Custom Of Laying Corner Stones.

and the . remnant of their brethren the priests and the Levites , ' and all they that were come out of the captivity unto Jerusalem ; and appointed the Levites , from twenty years old and upward , ¦ to set forward the work of the house of the Lord . " Then stood Jeshua with his sons and his brethren , Kadmiel " and "his sons , the sons of Judah , together , to set forward the workmen in the house of God : the sons of Henadad , with their sons aud their brethren the Levites .

. - ' And when the builders laid the foundation of the temple of the Lord , they set the priests in their apparel with trumpets , . ' and the Levites the sons of Asaph with cymbals , to praise the ' Lord , after the ordinance of David king of Israel .

/' And they sang together by course in praising and giving -thanks' unto the Lord : because he is good , for his mercy eriaureth for ever toward Israel . And all the people shouted with a great shout , when they praised the Lord , because fche foundation of the house of the Lord was laid . "

With , the precedent of this high authority has been woven the custom of laying corner stones with pomp and ceremony , with song and rejoicing , with thanksgiving and with praise . , ,. You will observe that the custom originated wifch fche Jewish people , but no sooner had Christianity been established " than'the custom was adopted , and it has continued to this day .

..-. . I . have said the custom of laying corner stones originated .. with the Jewish people and has been adopted by Christian nations . True , " bub from that time , that is , the laying of the foundation of fche new temple at Jerusalem , B . C . 535 , up to about 1830 A . D ., history furnishes us no instances where tbe .. ceremony attending the laying of a corner stone was performed

by " , aught else than by the Fraternity of Ancient Free and ' Accepted Masons . [¦¦ : y ' I . will not be bold enough to claim , as with such reason and strong argument is professed by many learned writers , that the ' origin as herein referred to was exclusively Masonic , But from ! w ; hat to , me , is reliable authority I do say that from that period

up to the . date mentioned , about 1830 A . D ., none other than ; Masonic bodies performed these ceremonies . V , " -. ;';' , We'h ' aye no . evidence that any church or other society ever laid , a corner stone , with ceremony , until during the anti Masonic ' excitement , in the United States , when a bishop of New York , himself " a Mason , felt unwilling to see his church edifices erected

without the use of this time-honoured ceremony , and not being 'abWto ' get ' the services of the Masons in public , took the Masonic ceremony , and by slight alterations and additions made it appear to be a church service , and , thus . prepared , he actually laid the corner stone of several churches in Masonic form , though the public supposed it to be a religious form . For example , while

he could well think of and use the secret words which . accompany each stroke of the gavel upon the stone , he allayed the prejudices which would at that time have been openly expressed against the Masonic ceremony , by simply substituting for the true words the following , which he spoke in a loud voice : " In the name of the Father , and of the Son , and of the Holy Ghost . "

,. Since the period above spoken of corner stones have been and are still being laid by different churches and societies , nofc one of whom are capable of giving the true reason for the most simple portions of the ceremony . History is replete with instances travelling down through the period of time mentioned , of ceremonies of the character herein described , and with very slight deviation in the ceremony from that we to-day present .

The custom has travelled where civilisation has travelled . For centuries churches , societies , scientific associations and public buildings have been accustomed fco and sought for the presentation of these ceremonies at the laying of the foundations of buildings , temples , churches and libraries , peculiar to the l-espective organisations .

In facfc , the architecture of England was for years under the control and immediate supervision of the Grand Master or Deputy of Masonry , and ceremonies of laying corner stones universally observed and always performed by the Masonic Craft . I have said that the custom of laying corner stones has

travelled where civilisation has travelled . This is true , because the progress of civilisation and of architecture is synonymous with the progress of Masonry . Formerly truly Operative , yet modern Masonry—Speculative—was born of the same sentiment , and kept pace with the same object and purpose .

Hence we trace improvements in the art of constructing dwellings to shelter from fche heafc of a summer sun , or fco protect from the winter ' s blast ; we find the need of the square , the level , and the plumb , and the science of the architect has developed its use until its latent beauties have astonished all .

How fitting and appropriate , therefore , that there should be accorded to such an institution as ours tbe universal privilege of laying the foundation stone ? This , one of the duties and pleasures enjoined on Masons , is and has been received and performed by them , and no place in this fair republic of ours is deprived of the service .

