The herald., 1896-02-23

that order that we all love, and revere and
believe in, and we bid him welcome on this
occasion and ask him to proceed with the
ceremony of laying the corner stone. And,
right worshipful SIT, desire on behalf of
the Masonic Temple association, and all
the Masons of Los Angeles, to present you
| with the implement of your office. Breth-
rem and neighbors and fellow citizens, the
right worshipful grand master of Ma
| sons of California"
In ending Mr.. Lindley handed to Grand
Master Edward Myers Preston, of Nevada
City, a silver trowei inscribed:
"Presented to Edward Preston, grand
master +. and A. NJ, on the occas-
ion of the laying of the corner stone of the
Masonic temple at Los Angeles, CAL, Feb
ruary %, 1896"
The above emblem was in the nature of
gift to the grand master as memento of
the occasion.
ADDRESS or THE GRAND MASTER
Mr.. Preston, after the applause which
greeted his appearance had subsidized, said:
"Mr. President, Ladies', Brethren and
Fellow Citizens I'm behalf of the Grand
Lodge of Masons of the state of California,
wish to say that we, as its grand officers,
feel highly honored and highly gratified at
this grand demonstration upon this, ma
tional holiday, and upon the occasion of
| laying the cornerstone of 30 important a
| structure as temple for the home of Ma
sons of this grand, this beautiful, this
progressive city Of Los Angeles, wish to
say to you that personally feel it a great
honor to be present upon this occasion.
and feel most highly gratified that shall
have SO pleasant memento of the occa-
sion of our visit to Los Angeles.
1--WE, as grand officers of the grand
lodge, have been most royalty treated and
most royalty entertained, and we have
found our brethren in the southern portion
Of our jurisdiction to be all that they have
been represented to be for hospitality, for
kindness, for progressiveness in their spirit,
for enterprise, and for good taste.
1--WE, as Masons, are about to erect here
a temple, that shall be not only home for
the Masonic fraternity, but shall be an
honor and credit to your city. 1t will
stand as q monument of the generosity
and progressive spirit of the brethren of
Los Angeles, for l am informed that before
this corner stone is laid today, every dollar
that is necessary for the erection, the COM
pletion and the equipment of this beautiful
Masonic temple has already been paid
into the treasury, and all they have to do
is to foot the bills as the building pro-
crosses in its construction. AS Masons. as
members of the grand lodge OF California,
it is highly approprite that we should as
semble upon this occasion, and that we
should, with the solemn ceremonies of the
craft, proceed to lay the corner stone, the
northeast corner. upon which this future
| superstructure ls to be erected.
From time immemorial it has been the
custom of Free and Accepted Masons to
gather upon an occasion of this kind and
perform the ceremonies in ncommemoration
of the traditional history of our order,
which traces back the history of our order
to the operative days of Masons-when
they were not speculative but operative,
banded together for the purpose of erect
ing architectural structures which should
be monuments to future generations,
which should be ornaments to the cities
and countries in which they we're erected,
and should stand as perpetual monuments
of the skill of the craft. And while we to-
day are no longer operative Masons, while
we are merely speculative Masons, yet,
my friends and brethren, it is our ambi-
ton to erect a moral and spiritual struc-
ture that shall emulate in its harmony of
proportions, in its beauty of structure, in
its bereficent influences upon humanity,
now grace the old world, and which stand
| today as monuments of the Masonic art,
as monuments to the skill OF the Masonic
fraternity. All over Europe, through
England, in London, everywhere you may
find the monuments of our fraternity
erected in substantial and beautifully orna-
mental structures but all over the world,
| without distinction OF religion, race or
color, you may find this moral and this
spiritual structure of Free Masonry, for we
have ample proof that our order is univer-
sal; that it recognizes one God, one Creator
of the universe; and that as common chill
dren of this one Parent, we bow at His
throne and all submit to His law. That Is
Masonic law; that is Masonic religion; that
| Is the moral ethics of the order which we
today represent as a speculative fraternity.
II wish to say, personally, that it affords
me great pleasure to be with you upon this
| occasion. 1t is very gratifying to see this
large and attentive assembly, and it is still
more gratifying to knov and to feel that
YOU are assembled here as friends, il not as
members of the Masonic fraternity, which
we represent here today. And we bid you
a most cordial welcome to the exercises. |
wish to take occasion at this time to thank
| one and all who have shown us courtesies,
aud TO say to you all that when we depart
from these sunny and beautiful climes,
| from these orange groves to our northern
homes, we will carry with us only pleasant
recoIIections of the sunny skies, of beauti-
| f,,l scenery, of kind treatment, and all
the other favors which have been shown to
us on this OCCASION.
"With this, my friends, we will now pro-
ceed with the regular ceremonies of our
! order.' (Applause)
Then followed the reading of the Masonic
ritual for such occasions made and pro-
vided. after which Judge j. d. Bicknell,
who had been chosen as the orator of the
| day, made his way to the front of the plat
form. His address was in full as follows:
JUDGE BrcKNELLs ADDRESS
Worshiptul Grand Master and Brethren,
| Ladies' and Gentlemen Usually apologies