Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-09-26

I tA''' = ~ HbDiE iliSti IDli W III tilt Qdlt,
| 1899. was suspended in the air. Around
I the stone We're gathered the Masonic
members. but in the immediate vicinity
we've Hon. w. W. Brown, the donor of
| the building, Mrs. Brown and their
son. Herbert J. Brown, and Horace
! Purinton, who superintendent the lay
/ ing of the corner stone.
by this time there was not an avail
able square foot Of standing room in
the vicinity Of the foundation. Camera
ticnds We're everywhere present and if
good photographs were not obtained it
was through no fault Of light orweather
conditions.
| The exercises opened with selection.
| Home Sweet Home" by male quar-
! tct.
! Hon. w. 5. ChOate. the grand master,
| then opened the ritual part Of the ex-
ercise and heads We're uncovered while
/ Rev. L. Il. Whitman offered prayer.
/ The quartet sang as response, Hear
/ Thou My Prayer
Grand Treasurer II. NJ. Bean of Clin-
ton. then deposited on the memorials
III the copper box in the corner stone
and then al the order Of Grand Master
+, Choate the stone was lowered
The ritual service was then perform
ed and the stone declared formally laid
by Grand Master Choate.
The grand officers then moved to the
stand which had been erected at the
easterly side Of the lot.
After Il selection by the band. Hon.
w. s. Choate spoke as follows:
We, have assembled here upon day
1,r4sr l4. H.,
citizens of this town. Il makes one Of
me important events in your history and
i Is well That 50 many Of your people
should for this day give up their usual
employment and devote it to the accomp
ilshment Of this noble work ana 10 doing
honor q the man whose love for this
PLACE Of his birth has led him to cree.
such a splendid memorial
congratulate This town on being the
birthplace Of such a citizen. ana | con
graduate him on his having been born in
THIS good town Of Clinton: but more than
al ! congratulate him that he has been
ied to bestow this gift at time when
probation of the people and be blessed in
ne contemplation of his work.
mere can be no more splendid memo
RIA! Tor any man than the erection and
maintenance Of a public library where all
may receive the benefits of his generos-
itN, ana as year after year goes by its
treasure house is repenished and its
value IS enhanced. Truly. moth or rust
10 not corrupt the thoughts OF those
giant intelects whose life labors shall be
gathered within these walls
The earliest libraries We're temples ana
the librarians Were priests ana such
should be the true spirit Of the libraries
of this dan. They should be the temples
where each and every one may como ana
commune with and gather inspiration
from NE almost divine intellects whose
thoughts shall be found garnered here.
and the librarians should be as the
priests who give to the people the treas
ures of the temple. Bacon said: Il libra
ries are as the shrines where all the relics
OF the ancient saints are preserved and
repose, and Damson said: "A library
may be regarded as the solemn chamber
IN which a man may take counsel with
all that have been great and good and
glorious among the men who have gone
before him"
Fortunately for our nation and for the
whole world. the people are awakening to |
the, truth. that IL y not the gathering to-
Sether Of vast numbers Of books in a |
great national library or museum that il |
Of the greatest benefit. but rather many
smaller COLLECTIONS and making access !
possible to all
II may be Of interest for the people Of !
this town to know that in some Of the
great libraries Of the world millions of |
volumes are gathered and that the mum |
Der Is increasing so rapidly by the addi- |
ton OF the multitude of the publications |
of the day that it is becoming a serious |
question to provide room for them. but |
It is much more to their advantage to
KNOW tndt here in their own town is to |
be gathered books from which they may
gather rich stories of learning and be |
brought in close contact with the great
thinkers Of the world.
Fourteen centuries before the Christian
era, one Of the most if not the most fam
Gus library Of the world was the So
called library OF Osymandias. 1t bore
above its entrance the inscription. The
Of the SOUL Surely those
ancient people knew the value Of such
Modern civilization had not
dawncd upon them. but we may well be.
lieve that the contemplation Of nature
and the works of creation by the writers
of those distant days had awakened in
their minds and hearts "A longing for
higher than self and a dissat
lsfaction with the pomp and pageantry
Of their lives and times. We can but |
think that such may have been the
thought of Osymandias when we read
the lines of the poet:
II met traveller from an antique land
Who said: Two vast and trunkless legs
of stone
Stand in the desert. Near them on the
sand
Half sunk, a shattered visage lies, whose
frown,
And wrinkled lip and sheer OF cold com
mand
Tell thar its sculptor wei those passions
read.
Which yet survive. stamped on those life.
less things,
The hand that Knocked them and the
heart that fed.
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