Newspaper Page Text
WEDNESDAY. MAY 8. 1507.
RICHARD N. PICKETT, JR.,
Atlanta Lodga.
JOHN H. MULLIN,
Oata City Lodga.
W. 3. RICHARD80N,
Fulton Lodge.
DEL08 L. HILL,
Piedmont Lodge.
JOHN A. HYND9,
Palestine Lodge, ■
ATLANTA’S FIRST LODGE
DESTROYED BY SHERMAN
In the early history of the Gate City
of the Bouth, when Atlanta waa
struggling for exlatenee on the
map, the Idea of establishing a Ma
sonic lodge waa ooncelrad In the minds
of a handful of the cltlxena of the little
^Accordingly, on October 29. 1847. a
few of the faithful assembled, prepared
to make application for a charter and
organised themselves Into a lodge of
free and Accepted Masons. They
named the organization Atlanta lodge,
. No. 69, and Ih all the trials and vicissi
tudes through which the lodge has
passed, the name has dung to It until
the present day. and It has flourished
and Increased In membership until,
from an humble twglnnlng thirteen
years before the war, It has grown to
be one of the largest and moat pros
perous, and at the same time has the
distinction of being the oldest Ma
sonic lodge to the city of Atlanta.
The Call of War.
The history of the growth of Atlanta
lodge. No. 69. leads like a romance. The
conditions under which It waa estab
lished, the struggles of Its members to
keep tt alive, the severe teat to which
it was subjected when the clarion call
of duty sent Its members to the battle
front—many of them never to return-
end the struggle to keep It going dur
ing the days of reconstruction, apeak
eloquently of the Indomitable epirtt and
devotion to the ceuee of Masonry which
dominated the thought and ytlona of
the men who organlted It and laid the
foundation for what it !■ today.
U C. Blmpeon was th# first worship
ful master of Atlanta lodge, and Imme
diately after It waa organised he and
his fellow members began to look about
for a suitable hall in which to hold
their meetings. Accommodations for
such enterprises In those days were
vory limited and the founders of the
first Masonic lodge In Atlanta consid
ered themeelves fortunate when they
secured a vacant room over a grocery
s.A t... Daiti \fs>c>iarr«rv n* Mir
rr < uiiu .. . .Ultlll »«"-us
occupied by Paul McBheffery, at the
comer of Loyd and Alabama etreeta.
A short while later Bdward E. ltaw-eon
erected a More en a lot a ehort dis
tance below the spot where Uie old
Imperial theater stood on Decatur
street. He agreed to allow the lodga
building, provided they would furnish
the material. This waa done and the
hall waa MNMiFbp the Jfdgt
the outbreak of the war.
Burned by 6hermsn.
During tbe course of his stay In At
lanta, whllo cn rout# to the eon. General
Hlucinmi beeniii<* ,.u-l<-s* "Itli ills Are
and allowed the hall to bum. Conse
quently, when tho gentlemen who con
stituted Atlanta Lodge roturned homo
from the war they found themeelves
without a home.
For a time a building on Whitehall
street, the only one available, was se
cured and was used by the lodge as a
meeting place. iAter T. C. Healey
erected a building at the comer "f
Peachtree and Marietta streets and this
was used for a while. Then the lodge
moved to the comer of Decatur and
North Pryor on tho corner opposite the
Kimball House. Still later It moved
Into the Grant building on tho comer
of Broad and Marietta streets, then to
the old capitol building on the comer
of Forsyth and Marietta streets, then
to the Chamber of Commerce, and by
that time other lodges had sprung Into
existence, and they consolidated and
moved Into the Masonic temple, which
le still In use on the corner of Foreyth
and Mitchell streets.
With the completion of the new Ma-
sonlc temple, comer Peachtree and
Cain streets, the members who now
conetttute Atlanta Lodge ero hoping
that the moving days are over and that
the oldest lodge In tbe city will be left
In peace to grow and flourish like the
proverbial green bay tree.
Richard N. Flckett, Jr„ whose picture
appears In Tho Georgian today. Is wor
shipful master of tno Atlanta Lodga
and la one of the meet enthusiastic and
best-known Maeone in the city.
Tbe present o 111 cere of Atlanta Lodge
No. 89, are Richard N. Flckett, wor-
ehlpful toaster; Utyaaaa N. Bell, senior
warden; Thomas Evnne. Junior war
den; Georg* H. Holliday, treasurer; 7..
B. Moon, secretary; E. F. Menton, sen.
lor deacon; W. H. Ten-oil, Junior dea
con; R. N. McGuire, senior steward;
J. E. Ellenberg, Junior steward; J. M.
Fuller, tyler.
KING SOLOMON’S QUARRY
FURNISHED KEYSTONEFOR
ATLANTA’S GREAT TEMPLE
Brought From Jerusa
lem as Gift of an
Atlanta Mason.
Bet In the has* of the main column
of the new Masonto temple at Peach
tree and Cain streets, and directly over
the old and new corner-stones, will brf
a piece of limestone quarried from
i Solomon's quarry at Jeruwlem by F.
I U Hesly. .
