The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1904-10-04
It WAS A BIG DAY
FOR FREE MAS0NS
DEDICATION OF THE NEW MASON.
iC TEMPLE.
Large Delegations From Neighboring
Cities--Brilliant Parade-Tri-
tnte to Late President
Especial from Canton.)


The new Masonic temple was dedi-
Gated Friday to Free Masonry under
conditions resplendent with impress
sive ceremonies. and not in many
years has any fraternal order Witness
ed spectacle so grand, or listened
to music more thrilling with strains
of perfect harmony than was played
by the numerous bands that aided in
the magnificent celebration.
At the close of the marching all the
bands we're paraded in one body play
ing Onward, Christian Soldier" The
feature was new. So many bands
playing one selection had not before
been witnessed on an event of this
kind and the innovation was most
heartily greeted with expressions of
appreciation from every source.
The new temple was thronged with
people in the evening. The rooms
were brilliantly illuminated and the so
cial features were superb. Entertain
ment had been arranged for all and
excellent refreshments were served.
The dancing floor in the temple was
inadequate to the large number and
many couples danced in Bast's hail.
After the parade the temple was
opened for the reception of visitors
who were provided with refreshments
and extended the courtesy of the COM
mittees The families and wives of the
members of the order were all invited
to the reception given at 1880 in honor
Of Grand Master Sperra and the grand
lodge officers.
At the conclusion OF the reception
the guests were delighted with enter
tainment furnished by the Lutheran
church choir assisted by Miss Molly
Jane Reed, who gave reading which
was heartily applauded. Every effort
was made to make the evening a sue
cess in its entertainment features and
with eminent success. The festivities
of Friday evening, which lasted quite
late, closed very important epoch in
the progress of Free Masonry in Can
ton and ended day long to be remem-
bered in the triumphs of the order
The vast delegations from other
cities anticipated to arrive here as
guests of the Canton lodge came in all
the regalia of their rank The Knight
Templars and Blue lodge members
| from Cleveland. Wooster, Akron,
Salem and throughout the county man
ilested special interest and composed
unusually large representations to as
sist in the dedicatory services.
| Mr.. o. P. Sperra, of Ravenna,
Worthy Grand Master, arrived in Can
ton from Columbus early Thursday
evening and was entertained by the To-
cal committee. Friday morning he
took charge of the ceremony Of dedi-
Masonry. At about II o'clock the Can
ton and Salem Communicates formed
at the Mckinley hotei and escorted the
grand lodge members to the temple.
Some of the grand lodge officers were
not present and local members were
substituted.
The chairs were occupied in the fol-
lowing order: Grand Master o. P.
Sperra; Deputy Grand Master, c. G..
Ballou, Of Toledo; Grand Senior War
den, G. L. Hiner, Canton; Grand Junior
| Warden, H. A. Irwin, Dayton; Grand
Senior Deacon. J. M. Wyman, Canton;
Grand Junior Deacon, j. M. Moore,
Leetonia: Grand Secretary, w. H..
Wyant, Canton; Grand Treasurer,
Charles Silverman, Canton; Grand
Orator, Nelson Williams, Hamilton;
Grand Chaplain, A. W. Highway, Can
ten; Grand Stewards, B. F. Winnings
ard U. S. Reeves, Canton; Grand
Marshal, B. T. Perry, Jr., Jefferson.
After the services of dedicating were
completed the Canton and Mckinley
lodges received the grand officers. The
services were conducted in the Blue
lodge rooms, which are located on the
fourth floor.
| A fine tribute was paid to President
Mckinley by the Grand Orator, Nelson
Williams. This was after the rituals
tic ceremony had been performed and
was a brilliant eulogy to the memory
of the illustrious martyred member of
the Masonic order 1t was late before
the ceremony ended, and the parade
was slightly delayed Because of the
very short time in which to prepare
for 1t, but after the line was once per-
fected no more beautiful sight of en-
blazoned grandeur met the eye than the
magnifcently uniformed, and perfect
iy drilled body of knights, marching In
lines unbroken by the slightest miss
move and with a military precision
that was grand. The red, white and
blue colors unfurled greeting to the
welcome guests and great crowds
thronged the streets to witness the
brilliant spectacle. There were eight
bands in the procession.
Injured In Trolley Wreck.