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

that IT will be impossible for me to
be with you as 1 am obliged to be IN
Portland on the 18th to keep a pre-
vious engagement of long standing.
II extend to your lodge my greet
ings and assure you that nothing
would give me more pleasure than to
DC with YOU all at your centennial cell
ebration. I have every reason to be-
lieve that in the coming century your
lodge. and the other Masonic lodges in
the State, will maintain the high ideals
and lofty traditions which you have
established during your first century
Sincerely,
"PERCIVAL P. BAXTER.
Governor of Maine"
The evenings program was opened
with a banquet. and the members of
the lodge and invited guests were seat
ed at long tables extending the length
of the auditorium at City hall A de-
licious menu was served in excellent
style, the menu consisting of Crane
fruit, celery olives, cold roast tur-
key. mashed potato. green peas, had
dock outlets, tomato sauce, hot rolls,
fruit salad, harlequin ice cream, as
sorted cake, coffee.
With words of greeting, a cordial
welcome was extended to the visit
ing Brothers by Worshipfu Master
Sawtelle, who introduced as the first
speaker an ohnored guest of tie
CIV cninG. Chief Justice L. c. Cornish
81 augusta.
Chief Justice Cornish
III opening his address. Chief Jus
tice Cornish expressed his pleasl.. c
at being present. saying that he was
still Mason, having been taken by
at the Waterville Lodge many wears
ago. He said that he had never TAX
, en- Remittance from that lodge,
partly because of sentiment His
father was one of the early mem
bers of that institution. Therefore |
am only a half brother to you. said
Chief Justice Cornish
! Speaking of the significance of the
occasion. Mr.. Cornish stated that
when the first Legislature in Maine
at Portland began to enact its pri-
rate and public acts Augusta was
thee on the job---as it always has
| been-and the first act of a private
nature was to incorporate the "Au-
gusta Union Society,"" which was
for the improvement of morals
and the diffusion of useful knowl-
edge" Chapter four was for the
Grand Lodge of Masons for purpo-
ses of charity and benefcience. :"
The names OF Governor William
King ard Hon. Simon Greenleaf
, first reporter Of decisions in the
| State, appeared on the act Other
early acts provided for the incor-
poration OF Literary Society of Au-
gusta, the Baptist Society of Port
land. Bowdoin College, and the
Maine Literary and The illogical In
stitution. now Colby College.
| Mr.. Cornish pointed out that those
acts showed what the men of those
days were thinking of and planning
| for-the fundamentals. the home,
church, school and college. social
and benineent. and institutions like
| Masonry--and those acts are indi-
cative of the men who formed Beth
lehem Lodge a year later. The list
!
tial men.
| Masonry means good citizenship.
No institution means it more. No
politics and no cliques enter in it.
Democrats and Republicans go arm
in arm into the Lodge rooms, take
their vows and go out. There are
no petty politics. That is why is
| has stood the test in all it's existance.
1t was founded on the bed rock of
character and achievement.
| The magic of the name Bethlehem
was referred to by Chief Justice
Cornish. The Masters word and
voice still is heard in Masonry. Chris
tianity is the very basis of Masonry.
Take the Bible from your symbols
and your service and the rest would
! be but sounding brass of a tinkling
cymbal." My friends, the closer We
can keep to the little town of Beth
/ lehem, the nearer we will come to the
correct solutions of life" said the
chief justice.
! Rounds of applause followed Mr..
i Cornish's address.
! Mayor Sanford L. Fogg
| The next speaker of the evening
was Sanford l.. Fogg of Augusta, who
stated that an occasion like this
reminds us that if is we'll to pause
and instead of contemplating the flu
ture. to glance at the past. The 10Th
century and that part of the Goth cen
/ fury which has past has been and is
an age of fraternity. an age of broth
erhood Human thought has placed
on it the mark of service for the up
| lift of mankind and the benefit of the
world.
Tonight you members Of Bethlehem
Lodge delight to welcome each other
as well as your guests on this aus
picious occasion and you have a right
! TO connect these splendid achieve
ments of the past. and the glorious
present and future. You delight to
| honor your brothers who instituted
! this Lodge 100 years ago. and call
| to mind also in the exercises the Sc
| robustness of those who wrought for
the exaltation and uplift of mankind.
| In closing his address, Mayor Fogg
4, paid q splendid tribute to the ideals
of Masonry and its development. His