The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1915-10-22
Distinguished Members Present
From All Parts Of the
Country
Associated Press Dispatch.l

ed States, which also Is called tn,
Mother Council of the World, was
dedicated here today with elaborat,
ceremonies and I'm the presence OF a
large assemblage Of distinguished
Masons from many parts Of the
country. The stately structure fash
toned after the famous mausoleum
erected for King Mausolus
Queen Artemisia at Halicarnassus-
one of the seven wonders OF the an
cient worlds unique among the
many magnificent buildings In the
National capital. IL has been under
construction since 1911 when groun
was broken. II stands on Sixteenth
street about one mile from the White
House on the capitals finest boule-
ward and in a section of the city
where many OF the nations most
celebrated public men have lived dur
ing their public service In Washing
ton. Viewed from the exterior, on a
plateau above symbolic fights OF
steps, the structure presents a plain
base, above which rises lofty pyra-
midal entablature supported by thir-
ty-three massive columns.
Approach to Main Portal.
The approach to the main portal Is
by four flights OF steps. Two colossal
sphinxes, symbolic of Divine Wisdom
and Power. are at the entrance. On
the plinths OF these figures are in
scriptions In Phoenician and In
Egyptian hierogliphics. Just before
the great door. let into the pavement
are two flaming swords, and between
them the inscription THE Temple Of
the Supreme Council OF the Thirty
Third Degree OF the Ancient and Ac-
cepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonary
for the Southern Jurisdiction of the
United States, Erected to God and
Dedicated to the Service of Humanity
Salve Frater!" Carved into the frieze
over the great door Is "Freemasonary
Builds Its Temples In The Hearts OF
Men and Among the Nations" A
PLAGUE on the great door bears an
oblong square with q rayed triangle
I'm its center and with the figure -.
in the center. Through the great door
the Atrium, a large hall. fianked or
either side by four massive fiuted
pillars OF polished green granite, Is
reached. A doorway on the left lear
TO the apartments OF the Sovereign
Grand Commander, another on the
right to those of the Secretary Gen
eral. Both apartments are panelled
from floor to ceiling with Russian
walnut. Tn the center Of the Atrium
is great marble table and on either
side between the pillars four marble
seats. On the walls behind the pill
lars are placqties bearing symbol
designs. '-'
Z .. The Grand Staircase. .'
Directly opposite the great door Is
the grand staircase guarded on either
side by the, seated figures of Isis and
Nepthys. Doors to the right and left
OF the staircase lead to the libra
and to the Supreme Council Execu-
tive Chamber. At the head of the
staircase, on the first landing, at the
back OF the ellipse. two other flights
curying to the right and to the left.
lead to the door Of the Temple, in
front OF which is the marble seat o.
the Grand Tiler. inscribed Know
Thyself." The temple is a lofty room
in cube form each dimension measur-
ing seventy-five feet surmo"~'
a dome supporting a skyllght 100
feet from the level Of the floor. In
the Temple are three great a-ch-'
windows, one on either side and one
opposite the door, over the Gram
East. Each window is divided by tw"
pillars of polished green granite. with
the lower part screened by tracery
OF bronze serpents. Extending
around the room is a frieze OF blar'
marble, bearing the inscription From
the Outer Darkness of Ignorance,
Through the Shadows of Our Fart
Life, Winds the Beautiful Path of
Initiation Unto the Divine Light OF
the Holy Altar"
The Great Embiems.
At each OF the four corners IL o
PLAGUE bearing an emblem of two
patterns, the square and compass
and the sixe pointed star i'm a circle.
The apex of the dome Is ornamente
by four double headed eagles one OF
each side with the tablets OF the Ten
Commandments between. High owe
the main doorway Is the organ loft
In the center OF the temple stands the
Great Altar, q solid block of black
marble veined with white, with f0r
horns at the corners. In the floor
around the Great Altar is the inscrip
ton From the Light of the Divin
Word, the Logos. Comes the Wisdor
of Life, the Goal OF Initiation"
The, ceremonies were performed by
Sovereign Grand Commander Georr
Fleming Moore. assisted by Lieutenant
Grand Commander Charles Il. hu
baum and Sovereign Grand Inspectors
General Charles +. Buck, OF Louisi-
ana; Ernest B. Hussey. OF Washing
ton; Trevanion w. Hugo. of Mime
sofa; John Fl. Cowles, of Kentucky;
John w. Morris of West Virginia
Adolphus L. Fitzgerald, Of Nevada,
and Sam p. Cochran, of Texas, III
next highest officers OF the Supreme
Council. A musical service was rem
dered by the Scottish Rite choirs OF
ST. Louis, Mo-, and of Louisville. KY.
with the Scottish Rites orchestra of
st. Louis. under the general direc-
tion OF A. F. NJ. Custance, of Duluth,
Mimi, by whom, with the assistance
of Inspector General Hugo. the pro-
gram was arranged and many OF the
numbers were especially composed
for the occasion.
Ceremonies on Platform.
The ceremonies were performed
on an improvised platform ut tho
head of the four symbolic flights or
..1n. "a the main approaoh 20 IN,