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

VIZ - Shi4NA .'i SlOLCl 24GlNA IL JIACt A4Ahb
the services had begun, Grand
Architect Ripley announced the
completion of the building and re-
turned the symbolic working tools
to the Grand Master. Deputy
Grand Master Porter requested, in
behalf Of the brethren, that the
ceremony of dedication proceed.
Grand Marshal J. A. King then
formed the procession of Grand
Officers on the north side of the
lodge, facing the east. While the
Grand Officers marched around
the hall the choir sang the dedica-
ton hymn.
After the conservation prayer by
Chaplain Alex. Macintosh, the
Grand Master performed the cere-
monies Of conservation with corn,
wine and oil. The choir then sang
another hymn, the emblem of the
lodge was recovered, and the
Grand Marshal announced that
the hall was dedicated according
to the usages of Free Masonry.
The Grand Master then intro
duced the Grand Orator Of the
evening, Mr.. J. A. Hassinger. He
spoke as follows:
MOST WORsHIPFUL GRAND MASTER,
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, BRETHREN:
There are times in the lives OF institu
tons, az well as of individuals, when
having attained the fruition of great
desire, the pleasure of possession brings
to the heart a joy that seems beyond
measure. In the life OF Hawaiian Lodge
of Free and Accepted Masons, this is an
occasion which may we'll be marked as
a red letter day. Called into being as a
Masonic body under dispensation from
the Grand L. dye of California forty-one
years ago on the 18th day of January
last, in a city whose foreign-born inhabi-
tants were SO few in number that you
could call most of it's families by name
and by number, and chartered May the
9Th of the same year, with an original
membership of eleven, it has grown and
steadily prospered in the city of its birth,
and now ranks as solid institution in a
prosperous city OF % ,0O0 inhabitants and
having today membership of 100,
whilst sister lodge, working under the
Grand Orient of France, is also In
prosperous condition with membership
of 43. This would seem a fitting moment
for brief glance at the history OF the
past, even at the risk of being tedious,
and my plea will be that our Order,
whose legends are mostly unwritten,
should avail itself of occasional oppor-
tunities to preserve the record OF such
landmarks as are not strictly required to
be stored in memory. AS en- isolated
offspring of the Grand Lodge of Cali
fornia, Hawaiian Lodge has since its
baptism, aud during all its earlier years,
had numerous battles with adversely.
But the materials of its foundation "were
good men and true" Faithful to the
first principles of Freemasonry and
cheerfully bearing the cheat and burthen
OF the day." they faltered not in their
determination to establish and maintain
this outpost of their Order and firmly
weld the link between the Occident and
the Orient, which would complete the
Masonic Circle of the Globe. In view OF
the peculiar situation in the days prior
to steam communication, our lodge was
for all purposes OF intercourse fully twice
the distance from the parent Grand
Lodge that it is in these days OF frequent
and rapid transit. Honolulu was then
the rendezvous OF the great whaling fleet
from the eastern coast OF the United
States, with fair sprinkling of German,
English. and an occasional French
were visit. ng brethren of many national
tiles. and though the lodge welcomed
many travelling Masons, little or no adj
dition was made to its membership.
But the calls for Masonic relief were fire.
quent and at times embarrassing.
Doubtless some of the older brethren
may remember instances where the
"Ioaf was divided" in those days and
the giver was left nearly, If not quite, as
poor as the receiver. But, thanks TO the
efforts and determination Of its earlier
members, the lodge tided safely over the
shoals, the link remained unbroken and
was slowly but surely strengthened.
MANY of these brethren OF the early days
remained in our community and MEM
bership. faithful to the tenets OF the
brotherhood they loved so well, until,
their labor well and truly done, they
were called TO their rest and reward in
the Higher Lodge, and fraternal hands
laid them all reverently beneath the sod
OF the valley. Their chairs are vacant,
but the names of Wyllie, Andrews, Cart
wright, Poor. Thurston, Wond, Dur
ham and Barlow, will remain in
the memory of Hawaiian Lodge as long
as its name and temple shall endure.
From the earlier fifties until September,
1879, the lodge held its meetings In the !
third story of what is known as the !
Alake6 BLOCK, aI the COIHST Vi queen anu
Kaahumanu streets. To enter the lodge
one had TO CLIMB the narrow stairway
from Queen street, between GrInbaum's /
store and Hoffman's drug store at the |
corner. Arrived at the third floor, it
was necessary to pass through large |
store room piled with bales and cases of
dry goods, coils of rope, plows, kegs OF
nails, and every conceivable description !
of merchandise. Prior to the days OF /
kerosene, the lodge and its approaches |
were Illuminated Of that term may be !
used) by whale oil lanterns and candles, |
consequently it required careful naviga- |
ton at times when the storage had been /
shifted, to arrive safely within the pre-
cincts of the lodge. From the early days !
a building fund had been slowly accu- |
mulating, and the brethren looked hope
fully forward to the erection OF a build
ing OF their own. But the fund, though |
aided from time to time by contributions
from abroad, grew SO slowly that they |
had full experience of that old adage, !
" Hope deferred maketh the heart sick"
As the lodge increased in membership,