Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-09-17

ty years. The Morgan excitement wa
at its height and every lodge in Main
with four exceptions suspended meet
ings for years. UP to this time tn
lodge seems to have had its seasons o
prosperity and adversely. The countr.
was sparsely settled and the peopl
were poor, yet think the great prin
ciples of Masonry were understood ant
practiced as consistently and earnestl,
Gf not more SOY than they are to-day
The records disclose many examples o
charity and brotherly love. The word
of Kipling may we'll apply to Oxford
Lodge up to this time, when he says:
"They hadn't good regalia
An their Lodge was old an bare.
But they knew the ancient landmarks
And they kept them to hair"
The antimasonic feeling gradually died
away and lodges began to resume theil
meetings.
April 81, 1858, special meeting wa!
held at the dwelling house of Brother
Abijah Hall, South Paris, and it was
voted "That it is expedient to revive
and re-establish the Oxford Lodge
June 22d following another meeting was
held in the academy building, South
Paris. AS most of the active Masons al
this time resided at Norway it was voted
to petition the Grand Lodge to remove tc
Norway, and on the 9Th of May, 1854, the
Grand Lodge permanently located the
lodge in this town. On its removal the
lodge occupied building belonging tc
Brother Henry W. Millett, which stood
just across the street from the present
Congregational church. The building
has since been moved and forms a part
of the residence of Brother William G.
Cole. Oct. 10, the same year, voted tc
take lease of the hall now being fitted
up by Mixer & Watson. This was what il
now Grange Hall, since enlarged and the
lodge continued to occupy it until May
1868, when it moved to the upper story
of Dennison's store, which was burned
in the great fire of 1894.
At a special meeting held in April
1861, the application of man was re-
ceived, ballot was had and the lodge
proceeded to give him his degrees,
the excuse for such undue haste being
that he had enlisted in the army and
was about to 60 to the front. During
the continuance of the civil war many
candidates were taken by dispensation
and rushed through the degrees for the
same reason. In April, 1864, nine ap.
plications were received under dispense.
ton. l fear that some of the candidates
taken in this hurried manner were hard.
ly a credit to the order. June "a, 1861,
the lodge attended the centennial ami
versary of the introduction of Masonry
into Maine at Portland.
March 5, 1868, it was voted to amend
the bylaws by the addition of these
words: "This lodge shall not under any
circumstances voluntarily become the
creditor of any member of the lodge"
This provision has ever since been re.
tanned. 1t was adopted because the
lodge loaned some money to one of its
members and had considerable difficulty
in collecting it.
In May, 1886, a committee was chosen
to look into the matter of Masonic
building to be owned by the lodge and
at the meeting in July it was voted to
buy lot either alone or in company with
the Chapter. In February, 1887, the
committee made lengthy report recon.
mending that building be erected the
coming summer. During the summer
the building was erected and formally
dedicated to the use of Masonry on the
5th of January, 1888, by NJ. w. Frank
Z. Sleeper, Grand Master. The erection
of this building (now occupied by all the
Masonic bodies of this place. was most
important event in the history of the
lodge. l cannot too highly commend
the action of the brethren in its erection.
1t entailed quite debt but it was wiped
out in few years without any undue
exertion on the part of the members.
The title is vested in board of trustees
representing the Lodge, Chapter and
Council, and so we'll are matters managed
that our bylaws and system of account.
ing have been adopted by Masonic
bodies in other places.
The lodge celebrated st. Johns Day
June "a, 1890, by an excursion to Port.
land where we marched through the dust
for the edification of the citizens and
then embarked for Long Island where il
was said there was to be monster clam
bake. The festive clam was not much
in evidence, but in year or so we re-
ceived a rebate of nine dollars on account
of the CLAIMS we didn't get, so our hunger
was not entirely in vain.
In April, 1891, Wor. Brother KnowlanG
made a motion that the sum of three
dollars be appropriated annually for the
support of library. This simple motor
proved very important one to the
Masons of this vicinity. From it has
grown up library of about 140(
volumes, one of the finest In the state
Much of its success is due to the untir
ing efforts of Brother Merton l.. Kimball
the librarian, who has written thousands
of letters and expended much time in its
care. This library has done more t
bring the Masons of this town into
prominence than anything else. 1t at
tracts much attention from visitors anG
is credit to the fraternity.
Feb. 10, 1894, the hall was lighted witt
electricity for the first time, quite :
change from the taliow candles used a
its first meeting.
March II, 1898, was held the frs
ladies' night and we'll remember how
very anxious was the Master, Brother
Bradbury, who instituted it. He said
they would come in, eat supper, listen tc
the entertainment and then sit and lool
at each other and hate themselves. HI
was very happily disappointed and TIT
annual ladies' nights of Oxford Lodg,
are the event of the year.
Feb. %, 1897, the lodge in connection
with the Chapter and Council celebrated
the extinguishment of the debt on thu
Masonic building, an occasion for mucl
rejoicing. For the first time in th'
ninety years of its existence the lodg'
was able to own its home free from debt
June 21st, 1907, the third degree wa
worked with the aid of nineteen Pas
Masters, all members Of this lodge. I
attracted a large attendance and Will
the work was not quite 80 smooth as
might have been, still the meeting wa
voted a success.
The last meeting in the century wa
held August %, 1907, and the first ant
second degrees were worked.
During the past hundred years, 81
different persons have received one o
more degrees or have been admitted T.
membership.
Forty-one different brethren have bel,
the honorable position of Master.
For the first twenty-five years all busi
ness meetings were held when open OF