Daily camera., 1897-12-16
A GREAT CAVERN LODGE
Arizona Masons Meet In . Mann
moth Cavo.
Return to the First Principles of tn Q
Ancient Order as EIeADA-
RoA At SoiOnoA's
Temple.

In the written lore of masonry is told
that the order had, its birth in the cave
quarries beneath Mourt Lebanon, where
the workmen of SolCmoE,s temple gath
cred at night and bound themselves
brotherhood, united in the triple cause
of mutual protection, learning and
truth. LII the earlier days Of the guild.
through the persecution that ever is
allotted cult that is new, the caves
of Syria were the lodge rooms. But
the days when masonry was deemed
allied to the black arts are past, and
not for centuries have the craftsmen
of the order been compelled to hide
their lodges like the foxes.
In Arizona there is return to first
principles for the annual sessions OF
the grand lodges OF the territory will
be held in a cavern. Not in a dismal
quarry. rough strewn with the products
of the chisel and mallet, but in temple
of surprising beauty, a direct gift from
the supreme master, unmarried by touch
of human workman. Large it is as the
largest lodge room. with futed ard fres-
coed roof. with wondrous columns and
pillars, such as mortal could never hew,
the walls the spotless white OF purity,
with here and there stripe of the blue
of the earth. At the masters right hand
nature has placed pedestal of Dreamy
white, that will ring like a bell under
his gavel. On either side the dais are
snowy curtains of purest lime, through
which. the lights will shine, only mel
lowed by the barrier. Though the lodge
room is 300 feet below the surface. II
yet will be reached from below; and
well guarded it may be, for the ap-
proach for rods is by narrow tunnel
Then the way leads up a short shaft
and through portal broken in the cav
ern's side.
At the back, beyond the masters sta
ton. is another gateway, but one that
only adds to the mystic influence of the
place. Outlet it is, yet no man knoweth
whittier it leads. Though the cavern's
air is sweet and pure, no draft comes
from the Stygian pit. No man has ever
been lowered into its mouth, and Ian
terms swung down show nothing be-
vOnd the narrow slit. six feet in width.
of unknown length and depth. Stones
thrown within are never heard to strike
the bottom. Such is the rearward boun-
dairy of the lodge room.
The location is at Bisbee, one of the
most unromantic of mining towns. set
in a gorge of the Mule mountains, in the
southeastern part of Arizona. Down
the narrow valley the shanties strag9le
in the usual nervedistracting way. At
the head are the great smelling fur
naces. surrounded by the growing
mountains of Stag. Below this lies the
lodge room: down a shaft. along drift
and up an "upraisc," where stoiid Cor
nish miners broke through the side of
the chamber. The room is approximate
Iy an acre in area and 90 feet in height
Under foot the white floor is almost
level. Overhead the dripping of line
water long ago drained has left the most
curious tracery, much as though. it has
been remarked, the cavern were in an
iceberg and not in coarscr Garth.
The management Of the Copper Queen
is not in the mining business for sent!-
meGt. That the cave has not been dis
turbed is probably owing to the fact
that the copper deposits cease in the
surrounding lime rock. So work has
been prosecuted elsewhere in the 60
miles of drifts and shafts that honey
comb the earth to the depth of SEQ feet.
Yet the manager of the mine, the senior
of the noted Williams brothers. is not
a man devoid of sensibllity of fitness.
He is. withal, a mason. He has offered
the cavern for the grand lodge sessions,
and perhaps the only modern depar-
ture will be to brilliantly light it by
electricity.-St. Louis Globe-Democrat
. co,,r occ TOD ,I,yIN%