The Newtown bee., 1904-05-27

them in the mysteries of Masonry. l remember hearing my>father, who was not a Mason, tell of attending some of those meetings, and I have seen him give the G. H. $. of a Royal Arch Mason almost exactly as l was in- Structed in Solomon chapter, No. 3. It may be somewhat unjust to criticiSe the brethren of 75 years ago, too harShly for their action for we can little realize the conditions then exist ing, and nearly all this turmoil and trouble was the result of political chi canery. After William Morgan was smuggled away and his passage paid to. o.Smyrna, as is supposed, in Asia Minor, land funds furnished for his sup port by the anti-Masons, a body was found on the shore of Lake Ontario in a .putrid state which was claimed by the anti-Masons to be that of William Morgan, although the testimony was prominent politician and opponent of Masonry said: "Oh, we'll, that is a good enough Morgan till after cleo tion." That was the milk in the anti Masonic cocoanut. After Washing ton, No. 19, became extinct, the char ter having been revoked in 1859, the charter, records and jewels remained in the hands of the last officers until 1860, when they were collected and handed to G. M. Ensign by w. Brother Narramore of King Hiram, No. 12. In 1864 efforts were made to revive the lodge, but owing to feeling of ill will held by the grand secretary against the members of Washington lodge, probably on account of the manner in which the lodge closed it's affairs and distributed the funds, and Salso the fact that he came to Monroe and de handed the charter, jewels, etc., and could not get them, he opposed the and in consequence a new charter name and number was given the breth- ren, viz., Monroe lodge, No. 93. The charter was granted May Il and dated May "A, 1864-40 years ago tomorrow. There were l3 charter members, of whom only four survive and are with us to-day. The lodge was known as Monroe lodge, No. 93, until 1871, when by action of the Grand lodge, the char ter was surrendered to the Grand lodge, and the charter, name, number, records and jewels of Washington lodge, No. 19, were returned to the lodge, all of which are now in our pos session. Monroe lodge, and later as w doA1uS UOu IouS0 Woo 4uloC P1OopOl
 ous until 1892, when for five years there was no initiation and it was feared that our charter would have to be surrendered, ~but there were a few who could not bear to give up the Ship still clung to the old Lodge. Those dark days are now passed, and let us hope, never to return. AS a contrast to that experience l would state that in the past two and one- half years there have been 20 initia- tions. Our old Lodge building, after 1O4 years of service, is now fast going to decay, but through the great heart edness of our late Brother George Griffin, we are here to-day to dedicate this new and splendid building to the service of Masonry. The first man of England was Mason; our first Presi- dent was Mason; our present one is a Mason, as was also the murdered Mo Kinley. Would such men as these, together with hosts of other promi. nent men all over the world, have re- tained their membership and their in terest ina fraternity composed of such unprincipled rascals as has been rep. resented? Perhaps some one may en- tin. held in regard to the Fraternity Let the enquirer look over this beau
 tiful building which is to-day dedica
 ted to Masonry, and then let him pass around to the northeast corner anC note the inscription on that enduring marble: Erected to the memory O1 George Griffin, '" and his question is answered. And let us hope, Breth ren, that this Building which we to day dedicate to the service of Masonry | will continue in that service so long as l it shall endure.
 The next speaker was the associate grand chaplain, Rev Frederick D Bulkley of Waterbury, favoritt among Connecticut Masons. He sai(
 it had been great pleasure for him tt come to this ancient town, to breathe
 the oxygen on these hills and to mee
 so many MasonS. He said he should
 be surprised if Masonry did not take ;
 new start and have new meaning al
 the result of the exercises of this day
 In the beginning of Masonry we wer'
 not speculative but operative Masons In ancient times the members of tn
 craft had charge of building the grea
 temples, but tesday we are building
 something better than temples character, and human character is thu
 noblest work of God. He pointed ou
 that Masonry stood for a clean heart
 clean lips and fair dealing among ou
 fellow men. If the men of this re
 public need to learn anything it
 that they be taught the principles 0