Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-09-16

by the MOST w. GT. -AaSteT W DSeh
lehem Lodge. The Lodges were again
formed in the same order of process
sion, and proceeded to Palmer's Hall
and partook of refreshments, after
which returned to Masons' Hall and
closed in due form without day at
O'Clock p. NJ.
Attest:
S. G. Ladd, D. CIR. Sec'y.
The first Masonic Hall in Augusta
was over the Kennebec Bank, located
on the northeast corner of what Is
now State and Court streets. near the
site now occupied by the newer part
of the County Court Building. ram
er's hotel was opposite where the
present Jail now stands. having pre-
yiously been the home of Judge Ma
than Weston, Jr.
While there is no record or the
names of the officers installed at the
time of the conservation we may
easily assume they were those named
in the Return to the Grand Lodge for
the year ending September i, lsZz:
Thomas w. Smith, Master; BenJa-
min Davis. S. w; Asaph r. Nichols,
]. w: John Means. Treas: William
Sawyer, Jr, Sec: Oliver Wyman, 5.
D.: Charles Keene, J. D.; Frederic
Wingate, S. S.: Robert II. Carey ).
S.: James Snow. Tyler. 1t is much
to be regretted we have been unable
to obtain the list of the masons 10
whom the original charter was is
sued, but as our records were burned
in the fire of 1865, and the Grand
Lodge record was in the great Port
land fire in 1866, the names cannot be
accurately ascertained.
The list of members. as reported by
the secretary on September i, lo22,
in addition to the officers. was: Dan
iel Cony. Henry w. Fuller, Joshua
Gage. Nathan Weston. Jr, Jesse
Craig. Robert Williams. Mark An
drews, Eben Fuller, Rufus {. Nose'
Luke n. Barton, Arno Bittues, Joseph
Chandler, William Dewey. Benjamin
Swan, Samuel Williams. r. w. Law
son, Silas l.. Wait. Edward t. Bridge,
Nathaniel Robinson. Moses H. Farm
ham, Virgil Guild. AS all those whose
names did not appear on the petition
for the dispcnsation had been raised
to the degree of Master Mason sub
seauently to the constitution per-
haps we may safely take for granted
the petitioners only were the charter
members with the possible exception
of John Means. Treasurer When
and how he became a member does
not appear.
The first degree conferred in the
Lodge was the initiation of Frederick
Wingate on August /. 1921. The first
candidate. to he raised in Bethlehem
Lodge was John s. Page, on Septem-
Der 10, 1921: the next was James
Snow. September 18th; followed by
September IS. 1921.
The return the second year. 1923,
showed Rufus Chandler Nose Master,
and three candidates raised. viz:
, Rev. Elias Taylor, Benjamin Palmer,
and Jacob Merrill. The next year.
1924, Joseph Chandler was returned
as Master while fourteen had re-
ceived all the degrees, viz: Bartlett
Lancaster, Otis Williams, William
Hunt, James Thwing. Jesse Parker,
Moses Stafford, John B. Soule. James
Swan. William Branch. John Smiley
James Barnard and William Baldwin.
phi r. Nichols was Master the fol-
lowing year, 1925. and again the
number raised was given as fourteen,
viz: Anthony Bracket. Alfred Cow
an, Edward Savage, Sr, Thatcher
More. Asa Babcock. Alfred Lawson.
,;ohn f. Bailey, Willis Hawse, Steph-
on Davenport, Oliver G. Young.
George w Hall, Newton Reynolds,
Samuel Romans, and Nehemiah
Flagg. In 1926 Eben Fuller was Mas
ter and seven was the number raised,
Brown, Moses Reynolds. Willard
Bailey. Barnabas Thayer, Perley
Stedman. and Henry B. Hovey. In
1927 Joseph Chandler had returned
to the East and four more had been
raised, viz; Ezekiel Robinson. Fred
erick Aborn, William L. Wheeler, and
James Stafford. The return of 1928
named Rufus c. Nose as Master with
two candidates for the year. viz:
John a. Pettingill and Asa Stafford.
In 1929 Reuel w. Lawson was report
ed Master and the three degrees on
Jacob H. Arnold was the extent of
the work done. The total member
ship reported was forty-one In this
connection it may be stated that in
the early years those who received
the degrees in a lodge did not there
hy become members. If they wished
to be members another petition and
ballot were necessary.
The Morgan excitement which had
started in 1926 continued for some
years. From 1929 to 1914 no returns
of work by Bethlehem Lodge appear
in the/hles of the Grand Lodge,
though we are pleased to record
there is no evidence the charter was
given up and probably the faithful of
the craft met from time to time
Maurice Arnold
The attendance at the communica-
tons of the Grand Lodge had become
so small during the first years of the
anti masonic crusade it was voted to
Change the meeting. place from Port
land TO Augusta in the hope the more
central location might induce q bet
ter representation, particularly as the
legislature was in session at the time
Of the annual communications From
the papers on file in the Grand Lodge
and the Proceedings we learn that
the Grand Lodge was holden in Ma
sons Hall in Augusta on Thursday,
the 18th days.o January. A. d. 1882.
AT that meeting only Grand Master