The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-11-28

! the heat and confinement became almost
| insuppOrtable, and to spend an evening
| in the lodge room had become an ordeal
/ that some OF the brethren did not dare
/ TO face; and II was finally determined to
+; buy lot and build, even at the risk OF
| shouldering a heavy debt. As a conse-
! queDce, the corner stone OF our hall, at
! the corner Of Fort and Queen streets,
was laid on January 4th, 1879, just
! twenty-seven years after cur organiza-
/ ton, and the hall on the second floor
/ was dedicate to Masonic purposes on
| the Goth of September OF that year. In
! those days the location was considered
/ central; but, as the city grew and spread
| to the east, west and north, the brethren
( living mostly in the suburbs began to
realize the fact that the location OF the
! lodge was not as desirable as could be
| wished. Then again there were other
| draw backs. There was but little in the
! outer appearance of the building to iden-
| tify it as Masonic Temple and it
seemed to be getting swamped in the
/ noisy waves OF commerce that surged
around it. With the rapid increase OF
| traffic in that growing commercial centre,
! it's locality on the leeward corner OF two
! busy streets, made its upper hall target
| for clouds of dust swept upon it by the
! trade winds, and slowly, but surely, the
conviction forced itself upon the brethren
| that a change should be made for the
| better. And when fair offer was made
| for our building, the time seemed to ar
/ rive when we should wisely make that
| change, and, prohting by past expe-
| rence, it was determined to weigh well
/ all the advantages TO be gained by care
! full selection OF locality, style of architec-
| ture aud internal adaptability. Com
! mittees were appointed to attend to these
various matters in detail. Their reports
were considered with due deliberation,
| and operative az well as speculative
masonry became matter of appropriate
| lodge work. Its results are before US.
! To the masonic eye, our temple stands
as a typical structure, illustrating both
! operative and speculative masonry. The
rough ashlar, as taken from its Hawai-
| ian quarry, has been carefully selected;
! it has been dressed and tried by the
! square, and with cunning hand, by
aid OF level and plumb, each block
has been fitted to its place; and
agreeably to Masonic usage, "the in
ternal qualifications are such as recon-
mend themselves to TreemaSonry," and
we find ourselves established in home
of combined strength and beauty" and
which we trust may endure for ages as
the Temple of our Order in these islands.
Dub IOIIu WIN ilHSCi VIC
hall we have just deserted. For more
than fourteen years it has been the scene
of frequent gatherings in the interests of
our Order. At the result Of these years of
fraternal work, this lodge has cause for
great congratulation. In that hall many
Of our members first beheld the Light
of Masonry" All have since been well
tried and have mostly been found worthy
to be classed as perfect ashlars. Nor
n,k lot Of
willing hearts and hands; the calls to
refresbment, where the lessons of tenn
perance, prudence and goodfellowship
were equally exemplitied; the welcome
faces and kindly greetings OF men from
every nation and every cline, but all
belonging to the great Mystic Brother
hood. But though the great lights"
may no longer illuminate its support
ing column" though the masters hand
may never again trace designs upon
the trestle board within its precincts,
and "the sound of the gavel" may be
heard within its walls no more, forever!
No matter to what uses it may be de-
voted in the coming years, it will ever be
held in fond remembrance for the sake
of the days that are past. After years OF
occupancy CT some spot known by the
endearing name of "home," has it ever
occurred, that, having changed your
abiding place, you find yourself in an
absent-minded manner, wandering back
along the old pathway, through we'll
remembered haunts, recalling old faces
and then awakening suddenly to the
realization that these are no longer your
paths, and this is no longer home? Did
you ever return to some such spot after
all the decorations and furniture had
been removed, and looking upon its bare
wal S, its dusty carpetless floors and va
cant surroundings, ponder DER the
change? In some such mood l stood
but few days ago in that old hall and
held communion with the past, and
Fond mem'ry brought the light
OF other days around me.
1 recalled the faces and could in i'm
agination hear the voices of many who
were once familiar within those walls,
but who, before our final moving had
gone forth, never to return. And as the
echoes of those voices seemed to die
away and those forms to fade how truly
l felt like one who trod alone,
Some banquet hall deserted.
Whose joys were fled, whose garlands dead,
And all but me departed.
Let us bury the past. And now in the
universal name of Freemasonry we cor
daily greet the friends who have hon
ored us by sheir presence upon this i'm
pressive and joyous occasion. We are
proud TO welcome you TO our beautiful
Temple. While the grand bodies of our
Order, in older and greater countries,
have, with the advancement of the COM
munity in which they have existed,
found it necessary or convenient to build
anew temple for their united lodges,
yet it is not often the privilege of an
individual lodge to build for second time |
temple OF its own. We are proud that this |
with our Mid-Ocean Lodge of Hawaii. |
is the accomplished fact which We have !
this night assembled to celebrate. And |
more than all we are proud of our sue
cess in erecting so beautiful and durable |
a landmark for our Order. For an insti- |
tuition that has for its foundation the |
practice OF the social and moral virtues. |
For an institution at whose portals all |
distinctions among men cease. For an |
order whose credit has attained so high |
an eminence, that in every age and |
country men pre-eminent for their moral |
and intellectual attainments have en-
couraged and promoted its interests. So |
that the highest in the land and the |
brother who earns his daily bread by |
the sweat OF his brow meet within its |
temple on a common level. There can
be but little doubt that the value of |
organization made manifest to the stu !