Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1897-09-30
Masonic Temple.
Continued from Page !.

every brother that he should be a dis
ciple of it. 1t seeks to pass man from
darkness into light and raise him to a
higher plain of life. 1t teaches that in
telligence is one of the great corner
stones of character. This, then, is to
be a temple of intellectual culture.
"Masonry teaches hat man should
not only be true to himself, but also to
his fellowman. 1t teaches a to be
truthful, honest and upright in all his
dealings with his fellows, to be indus
trious, pure and temperate in his own
habits. Hence, this is to be a temple
of morality.
But it is not enough that the mem
bers of the brotherhood be social, cul-
tured and moral. Every member should
be devout AMI religious. He should be
a man Of pa! ef, a student of the Bible
aud one who seeks to live its teachings.
He should seek TO cooperate with God
in the extension of the kingdom of
righteousness. This, then, is to be a
temple of spirituality.
Masonry teaches man TO sympathize
with the poor, the unfortunate and the
distressed. 1t takes the man who has
faced the foes of life and who has been
SCARED and torn on the battle fields of
adversely, aiiiiction and misfortune it
takes him by the hand and calls him
by the tender name of brother. 1t puts
about him the arms of sympathy,
cheers him and inspires him with the
hope of a great future. 1t brings com
fort and consolation to the orphan and
the widow. This, then, is to be a tenn
pie of philanthropy and brotherly love.
Masonry teaches man not only to
love his home and his fellow man, but
also to love bis country. No man can
be a true Mason and a bad citizen, or
false to his country for the sake of pri-
vate gain. The Masonic love of coun-
try does not consist in hating other
countries. 1t is above sectionalism and
cludes pc ople of all races, nationalities
and climes. 1t is elective yet cosmopol-
it an and democratic. 1t is the friend
OF. liberty and the foe of oppression and
d spotism. Hence this temple is to be
tn e home of the best citizenship and
tn e widest patriotism.
"Masons, like all the rest of sensible
m ankind, believe in elevating woman
kind. They are men who believe in
" oman's rights, her right to think and
act, her right to be a helpmeet and
st and shoulder TO shoulder with man
in the battle of life. Her right to keep
alive home and love and heaven upon
tn e earth. The Mason who is not true
to woman, who is not her supporter
a nd defender, inyokes curses upon his
wn head. Hence this building is to
b,e a temple Of sisterhood. 1t is to be
b ightened by the presence of many
5 tars, stars Of tenderness, mercy and
love, stars Of wisdom, grace and beauty,
stars of the Orient Eastern Stars.
May they shine with a lustre that shall
never be dimmed.
brothers and sisters, you are greater
than this temple in process of erection.
1t is for you to so live and use this
temple that the people of this com
munity will be led 10 think of the God
of the temple and will want to build
their characters on the same immova-
BILE foundations on which you seek to
build yours. 1t is for you TO make it a
living monument so Il living present
sociability. 1t is for you to make it a
home of present culture and a school
of practical morality. 1t is for you to
make this building a temple of human
ity, philanthropy, "a home of brother
hood and sisterhood, a place of prayer,
"A shrine of nobility, a holy of holies of
love aud spirituality, a great light in
the darkness, a temple of service on "a
Mount Zion in a city of God
$50 mote it be"
The Temple is to be 40XS6, while
the lodge room will be 30X4S, with a
stage l2xlG. The banquet Don will
be SO 80, and will have IA seating
capacity Of 300 persons. The walls
up to the floor level are rock, and
the balance of the building will be
of red brick. Lodge room, parlors,
armOry, and ante-rOoms Will be on
the first floor, while the basement
will consist of "A banquet room,
kitchen and furnishing rooms. 1t is
to be fitted up with a stage, scenery
and all the modern paraphanaiia for
lodge work, making a handsome,
substantial building 10 be the pride
of Mineral Point for many years.