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

they failed signally to comply. Beth
lehem Lodge was one of eight lodses
making returns in 1874.
In that year Qs44) it was voted "a
change the place of meeting of Ii.
Grand Lodge to Portland and when !.
assembled in 1S45 one of the sv
lodges to make returns was Bethla,
hem Lodge which was represented hv
Lory Bacon. Master; William
Drew, Proxy and Grand Chaplair
From that time on regular returns
were made and the lodge was repre.
scented.
AS already stated Bethleher,
Lodge made no returns TO the Grand
Lodge from 1929 to 1914. The records
of both our lodge and the Grand Lode,
having been burned we can ONLY
deduce from comparison what was
done during that time. From a mem.
| bership of fifty-eight returned in
1925, the year before the Morgan ex.
element commenced. the number had
fallen to thirty-two in 1929. despite
the fact twenty eight had been raised
to the degree of Master Mason dur.
ing those years. When the returns
were made in 1874 there were forty.
five members, not including ten ad.
mitted during the year closing Com.
pairing the lists we find only nine Of
those recorded as members in 1929
reported when the next return was
made in 1914, fifteen years later. As
thirty six new names are found We
must conclude Bethlehem Lodge con.
tinued to confer degrees for at leas,
a part of the time when so many
lodges in the state were dormant or
! had surrendered their charters. The
grees conferred upon twelve candi.
dates.
In the Proceedings of the Grand
Lodge for 1916 we read: Letters Of
invitation were received from Com
! mittees of the Fraternity at Ports
mouth. n. H.. and Bethlehem Lodge
at Augusta. Me. inviting the Grand
Lodge to the celebration of the oath
OF June inst. at those places respec-
lively. Read and placed on file" But
a little later in the session II was
Voted. That the officers and mem.
bers of the Grand Lodge, residing on
the Kennebec. and such others as
may unite with them, be authorized
to form and open a Grand Lodge at
Augusta on the cath inst, for the pur.
pose of attending and participating
in the Masonic festival then to be
celebrated in that town: and that the
Grand Treasurer be requested to for
ward the Grand Lodge jewels To Au-
gusta, to be used on that interesting
occasion" See Owen. +. 80.
In the report of ID. d. G. NJ. I.orv
Bacon in 1S49 we read, II will observe
that Bethlehem Lodge, at Augusta,
held their first meeting January Sth,
In their new, spacious and splendid
hall designed and finished by Broth
er William Hunt, expressly for their
use. and also for the accommodate
of Jerusalem Chapter" Brother Ba-
con, in his report for 1850, said: IN
November l installed the officers of
Bethlehem Lodge, in presence of
large number of brethren with their
wives. sisters and daughters. and Of
Jerusalem Chapter. After which the
brethren, sisters and companions re-
pared to the Stanley House and par.
TOOK of an excellent supper. Har-
mony prevailed-pleasure and salts
faction beamed in every counte-
nance"
From the best data obtainable II
would appear Bethlehem Lodge con-
tlnued to meet in the hall on State
street until about 1882. when il re-
moved to building erected by Fred
eric Wingate on Water street nearly
opposite the present Masonic Temple
and which contained the second hall
In Augusta separate from a hotel.
Ihere the meetings were held until
the removal to the Hunt Block in
1919. which quarters were occupied
until the great fire of 1855. Driven
from there temporary home was
found in the attic of the Darby block,
but this was not of sufficient size to
accommodate the lodge and soon a
committee was appointed to secure
other and more eommodious rooms
Negotiations were entered into with
the result hall with ante rooms was
secured where the Russell & Weston
DOCK now stands. a lease being first
taken for five years, and afterward
renewed so there was no further
change until the present Masonic
temple was ready for occupancy 10
1895
The great fire occurred Sunday
september 18th, 1866. and so prompt
was the action that . days later the
Following letter was despatched:
((Sept. 10, 1865.
Most Worshipful Brother:
With emotions of the deepest sor-
SOW l write to inform you of the sad
disaster that has befallen US. Nearly
al the business part of the city was
on Sunday hast. either quite con-
stunned or left heap of smoulderng
ruins. Our beloved institution has
sustained the loss of every thing
here. No one entered the Hall. con-
sequently every thing belonging to
bethlehem Lodge & Trinity Commdy
was entirely consumed. And now
Most Worshipful, what can be done?
me brethren have expressed wish
IL IL De possible, to have copy OF the
OLD charter with the same names at
tached. Can that be done? Are you
authorized to grant a charter before
the next session of the G. Lodge? or
VIII you be under the necessity of de-
ierrins 1t until that time. and simply
grant a dispensation until that time
The exercises at the church were
brought to a close with the singing