This piece of atone, taken from the
l vast underground quarrtee from which
cams the stone going Into the magnifi
cent Solomon's temple, waa secured by
Mr. Beely on hie dour of the world
lereral year* ago. It waa cut from the
quorry and shaped by hla own hands
with tools borrowed from a native
stone cutter. . ^ _
To secure this stone and go down
Into the wonderful underground quar
ries It waa necessary to secure the per
mission of the Turkish authorities who
control Palestine and the great quar
ries, which are atUI worked. Ho waa
accompanied to the mouth of the
quarry by a Turklih soldier, who re
mained tliero until Mr. Beely came out.
A half day was spent In cutting and
■hsplng the stone.
Mr. Seely packed It In hie baggage
and brought It back to this country
with him. When the new temple hem
was proposed he offered the stone, with
dll Of Its historic Masonic significance,
to tho temple company, and in# proff
was gratefully accepted.
This stone has been cut .In the ehapo
of a keyetone. and as such will take
Its place In the main column of the
now temple. Bet In the center Is -
ellver plate, upon which Is engraved:
Oeooooooooooooooooooooooog
O O
O This O
o Keyetone O
O Cut From O
o Solomon's Quarry o
D At $
O Jerusalem O
O By P
o F. I* Seely. 9
O > O
DOOOOQOOOOGOOOOGtSOOeOOOOOa
JUDGE JOHN R. WILKINSON
ATTAINS ENVIABLE RANK
Prominent among the Maaone of
Georgia and the Bouth Is Hon. John R.
Wllktnaor, of Atlanta, present chap
lain of Gats City Lodge No. I.
During the course of bis career at a
Mason Judge WlUUneon boa probably
accumulated more titles than any other
member of the order In tbe state. Since
he became a member of Fulton Lodge
No. lit, over twenty-one year* ago.
Judge Wilkinson has bald ofilca almost
continuously, and has been signally
honored by election to responsible po
sitions to the various degrees of the
order.
Judge Wilkinson' waa raised to mem
bership In Fulton Lodge In 1818. In
the following year ha, to company with
seventy-nine other member* withdrew
from Fulton Lodge and organised the
Gate City Lode*, of which he la now
an honored member. Hla first office In
the new lodge was that of treasurer, to
which bo waa elected Immediately after
tbe lodge was organised.
In 1187 he waa mad* a Royal Arch
Mason and waa elected king In this
diopter to lllL In 1117 be was elected
' i priest, which Is the highest office
er.
Is Meny Offices.
Among other offices which Judge
ear
In tb<
>
Wilkinson haa held In the past and is
now holding are the following:
Third velltman of the grand chapter
of Royal Arch Masons; Royal Arch
captain: principal sojourner, captain of
the host, past master of Gate City
lodge, peat high priest of the Mt. Zion
chapter, past thrice Illustrious master
of the Jason Bull council, past eminent
commander of th* Atlanta commandery,
chief rabban of Taarab Temple, grand
principal conductor of th* work of th*
grand council of Georgia, grand captain
of th* host of th* grand chapter of
Georgia, past venerable master of
Hermes Lodge of Perfection, past wise
master of White Eagle Chapter, chan-
oetlor of tho Kntghta Commandery of
the Court of Honor of Washington, D.
C„ and a host of others equally aa im-
portant
In addition to having held many of
fices to tbs lodge Judge WUklnson has
been made a member of the thirty-third
GALE CITY LODGE
TURNS_2_DECADES
Its Officers Have Numbered
Many Great Masons of
Georgia.
Gets City Lodge No. 8 was organized
under a dispensation of the Grand Lodge
la 1887, and secured Its charter In October
of that year.
Charles F. Malone, who, died recently of
meningitis, eras the flrtt worahlpfnl mas-
tor. Among the past masters wore C. F.
Malone, John Z. Lawehe, John H. Parke,
Thomas B. Jeffries, John’ll. Dickey, J.
Stovall Smith, John It. Wilkinson, Albert
P. Wood, Joseph C. Greenfield and John
D. Simmon*. It has numbered among Its
members also several grand masters of
other lodges, notably Jobn A Chappie, W.
C. Nunemscber, John T. Stocks, Georgs W.
Taylor end A A. Woods.
Gets City Lodge le generally recognised
as one of the nut Masonic organisations
In the state, as orery member Is thorough
ly Imbued with a spirit ot emulation In
good work nnd In regular nttendanee. At
—- meeting every stntloi
it ntai
lion was filled by
e past master.
Tho present officers of Osto City Lodge
sro: John Mnllln, worshipful master; w.
1). Woltte, senior wa
Itoyal Daniel,
MUt
A. Hharp, Junior stewwrfl. _ ... .
secretary: J. T. Wright, treasurer; John
ft. Wilkinson, chaplain.
OLD FULTON BORN
BEFORECIE WAR
Its Charter Dates From
1857—Second .Atlanta
Lodge.
In May, 1857, sn application was made
by tho legal number, accompanied by tbs
recommendation of Atlanta Lodge, No. 69.
and Grand Master A A Gauldlng granted
n dispensation for a new lodge.
