Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1914-09-18

Imposing Masonic Ceremonies.

Monday last was the day set apart
for the laying of the corner stone OF
the new public library according to the
rites and traditions of ancient craft
Masonry at an emergent session of
the Masonic Grand Lodge of Iowa,
which convened at the Masonic hall at
2:30 p. M, when large proportion of
the local membership and several Wis
iting brethren marched to the building
site where the ceremonies were in
charge of Geo. L Schoonover. of Ana
mosa, Grand s. w.. Newton r. Parvin,
of Cedar Rapids, Grand Secretary, Jo.
seph Fort Newton, of Cedar Rapids,
Grand Chaplain, assisted by the officers
of the local lodge, VIM. Wilbraham of
/ fciating as Grand Marshal.
The exercises were opened by the
singing of America by the public school
pupils, all of whom attended and par
ticipated in the exercises, together
with the Eastern Star and the Knights
of Columbus.
Prayer was offered by the Grand
Chaplain and sealed casket contain.
ing various memorials of the time and
occasion was placed in the corner stone
by Grand Treasurer Robt. Thomson,
Grand Secretary Parvin read the list
of the contents of the casket as fol-
lows: Names of the president and
vice. president of the United States of
America; names of the governor and
lieutenant governor of the state of
Iowa; names Of the mayor and men,
bers of the city council of the city of
Cresco; names of the school officers Of
the schools of Cresco; names of the
churches at Cresco, and their pastors;
list of officers of the Emergent Grand
Lodge of Iowa A. F. & A. NJ. laying
this corner stone; names of the frater-
nal societies at Cresco, and their Off
GERS; Masonic Code of Iowa, and copy
of the Proceedings of the Grand Lodge
of Iowa, A. F. & A. M. for the year
1914; copies of the Cresco Plain Dealer
and Howard County Times, newspa.
pers published at Cresco; History of
the Library; cut of the Library Build.
ing; members of the Library Board of
Trustees; members of the Building
Committee; name of the Architect;
names of the contractors on the build
ing; various coins and medals.
After the stone had been placed in
position and had in the beautiful Ian
guage of the Masonic ritual been pro-
nounced square, level and plumb, the
elements of conservation, the corn of
Nourishment. the wine of Refresh
ment and oil of Joy we're applied to
the stone, and the Grand Honors given,
following which, on account of threat
ing rain, the entire assemblage repair
ed to the Methodist church where
Grand Chaplain Newton delivered
the address, ''The Ministry Of Litera
ture." an effort scholarly. appropriate
to the occasion and IN oratorical gem.
During the ceremonies at the build.
ing site and at the church special music
was rendered by quartette composed
of Miss Hughes. Mrs. NJ. o. Swenson
and Messrs. c. .C..and Joseph Burgess.
In the evening. large number of
Masons, Stars and invited guests met
at the Masonic hall to hear an infor-
NAL talk on Masonry-what it is and
what it is not-by Rev. Newton,
\ whirh uaa GREATLY oniovod hv oil proo.
ent. 1t is hoped that the speaker will
be able to visit Cresco again soon and
deliver his famous Masonic lecture,
1.-THE Builders.