Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1897-06-13
THE SECRET ORDERS.
MASONRY


direction Of Worshipful Master Hatch.
On Tuesday evening Bates Lodge
No. SO held its meeting for the month
of June and had large gathering of
the fraternity present. The officers
lately elected, which were reported in
last Sundays Register, for the ensuing
Masonic year, were installed into Off
ce by Past Grand Master o. S. Long,
assisted by Past Grand Master Robert
White as Grand Chaplain, and Past
Master Z. c. Schoen, as Grand Marshal.
Every part of the ceremony was i'm
pressively rendered, and greatly en-
Joyed by the brethren who were priv
ileged TO be there. Later in the even
ing the Fellow Craft degree was cor
rectly worked on a candidate, and af-
ter the Master Lodge was closed all
repaired to Bro. Ziegenfelder's where
they were entertained royalty by the
newly installed Worshipful Master,
with choice refreshments.
On Thursday evening Nelson Lodge
No. 80 held its regular monthly meet
ing with large gathering of its men,
bers and visiting brethren present.
Although there were no candidates
there to receive degrees on this occa-
sion. yet it was a very interesting
meeting for the brethren, especially as
TO the remarks brought forth from a
subject introduced by Bro. White, rela-
tive to the duties Of the brotherhood
in their attendance on the burial of
members of the fraternity. We trust
10 will ho IN
brethren that they may be enabled to
see clearly their duties and then act
accordingly.
We are only apprised of one meeting
being held by the Masonic bodies this
week, and that will be on Monday ev-
ening, when Wheeling Union Chapter
No will meet in annual meeting for
the election and installation of officers
and the payment of dues. The Secre-
tary will be at the lodge room at Z
o'clock to gather in the latter
On last Wednesday we had visit
from James Luke, Jr., d. d. Grand
Master, First district, who was return
ing home from an official visit to
Bethany Lodge and who with the as
sistance of the brethren there, and
Brothers Mcdonald, Prosser and
Smith, Of New Cumberland Lodge,
raised one candidate to the Master Ma
son degree. Bro. Luke reports he was
royalty entertained by the Bethany
brethren, and enjoyed the drive
through the country muchly. Only
three more lodges he must visit to
complete his work, West Liberty,
Moundsville and Cameron.
We were in hopes arrangements
might be made for a joint mass meet
ing of the brethren to be held in the
Temple during the stay of our worthy
brother Past Grand Master o. S. Long
and that he would have opportunity to
deliver a lecture on some Of the SYM
bols of Masonry, but on account of the
attractions at home and abroad to take
the attention of the brethren, it was
thought best to defer the request to
some time in the future, when we trust
there will be full turnout of the fra
ternity.
One week from Thursday is st. Johns
day, which was royal day of all 9TH
ers in the year in times gone by, and
one yearly observed by the older breth-
rem of Wheeling cen from the year
1915, when Ohio Lodge was chartered,
as we'll as after Wheeling Lodge began
her work in 1922, and the reason for the
discontinuance of its observance we
could never find out, but suppose it was
from the lack of Masonic interest by
the brotherhood. When we read the
early history of Ohio Lodge we enjoy
oh ha int 20
brethren took in observing that day
not only by walking in procession, but
attending a sermon or Grafton in the
court house or church and the feast for
the inner man which followed and was
usually partaken of at the noon hour
We present a bit of that history, and
find in it that the first celebration in
Wheeling was by Ohio Lodge No. 101
(now No. y June oath, 1915; that pro-
cession was formed early in the fore
noon by the brethren, who marched to
the court house Ghen located where the
approach of the suspension bridge Isl
where a sermon was preached by Rev.
Bro. Joseph Dodridge. On December
81, 1916 it again says that procession
was formed by the brethren, who went
to the court house, where the officers
were publicly installed and the Rev.
Bro. Christopher Fey preached a SER
mon for them. On December q, 1917,
the officers were again publicly install
ed in the court house, and the Rev.
Bro. Fey preached a sermon, after
which they marched to Bro Garrison
Jones' inn, where they dined together.
Such was the rule of our elder hreth-
rem year after year, until it ceased al
together. that st Johns day was cele-
brated, and which became more inter-
esting after the year 1922, when Wheel
ing Lodge No. 1913 (now No. 81 was
chartered. for after that year Wheeling
Lodge was Joined by the brethren of
Ohio Lodge in the celebration Of June
"a. and Ohio was joined by the
brethren of Wheeling Lodge in the
celebration of December 9th. and
those DAYS Of their patron saints were
annually observed. Those days were
revered by our ancient brethren or
Wheeling. and were known as Masonic
HOLIDAYS. on which the brethren met,
walked together. attended in a body
either TO listen to a sermon or an ora
ton, and then dined together. Thus
were the brethren in days past cement
in bonds of brotherly love, and did
not only meet and sit together to feed
the inner man. but to mingle for OPP
portunities of becoming the better ac-
ouainted to keep the fasts Of those
two saints who were parallels of their
profession. because mere form was not
then thought of, but to have oppor-
tunitv of listening to discourses and
orators that would elevate the stand
ard of their morals and teach them
more fully how they could best serve
Cod in Whom they trusted. Brethren