Custom Of Laying Corner Stones.

To-day many and numerous indeed are fche churches erected in God's name , from which His praise is sung , and from whose altars are proclaimed the good tidings of peace on earth and to men good will , which have had their foundation stone tried , tested and approved by the Masons' square , level and plumb .

Institutions of learning , public libraries , academies of science , have universally had their foundation stone tried , tested and proved by the implements of Masonry . On many an occasion , too , have we , the Masons of our beloved Iowa , been called upon to take parfc in the erection of those temples at whose doors sits the blind goddess , with scales

equipoised in her hands , dealing out impartial justice to all alike . Justice is one of the four cardinal virtues ever placed before the Masonio student , whether young or old in tbe profession , whioh he is not only to study , but practice while living , if he would attain fco fche highest good here , and hereafter enjoy the fruition of a well spent life .

It is a parfc of Masonry to know and follow the customs of our fathers , and to know that the time honoured customs were extended to and assumed by our fathers ought to stimulate us to tbe thought that these lessons so taught , and the customs so established , should in no wise be departed from or permitted to relax or suffer decay by our inactivity or want of zeal for Masonry .

Surrounded as we are . on this occasion by the foundation of a truly Masonic edifice , we with double zeal look forward to its completion with high hopes for its success , and equally so with the high hope that Masonry may continue to flourish and prosper in your city .

A corner stone is symbolical of the foundation of life and of the character which Freemasonry teaches , encourages and inculcates in the minds of its members . May the day here spent stimulate every Mason to a more complete observance of the lesson taught . —Bro . Almon Ealph Dewey G . M ., afc the laying of the corner stone of the new Masonic Temple , Cedar Eapids , Iowa , 24 th June 1897- —" Voice of Masonry . "

Competent Officers.

COMPETENT OFFICERS .

THE lukewarmness and lack of interest evinced on the part of the members of some Lodges , and hence lack of attendance at Lodge meetings , is very largely attributable to the neglect , carelessness , and , in some cases , want of the necessary qualifications ou the part of the Officers themselves . If the Officers are thoroughly proficient in the work and exemplify the teachings

of our Institution , making the meetings interesting and profitable ; if that strong cement of our association—Brotherly love—prevails , and deeds of practical charity illumine the trestle board , we do not think there will be much , if any , difficulty about the attendance . It must be conducted as a business ; the good that is in the Fraternity must be developed ; Lodges must be alive to the times , and fche social element must be cultivated . -The

demands and growth of charity musfc nofc be smothered . Remember tbat " we live in deeds , not words , " and by proper effort Lodges will be prosperous . As the elections are approaching , the proper Officers able to attain the desired object should be chosen , without allowing the custom of progressive step-by-step promotion to overrule the life-spirit of the membership . Elect as your Masters Brethren who are competent " to employ and instruct fche Brethren in Masonry . "— " Masonic Sun . "

Sensationalists.

SENSATIONALISTS .

NOT only newspapers , but all Institutions and Associations , now have sensationalists . The best and most ancient Institution ever devised by man has not escaped the evil , and , in consequence of it , it sometimes happens that a Brother who is elected Grand Master , Grand High Priest , or Grand Commander , or is appointed editor of a Masonic column in some paper , aches

for notoriety and tries to undo tbe wisdom of all the ages , and fco remodel much that stood the test of the Masonic square when it was applied by thousands of those who have gone before . To such an one Solomon , the Hirams , and the great Masonic archaeologists of the pasfc and present , are pigmies , and , in his

own estimation , ne alone towers high as a pillar of Masonic wisdom . He assumes that any and every regulation may be set aside , at his sweet will , and that he may make a Mason , a Boyal Arch Mason , or a Knight Templar , of whomsoever he will , at sight , and have no one who shall dare say him nay . Possessed

by intense ambition and egoism , he persists in his unwise doing until a Frederic Speed , or some other wise Brother , takes all the wind out of his sails and wrecks his hopes by one grand rap of the true Masonic gavel on his head . Then he squirms and groans and goes into Masonic oblivion . — " Voice of Masonry . "