The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1911-03-11

noted time out of mind for the many
pleasant and delightful entertainments
they have given to the public, but the
one of Thursday night given by the
Masons of that town to celebrate the
cancellation Of all debt resting on
their cozy lodge room, excelled any
thing Of the kind ever attempted by
those kind hearted and hospitable peo-
pie
Three tables extending the length of
the hall, with all their necessary fur
nishings, including seats and napkins.
were at the service of the guests in
vited and with edib1es plenty, serv
ed by the fair young maids Of the
town, assisted by their elder sisters,
constituted a relay of services, that
we have never seen duplicated before
in a town the size of the beautiful city
OF oaks. 1t seemed the appetites of
those surrounding the festive board
grew as the gracious and graceful
mattresses fitted here and there, with
new relays of chicken and turkey, pork
and beans, kid and roast, with all their
Accomplishments down to half a doz-
en- kinds Of pie, such as mother used to
make, tapering off with varieties of
cake and coffee and chocolate to wash
down the crumbs.
Rev. j. X. Wenrich, pastor of the NJ.
T.. church, pronounced the blessing af-
ter Judge L. l.. Hopkins, master of
ceremonies, called the chatty crew to
order and on the first round ninety
six sat down, followed by another ia
BILE of 81, rounding out the edible act
by all those who had served and there
were several tens of them. The flow
Of soul ceased, when by order Of Judge
Hopkins the crowd repaired to the
town hall where a feast Of reason fol-
lowed. A committee consisting of Mes
srs. Hopkins, Gale, Tremere, Nelson
and half a dozen others were in wait
ing at the hall to welcome the guests
they arrived and take charge of
their hats and coats.
Judge Hopkins in calling the au-
dience to order in the town hall
felicitated the 80 members of the
Belleview lodge of Masons, that they
were out of debt. That all obligations
had been met and this was their Oc-
casion for jubilation or happy making
He then made very interesting and
instructive address Masonry and
what it stood for, anti-dating the days
of Solomon the wise one, he not
the first grand master of the order. He
said every member in those days haC
to serve an apprenticeship of sever
years to enter the PORTALS of Mason,
ry. Referred to the fact how the order
in all the years of it's existence unit
Of recent years it had it's assailant:
and the order was accused of dia Dol
ical crimes, even to that of murder
ing Morgan of New York and through
the base reports New York state il
1880 was thrown into a political stat
of ferment such was never known
before or since. But is was all false
as Morgan subsequently turned up il
Turkey, He said the grand order wa
law abiding, stood for high citizenship
was patriotic and God fearing for it
cardinal principles were faith in tn
supreme ruler of the universe, love 70
your neighbor and respect for self
Speaking of how the sentiment of tn
public had changed toward the Mas
ons during the last half of the nine
teenth century, he said he had been
Mason 46 years. That when he frs
know Masonry there was only on
minister a member of the order in tn
big city in which he lived and he wa
censured for joining, so askance di
the churches and many outsiders lool
upon the order Now, every ministe
of that city with the exception o
Catholic priests, belonged to it an,
were honored for it. A popularity o
Masonry is that the members neve
argue or defend themselves when as
sailed-their character as citizens i
their best defense. The judge wa
listened to with intense interest A
the close of his remarks he introduc
ed Frances Haines, an attractive win
ter visitor from Ohio, who supple
mented what the Judge had said to tn
credit of Masonry, by reciting ION tn
Level and the Square" which she di
most acceptably. The young lady wa
so appreciated that nothing short @
an encore would satisfy the crowd
Miss Mildred Lowell another charm
ing winter visitor from Chicago, wa
next on the program and sang beau
tifully Sweetheart" and gave an en-
core that was as highly appreciated
The visiting brothers were then call
ed on and Tex Martin made a beau
hful blum and ran to first base, wher
he stopped, remembering the silve
tongued orator Jake Brown, was hid
ing away in a corner of the hall an
calling on his oratorical friend, yield
ed the floor to Jake Jake was so pal
alyzed at Texs display of uninvite
boquet that he, too, lost his nerve an
became an object of breakfast foo
but after rallying from the shock &C
monished by Tex, Jake, as he alway
does, did himself infinite credit c.
Common was the next knight of tt
square and compass, but c. f. havin
left his appetite at home and brougl
his intense hunger with him, simpl
overloaded at the table and so COZ
fessed to the audience. Said he We
too full for utterance and said h
looks would back up his statemen
and in desperation appealed to c.
BIttinger to help him out and in II
spirit of the occasion Bittinger did II
best he knew how.
Then Mr.. and Mrs. Cogswen we
called to the stage and gave one
the old time barn dance tunes and d
ID so effectively that everybody Ike,
time to the music with their feet NJ
Cogswell played the violin and Nh
Cogswell the piano and sure were
pair to draw to. They. too, had to r
spond TO an encore, followed by Mi
Haines in a recitation, THE He
Speaks" and it took so we'll that
allay the excitement after giving
she told bewitchingly the story of Il
Little Girl that Didn't Cry"
Next came Prof. Henry Ricards. Il
able teacher of the Belleview scho
and his accomplished daughter and a
sistant. Miss Callie Ricards. who wi
violin and piano and one of the o
time medleys as their selection pc
fectly reused the senses of the aud