The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-09
CORNER STONE WAS
LAID YESTERDAY
Masonic Ceremonies at Temple
Interesting and Impressive
DR. NGHAM'S ADDRESS
A Very Large Crowd Attends the lay
ing of the Corner Stone of the
New Masonic Temple
In Birmingham.
DR.eUNNlNGHAM'S ADDRESS


monies, in the presence of great con-
course of interested people. the corner
stone of the new Masonic temple at
Sixth avenue and Nineteenth street. was
laid yesterday
A procession of the Masonic lodges of
jefferson county was formed at $3.50
O'Clock at the present Masonic temple at
Twentieth street and First avenue and
headed by Prof. r. Douthwaites brass
band, march to the temple now under
course OF construction at Sixth avenue
and Nineteenth street, where the cere-
monies were conducted
The ritualistic ceremony of the laying
Of the corner stone was very impressive
and was attended with close attention
and solemn interest by the large number
of people present.
After the ceremony Capt. john G. Smith,
chairman of the building committee, in
troduced Past Grand Master r. M Cum
ningham, who delivered the grafton of the
day.
Captain Smiths Introduction.
In introducing DR.. Cunningham, Cap
tain Smith said:
Most Worshipful Grand Master War
dens, Brethren and Friends-It has been
fifty said that life Is what we make it i;
yet in passing the slaves of time and
rounding the rough corners of life we
often come in contact with things which,
at the first glance, seem impossible, vet
when pressed with undaunted courage and
perseverance they are easily overcome and
we are soon masters of the situation. Such
was once the condition of those who had
1t In their hearts to construct a Masonic
temple in Birmingham, which is to stand
as monument to the fraternity here
assembled generations after We shall have
all passed from the shores of time, leav-
inc nothing but our good influence on
society and this temple to tell the story
of our former habitatlon
"Masons should know no such word as
fail. Putting their faith in God, their trust
is well founded so with Jehovah for their
Shiboleth and joachim for their pass, they
have become established as the right
hand pillow of the universe moving on
ward and upward with the civilization of
the world, and as the occult of Orion, the
star-clad hunter of the beast, stood be-
fore the Queen of Night In great alarm,
so shall the Prince of Darkness stand
before the great Jehovah when the last
member of the craft shall have squared
his work for that city and temple whose
builder and maker is God.
However, 1 did not get up here to
make speech, but to introduce the ora
tor of the day, who is one of us. He is
meek and lowly man, who never likes
to talk unless he has something to say,
and who among us ever saw him without
a full supply of sweetened air for his
hearers. l shall take great pleasure in
introducing him, first, because 1 knew
him when he was only a hod carrier to
the second temple; second, I have seen
lin when he had assembled the ladder
that Jacob saw and sit upon the top
most round as the Most Worshipful
grand master of the state of Alabama.
He has asked me to apologize for his
appearance here today, and have prom
Used to do so, but l intend to postpone
this duty until he has delivered his adj
dress; then, If you are not satisfied, I
will undertake to make the apology.
Most Worshipful grand master. now
take great pleasure in Introducing to
you. as we'll as the other company, our
esteemed friend and past grand master,
r. M. Cunningham, who will now adj
dress you"
Address of Or. Cunningham.
DR.. Cunningham spoke as follows:
1.-THE universe of God is vast temple,
made up of systems of worlds For this
great building the space cosmos" with
its law of gravitation, was the arena, and
the time cosmos with its law Of change,
the method. 1t was conceived by om-
niscence, executed by omnipotence, and
pervaded by omnipresence. These three
infinite potencies are the attributes of the
One and only God. In Him was all de-
sign, from Him all law, and by Him all
things. OF the units of this creation, man
stands at the head in the image of his
Creator. In his physical constitution,
made and related nature, and controlled
by physical and natural law; In his mem
tai power the superior and master of all
living and dead things; In his spirit an
animated soul, related to religion. NOR
atty and God. To this man God gave
dominion over all earthly things. His mis-
sion was to build He came into possess
sion of a virgin world, possessing in it's
natural endowment the resources for
mans necessities.
I'm this vast storehouse of nature are
found the raw materials for all things.
Upon these man has brought to bear his
mind and muscle. With his mind he has
designed and with his muscles executed.
Learning more and more of the resources
of nature, more and more of the forces
that operate and the laws that govern,
man has by his discovery and ingenuity
discovered many of the secrets of nature,
classified these into their appropriate
spheres. and explained them by a logical,
rational science. By his inventions he has
provided instrumentalities through which
the forces of nature act, overcoming the
resistance offered to that change and pro-
gress necessary to mans sustentation and
happiness In this way man is the master
builder of the world. Virgin nature,
through mans genius, has become the