The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-23

ybeFcornexstone Of the handsome Ma
sonic Temple, which is being erected
on North Front street by the Masons
of Wilmington, was laid yesterday af-
ternoon with appropriate and impress
sive ceremonies by the Masonic Grand
Lodge of North Carolina.
The Grand Lodge met at st. johns
Hall at $3.50 p. m, and at e:4o p. Il
a procession was formed in front OF Inc
hall, on Market street, headed by the
Second Regiment band uniformed IN
blue coats and white duck pants. Next
came Plantagenet Commandery No. /,
knights Templar, in full dress uniform,
composed of a body of fine-look .nS
men and making a handsome appear
ance. Following the commandery were
the members of st. Johns, Whining
ton and Orion Lodges and visiting Ma
sons. Then came the officers of the
Grand Lodge, and at the the rear Of the
procession was a Landau containing
Major General Julian s. Carr, of Dur
ham, the orator of the occasion, and
the Hon. A. M. Waddell, mayor of Will
mington. Thus formed, the procession
moved out Market street to e~nliveninG
strains by the band. AT third street
h procession wheeled and marched up
Third to Chestnut, on Chestnut to
Front and thence down Front street to
the , Masonic Temple. Opposite the
Temple the procession halted, and the
Commandery and Masons in line came
to a 'front.'" facing the foundation Of
the Temple. The officers of the Grand
Lodge, General Carr and Mayor Wad-
dell then filed past the line while the
knights Templar presented swords and
proceeded to the stand erected for the
ceremonies, at the northeast corner of
the Temple.
The entrance to the floor was grace
fully draped overhead with the Ameri-
can colors.
The extensive floor space of the Tenn
pie had been aid with flooring and
chairs had been placed on 1t in front
of the tan for the accommodation of
those who desired to witness the cere-
monies incident to laying the corner
stone. The band, the Masonic organi-
cations and hundreds Of people assem-
bled around the stand, n about 5000
people filled Front street and coupled
advantageous positions in the windows
of all the surrounding buildings.
The Grand Lodge took seats on the
PLATFORM, the members of the same
wearing regalia, as follows:
Grand Master-Dr. r. j. Noble, of
Selma.
Deputy Grand Master-B. S. Roys-
ter, of Oxford.
Senior Grand Warden-Dr. H. I.
Clark, Of Hamilton.
Junior Grand Warden-Walter S.. Lid
dell, of Charlotte.
Grand Treasurer-James c. Munds,
acting.
Grand Secretary-John c. Drewry,
Raleigh.
Grand Chaplain-A. M. Simms, OIL
Raleigh
Grand Lecturer-H. ?. West, acting
Grand Senior Warden-F. d. WINS.
ton, of Windsor.
Grand Junior Warden-M. S. Willard
OF Wilmington.
Grand Marshal-S.. M. Gattis, o.
Hillsboro.
Grand swordbearer-T. c. Linn, Of
Salisbury.
Grand Pursuivant-A. M. Waddel
Jr., acting. of Wilmington.
Grand Steward-T. L.. Farrow, o.
Winston.
Grand SLeward-A. 3. Andrews
Jr., acting, of Raleigh.
Grand Tyler-R. III. Bradley, Of Raj
eigh.
Seated on the stand were Genera
Carr, Mayor Waddell, the Rev. T. Pag,
Ricaud, the Rev. A. D. Mcclure ant
others. On the platform also vas al
organ and around 1T were the member:
OF Cecilia Quartette, composed of Mrs
James d. Smith, Mrs. F. A. Muse, Mrs
w. L.. Latta and Miss Ada Cooper
Mr.. ALT H. Yopp presided at the organ
as accompanist for the quartette.
At S p. m. the ceremonies began with
a selection magnificeuIy rendered by
the Second Regiment band.
Grand Master NOh'a rha0 made thf
all ouncement of the objCct Of the oc-
coslcn, and Grand Cht.7 ON A. NJ
s " ms followed with a prayer aI'pro-
pirate to the occasion.
Cecilia Quartett5 most admirably
sang a selection, and Then the Grand
Ifcge began h ceremonies Of laying
the cornerstone.
The ceremonies opened with rfnIov
ing the veil from the cornerstone, anC
by depositing in the cornerstone g
coins and other articles mentioned il
yesterdays Messenger. Mr.. J. c
Munds, secretary and treasurer of the
Masonic Temple Corporatiol l., placed
the box in the stone, while C;anG Sec.
TstaIy john C.. Drewry read a list ~
the documents and articles coniainet
in the box.
The following articles not heretofore
named were also placed in the box:
Royal Arch apron owned and worI
by Mr.. T. w. Brown, who was Crane
Treasurer Of the Grand Chapter from
1S47 to 1872.
Copy of The Charleston News an.
Courier of May 10, 1899.
An order for payment for the trans
~portation Of mail, issued by the Con
federate government to c. T. Venable
for $151. SO, and signed John H. Reagan
Postmaster General, dated January %
1865.
List of the officers and members o
o Concord Chapter No. 1, r. A. NJ.
List of the mayor. board of aldermen
board of audit and finance and othe
city officials.
A 500 and a $500 Confederate note.
1his ceremony was follow@i ny til
s1.ging of the following hymn ftun
A merica"), the accompaniment by tn
pand. Cecilia Quartette and the Ma
som and ~assemblage joining in, to
Father of life and light
flHr -