MassachusettsYear1832

1832

David Wilder, Deputy Grand Master
Abraham A. Dame, Senior Grand Warden
William J. Whipple, Junior Grand Warden

NOTES

EVENTS IN 1832

QUARTERLY COMMUNICATIONS

03/14 (Masons Hall, Boston): IV-237;

06/13 (Masonic Temple, Boston): IV-258;
- IV-262: Committee appointed to consider the expediency of celebrating a Centennial for the Grand Lodge.

09/12 (Masonic Temple, Boston): IV-263;
- IV-265: A Circular by the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island was placed in the record, regarding calumnies against Masons.
  - Despite an assertion that "there is no evidence that the obnoxious and criminal clauses in the forms of oaths, contained in the antimasonic books ever made any part of the forms used in Rhode Island or indeed any where else . . . and a vast variety of reasoning and argument contained in sixty eight octavo pages, all or nearly all of which is not unfavorable to the Masonic Institution" - a committee from the Rhode Island legislature came to the conclusion "that the Masons owe it to the community, to themselves and sound principles to discontinue the Masonic institution." The resolve of the Grand Lodge of Rhode Island was that "no good can result either to the public or to Masons in adopting their recommendation - that in our view the clamorous leaders of antimasonry care not whether we meet in Lodges or Chapters - it is not the Institution of Masonry they are contending against: political power is the object. . . our duty is plain; which is that we manifest a determination peacefully to adhere to our institution through evil as well as through good report."

12/12 (Masonic Temple, Boston): IV-267; Annual Communication.
- IV-269: Petition from Cassia Lodge for financial assistance; refused as Grand Lodge has a large debt, due to the building of the Temple.
- IV-270: Grand Treasurer to provide the Golden Urn at every Quarterly.
- IV-271: Communications from other Grand Lodges.
- IV-271: Grand Lodge to procure a safe for the use of the Grand Lodge.
- IV-271: Report of Committee on Finance.
- IV-273: Report of Committee on Charity.
- IV-274: Report of Trustees of the Charity Fund.
- IV-275: Elijah Crane elected Grand Master. (Only 42 ballots cast.) Other Grand Lodge officers elected and appointed.

12/27 (Masonic Temple, Boston): IV-277:
- IV-277: Installation of Grand Master Crane and other Grand Lodge officers. Note: No District Deputy Grand Masters are listed in the appointments for 1833.
- IV-279: "Resolved, that in the commencement and completion of the spacious Masonic Edifice in which we are now for the first time assembled for the annual organization of the Grand Lodge and which is an object for Masonic pride and delight, we recofnize the enterprise, devotion, and perseverance of Grand Master Jenkins, and heartily acknowledge his faithful application of peculiar personal qualifications for conducting this arduous undertaking, under circumstances peculiarly discouraging to Masonic enterprise."
- IV-280: Grand Lodge to donate the chandelier used in the Masonic Hall to Bethel Church.

PETITIONS FOR CHARTERS

None.

SPECIAL COMMUNICATIONS

01/25: IV-235; Grand Treasurer authorization; borrowing of additional money.

04/30: IV-239; Report of Building Committee.

05/30: IV-255; Dedication of the Temple.

GRAND LODGE TEMPLE HALL

01/25: IV-235; Building Committee authorized to borrow an additional $7,000; the Grand Treasurer was authorized to sign notes on behalf of the Grand Lodge.

03/14: IV-238; Committee on Dedication to fix the day of dedication.

04/30: IV-239ff; Building Committee reported on contributions and loan sources for the building of the Temple. Extensive report on details of the hall.

05/30: IV-255ff; Dedication of the Masonic Temple. Address by Rev. Bernard Whitman; see below.

06/13: IV-259; Reports of Dedication and Building Committees. Thanks of the Grand Lodge voted to committees, particularly R.W. Gardner Greenleaf, the "Master Builder" of the Masonic Temple.

09/12: IV-264; Thanks and pieces of plate rendered to committee members and R.W. Greenleaf.

12/27: IV-279: Thanks rendered to Grand Master Jenkins.

HALL DEDICATION CEREMONY, MAY 30, 1832

From Masonic Mirror, New Series, Vol. III, No. 49, June 1832, Page 392:

Order of Exercises
of the
Dedication of the Masonic Temple
May 30, 1832

The Grand Lodge was opened on Wednesday at 10 o'clock A. M. in Mason's Hall, for the purpose of consecrating that apartment in ancient form. Having concluded those ceremonies, they proceeded to the Lecture Room, where the general exercises arranged for the Dedication of the Temple took place in the following order.

I.
Motetto - Music by Br. Zeuner.

Psalm 104.
The Glory of the Lord shall endure forever.
The Lord shall rejoice in his works.
He looketh on the earth, and it troubleth;
He toucheth the hills and they smoke.
I will sing unto the Lord as long as I live;
I will sing praise unto my God while I have my being.

II.
Prayers.

III.
Anthem - Composed for the occasion - Music by Br. C. Zeuner.

CHORUS.

Give Glory, sing praise to the Builder divine,
Who the universe rais'd from old chaos and night;
And, veiling His throne in ineffable light,
For His worship erected this azure-arch'd shrine;
Suspending o'er all an etherial dome,
Whose star spangled roof
Stands an emblem and proof
Of the spirit that made it,
And in splendor array'd it
To light our frail race to their refuge and home.

RECITATIVE AND AIR.

While thy vast temple, Lord, not made with hands
Unchang'd by time, in solemn grandeur stands,
Our weak hands have rais'd a pile
Which, tho' time may spare a while
Must like men's frail home of clay,
Yield at last to sure decay.
Joy to the craft, the work is done,
Our temple greets the sky, –
We hail the triumph art has won
The pride of Masonry.
CHORUS.
Joy to the Craft, &c.

IV.
Dedication.

V.
Address.

VI.
Hymn.

Thine, Lord, the work, – thine be the praise,
As all we have is thine;
Sacred to rites of ancient days,
Be now this hallow'd shrine.

Sacred to truth and holy lore,
Be all our moments here,
Let all our words and actions prove
That each to all is dear.

Still faithful let each brother be,
And scorn the recreants' part;
Our mystic-tie is sympathy
That mingles heart with heart.

And charity, the heaven-born maid
As thro' the world we go
Has pledg'd the Mason's unsought aid
To every child of woe.

Pure are the rites are Masonry;
Its vows no bonds impose,
That would from any duty free
May to his Maker owes.

Within these vaulted walls, anew,
Before this altar bow'd –
Pledge we each other to be true
To all our lips have vow'd.

VII.
Benediction.