The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-08-18
Tales But There Which Thing Cal
MR.. RALLoU's ADDRESS
At the Laying Of the Corner Stone Of
Masonic Temple

Masonic Temple
At the laying of the corner stone of
the new Masonic temple Wednesday
afternoon the address delivered by
Grand Master II. l.. Ballou of the
Grand lodge of Vermont was as fol
lows:
Brethren, we have reyerently laid
according to our digniied ritual, the
corner stone of another Masonic tenn
pie. To us as Masons the corner
stone has peculiar significance. We
are eognizant of the fact that the
permanence and durability OF the
corner stone which often lasts many
years after the building in whose
foundation 1t is placed has fallen into
decay, is symboical of the truth that
when this earthly tabernacle shall
have become decrepit and have pass
ed away, we have within us sure
foundation of eternal life-a corner
stone of immortality, the imperish-
able part of man which survives the
grave and bears the nearest affinity
to the Supreme Intelligence that per
YadeS all nature.
1t is most fitting that the corner
stone of this building which is to add
grace and beauty to this old historic
town, should be laid on this day A
day in which the thoughts of the peo-
pie are turned to those stirring
events that helped to mold the town
and the nation.
Among the sturdy pioneers that
felled the forest and brought civiliza-
ton to these parts were Masons.
Among the hardy yeomen that de-
feated the British invader on yon bat
tlefield was many a man who had
already taken upon himself our sa-
cred obligations or was destined so
to do before life closed
Our Masonic rolls bear the names
of many a daring frontiersman and
revolutionary soldier who jeopardiz-
ed his life to turn the Hessian from
the fair soil of Vermont
In many ways these founders of our
commonwealth strove for the princi-
pals which Masonry enunciates. free
dom to enjoy the God-glven rights of
man in the family, church and state,
Our institution was popular with
those heroes of the long ago even as
! It is with their descendants of today
1t is most fitting that the Masons
of this ancient town should erect a
temple, for upon what is Masonry
founded If not upon the most famous
and renowned undertaking in the way
of building that has ever been record
ed in human history, the erection of
the first temple at Jerusalem. The
story OF this great undertaking is ia
milar to every Mason and all the bet
ter to be recalled because familiar.
The warrior David. forbidden him
self to build the new temple because
his hands had shed blood, prepared
for it wrought stones and brass in
abundance, and cedar trees without
number, for he said, "The house that
is to be builded for Jehovah must be
exceeding magnificent of fame and
glory throughout all countries"
And then followed the Augustan
age of the Hebrew monarchy, and in
these peaceful years Solomon, our
first most excellent Grand Master,
the man of rest, builds the temple,
whose glory realized every Jewish
dream, so costly and beautiful that,
centuries after, the memories OF its
very ruins reappear in the decora-
ton of triumphal Roman arches and
Justinian's ambition was to equal il
in his imperial building.
1t is not needful to dwell upon the
details of this structure No ediflce
perhaps in human history has been
regarded with such intensity of relig-
ous and patriotic devotion. The tenn
pie at Jerusalem inspired in the He
brew mind a sentiment more intense
than any perhaps that ever existed
in the world The true God, the holy
God, was there. The Jewish sentim-
ent about it was profoundly ethical,
The pure heart and the clean hands
were required for its worship. In
deed the human feeling itself was the
product of the divine spirit working
within man, so that the Jewish tenn
pie was in very truth the House OF
God, built on divine ground.
Man has never in all history select
ed a more suggestive event upon
which to build a human institution
than that of the erection of the tenn
pie of Solomon. And because Of oul
ritual being interviewer with the cir
cumstances connected with this great
work Masonry will always stand foul
square for the nobility and true dig
nifty of labor. One of its principal
degrees is based upon the legend oil
the tragic death of master work
man who fell in the faithful discharge
of duty
Masonry ever teaches that we are
all workmen in the great quarry Of
life and that all useful labor is hon
orable. No calling is 40 sacred, NJ
Office so exalted, as to ennoble an un
worthy man. And on the other hand
there is no useful labor, however
mental. that Is not worthy If worth
lily performed,
This tenet of the true dignity of Ia
Dor has been most emphatically ex
posed before the world In the bestow
ing of Masonic honors upon men o
all ranks and conditions OF life
Craftsmen have been called from The
humble walks of life to fill the high
est Offices in the gift of the institu
ton.
IL is because OF this teaching tina
Tho Masonic rolls have borne thu