The Newtown bee., 1907-06-28
MASONIC TEMPLE,
Dedicated With Impressive Ceremo-
 nies, Wednesday Afternoon.

Newtown and vicinity had been looking forward to with great interest, took place on Wednesday afternoon, when the new Masonic temple at Sandy Hook was dedicated in the presence of 200 members of the Fraternity. The mem bers of the Grand Lodge present and participating in the ceremonies were: Grand Master Andrew J. Hallock of Bethel, Grand Master B. B. Fuller, Acting Senior Grand Warden, A. 5. Lewis, Junior Grand Warden F. A. Verplaut of South Manchester, Grand lain Rev G. w. Davenport of Danbury, Grand Senior Deacon Randolph B. Chapman of Waterbury, Acting Junior Deacon Leonard J. Nickerson, Grand Marshal Wilbur s. Comstock, Grand Senior Steward g. R. Austin. Grand Sa5 Norwalk, Acting Grand Tyler Gustavus Betts of Sandy Hook.
 Members of Hiram lodge with teams met the trains from the north and south, Wednesday morning, and con veyed the visiting brethren to Sandy Hook. where dinner was served at 12 o'clock. Tables were set in the ban ouet room in the lodge building, the members of Hiram lodge being gra- ciously assisted in serving the dinner by the ladies of Jephthah chapter, o. B. S. About 200 were fed: the dln-
 
 At 2'clock the session of the Grand Lodge was opened and the stately and beautiful ceremony of dedication was carried out by the grand officers
 A historical sketch of great value and excellently delivered was given by Rev o. o. Wright. The charter under which the lodge is working is 116 years old. There are 57 years of ancient re cords and 32 years of modern records, with 15 years intervening when no re cords were kept. Peter Nichols was the first master of Hiram lodge ana the charter bears the date of June 19, 1791 Bennett Perry was the senior warden, Jonathan Prindle Junior War den and David Baldwin, secretary. The lodge met for time in the Bennett house on Newtown Street, then for a time in Car Keeler's house and later in William Blakeslee's lodge room. 1t is interesting to note that S2 years ago the lodge was busy building itself a home in Newtown Street. This build ing was sold in 1848 to D. H. Belden for $1OO. Henry Dutton, master of the lodge in aS2a was goTefhef of rho of tne Court The charter was surrendered 1 in 1851, and taken up again in June, 1866. In 1905 the hall inS. P. Glover s | building was destroyed by fire. Rev George w.. Davenport of Dan bury gave very fine address on The Ethics of Masonry" Every man should CT be afraid to die But Masonry | should stand for life. It imposes on man moral duties. We go back to the building of King Solomon's Temple and we have a trestle board, which IS the Bible spread on the altar. The tools which we use are the tools which remain simply forms then we become l simply Journalists. Make Masonry g living power. I congratulate you tha you are able to build temple withou debt.
 | Grand Master Hallock said in part 1t gives me a great deal of pleasure | to come here and dedicate this new ant beautiful hall. come bringing you th' congratulations of my own home lodg' and of the Masons of the common II wealth Our whole fabric is built upol the ritual, and I learned to love i when | first came into Masonry.
 have reason to feel proud of Washing ton, No. 19, of Monroe and of Hiram No. IS, and that God may bless an' prosper you in the work is the wish O. the grand master.
 The closing address was by Rev J. H George, and was splendid effort, hl opening words being humorous. Hi theme was Masonry and Manhood Masonry distinctly makes the most o manhood. A true Mason is one tha is independent. How much we nee such men in this day? How few me there are that are real leaders? 4 Mason is a man standing on his ow feet. If the world were filled wit such men it would see better days. / true man is not only man, free bor and well recommended, but he IS a sir
 cere believer in God. A belief in tn
 Supreme Being teaches self-resp et and reverence. A man without revel
 ence is a monster.
 Throughout the afternoon the singin
 of a male quartet from Danbury ws
 greatly enjoyed.
 Among the visiting brethren were
 w. A. Gilbert, Charles Hurlburt, (
 H. Dimond, Philo Gilbert, Charlt
 Bailey, John w. Behn, J. $. Mayhev
 s. s. Dunning, and George E. Boll'
 of Eureka lodge of Bethel.
 J. w. Treadwell, Stephen French,
 s. Beardsley, Robert Sinclair, w;
 Mead, John Benedict, C.. N. Gallu
 Walter s. Bradley, Herbert Craig, ]
 J. Buckingham, c. L. Smalley, C.
 Durand, l.. B. Beardsley, A. B. Gu
 tis, w. N. Hurd, Monroe.
 P. N. Bliss, David Mclean, Alt
 Mclean, F. o. Dauchy, George
 Merrick, Danbury.
 Joseph Quackenbush, Warwick,
 Y.
 H. M. Garfield, G. J. Wentsch, Sc