Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1904-01-28
MASONIC CELEBRATION.
Large and Happy Joint AssembIage
at Bethel Last Week.

delegation from Randolph, there mus
have been nearly'a hundred and fifty
present when the lodge was called to ordel
by Worshipful Master Royal j. Flint o.
Bethel.
After the opening exercises and the
| necessary routine business. the officers oil
White River lodge vacated their stations
and their places were taken by the officers
OF the visiting organization. 1t is impos-
sible to make the wonderful ritualistiC
work of Masonry unimpressive, for even
in the hands of unaccustomed workers il
has a grandeur that cannot be hidden.
, But when in the hands of experts, men
who understand their ritual and appre-
ciate its dignity, there are few who can
look upon il without being raised to
higher ideals and nobler conceptions of
the sublime purpose of the order. Sell
dom, anywhere, certainly never in Bethel,
has this work been interpreted with more
intelligence or performed with more skill
and attention to detail than attended its
exemplitication upon this occasion. The
mem bers Of Rural lodge are to be congrat-
ulated upon the personnel OF its working
officers; the members OF the local lodge
and visiting brethren are to be congratu-
lated upon their opportunity to behold
this work; and, as first Impressions are
best, the candidate is to be congratulated
upon his Introduction to the mysteries of
this ancient order.
J D4 II was pOHHlDit
for the evening to be made yet more pleas
ant by the presence of Rev. Henry l.. Bal
/ lou, district deputy grand master OF this
jurisdiction, and Rev. William II. Rider,
deputy grand master OF the ninth district
of Massachusetts. Both of these gentle
men, at the close of the lodge, addressed
the members present. giving some helpful
criticisms of the work and speaking many
pleasant words of the fidelity and intelli-
gence with which the work had been per-
formed. The lodge was then closed in due
form.
The next duty OF the evening was the
march to Harrington parlors, where a
banquet had been prepared under the di-
rection Of the ladies OF the Universalist
society. Fully a hundred and twenty
five sat down to the well-filled tables and
after divine blessing had been sought, the
words being offered by DIR. w. III. Rider,
the company proved itself to be fully
appreciative OF the efforts OF the far-famed
cooks OF Bethel. Even good thing can
not last forever, and at last, though the !
tables still groaned beneath their weight |
the brethren were compelled to desist |
from their purpose OF making the work OF I
clearing up less laborious from sheer lack |
of capacity. After cigars had been lighted |
in order to secure the proper atmosphere /
for such things, the really serious bust
ness OF the evening, or rather the morning /
began-the after dinner speaking. The |
names OF eleven speakers were upon |
the program for, with the oratorical /
wealth possessed by the villages of Bethel |
and Rochester, it was impossible TO get |
along with less. With well-disguised
resignation, the boys settled back in their
chairs and awaited the onslaught.
Brother George Fortier had been
assigned the duty of POSTMASTER because
he was the only man in either lodge who
didn't want to make speech. He opened
the evenings festivities b presenting the
master of White River dye, who ex-
tended to all visiting brethren, and more
the brother Masons from Roch-
ester. the cordial welcome OF the home
lodge. Response to the address OF well
come was given in most fitting words by
Worshipful Master Geo. +. Mosher OF
Rochester.
The next speaker, Rev. j. II. Long, was
at home with his subject,
sour Prospective Infants" and speaking
as he was for the unafiiliated Masons
making their home in Bethel at the pres j
emit time, he bespoke for his friends, "the
orphans" the kindly care OF the local
iwaddling clothes. \
DIR. X. Nj. Chase explained that his high =
lpirits at the present time arose from the
act OF its being the celebration OF the
wenty fifth anniversary of his plunge +,
INTO Masonry and matrimOny, and Incl .
t&pidlHtu WHY Ne QlulI go 10 l..
church during the present water famine. :"
Rev. |. S. Yerks spoke humorously
Ipon his subject. 1.-THE Rochester Brand
" Goat, and then in more serious vein a
lpheld the dignity OF Masonic tradition
md regretted the fact that certain errone-
'us ideas had been permitted to circulate
mong the uninitiated in regard to the q.
rider. y
The next speaker, Rev. f. Z. Adams. was
ssigned the subject. "Our Railroad ~
United We Stand.n He spoke briefly and
satisfactorily upon the subject, and then,
aunching into other lines, delivered a :,
ribute to the fundamental principles of n
iiasonry which for beauty Of diction and
iearness OF thought was unsurpassed in
he speeches OF the evening.
Rev. DIR. Rider of Gloucester, ALWAYS a ~
avorite speaker here, added to his popu-
lrity both among the men and women
resent, and although he gave away the
irand Masonic Word, "Hullo," did not
eem to arouse the opposition OF even the
Conservative element present. DIR. Rider %,
iosed with a magnificent rendering of %
ne of James Whitcomb Riley's poems ~
DIR. W. ID. Huntington being unable to ~
e present. his place was taken by Will
am Pember, who spoke fittingly upon
he sentiment, sour Cable Tow"
The "Adonis" of White River lodge. A. ..
zee Cady, spoke very eloquently and very -
seliugly Of his affection for 'sThe Ladies. = a
aging that he loved them all, and then I.
e went home TO settle with his wife, who ~
ad heard every word. ~
The speech making Of the evening was a s
rought to a close by Deputy Grand ~
iaster Henry l.. Ballou, who took occa- vi
on to praise Bethel pie, to congratulate
be company present upon their idea OF a
God time and finally, in a very dignified
nd pleasant vein, expressed his opinion
the duty of Masons in daily life. e,,
Thus closed a very pleasant evening We
o not dare to say at what time the COM
any broke up, but it is fact that many IN
himneys were cold the next morning
ours after the time they are usually tes- Su
Tying to the activity OF the occupants of
he house. And the general sentiment of w,
hose who were present seems to be, "Do
again."