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

friend and correspondent of Sterne.
Time would fail to call the long roll Of
such illustrious citizens as the Hills,
Cowans, McRees, DeRossets. Holmes,
Neares, Lords, Waddells, Kingsburys
and the like, distinguished in peace and
war.
Brilliant with the glory of a thou
sand battles, the real sunset of the day
of the Confederacy was at your Fort
| Fisher, where a gallant band of North
| Carolinians with the immortal Whit
| ing, fought the most formidable fleet
| that the world had ever seen, until the
last gun was ~dismounted, and the last
| cartridge fired.
Yes. the blood and fire of that day
! painted the sunset of a peoples hopes;
| there followed but the twilight, until
| black night fell at Appomattox.
Said 1 not truly that this was hall
| lowed ground?
None the less is it true. that from
I! the earliest days of our ancient craft
in this commonwealth, if a leader were
sought in our quest Of thet truth, In the
! Journey to the mystic east, never nave
brethren locke in vain, at the mouth
| of the Cape Fear. IT needs not that I
should recount the long line Of Grand
Masters and of Masonic sages that
have wrought while it was Jay, and
have departed to their reward, within
the veil, which the order owes to Will
mington.
Both p~rofane and Masonic history
and tradition mark his spot as the
fitting ground for the grand Masonic
Temple which our hearts nave longed
for in North Carolina And this duty
of solemn dedication to "Brotherly
Love, Relief, and TRUTH we come to
perform with thankfulness for the past,
and hope in the future.
The ceremonial that we witness will
recall to the student of Roman history
the account of the rebuilding of her
ancient capitol. 1t is Tacitus who tells
us how the cornerstone was laid, in the
presence of the multitude. First walk
ed the sacred vestal virgins in pure
white, encompassing the ground, with
~chaplets Of flowers. and poured out
libations of living water. Solemn pray
er went up and then H%elvidius, to
whom was committed the responsibility
of erecting the edifice laid his hand
upon the fllets that adorned the foun-
datiOn stone, n also the cords by
which it was to be drawn to it's place.
I'm that instant, the magistrates, the
priests, the senators, the knights, and
a number of citizens all acting with
one effort, and general demonstration
Of joy, laid hold of the ropes, and drag
ged the ponderous load to it's destined
spot They then threw in ingots of
gold and silver, n other metals and
precious stones from the bosom of the
earth, that had never been melted in
the furnace"
If the venerable Mackey is right
when he says that "Freemasonry is a
science which is engaged in the search
after Divine Truth, and which en-
ploys symbolism as its method of in
Struction," it may not be without in
terest to remind you Of the elementary
symbolism Of the cornerstone.
This, you will recall, is naturally i'm
pressed upon the entered apprentice,
as he lays the foundation for the Ma
sonic virtues in the temple of charac-
ter.
The cornerstone, our wisest crafts
men say, may be considered, in regard
to it's form, situation, permanence and
conservation.
Its form must be perfectly square ON
each surface and in solid contents, a
cube. The uar is the symbol Of
morality, and the cube of truth. There
is a subtle intimation Of perfect integ-
Tity in the expression standing four
square to every wind that blows"
It's situation must be between the
north, the place of darkness, and the
east, the place of light. Therefore. we
have the symbol of progress from
shadow to dawn, from ignorance to
knowledge.
It's permanence, which continues af-
ter the rest Of the structure has fallen
n decay, reminds the Mason that,
when this earthly home of his taber-
nacle shall have passed way, he vas
within a sure foundation of eternal life
"a cornerstone of immortality-an
emanation from thai Divine Spirit
which pervades all nature; n which,
therefore, must survive the tomb, and
rise p and eternal above the
decaying lust of death and the grave
After deposition, the stone is exam
ined by the square, level, and plumb,
and declared to be "well formed, true,
and trusty." $50 are we reminded that
virtues must be tested by temptation,
trial and adversely before the Master
Builder of souls may pronounce them
worthy material for the spiritual build
ing of eternal life"
!. Last of all, the elements of conse-
Grafton are poured upon the stone thus
solemnly set apart; the corn, wine and
oil, emblematic of nourishment, re-
freshment and joy-the rewards Of the
faithful performance Of duty. !
The wealth of the east was in corn,
wine and oil, the great products of the
land. The tabernacle and it's vessels
were Amounted with oil. Prophets and
kings have always been set apart thus.
Our venerable Brother Harris says:
"In the pilgrimage of life, you are to
impart a portion of your bread to feed
the hungry, to e a cup Of your wine
to cheer the sorrowful, and to pour the
healing oil of your consolation into the
wounds which sickness have made in
the bodies, or affiction rent in the
hearts Of your fellow travellers"
"Of these, note that the wine and oil
are carried in silver vessels, but the
corn alone in a golden pitcher, because
hat is the necessity and staff of life"
1t is natural upon a solemn festival
like this, that the world should ask.
what is Masonry, whence did it come,
why does it survive, n build temples
for centuries to come, now in the clos
ing hours of the nineteenth century?
May I be permitted to quote the
beautiful language Of a distinguished
brother Justice Clark, when laying the
cornerstone of the North Carolina
school for the deaf, at Morganton:
Masonry remain the senior of al
the governments now existing. 1t was
|, not born amid civil connections, and
10 tabled GODDESS with streaming hair
and with braZen sandals upon her feet