The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-03-16

'plllnging through mud holes, for there
were no sidewalks, and the streets
when there were any streets-were in a
state of nature. II was the era of tai
low candles. Kerosene was shedding its
improved light in some of the eastern
states, but its rays hardly reached SO
far into the wilderness as this. Gas was
light for cities and millionaires; cleo
trio light had not been thought of.
When we did begin to use kerosene we
paid SLIGO gallon, as the records show.
Even the tallow candle was not the low
est depth. for those who could not af-
ford tallow and wicks had to content
themselves with rag tied round but
ton, and set in a saucer of grease. How
rapidly the three steps have been taken,
from tallow to kerosene, Kerosene to gas
gas to electricity The Aladdin-like magic
of pressing button and flooding
building with instant brilliant light was
as far from the imaginations of our an
cient brethren as perpetual motion Is
from ours; and such a thing as tele-
phone in the building was beyond their
widest dreams.
"As we sit here in this comfortable
room, on luxurious seats, with soft car
pets under foot, and refulgent light
streaming over us, it is well to picture
| for moment the scene as it appeared
in 1856 Just across the street from
where you now sit stood the little log
building in which our first work was
DONE There they sat; the faithful pio-
neers; on rough, hard seats, with rough,
hard floor beneath their feet; their light
the dim glimmer of candles. Their altar
was a rough wooden box, in which goods
had been packed. Their square and
compass were such as carpenters use.
But thcir dry goods box altar was as
sacred to them as this polished altar is
| to us. The cardinal virtues existed
there as we'll as now, and the great max
i'm principles of brotherly love, relief and
truth shone in that poor lodge room with
lustre that is not dimmed by the lapse
of years, nor by all the brilliant lux
ury of the twentieth century. The first
stone of orr Masonic edifice was there
laid, and its name was Isaac Marks. A
suggestive name, when we reflect that at
the building of King Solomon's temple
the marks on the stones were the sign OF
good masonic work. 1t was appropriate
also that our first initiated member was
one of that ancient and illustrious race
that produced our first grand master:
| Solomon. As in temple the foundation
is the important part, on which the well
fare of the superstructure depends, we
may consider the lodge fortunate in lay
ing so true and Square a cornerstone as
Isaac Marks, for l can confidently say
that he, as much as any member of this
lodge exemplifed in his life the exalted
virtues of Free Masonry. He was that
noblest work of God, an honest man.
'The petitions for the dispensation,
which was granted by Grand Master
Pierson ON March 10, 1856, were George
Maxfeld, Henry Shaubut, Matthew
Thompson, Basil Moreland, David Camp
bell, William H. McNutt, Norman L
jackson and Robert Wardlaw. They
named the lodge "Mankato." and this,
name you will observe, has a certain
occult significance, for it is derived from
the Dakotah words "Mah- kah-to, y
which mean ''Blue Earth" appropriate
name for blue lodge.
Robert Wardlaw was named as master
in the dispensation, but he was only a
nominal master. The lodge depended
mainly for work and direction on George
Maxfield. Wardlaw kept store on the
west side of Front street near the end of
Walnut street, and in his store the first
meeting was held. His name is perpetu-
ated by Wardlaw's ravine, down which
the c., n. w. r. r. descends into the val
| ley. Wardlaw's subsequent Masonic his
tory need not relate. 1t is all to be
found in the printed history of Mankato
lodge.
George Maxiield properly deserves the
honor of being called the founder of our
lodge, for although he ranked only as
senior warden in the dispensation, he
was the first elected master under tho
charter, and | have been told that the
| ICllCu Ou Hill VIGIL
other for direction in its work and af-
fairs.
Basil Moreland is so far as / know
the only surviving member of the eight
petitioners. He now lives in extreme
old age or died recently at San Diego,
Cal.
Il wish to mention along with these
worthless, Brother John j. Shaubut, who
attended the meetings of the lodge in
1856, and affiliated with it in February,
1857. He served faithfully as it's treas
urer for twelve successive years, during
the most critical period of the lodges
history. The treasury was often over
drawn in those years, sometimes even
approaching the amount of hundred
dollars. But Brother Shaubut never re-
fused to pay an order, and his generosity
in coming to the relief of the lodge in
| the settlement of the cemetery trouble
saved us from the disaster Of surrender
ing our charter. The Masonic history of
the rest of our eight founders is very
brief. Henry Shaubut remained mem.
Der till 1876 when he Omitted, Joined
again in 1882, and took his final dimit
in 1889, when he moved to California
| Matthew Thomson of South Bend be.