Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-09-13
Laying the Corner Stone.

On Thursday afternoon of last week
WAS iaid the corner stone of the new Odd
reiiows building In South Paris. The
Gay was ideal and large number OBJ.
served the impressive ceremony.
At about three O'Clock Canton Kjmball
mustered ut the Knights OF Pythiss Hall.
under command of Captain Frank r.
kmball, and marched to the Grand
Trunk depot to meet and escort the
grand officers to the site of the new
building.
The corner stone, which was the same
that had supported the old building, had
been brought to the new building and
rested In an iron tripod ready to lower
into place. On one face of the stone are
the letters I. o. o. r. and on the other
the dates 1878 lsnd 1921. The first we're
cut when the old building was erected,
and the second during the past week.
On the arrival of the grand officers
Leslie E. Jacobs of Skowhegsp, grand
master, Fred z. Millett of Portland,
grand wsrder, and James r. Townsend
OF Portland, grand secretary, who acted
as grand chaplain--lodge was opened In
due form In the Knights of Pythias Hall,
after which the members Of Mount Mica
Lodge and Mount Pleasant Rebekah
Lodge marched to the site of the new
building aud the ceremonies began with
invocation by the grand chaplain.
The principal part was taken by the
grand master, as might be expected, who
briefly stated the occasion which called
them together, and proceeded to lay the
stone with the impressive ''links" Of the
order, friendship, love and truth. From
silver goblet he poured q libation of
water, pure as the friendship hope OF
the order, crowned the stone with a gar
land of flowers, beautiful and sweet as
love should be, then sprinkled it with
wheat, the symbol OF truth.
Here he said few appropriate words
in regard to what the order stood for In
the world, the nation, the state and the
village Of South Paris. Its mission was
to extend the family idea that all men
we're brothers, and that within q lodge
of Odd Fellows men Of all nations, all
religions, all political parties could meet
on the common ground of brotherhood,
forgetting all divisional liues in friend
ship and love, and ready with the hand
of benevolence and charity. II opposed
no other organ cation. but strOve to
make its members better men and
women, so that whatever parts they took
in the world outside the lodge they
could not fail to perform them better
because they were Odd Fellows.
As last act in the ceremony the stone
was lowered into place, and the grand
master Joined it with the foundation
with Q cement that was symbolical of
The cemented links that bound the world
of Odd Fellowship together.
In the top Of the stone, as IL custom
airy with such cases, was drilled small
cavity In which was placed q box con-
tanning certain documents, which may
be of interest some time to generation
now unknown. This box contained q
copy of the bylaws of Mount Mica Lodge
and Of the three bodies affiliated with 1t,
Aurora Encampment, Mount Pleasant
Rsbeksh Lodge and Canton Kimball;
also q copy of the Oxford Democrat, a
box Of coins (past and present, including
a ten-cent shin-plaster), and sealed
package, contents unknown, contributed
by B. P. Adkins.
The assembly broke up with closing
benediction by the grand chaplain.
A banquet was served by the Rebek-
aha nj r. 40