The Hattiesburg news., 1915-10-18

Deulcated TO the Service OF humanity
Salve Frater!" Carved into the frieze
over the great door is 'Freemasonry
Builds Its Temples in the Hearts OF
Men and Among Nations" A placque
ON the great door bears an oblong
square with rayed triangle in it's
center and with the figures "33" in the
center.
Through the great door the Atrium,
large hall, thanked on either side by
four massive fluted pillars of polished
green granite, is reached. "A door
way on the left leads to the apart
ments of the Sovereign Grand Com,
mander, another on the right to those
of the Secretary General. Both apart
ments are panelled from floor to cell
ing with Russian walnut. In the cen
ter of the Atrium is great marble
table and on either side between the
pillars four marble seatA On the
walls behind the pillars are plaques
bearing symbolic designs.
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 library and
to the Supreme Council Executive
Chamber. At the head of the stair.
case, on the first landing, at the back
of the ellipse, two other flights, curv-
ing to the right and to the left, lead
to the door of the Temple, in front of
which is the marble seat of the Grand
Tiler, inscribed know Thyself."
| The Temple is lofty room in cube
from each dimension measuring rs
feet surmounted by a dome supporting
a skylight 100 feet from the level of
the floor. In the Temple, are three
great arcbed windows, one on either
side and one opposite the door, over
vided by two pillars of polished green
granite, with the lower part screened
by tracery of bronzed serpents. Elk.
tending around the room is frieze
of black marble, bearing the inscrip-
tion From the Outer Darkness of Ig'
norance, Through the Shadows of Our
Earth Life, Winds the Beautiful Path
of Initiation Unto the Divine Light
of the Holy Altar"
At each of the sour corners is a
placque bearing an emblem Of two pat
terms, the square and compasses and
the six pointed star in circle. The
apex of the dome is ornamented by
four double-headed eagles, one on
each side with the tablets of the Ten
Commandments between. High over
the main doorway is the organ loft.
in the center of the Temple stands
the Great Altar, solid block of black
marble veined with white, with four
horns at the corners. In the floor
around the Great Altar is the inscrip-
tion From the Light of the Divine
Word, the Logos, Comes the Wisdom
of Life, the Goal of Initiation"
The ceremonies were performed by
Sovereign Grand Commander George
Fleming Moore, assisted by Lieuten.
ant Grand Commander Charles E.
Rosenbaum and Sovereign Grand In
spectors General Charles f. Buck. Of
Louisiana; Ernest b. Hussey, of Wash
ington; Trevanion w. Hugo, of Min
nesota; John H. Cowles, of Kentucky;
John w. Morris of West Virginia;
Adolph l.. Fitzgerald, of Nevada, ami
Sam p. Cochran, of Texas, the next
highest officers of the Supreme Coun
Gil.
musical service was rendered by
the, Scottish Rite choir of st. Louis
Mo-, and of Louisville, KY, with the
Scottish Rite Orchestra of st. Louis,
under the general direction of A. F.
M. SCustance, of Duluth, Mimi, by
whom, with the assistance of In
spector General Hugo, the program
Wao diidh6Cu diiu many vi Inc nuil-
bers were ESPECIALLY composed for
the occasion.
The ceremonies were performed on
an improvised platform at the head
of the four symbolic flights of steps
at the main approach to the temple
and in full view of thousands of in,
vited guests
Preceding the dedication ceremon.
les. Lieutenant Grand Commander
Rosenhaum, as its chairman and on be
half of the executive committee in
charge of the structure, formally pre-
sented the new Temple to Sovereign
Grand Commander Moore. by whom
the oration Of the day was delivered.
The Grand Commander was attended
by the Camp Guard Of Arkansas Con
sistory. of Little. Rock, Ark.