Proceedings: Grand Lodge of A.F. & A.M. of Canada, 1873
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LIBRARY BROCK ;_KSI 1 1 Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from Heritage Lodge No. 730 G.R.C. & Grand Lodge A.F.& A.M. of Canada in the Province of Ontario http://www.archive.org/details/grandlodge1873onta PROCEEDINGS OF THE GKR^lsTD LODGE Xtlk All asoits OIF Special Communication, held at the city of Hamiton, on the first day of July, A. D. 1873, A. L 5873. ALSO AT ITS iighteentti ILnnual ©ommunicatioiL ois.-^ HELD AT MONTREAL, QUE., OX THE IMh & lOtli days of July, A. D. 1873, A. L. 58T3. Ordered to be read in all Lodges and preserved. WILLIAM MEECEE WILSON, Simcoe, Ont., GRAND MASTER. THOMAS BIED HAEEIS, Hamilton, Ont., GRAND SECRETARY. fcrailion : Sptdaior fSitam printing fjcusr, fames # Ujtam f$i& 187; (Irani) Jobge of Canada. PKOCEEDINGS At a Special Coinniunication of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Tree and Accepted Masons of Canada, held at the city of Hamilton, on Dominion Day, 1st July, A. D. 1873, A. L. 5873. PRESENT. M.W. Bro W. M. Wilson, LL.E>., Grand Master. E. 11 tt E. Mitchell, as Deputy Grand Master. <( it it James Bain, Grand Senior Warden V. it it B. E. Charlton, as ii Junior " a a E. S. B. Harman, as a Chaplain. (C tt it Otto Klotz, as a Treasurer. « tt tt Allan McLean, as a Eegistrar. a tt ii Thomas B. Harris, a Secretary. it tt J. M. Gibson, as ii Senior Deacon. « tt tt W. H. Fraser, as ti Junior " it tt tt E. Bull, as it Supt. of Works tt n J. Howson, as tt Dir. ofCer. V. tt a C. E. Smith, Asst. " Secretary. << it tt J. J. Mason, as Asst. " Dir. of Cer. (( M n B. Saunders, tt Sword Bearer. <( tt it N. L. Steiner, as tt Organist. a tt "William Forbes, as Asst. « Organist. it it E. E. Carpenter, as tt Pursuivant. ti W. W. Summers, as it Tyler. It tt a William Dewar, : a it ti James S. Scarff, a Stewards. tt it II W. L. P. Eager, it it James Henderson, as ; JOG GRAND LODGE OF CANADA. W. Bro. J. Erskine, « « William Bell, " " Gavin Stewart, ,- as Grand Stewards. " " J. B. Nixon, " " T. F. Blackwood, DISTRICT DEPUTY GRAND MASTERS. E. " " H. McK. Wilson, D. D. G. M. Wilson District. « u (i jj Kemp, " Niagara " » « <« J. K. Kerr, P. D. D. G. M. Toronto " Together with the Masters, Past Masters, and about 700 brethren hailing from the following Lodges : Barton, No. 6, Strict Observance, No. 27, St. John's, No. 40, and The Acacia, No. 61, Hamilton ; St. Andrew's, No. 16, King Solomon's, No. 22, Ionic, No. 25, Eehoboam, No. 65, St. John's, No. 75, Wilson, No. 86, Stevenson, No. 21S, Toronto ; Ashlar, No. 247, Yorkville ; Union, No. 7, Grimsby St. George's, No. 15, and Maple Leaf, No. 103, St. Catharines Niagara, No. 2, Niagara ; King Solomon's, No. 43, Wood- No. and Doric, No. 121, Brantford ; Nor- stock ; Brant, 45, folk, No. 10, Simcoe ; Ivy, No. 115, Bearnsville; St. John's, No. 68, Ingersoll ; Seymour, No. 272, Ancaster ; St. Clair, No. 135, Milton ; Burlington, No. 165, Wellington Square Wentworth, No. 1G6, Stoney Creek; White Oak, No. 198, Oakville ; Valley, No. 100, Dundas ; St. George, No. 243, St. George ; Clifton, No. 254, Clifton ; &c., &c. Among the distinguished brethren present were 111. Bro. C. W. Milliman' 32o, of Suspension Bridge, and R. W. Bro. C. E. Young, E. W. Bro. J. A. Lockwood, and Bros. James McConnell, Lewis Smith, andN. A. Powell, of Buffalo, N.Yj The Grand Lodge was opened in gimgle ^OVJXt at High Twelve. The M.W. Grand Master announced that he had caused the Grand Secretary to issue a circular convening this Special Communication, for the purpose of laying, with full masonic ceremonies, the corner stone of the new : ; SPECIAL COMMUNICATION, HAMILTON, 5873. 307 Masonic Hall about being erected by the fraternity in the city of Hamilton. Arrangements had been made on a large scale, for an extensive gathering of the fraternity, and by about eleven o'clock the brethren were being formed in procession in front of the Mechanic Institute. R. "W". Bro. Hon. H. B. Bull, being Grand Marshall, and was assisted by Y. W". Bros. Richard Brierley, J. J. Mason, C. R. Smith and Bro. J. H. Bartindale who had charge of the Blue Lodges E. Frater II. A. Mackay, of the Royal Arch and Knights Templar. The procession was preceded by the band of the 13th Battalion, Y. M., and in the centre of the procession was the Cooksville band, which accompanied the brethren of the Toronto Lodges, and marched to the Masonic Hall on John Street, where it was joined by the Grand Lodge, and proceeded from thence to the site of the new building on the corner of James and Gore streets, the following being a