The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1907-10-24
The Temple Dedicated.

and Accepted Masons, TOOK place on
Thursday evening last, in the pres
ence of very large assembly OF the
craft. At the hour of opening there
were present, besides the members
of Somerset lodge, visiting brethren
from Carrabassett Lodge of Canaan,
Bingham Lodge of Bingham, North
ern Star of Arson, Sloan Of Fair
field, Keystone of Scion, Lebanon of
Norridgewock, Euclid Lodge of Mad
ison and other lodges throughout the
state, making an audience of nearly
three hundred.
The ceremonies of dedication were
in charge of the officers of the Grand
Lodge of Maine, FIVE of whom were
present. These were Hon. c. f.
johnson of Waterville, grand master;
E. B. Mallett of Freeport, deputy
grand master; H. E. Cook of Vassal-
boro, grand marshal; Rev. W. H..
Fultz of Portland, grand chaplain;
and w. o. Carney of Portland, grand
tyler. The other chairs were filled
by Past Grand Master m. r. G..
Estes as senior grand warden; Malon
Patterson of Scion, district deputy
grand master, as grand senior dea-
con; B. A. Sawyer as grand junior
deacon; F. P. Pennell as grand treas
urer; VIM. R. Elliott as grand secre-
tary; D. H. Perkins as architect; H.
A. Dinsmore as grand senior steward,
and E. A. Parker as grand junior
steward.
Worshipful Master George Simpson
took his station in the East, and,
after opening the Lodge and explain
ing briefly the manner in which the
dedication was to proceed, directed
brothers L. G. Emery, Chas. A. Ross
and Francis H. Wing to retire and
act as escort for the Grand Lodge
of Maine on their entry to the hall.
The officers of the Grand Lodge soon
entered, clothed in their regalia and
bearing the articles and implements
of symbolic import to be used in the
ceremony. Worshipful Master Simp-
son greeted this distinguished body
with an appropriate speech and in
vited Grand Master Chas. F. Johnson
to be seated in the East and to as
sumo authority over subsequent pro-
ceedings. The other Grand officers
were assigned to the various stations
of the Lodge, which were vacated for
the time by the officials of Somerset
Lodge, and, the Grand Master having
been formally advised that the
"Temple was completed" and that
it's dedication according to ancient
custom was desired, this impressive
service was at once entered upon.
The ceremony employed was the
same as is often seen at dedications
where the public are invited except
the fact that, in this instance, it was
witnessed by masons only, permitting
the secret, instead of the public
honors, to be conferred. d. II. Per-
kins, personifying, in the ceremonial
plan the architect of Somerset Lodge,
addressed the Grand Master, an
nounced the completion of his labors
and surrendered the implements
committed to his care, used in car
rying on the work. The Grand Mas
ter accepted the Implements, the
Square, the Level and the Plumb,
and committed them to the appro-
pirate officers of the Grand Lodge,
directing them to inspect the apart
ments, apply the implements just
enumerated to the various parts of
the edifice and report the results of
their inspection. The procession
was formed and the inspection and
the report of these officers having
been returned with due ceremony,
the Grand Master announced his
satisfaction with the work of the
brethren of Somerset Lodge and him
self personally conducted the re-
naming rites of the ceremony OF
dedication.
Mr.. Johnson, always dignified and
impressive when in public, seemed
on this occasion more 80 than com
mon, when with outstretched arm,
holding a cup containing the en-
blems of nourishment, refreshment
and JOY said:
an the name of the Great Je-
hovah, to whom be all honor and
glory, do most solemnly dedi-
cate this hall to Freemasonry,
Virtue and universal Benevo-
lence."
At the close of the ritualistic SER
vice, Grand Master G. F. johnson ad
dressed the gathering, expressing his
great pleasure that his official posi-
tion called him to perform such a
pleasant duty and congratulating the
! brethren of Somerset Lodge upon
their outlook for fraternal work in
such pleasant surroundings. Rev.
/ F. A. Leitch made An admirable ad
dress of considerable length upon the
aims and purposes of Freemasonry
and several among the visiting Ma
sons took occasion to assure the
members of Somerset Lodge that
they and the organizations they rep
resented reioiced with them upon the
completion of their beautiful Masonic
home.
The exquisitely beautiful tones OF
the organ, at which presided Mr..
Walter f. Young of Boston, followed
the various phases of the ceremonial
and added greatly to their solemnity
and impressiveness. 1t is worthy OF
note that the dedication was wit
messed by nine of the brethren who
we're present at the dedication of the
Masonic lodge rooms in Coburn Hal
block in 1868 These were Gen.
Isaac Dyer, o. A. Priest, l.. G. Emery,
Ben S. Foss, Col. w. r. G. Estes,
b. F. Eaton, Harrison Baker, j. A.