Personal Masonic Building.

PERSONAL MASONIC BUILDING .

riHHE custom of celebrating with festivities and ceremonies a I great act performed , an extraordinary work accomplished , is as old as is mankind . The crude records of savage life and the hieroglyphical archives of barbarous people and the history of more advanced civilisation a'iice demonstrate and attest this fact . They are all in this respect actuated by the same feelings

and governed by the same impulses . It is most fitting and eminently proper that all public edifices , and more especially and particularly those designed for advance and continuing good , for the amelioration of the condition of man , for the promulgation

of honour , truth , and justice , should have their dedication and their dedicatory ceremony ; and although the ceremony may differ in act and speech , the spirit which prompts and underlies , and the motive which determines it , are alike unchanging and unchangeable .

My Brethren and friends , the history of Masonry in Ohio ( to us the best in the increasing crowd of States ) is co-extensive with the history of the commonwealth itself . Masonry is as old as is government ; in fact , Masonry is government , and brings within its charmed circle , from its own power , order out of chaos , union from disruption , light from darkness , liberty and freedom out of

slavery , structures upon rums . In its origin , principles , organisation and likewise in its administration , are to be found obedience to the laws of God and man , loyalty to country , compliance with established usages and customs , hope of immortality , charity for all mankind , and love for Brothers and fellows . Without all of these attributes there cannot be Masonry .

Demonstrating then , the practicability and truthfulness of these principles , and in conformity with our duty as Masons , we are this day permitted to crown with fitting ceremonial the completion of part , at least , of the greatest work of practical Masonry in the history of Ohio . This day is a Masonic heirloom ,

and this event a rich Masonic legacy . Cherish and preserve it even as the Spartan cherished the olive-branch of the victor . No man , particularly a Mason , and surely no Ohio Mason can stand in the presence of his Grand Lodge , within the shade of this beautiful building , and not feel his heart grow more tender , and his breast fill and well up with sympathy , when he considers that

within this structure will be fostered and perpetuated the beautiful truths of our profession ; wherein brotherly love will prevail ; wherein relief will be furnished ; and above all these , wherein the highest type of Masonic manhood will be taught and inculcated ; until the prattle of baby orphans becomes the stronger sense of maturer years .

Stop and realise what your enterprise has accomplished . Let the natural feeling assert itself and thereby consider the importance and magnitude of the results to be obtained : that here will old men be protected ; prostrate old age , with usefulness all gone , be cheered and comforted ; and you , in your home

surrounded with family and comforts , can have that pure and better feeling that you have lived the life of a true Mason , and have aided in smoothing the life of your fellow men . But , again , within these rooms will be provided comforts for the widow—your widow , perhaps—who can tell ? And thus , as God's beautiful sun shall rise on each succeeding day , and with its warmth kiss the

dew of night from grass and flowers , from turret and roof ; at the hour when the pure air of morning is filled with the joyous songs of happy birds ; from within these walls will come forth the happy prattle of little children , orphan children , your children , perhaps , you hope not , but who can tell ?—as they again commence the round of the day ' s duty and pleasure .

Masonry has , in erecting this beautiful building , and again in its dedication with the presence of so many of tbe Craft from all parts of the State , demonstrated that its teachings are fraught with thoughts and deeds of love and kindness , and that to be a Mason one must be willing to aid aud succour his fellow men .

And now , my friends and my Brethren , as members of this great Fraternity , as Free and Accepted Masons , and belonging to an Order emerging from the dim uncertainty of the past , as members of this great and honourable institution that was born in the shades of King Solomon's temple , bathed in the inspiration

of his wisdom , it has come thundering down the ages , loaded with good deeds and crowned with the gem of universal charity ; and as it has , in the light of good and generous deeds , walked hand in hand with the Christian Church , it has aided in teaching the lessons that the Master taught , inculcating charity , truth and justice .

As members , then , of such an Order , and with such a history , we complete this day , and at this time one of its most impressive ceremonials ; and this completion of ceremonial work , this pageant , and this great intermingling of Masons , would be but an idle thing

indeed did we draw no new lessons from it , or did we not anew become impressed with the many virtues our beloved Fraternity inculcates . When you stop to think that in the completion of this building you have finished the greatest single act of your history in the state , by dedicating this splendid building to its

Personal Masonic Building.

practical uses , wherein may be fostered those twin agents of civilisation and progress—education and charity . To-day this structure has had to pass the inspection of us all . We have examined it to see if it is complete in all it parts ; to see if it has been completed plan-like and workmanlike .

Satisfied with our examination , we have retired ; and , figuratively at least , we have met in the Hall of Assembly the Grand Master Architect , and grasping him by the right hand , in the joy of our hearts have exclaimed : " Hail Eaboni ! " which is , being interpreted , " Hail , Most Excellent Master ! "

Masonry builds up character by the lessons taught from the Orders of Architecture . Let us see that these lessons may be exemplified in us . Masonry is what we make it , and we are no better as Lodges , Chapters , Councils , Commanderies , or Consistories , than we are as individuals .

We may never witness again a Masonic spectacle so interesting ; for the years of human life are few and short , and fast they are speeding away ; and the most splendid scenes , and the most august ceremonies that ever call us together on this earth , may serve to convince us more surely that we are to be

summoned to a Grand Lodge other than this ; and let us hope that the result of the examination there will he , " Well done The heat and burden of life ' s day of labour will be over , and we will be called upon to present our work . It will then be tested , and must stand the test of the Great Overseer ' s unerring square . Let us make for ourselves a history that we "• vere ever

faithful in the performance of work and duty . Let ub here and now make the resolution that we will ever strive to brighten the endless chain of Masonry , link by link , as it girdles and encircles civilisation , and so pass it on and hand it down without blemish and unbroken , till time and Masonry shall perish together . Let us , in doing this , build a Masonic Home in our daily lives .

Let it be built broad and wide ; let us build it strong , substantial . Let it be builded on an everlasting and eternal foundation , thorough and solid , magnificent , rearing its walls as we place one perfect aslar upon another , and placing keystone and copestone with deeds of honour and duty ; and still more

than these , let us adorn it with the pillars and pilasters of Brotherly love , of charity , and self-sacrifice ; and this done , our personal building will be the light , the admiration and the blessing of mankind , even as this grand structure is now at once the gratification and admiration of the Masons of Ohio . —" Voice of Masonry . "

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