The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1911-04-21
MESONS TO ERECT
SlO000a0 TEMPLE

WASHINGTON, u. C.-Thc supreme
council oi the southern iarisiic.ion or
thc United states Ancient and Accept.
ed Scottish Rite OF i'rcomnsonry, 10 tho
now million dollar temple i is con.
stucting Ia this city. will hive the
most beautiful aud expensive building
In the world devoted exclusively to
Masonic purposes. The new temple win
stand at sixteenth and streets north.
west, and will be finished IN time for
tho international conference Of supreme
councils Of the world, in October, 1919.
The southern jurisdiction Of the United
States is the mother council Of tho
world. aud the meeting in 1919 will be
in the nature Of homecoming.
There are two Scottish Rite jurisdic.
tipns in the United States, the northern
and the southern, so named in the early
years of the last century, when there
was no West, the inhabited part of the
country being, for the most part, east
Of the Alleghanies. The dividing line
between the two jurisdictions was the
old Mason and Dixon line. In those
days the terms northern" and "south-
ern' were accurately descriptive of
both jurisdictions, but they are no
{ longer accurate, so far as the southern
/ jurisdiction is concerned. This iuris-
dietion not only embraces everything
south of the Mason and Dixon line but
all that great sweep of the United
! States west Of the Mississippi, and the
island possessions and Alaska. The
northern jurisdiction embraces New
England, New York, Pennsylvania,
New Jersey, Delaware, Ohio, Indiana,
Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin.
The grand commander of the south
ern jurisdiction is James D. Richard.
son of Tennessee, who retired from con-
gress in order to take up the work he
is now doing. He has said from the
beginning that no pains or money would
be spared in making the new temple
in this city second to none in the whole
world, both in design and finish and
furnishings. The men selected to pass
upon every detail of construction and
characterization have regulations in the
world of art here and abroad, and it
seems likely that the desire of Mr.. Rich
ardson viii be carried out, namely, to
make the new temple reflect artistically
and symbolically the southern councils
glory in being the parent council of
the. world.
Site Cost 1884, 900. .,
The site for the new temple. 2i7x212
feet, cost 100000; the building will
cost million, and perhaps slightly
more than that. 1t win have frontages
on Sixteenth and S streets of 156x157
feet, and it win be $50 feet from the
! street level to the gilded dome.
Leading from the sidewalk to the
temple win be symbolic plaza of gran.
lite the full width of the building, with
three steps at the first rise and five at
the second, before the terrace is reach.
ed, Across the terrace will be two
other rises, of seven and nine steps, re.
spectively, which will lead to the ornate
and massive portals. This entrance in
its entirety is symbolic of the Masonic
degrees.
The temple will consist of three
stories, a basement and sub basement
THE entrance will be fianked on eacl
side by giant sphinxes. On the terrace
viii be symbolical and allegorical stat
uaFy. Over the arched entrance will
be gold sunburst, whose rays will
flash from the symbolical double eagll
and triangle of the thlrty-third degree
Above this sunburst and running across
the entrance will be the inscription:
Temple of the Scottish Rite,