The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1901-01-09

and cornerstone was resurrected. This
corner stone is now among the relics in
the Masonic Hall on Fayetteville. and it
is needless to say, is guarded with great
care by members of the order in Raleigh.
1t bears he following inscription:
1.-The Grand Lodge Of North Carolina"
and Tennessee"
Hiram Lodge. No. 4O City OF Raleigh
June "a, A. j.. 5Sl3, A. D.. 1873"
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 its organization just one hundred
years ago this Lodge has been one of the
most influential in the State. From il
have sprung its excellent daughter. VIII
| liam G. Hill Lodge. No. 21S, 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 it's members has
ever suffered for the necessaries Of life.
nor has one of them failed to receive a
decent burial when called from the labors
Of this terrestrial world to better state
in the celestial 1t has numbered among
its membership some of the most distin-
guished citizens of the State statesmen,
| jurists, divines and teachers
OF the fifty-two Grand Masters of the
Grand Lodge since it's organization in
1887, Hiram Lodge has furnished eight;
nearly one-sixth of the whole number.
to-wit William Polk 1799-1SOl; S. J. Ba-
ker, 1882 and 1910; G. w. Stone 1S37-1S39;
William f. Collins, 1S47-1S49; w, G. Hill,
1861; E. G. Reade 1S65-1S66; John Nichols,
1S72-1S75; F. H. Busbee. lgS51SSC.
1t has also furnished the Grand secreta-
ries for nearly the entire period of it's
existence. We recall the names of John
J. Chrstophers Edwin B. Freeman. w
) +. Balm. d. w. Balm. and w. H. Balm.
In the last three names we have a sue
cession in the same office Of three genera
tons. For nearly the same period Hiram
Lodge furnished the Grand Treasurers of
the Grand Lodge.
It has also furnished for the Grand
Chapter of Royal Arch Masons five Grand
High Priests .to-wit Geo. B Waterhouse,
VIM. G. Hill, John Nichols, Michael Bowcs
and Eugene Grissom
1t might be appropriate at this period
in the history of Hiram Lodge to refer
TO some of its acts of liberality and be-
nevolence, and especially to it's part in
the establishment of charitable school.
then its contribution to the fund for the
establishment of St. Johns College, and
later to the active part the Lodge and
its members took in the Orphan Asylum
when the college enterprise was abandon
ed and the Masons of North Carolina
humbled and disappointed and their pride
Inundated when they aspired to the es-
adjustment of a great college and were.
forced on Bonded knees to take up the
work which the Great Architect Of the
Universe intended should be the coming
glory Of the order-that of providing for
the helpless orphans Of the State In
that benehcent work Hiram Lodge is sec
ond to no other Lodge in the State. We
say this without disparagement to any,
and the records Of Hiram Lodge and the
records of the Grand Lodge Of the State
will fully sustain the claim.
The establishment of the Orphan Asy-
lum IS at so recent date that it is
among the current incidents Of the day,
and we have only to refer to its wonder
full success. its admirable management
and the grand results that have reflected
so much credit on those who conceived
the idea Of it's establishment. and have
! UeeH instrumental III bringing IL TO It's
high state of prosperity and usefulness.
When it was proposed to establish
charity school for the orphan children
of Masons, Hiram Lodge appears first
the list of contributors When the plan
for the establishment Of college Of
high order at Oxford, Hiram Lodge gave
here hundreds of dollars. When st. Johns
College was converted into an Orphan
Asylum, it was a member of Hiram Lodge
that made the first contribution for its,
support.
While a little premature i'm the order
of incidents and events in the history Of
Hiram Lodge, it may not be out Of place
to refer to the fact that the great and
good John II. Mills, the leader and we
might say the founder of the orphan work
in the State, was a member OF Hiram
Lodge.
{ Andrew j. Lawrence was another one
of Hiram's most active members over
80 years. !Ie was publisher and
printer, AMI at one time was assoc a;e1
. with Rev. 1'hos. ]. Lemay in the Quill
cation of the North Carolina Star. -
, forwards ne kept Lawrence's Hotel
which he conducted with great success
for many years. His hotel was located
on the lot wRere the United States post
, office now stands.
! William = Hill filled more impor-
/ tant positions in Masonry than any
Their membe- OF Hiram Lodge.
William Thomas Balm, for many years
Secretary of Hiram Lodge, and for over
! a quarter of century Grand Secreta-
| ry was one of the COOLEST men l ever
knew.
Dick Smiths Corner" viii remain
: land mark until revolution in history
) blots it from memory.
, Then there are many that left no
( impress on localities and are remem
bered only by the meagre publications
of the day. Among these names, prom
inent in their day arc Grimme, Wal
, tering, Aston, HOLSTER, Lucas, Reed
er. and many others whose names have
become extinct in Raleigh
Many names that appeared on the
roll of Hirams members during its
first half century of it's history have be-
come entirely extinct as family names
while others are perpetuated by the
names of certain localities.
"Kane's Corner" will be known as
long as Raleigh has a history
[ /