The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-17
J. II. Afford.
HIRAM LODE NO 40.
To the Editor:

Masonry was introduced into Nortl
Carolina early in the 18th Century, ant
tho Grand Lodge Of the State was char
tered by the DuEe of Beaufort in iT.l
The original charter granted NOW hang
on the walls of Hiram Lodge No. 40 in
the city OF Raleigh, where it MAY bt
seen at any time.
The first Lodge established in Raleigf
was about 1892, and was known as
Democratic Lodge" It's name had nt
political significance as it might have al
this day.
Democratic Lodge" had a brief exiS
tence. It's membership was composed
chiefly of old soldiers Revolutionary
and foreigners who had come to Raleigh
to aid in building up the new city. Its
meetings were held in little hotel locat
ed on the spot where Hicks drug store
now stands, on the corner of Morgan and
Fayetteville streets. The hotel was
known as ''Casso's Tavern
The Lodge was little more than a
club room, and the old-fashioned custom
of serving refreshments was not neg
lected
This was the period of the French
Revolution, when infdelity entered so
largely into the sentiments of the French
people. There We're sympathizers with
TINS French sentiment among the foreign
element of Democratic Lodge" and in
consequence of this sentiment there arose
confusion, dissensions and disorder in the
Lodge. One Rodman Atkins, or Rody
Atkins, the architect of the old State
House, was the leader of this foreign
sentiment.
Col William Polk, at that time the
Grand Master of the State, was a mem
Der of Democratic Lodge" and seeing
that the trouble in Democratic Lodge
could never be reconciled. he arrested its
charter, and soon thereafter 1790 gave
a dispensation for the establishment of
new lodge to be founded ON genuine
Masonic principles. This Lodge was
called Hiram in honor of Hiram of
Tyre, King Solomon's friend and CO.
laborer in the construction of the first
Temple at Jerusalem 1t was the for
tieth lodge established in the State, and
from that time until the present has been
known as 'Hiram Lodge No 40" 1t
received its charter in the year 1900.
and next year it's members will celebrate
its one hundredth anniversary.
After its establishment meetings of the
lodge We're held in different halls in
Raleigh until the year 1913, when
1heopelus HuPter, a jealous member of
the lodge, donated a lot of land ON which
was erected Masonic hall. This lot of
land was ON the corner of Morgan and
Dawson streets, where the Primitive
Baptist church now stands. Hiram
Lodge and the Grand Lodge of the
State met there regularly until the wear
1874, period of sixty-cne years, when
the building was torn down and the
corner stone was resurrected. This
corner stone is now among the relics in
the Masonic Hall on Fayetteville street,
and it is needless to say is guarded with
great care by members of the order in
Raleigh. 1t bears the following inscrip-
ton:
The Grand Lodge of North Carolina
and Tennessee"
Hiram Lodge No. 40, City of Raleigh. I"
June "a, A. l.. 1913, A. ID. 1913"
r.. Williams, G. NJ"
To the above Hiram Lodge has added:
"Exhumed under the direction of Hiram
Lodge No. 40, Raleigh, n. C., March,
1880"
from dts organization just one hundred
years ago this Lodge has been one Of
the most influential in the State. From
It have sprung its excellent daughter,
William G. Hill Lodge, No. 30, and
many other lodges in the surrounding
country. 1t has never ceased to- work,
nor has it been in default of any duty
during all this long period. Not one Of
lis members has ever suffered for the
necessaries of life, nor has one of ITS