money, of
material, of things beautiful and costly
made by willing hands; economy of
faith, prayer and hope. What glad
conservation here today and always of
the gifts which you have received. l
say always, for l need not assure you
that this home built and so elegantly
equipped for its good work has only
enlarged your horizon of usefulness.
This Is only beginning OF generous
gifts that will continue to be conse-
Grated to this noble purpose; this dede-
cation is only beginning of dedeca-
tons that will be made to meet every de-
mand and supply every want. Dedica-
tons by large souled men and kind and
generous women. Men and women,
too, whose very birth was an initiation
into all the sacred rites and ceremonies
Of an uuiveral brotherhood. Masons,
these rullng and weighing In our hearts
and in all good works by the divine
right of kings and queens to the manor
born. Saall not the ides of every
November, as the past November, see
the wise hearted mothers. faithful
wives and devoted daughters of TINS
state weaving With their hands cOntrl-
buttons to this mlnistering angels
work? Shall We not again and again
see the Jealous brethren by a iair and
with the fair bringing hither more than
enough TO supply our home. Let every
brother give what his heat finds TO give
and do what his hand may find to do
TO minister to the comfort and peace
of all who may enter here.
King Dayid's noblest psalm of
Thanksgiving was sung because of the
restoration OF the Ark to Its own place
in the tabernacle, and the restoration
of the homeless to happy peaceful
homes. And as with thousands and
tens OF thousands with trumpets and
cynibals and harp he ascended the hills
of Zion with heart and voice they sang,
praises unto his name for ne is father
of the fatheriess and a Judge of the
widow in MS holy hab.tAtion. He
setteth the solitary in families. He
maketh men To be one mind IN a house.
Shall not tins be our song of thanks
giving today As the ark of the lsrael-
ties Was the sacred repository of the
urS1n Of thtrua
the most valuable. so herein we this
day deposit for safe-keeping our coven-
ant with God and mau-a covenant TO
which every brother is party. His
promise ls that He will be Father to
the fatheriess and a Friend to the
friendIess; our promise Is that we will
bear one another's burdens and so full
fill the law.
family. In this home may lie make
us ali of one mind.
As We this day dedicate this home to
its noble purposes, let US not forget
that, for Masons, the word dedication
means giving n the supreme Architect
the noblsst and best they can build.
As henceforth We kneel around our
affairs, let rs remember that the word
altar means a place where gifts are
gwen, and shali not this gift placed ss
IL has been upon every one of the 3e3
affairs IN this grand jurisdiction, shall
not this gift be a reconsecratiou Of our
every altar Shall Il not give 20 our
every syrneoi new besuty, 70 our
every word new meanlng. 70 oar
avery deed new lfer And 81 around
our affairs ~ith hand joined hand N
hand, and heart "a heart, We pray our
Father, snail nos these words inspire n
us anew. more corsecrztef devotion