Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-09
CENTRAL FIGURE
At TEMPLE SITE
President of the United States
Assists MasonS.
LAYING OF CORNER STONE
Chief Executive Delivers Address Be.
fore Big Assemblage.
GAVEL USED BY WASHINGTON
Remarks by Commissioner West.
History of the Temple-oficers
of the Association.

President Roosevelt. himself a member
of the Blue Lodge OF the Masonic frater-
| nifty, was the central figure at the LAYING
Oh 'he corner stone of the new Masonic
! Temple yesterday afternoon. He not only
delivered the principal address. but par
| tclpated in the ceremonies incident TO
| placing the big stone in position and giving
! it a Masonic baptism with wine and oil.
| The President spread some cement under
| the corner of the stone with the historic
trowel that used by Gen. George
| Washington in laying the corner stone of
the United States Capitol building Septem-
| Der Is, 1893.
Grand Master Francis ]. Woodman also
! handed to President Roosevelt for his in
| spectlon the gavel that was used by Wash
| lnston and the Bible that was used by
| FREDERICKSBURG Lodge, No. t. OF Virginia,
when President Washington became a
| member of the fraternity. The President
| turned over the pages of the venerable and
sacred book and expressed his satisfaction
| He was accompanied by Secretary Loeb.
and as soon as they arrived at the site
| the President and Mr.. Loeb who also is
a Mason. were handed aprons of lambskin
which they fastened around their waists
| Mason to always remember that there is
| upon him peculiar obligation to show
| himself in every respect good citizen, and
| pointed out that it is well not to wait for
| times of unusual crisis before they become
such Deposited in the corner stone were
| steel portraits of Presidents Washington
ana Roosevelt, fac-simile copies of the Dec
| laratlon OF Independence and the Constitu-
ton of the United States Jamestown ex-
position medals and newspaper account
| OF the death of President Garfield.
| J. H. Small, jr, the president of the
Masonic Temple Association made the in
troductory address; Francis J. Woodman
grand master. of lhe Grand Lodge had
charge of the ceremony of the LAYING of the
| corner stone, and remarks were made by
Matthew Trimble and Henry l.. West, one
of the District Commissioners Music was
| furnished by the Marine Band
| Inc ceremonies were preceded by a pa
| rade of knights Templar and the several
blue lodges of the Masonic order
Address by the President
President Roosevelt spoke as follows:
Most Worshipful Grand Master Brethren
and Friends:
1T is a privilege and pleasure to take
part today in the dedication of the new
temple. l am sure all of must appre-
clate the courtesy of those brethren of
other lodges which has rendered 1t possi-
BILE to use on this occasion the Bible upon
which the great first citizen of this repub-
lie, Washington, took the oath when he
was made Mason, and the implements
which he used a Mason In laying the
corner stone of the Capitol in this capital
city of the nation. Surely there is no place
no other city in the Union where there
should be as fine Masonic temple as hero
in Washington, for it in sense is a nation
al temple where Masons from every juris-
diction gather.
that word must always be appreciated In
any Masonic meeting where the name Of
Washington is mentioned. 1 ask of each
Mason, of each member, of each brother,
that he shall remember ever that there is
upon him a peculiar obligation to show
himself in every respect good citizen;
for after all the way in which he can best
do his duty by the ancient order to which
he belongs is by rejecting credit upon that
| order blythe way in which he performs his
duty as citizen Of the United States.
Let me also point out that 1t is well not
to wait for times of unusual crisis before
you become good citizen We are all Of
us aware of the temptation to think what
splendid and heroic part we would play
if the times demanded it, while at the same
time it is not always easy to do the work.
aday, humdrum duties of the moment.
Relates an Anecdote.
Il remember down in the village where
l live there was a very decent, but rather
dreamy young fellow, a little bit apt to
spend his time in thinking Of how exceed
ingly well he could have led his life
under other conditions. His mother was
very Woodworking woman, and one
day he was reading in the paper an ac-
count of fire in New York and the heroic
deed of fireman in rescuing certain people
from that burning building. His mother
was very busy about the ROOM Pretty
soon he put down the paper and said with
sigh: OH how l would like to rescue
somebody from burning building His
mother answered: Well I'll tell you.
This building amt on fire. but if you will
oaf In he kinllinp "a nh1igad n
you
Il think that there is a very good moral
lesson for all of in that. The way
to be a good citizen is to be a good neigh
Dor, and first of all good neighbor to
the people in your own household, good
neighbor to your wife and children; then
to act toward your fellows that you
become the kind Of man whom they are
glad to have work for them or for whom
they are glad to work, or whom they are
glad to have live next them or to do BUSH
| ness with. and then to do each his duty
faithfully and decenty to the state and
to the nation. And in making any address
| In public it does seem to me that the lesson
above all other lessons to be inculcated by
every Mason in addressing his brother
Masons is that the way to reflect credit
upon the ancient and honorable body to
which we belong is to make that body, so
far as in us lies, an instrument for the
upbuiding, the uplifting, the ennobling OF
the great nation to which we all belong
rendered an Ovation.
The President given a rousing ova-
ton by his Masonic brethren as he left
the grand stand and proceeded to his car
rage. Just before entering the vehicle he
raised his silk hat and in a loud voice said:
Goodbye; goodbye, all!'
A master Mason, who stood well in front
of the great mass of knights Templar and
members of the Blue lodges, sang out in
stentoran tones:
Brethren, three cheers for our Presi-
dent"
The cheers were given with will as the
carriage was driven rapidly toward the
White House
After the Presidents departure the cere-