The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1895-01-11
LlVREL'S MASONIC HALL.

! Monday night. in the presence of the
members of Laurel Wreath Lodge and Il
/ large number of visiting brethren. f.. :.
Gray, W. NJ, presided, and the dcdicatory
! services were performed by Grand InSpcc-
tor ID. NJ. Fisher, in the absence of Grand
! Master Thomas J. Shrvock. Mr.. G. II.
| Stanley delivered the dcdicatorv addic>s.
! After the ceremonies were concluded Il
supper was given to the visitors. Rev.
James Ncols was POSTMASTER, and follow
ing are toaSts and the speakers: "Our
Guests" DR.. !. +. Billiard: Our Hall,
p. p. Castle; Our Departed Brethren,
drank in silence: "Our Present Brethren,
J. r. Wheeler; The Ladies' Rev. l.. \.
Thirlkeld: "Our Grand Master" Rev. J.
Nicols Music was furnished by the Laurel
Military Band The hall is Il handsome
two-sturv building of brick with trim
mings of woodwork finished in oil. The
upper story contains anteroomS and the
lonye-room handsomely furnished, while
| the first floor will be used as a public hall
to which is attacheda large. and conveniet
kitchen.
| The building committee consisted of d.
VI. Fisher, p. p Castle, DR.. J. +. Billiard,
| c. H. Stanley and F. NJ. Baker. Among
the visitors were the following from Bal
timorc c. II. Schnihlc, of Warren Lodge:
Joseph Mckay, of Corinthian No 9:;: Will
Browning, of Washington, No |; George
| W. Brashcars, Hiram No 10.; y. VI.
Lecklidcr Corinthians: Philip kicl, st.
Johns No. "a: J. W. Pugslcy and J. F.
| Dean. There were also many present
| from the surrounding counties and from
| Washington, ID. c. The building is a
credit to Laurel and to Laurel Masonry.
| MeSsrs Ellis Il Nicholson were the archi-
tcctS and builders
| MIR, STANLEY'S ADDRESS,
For the first time in its history of near
| " thirty wears Laurel Wreath Lodge has
| a hall of its own and can at last rest under
| its own fig tree. | feel | can congratulate
| the Lodge and we can congratulate our
selves that this event has to a great extent
been brought about by the energy, deter
mination and habits of frugalitv in the
saving of the little funds which for years
the Lodge has been able by prudent man
agement to save up. The older members
of this Lodge (many of whom have passed
to the ''all perfect. glorious and celestial
| lodge above)" are entitled to greater credit
| than we younger maSons, for it is fact
that almost from its infancy, in its earliest
| days, every dollar over and above its act
ual expenses under the most careful man
| agement. invested in the Building
| Association as a saving institution; the
| first Treasurer of this Lodge, brothcrJohn
| ID. Latchford. who was the Treasurer for
| some wears after became Il member and
who is among those who have been called
| to the lodge above, regularly and carefully
| invested every cent over and above the
| actual expenses of the lodge. and | well
| remember how each succeeding" treasurer,
| brother Thomas l.. Fairall brother Nc
| Clellan and others also carefully guarded
| the little savings and that all the older
members notably among them brother y.
NJ. DeWilton Snowdcn, for a long time
| Secretary of this lodge, as regularly as
| clock work offered the resolutions for the
| careful investment of our little funds and
| that fund formed by the savings from the
small pittanccs paid by members was reg
ularly invested, grew steadily. if slowly.
| and was Zealouslv guarded until the
younger blood in the Lodge, with the fer
vor and confidence which youth inspires.
| advocated the building of lodge, for IA
| long time against the odds of older and
more mature judgment, until the ardor of
youth overcame, as it were. the caution of
| age and to-night we come here to dedi-
cate this Hall and the future home of
| Laurel Wreath Lodge.
Let us congratulate ourselves that our
| fond hopes have been realized, and let
us realize that it is the home so to speak
of our Lodge.
We are told that by operative
| masonry we alude to a proper APP
| plication of the useful rules of archi-
lecture whence a structure will derive
| figure. strength and beauty and whence
will result a due proportion and Just cor
| respondence in all its parts" What. there
fore, can be more appropriate for a ma
sonic lodge than to demonstrate its opera
| tive masonry in the construction of hall
which is credit to our town. an honor to
! the order, and reminder to the world
around Us that masonry 5 neither dead
nor sleeping. This is the outside appear
| ance; this is the impress the building
i makes on the outside world, but my broth
erS let us not forget the speculative side
by which we learn to Subdue the passions
act upon the square, keep tongue of
good report, maintain secrecy and prac-
| ticc charity Let us remember that this
goOdly building, in its fair outward APP
pearance, showing the perfect work of
the operative mason, is to be reminder
to us, that our lives and conduct must be
in keeping with that outward appearance
that if we fail to Subdue our passions act
upon the square or practice charity We
cease to be an honor to our order. Il credit
| to the community in which we live and
the world around us will belive that the
true principles of masonry are dead or
sleeping.
We to-day dedicate this building with
masonic ceremonies. not as an idle thing
not as a pretty ceremony, but we dedicate
it to maSonry-wc dedicate it to viz
tue and to universal benevolence to
remind us and to emphasize the fact
that we do so dedicate it because that TEN
pie built by King solomon. our first Most
Excellent Grand Master centuries AFRO.
under the guidance of til" Great Architect
of the universe, was dedicated to Jeho-
yah, that building which King David wish
ed to build, hut was not permitted to and
was the first temple erected for the wor-
ship of Almighty God
This building like King Solomon'S
temple is laid upon Il corner stone. at the
laying OF that corner stone il was declared
well formed true and trusty. Let us
as maSon> tell men that the corner stone
of masonry is that on which is huildcd
up the Word of God with faith in Him. the
highest of all beliefs: on this faith every
good man lives and maintains his charac-
ter; this building. raising its head toward
Heaven rests on its foundation and its
corner stone: without the well. formed tru"
and tr1lSty foundation this building could
not stand and so without faith in God.
no man can stand and walk erect before
his fellow man
This building has also been tried
and proven by the plumb, the level
and the square and is found true and
truSty, the craftsmen have well per
formed their duty" and it will stand for
generations to come. erect firm and solid,
looking up to Heaven monument to
those whose energy. enterprise and in
duStry have erected it for the good of
this lodge and let us hope for the good of
the entire community. And in consider
ing this let us not again forget the specu-
latiVc side to Suhdue the passions. act
upon the square and practise charity" let
us remember that masonry cmhOdicS the