The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1904-05-06

! was laid by Brother George Wash
ington, President of the United States
acting as Grand Master Of the Grand
Lodge of the State of Virginia, on the
18th day of September, 1893; and the
cornerstone of the capitol of this
state, at Lansing, was laid with Ma.
sonic ceremonies on Thursday, the I'd
day of October, 1879, by Grand Mas
ter Hugh McCurdy and the officers
Of the Grand Lodge, and there were
present thirty-one subordinate lodges
from different parts of the state. The
Grand Commandery of knights Temp
lar and twentyone subordinate COM
manderies were also present. The
Governor and all the state officers and
judges were present, and it was one
of the grandest gala days the state
has ever witnessed.
Free Masons were originally a COM
pany Of builders. Their monuments
Of matchless skill adorn the"world
and challenge the admiration Of the
earth. Their mastery models for
modern imitation have existed ever
since symmetry began to be science,
and the rules Of harmony displayed
her charms.
The craft were associated not only
for the promotion of architectural
science, but for the maintenance of
that high order of integrity which is
the dictate of divine law. And. al
though, in the lapse Of time, our oper-
ative labors have been brought to a
close, there is yet peculiar fitness
in calling upon our Ancient Frater-
nifty to shape and lay the cornerstone
of this contemplated temple Of JUS
tice. Though empires of the old
world have risen, flourished and fall
en-, dynasties have come and gone,
and ages upon ages have rolled away,
yet Free Masonary, true to its history
and work, and stronger and higher
than ever, comes to-day at the bud
ding of the twentieth century to per-
form grand and solemn ceremony,
taught it by a fraternity that dates
its dawn early enough to have had the
wise King of Isreal for a building
master. 1t may have outlived the cir
cumstances of its origin; and the ne
cessities which called it into exist
ence may have long since passed
away, no longer to shape its distinc
tive features; but the hand of time
has not been laid upon it's grand liv.
ing principle of charity" which
stands to-day and will forever re-
main the crowned queen among the
virtues. 1t may have no more monu-
ments Of stone to rear; yet never,
since the days of Hiram, King of
Tyre, did it have nobler functions
than it this day performs.
Springing from the source of light,
It's rays illuminate the world and
radite an effulgent brilliance from
all its ceremonies. Its principles,
having the sanction of the Great
Jehovah, and laying their founda-
tion deep in the truths of His re-
vealed word, inspire its work to-
day. In no view, then, is the appl-
ton Of the Plumb, Level and Square
to the chosen cornerstone an idle
ceremony. 1t must be perfect
square, strong and durable-well
formed, true and trusty; and in these
requirements as well as in the i'm
plements we use, every Mason and
citizen may see the symbols of that
noble manhood, which, standing on
the plain Of equality, regulates its
conduct by the Plumb line of Recti-
tude, the Square of Virtue and the
Trowel of Brotherly Love. On the
cornerstone, when it is well and truly
laid, are poured the significant ele-
ments of corn, wine and ol-the en-
blems Of plenty, refreshment and
consolation. May the blessings SYM
bolized by these elements descend up
ON all who are engaged in. the work
of erecting this building to be set
apart for the use Of the judiciary and
officials of this county; and may the
work prosper to a speedy and happy
completion and remain for years to
come monument to the zeal intelli-
gence and liberality of the county of |
Shiawassee and to its devotion to the
rights of men and the honor of God.
No matter how minutely we go into
the history and the personel Of our
craft we shall see that Free Mason
ary Is and always has been the pro-
moter Of true social advancement, a !
of morals, a guaranty Of |
good citizenship, an upholder of
Christianity, means Of spreading
prolific nest Of patriot
ism, and fabric whose warp and |
woof are the imperishable and invinc-
ible principles of Liberty, Equality +
and Fraternity-Liberty, the choicest
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