Bridgeton pioneer., 1892-06-30
LAYING THE CORNER STONE.
A Masonic Day fn the CITY of
Camden.

/ Friday was red lett er day for
the Masoaic fraternity of the city of
Camdep,the occasion being the laying
OF the corner stone OF the new Masonic
Temple on Market street,nea Fourth,
which was participated in by the
mem bers CT the Grand Lodge of the
State and about 1900 members of the
order in the city, together with visit
ing Masons.
The ceremony of laying the stone
was witnessed by about 5000 people,
who crowded the floors of the building
which had been temporarily arranged.
Trimble Lodge, No. 1T, located at
Third and Market streets, kept "open
house" for all Masons not coming into
town with lodges.
AT 2 o'clock the Grand Lodge con-
vened in the rooms of Camden Lodge,
No. 15, when The Lodge was opened
by Thomas w. Tilden,G M. of Masons
of New Jersey, with the following off.
GERS present: r. w. Deputy, Grand
Master James FL. Dunard, r. W.,
Senior Grand Warden Charles Belcher,
r. w., Junior Grand Warden Albert
f. Randolph, r. w, Grand Treasurer
Charles Betchel, r. W., Grand Secre-
tary Thomas II. r. Redway, r. W.,
Deputy Grand Secretary William D.
Rutan, r. W., Grand Chaplain, Rev.
Edward Dillon; R. W. Grand Instruc-
tor, Henry s. Haines; W,Senior Grand
Deacon, Albert D. Winfield; W. Junior
Grand Deacon, Edwin W. Hine; W.
Grand Marshal, John A. Parker; w.
Senior Grand Steward, Henry A,
Hodges; W. Acting Grand Sword
Bearer, Charles F. Hollingshead; W.
Grand Pursuivant, Louis 9. Gillespie:
W. Grand Tyler, Luther L. Skillman.
| The exercises were commenced by
r. W. Ct. M. Thomas w. Tilden, who
made few remarks at the conclusion
OF which an ode was sung, and Rev
+. Dillon, r, W. G.. Chaplain, offered
prayer, which was followed with an
ode by the Mozart Quartette.
During the singing the documents
and articles selected were deposited in
the cornerstone, @as follows: Annual
report of IA. W. Grand Lodge of New
Jersey, copy of bylaws, edicts, etc., of
the same, copy of the minutes of the
first meeting of the representatives of
the Masonic bodies of Camden, from
which originated the Masonic Temple
Association, copy of the Philadelphia
keystone, Masonic republication;
copies of bylaws etc., of the Masonic
bodies of Camden; list of officers of
Masonic Temple Association, histori-
cal records of the Camden Masonic
bodies, copies the of daily papers and a
copy OF the souvenir programme.
After these were desposited in the
copper box it was lowered in the stone
and architects then presented the
working tools to the M. w. Grand
Master, who handed them to the
Senior and Junior Grand Wardens.
These officials examined and proved
the stone and reported that the ''chief
stone of the corner was square,
''level'' and plumb" Upon hearing
and confirming this report Grand
Master Tilden spread cement over the
stone, the covering stones were fixed
in place, and the declaration was made
by the M. w. Grand Master that the
stone had been correctly laid accord
ing to the rules of the ancient craft.
A golden vessel OF corn and silver,
vessels of wine and oil, were presented
tc the Most Worthy Grand Master,
who poured the contents upon the
stone.
Invocation was then made, and the
grand honors given under the direc-
tion OF the Grand Marshal After this
the implements of architecture were
formally delivered to the architect by
the Grand Master, who entrusted him
with the superlntendence of the work
of building the Temple.
After this ceremony the Grand
Lodge officers then retired to the plat
form. when an address was delivered
by Past Master Jos. H. Gaskill, of Mt.
Holly Lodge, who spoke on the sig.
nificance of the laying of the corner
stone and the festivals of st. John.
Addresses were also made by n. w.
Jos. w. Congdon, Past Grand Master
of New jersey, and Past Grand Master
Robert M. Moore, of New Jersey. at
the conclusion of which all joined in
the ode: "Blest be the tie that binds."
The Benediction was pronounced by
the Grand Chaplain.
The Grand Lodge, with number of
invited guests, then proceeded to Nor
gan's Hall, where banquet was Civ
en-, and at which the following toasts
were responded to:
Most Wor shipful Grand Lodge of
New jersey" Grand Master Thomas
w. Tilden; Right Worshipful Grand
Lodge OF Pennsylvania" District
Deputy Grand Master of Pennsylvania;
THE Craft" r. w. Deputy Grand
Master James H. Durand; "Our
Temple" Hon. George Pfeiffer, Jr.;