The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-25
IN MEMORY
OF ST. JOHN
Hundreds of Masons Came to
Wichita Yesterday.
PROGRAM AT THE HOME
Addresses and Music Filled
the Day.

Yesterday afternoon saw an immense
crowd Of people brought together at the
Masonic home grove 70 celebrate st.
John $ day. 1t was state gathering and
almost every. lodge in the state was rep
resented. This pilgrimage 10 the Masonic
home is Of yearly occurrence and was
made this year in response to an order
OF Grand Master Thos. W Dewey.
The grounds were gany decorated with
flags and bunting and on one side ten.
porary band stand was erected On this
was seated sanford's band which played
at intervals during the afternoon
Dinner was served on the grounds TO
between six and seven hundred people
The ladies Of Ivy Leaf Chapter, O. Z. 5.
assisted in serving ice cream and cake.
over fifty gallons of cream was used in
the afternoon and about the same amount
at night.
The exercises Of the afternoon were
opened by Thomas G. Fitch in an address
Of welcome TO the Masons who were pres
.ent ,from.a distance.
The band played a selection and after
this the invocation was offered by DR.. c.
S. Sargent. the audience standing.
Rev Dubber who was 10 deliver the ad-
dress Of welcome was presented by Mr..
Fitch. Mr.. Dubber said in part: I es-
TEEN it an honor to stand before this
company this afternoon and delixer an adj
dress Of welcome TO those who visit this
beautiful home.
we have been called together to COM
memorate one Of the greatest men in hu-
man history and of whom it has been said
in all men born of woman there has not
been one risen like unto John the Bap-
fist
Rev Dubber then gave a slight descrip-
ton of the man and in an eulogy Of him
said he was one that Masons loved TO
study as he gave life, thought and being
into the lodge at time when it was on a
decline For open courage, denunciation
of sin he was the noblest of men. He Of
one father, was incarcerated and slain be-
cause he said: Thou Shalt not do this
Thing" His deciples took his mangled
body and buried il. / ask you what must
come Of such a burial as that You say a
great man with great talents Of mind and
great goodness of heart buries himself
when he throws himself into any work Of
that kind Still you before man and God
that such a burial as that must bring
forth harvest of good.
eve all know that this life is crowded
fun of the beginnings Of things. The sun
rises fun Of hope and promise and oftimes
set amid trouble and care. Father gets
sick. everything is dropped unfinished
papers. business. work an are dropped.
When father goes. the widow and orphans
NAV come and make their home here and
learn Of this institution. God will ever
bless an institution like this.
I've welcome you 10 this home not as
Wichita home. but as a home OF your
own building and we of this little buroush
are glad TO welcome you to your own
home"
Rev. Dubber gave a short description of
tho Mason's religion. He said it was not
an impulsless creed. It was an applca-
ton of principles of the Great Master
builder himself the applied principals OF
Christianity going round doing good in
secret and not With the blare OF trumpets
10 cali every ones attention.
He said speaking of the numbers of
Nasons that "A man couldn't pick up a
rock 10 throw at a dog without hitting a
Mason. He said it reminded him o- a
story he once heard. A colored gentleman
once took the text. He that Believeth
Shall have Everlasting Life. but lie that
Does Not Shall Go 20 Wichita.
Now 1 don't mean bv that that there
are unbelievers here. but I do say this.
that this little city is chock fun of hearts
running over with goodness.
Rev Dubbcr gave a description Of the
home and its inmates. stating that there
were sixtv-twp names on the roll at pres
ent He said according TO the scripture,
when Father and Mother Forsake Thee
than wiI the Lord take Thee up Every
Mason in Kansas was father in Christ,
10 every friendless one here"
He closed with a glowing tribute to the
ladies of the Eastern star who had done
SO much good work.
Between addresses tile band played 4
selection
Or. Sargent then introduced Rev. J. D.
Ritchie.
He opened with the assertion that he did
not need 20 deliver but half of his speech
as Rev Dubber had already delivered his
speech on John the Baptist, in a very
commendable manner.
The gist OF hts speech was '.The Masonic
Greed He divided it into three parts.
the religious creed. the moral creed. the
philosophic creed. He said the Masonic
creed was sympathetic creed. based on q
belief in God and Man
The religious creed Of Missionary IS very
simple. Ii has FOR its fundamental law
what an religions hold IN common, be
lief IN God. Their religion cannot De Sec
tartan One must also believe thst AIa-
sorry teaches belief In "a future life and