Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1937-10-07
Masons Observe
l5Oth Date OF
The Constitution
Sandstone Lodges Mem
bership Hears of Coun-
try's Early History.

the Sandstone Masonic lodge Mon
day night Svend Petersen of Askov,
and Mark E. Robey of Sandstone,
both past masters of the lodge,
eulogized the trainers and SignerS
of the Constitution which was fin
ally adopted on Sept. II, 1887. At
tention was called by the speakers,
which was significant and interesting
to their masonic listeners, that
great majority of those leading the
fight to draw up and adopt the worlds
greatest document-the Constitution
of the United States-were masonS
and included among these were
George Washington, Thomas Jeffer-
son, Hamilton and many others of
fame in American history.
Mr.. Petersen Talks First.
Mr.. Petersen stated that it was fit
ting and well that the Masonic lodges
throughout the land were officially
joining in the celebration of the 150th
anniversary of the adoption of the
Constitution of the United States, in
aS-much as active and prominent
Masons had taken very active and
leading part in its formation and
creation. Among some of the lead
ing statesmen, all of whom were
Masons, the speaker recalled such
names as Robert Morris, Samuel Otis,
Samuel Adams, John Paul Jones,
Paul Revere, Alexander Hamilton,
Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Jeffer,
Patrick Henry and George Washing
ton. He further stated all but six of
the trainers of the Constitution of the
United States were Masons.
With this array of facts, it was
indeed natural that Masons today
should heartily join with the nation
in this celebration. And he stressed
the fact that we should not let joint
celebrations suffice but it behooveS
each one of us privately, in solitude,
to offer thanks to God for having
the privilege of living in country
where the basic laws of the land were
embodied in such a splendid docu-
ment as our Constitution which for
$50 years has gone through cicles Of
prosperity and depression unblem-
iShed.
Reviews Constitution.
Mr.. Petersen very briefly gave the
contents of the Constitution, summing
up by stating that the backbone of
the structure was embodied in the
legislative, executive and judicial
system.
IL AL -
which organized May Is, 1887, Sc
lected George Washington unani-
mously as its chairman, and then set
to work to create the Constitution,
which was completed in remark
ably short time; and their work done,
the convention adjourned on Septem-
Der II of the same year. 1t was
then submitted to the various states
for ratification. The nine first states
to ratify same were Delaware, Penn
sylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Con-
necticut, Massachusetts, Maryland,
South Carolina and New Hampshire.
BY the resolves of the Constitution
it thereupon became the law of the
land, elections were called, and in
a few months, congress was estab-
lished and George Washington was
selected as the first president.
Mr.. Petersen then summed up his
part of the evening by stating in an
effective manner that in-as-much
as Masons had been so instrumental
in creating the Constitution $50 years
ago and guarded it in the past it was
the duty of all Masons to defend it
today and carry it on for future gen.
erations to enjoy.
Robey Praises Constitution.
Mr. Robey, in launching his narra-
ton of the history of the adoption
of the Constitution, lauded some of
the leaders in the movement to frame
and adopt it; among these were Nath-
aniel Gorham and Rufus King from
Massachusetts, Alexander Hamilton
from New York, Read and Dickinson
from Delaware; Mifflin, Morris and
the best among them-Benjamin
Franklin-from Pennsylvania; George
Washington, James Madison among
those from Virginia, and many others
of importance were represented from
other states. Those mentioned are
but a partial list, said Mr.. Robey,
but they indicate the high quality of
the whole representation at the con-
vention which met in Philadelphia
May Is, 1887.
The speaker called attention to the
trying times which the newly formed
republic was passing through at that
time 1t was felt by many that there
existed a strong need for central
government Washington and other
men of that time saw the conditions
clearly. Not only was the power
of congress at a low ebb, but the
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