description of the contemplated new hall. The dimensions of the hall are 81 feet 6 inches on James Street ; 100 feet 6 inches on Gore Street; height of building from sidewalk to cornice, 56 feet; total height from cellar to dock roof 78 feet. The style is romanesque, and the structure will be finished in September 1874. On the ground floor there will be four stores on James Street, and one on Gore Street, 14 feet in height; two stores will be 19 feet 6 inches wide and GO feet long; two other will be 13 feet wide and 00 feet long ; the one on Gore Street will be 22 feet wide and 64 ft. long ; on the second floor will be a Masonic Hall 64x34; Encampment, Priory of Kt. Templars, &c, 27x31, with their several ante and preparation rooms ; reception room 23x14; wash rooms, &c, &c; committee and fuel rooms, offices for the Grand Secretary ; fire-proof vaults and hoist room. On the third flat will be the Royal ; 308 GRAND LODGE OF CANADA. Arch. Chapter Room, 23x37 ; Excellent and Super-Excel- lent Degrees Room, 11x28 ; the A. & A. Rite occupies half of this story, comprising a space of 77x45. Banqueting general reception room, 16x26. flat room, 17x31 ; The on this story is also furnished with fuel rooms, hoist room, fire-proof vault, and other conveniences. The front of the procession having reached the site of the new building, a halt was made, and the ranks opened out and faced inwards, when the Grand Master, supported by the Grand Officers, passed through to the north-east corner, where a platform had been erected for the Grand Officers. The opening ceremonies commenced with the singing of the following ODE. Accept, great Builder of the skies, Our heartfelt acts of sacrifice ! Each brother found a living stone While bending low before Thy throne. While Craftsmen true their work prepare, With thoughts unstained, and holy care, May each be fitly formed, and placed Where Love Divine his hope had traced. With all my powers of heart and tongue, I'll praise my Maker in my song Angels shall hear the notes I raise. Approve the song, and join the praise. Praise God, from whom all blessings flow, Praise Him all creatures here below, Praise Him above, ye heavenly host, Praise Father, ton, and Holy Ghost. The M. W. Bro. Wm. Mercer Wilson, Grand Master, then delivered the following ADDRESS. Brethren of the Building Committee. At your request I have caused to be convened a special meeting of the Grand Lodge of Canada to meet me here to-day, for the purpose of assisting me in the interesting cere- mony of laying with masonic ceremonies, and in accordance with the rites of our ancient fraternity, the corner stone of your proposed masonic Temple, an enterprise most creditable to the Masons of Hamilton, and the completion of which, : SPECIAL COMMUNICATION, HAMILTON, 5873. 309 according to the designs and plans submitted, will be a cause of pride and satisfaction to the fraternity in general, and will form a beautiful addition to the already numerous magnificent structures which adorn your flourishing city. Hamilton has been called an ambitious city, but her ambition is a noble one. From a small sleepy village, overshadowed by Ancaster (as I well remember it upwards of forty years ago), she has become one of the leading cities in the Domi- nion ; she is now the centre of a net of railways ; standing, as she does, at the head of the navigable waters of Lake Ontario, with all the advantages of its beautiful bay, she has now become, through the energy, enterprise and public spirit of her inhabitants, the great commercial emporium of the western section of our province. May prosperity attend her progress. To the Freemasons of Canada, Hamilton— as the birthplace of our Grand Lodge—must ever be an object of the liveliest interest. The day selected for the performance of this ceremony is also an auspicious one, for it is the anniversary of the founding of this great Dominion. The beneficial results of confederation are now admitted by all, and each succeeding year witnesses an increased prosperity. May the Great Architect of the Universe pour down His richest blessings upon our Queen and country. May brotherly love prevail, and every moral and social virtue cement us. "We will now proceed to lay the foundation stone according to ancient custom, and our acting Grand Chaplain will implore a blessing on the undertaking. E. "W. Bro. S. B. Ilarman, Acting Grand Chaplain, then offered up the following prayer "Great Architect of the Universe, Maker and Euler of all Worlds, deign from thy Celestial Temple, from realms of light and glory to help us in all the purposes of our present assembly.