On October 98, 1167, the (Mi Mfip,
granted a charter to Fulton Lodge, No.
218, with L J. Glenn as tho first worship
ful master. It began with n membership
of 158, and meetings wore first held on
Decatur street.
Beginning with L. J. Glenn, tho first
w.irslilpful master, the full-iwlug hnve
served this lodge In that capacity Unco
Its organisation: David Mayer, whose term
begun In 1969 and continued to 188}. Dur
ing 1984 5, there were no returns owing to tho
war. Msyer was followed by W. W. Boyd,
James E. Williams, Levi Cohen, Joseph
Flelsbel, W, L. Hubbard, Aaron Hass, A
P. Thompson, C. F. Malone, James A.
Gray, John 7.. Lswshe, Fulton Colville,
A. II. Smithson, Frank Wllbr. John A.
Krrimnn, David Stars and J. If. Barfield.
The present officer* of Fulton lodge nre:
W. 8. Richardson. worsntprul master: T. C.
McDonald, senior warden: M. T. Walker,
dor warden; Leri Cohen, treasurer; W.
Mull, secretary: F. M. Galbraith, senior
untron; 11. I* Ilnnfer, Junior deacon: Sam
Zahan, senior Stewart; M. Lichtenstein,
Junior ateward.
GEORGIA LODGE, 96,
IS
Organized id Reconstruc
tion Days, But Young in
Spirit.
On July 28, 1869, a special dispensation
was granted to Georgia lodge. No. 9* by
Grand Master Samuel Lawrence, and on
the 28th of the following October a char
ter was granted by the grand lodge.
Thla lodge was organized with thirteen
members—IV. H. Taller, Calvin Fay, It.
If. Goodman, E. A Werner, L. W. Me-
Cnndlls, It. U. Bose. J. If. I’urtell, A a
Began, W. A. Hemphill, O. If. Hammond,
D. 8. Kellam, a 11. Campbell nnd J. C.
Whftner. W. n. Toller was tho first wor
shipful master.
This lodge has bad eighteen past masters,
some of whom have been recognized by
the grand bodies of tha state, among tho
number lielng Charles T. Watson, Park
Woodward, Julius L. Brown and Samuel
D. Irvin.
The present officer* of Georgia lodge ere
William C..Warren, worshipful master; W.
M. Smith, senior Warden; J. A Apprraon,
Junior warden; M. Z. Crist, secretary; Hugh
McKee, treasurer; George K. Eubanks, se
nior deacon; Tsui Burkert, Junior descon;
Gordon Massengale. senior steward; C. B.
Howard, Junior steward; Preston II. Miller,
chaplain.
PIEDMONT LODGE
But Three Years Old, and
Grooving Almost Too
Rapidly.
One of the most flourishing young
lodges In tho city Is Piedmont Lodge
No. 447, F. and A. M., of which Dr.
Do Los L. Hill Is worshipful master. In
spits of the fact that this lodge Is only
about five years old, It numbers over
300 members, and now has more appll
cations for membership, than can be
easily handled. .
The lodge was organized February
28, 1002, and was constituted a few
months later* with about ninety-two
members. Henry M. Wood, who was at
that time a member of Atlanta Lodge,
took a very active part In the organi
zation of the new body and was hon
ored with the office of worshipful mas
ter. Mr. Wood Is now secretary ot the
‘ fe.
he past masters of the lodge In the
order named are: Henry M. Wood, A.
H. Estsrly, Frank L. Irwin, A J. John
son. Ci H. Esslg.
Tho present officers ore: Dr. DeLos
L. Hill, worshipful master; P. C. Tay
lor, senior warden; J. H. Adams, Junior
warden; Paul P. Reese, senior deacon;
PALESTINE LODGE
The “Baby” of Atlanta
Masonry, But Growing
Rapidly.
Palestine lodge. No. 486. Is the yonngeit
Masonic organization In Atlanta, yet, la
spite of It* youth, It ranks with many of
Its fellow-organizations, which have many
years behind them.
Tko lodge was organized In March, 1906,
but was not formally Instituted until No
vember 2, of the same year. It esmr Into
existence with about sixty charter members
taken from the various lodges In the city.
Dr. W. L. Champion was ejected worship
ful master, and Pan! M. Hubbard secre-
nes Its organization, tbe lodge hie
enjoyed * wonderfully rapid growth, and
numbers about one hundred nod fifteen
then.
le list of officers of Palomino In.ir
as follows: John A. Hynds, worshl
B aster; James E. Warren, eenlor wan
r. Bcrnnrd Woolf, Junior warden; Dr. aTI
II. Van Dyke, secretary: Charles M. Rob
erts, treasurer; Harry W. Anderson, senior
deacon; F. Roland Alston, Junior deacon;
E. D. Kennedy, senior steward; L. J. Metz,
Junior steward; W. T. Winn, chaplain.
Kendall Welslger, Junior deacon; Rob
ert H. Jones Jr., senior steward: Lu
cius J. Harris, Jr., Jdnior steward: H.
M. Wood, secretary; A. L. ■ Holbrook,
treasurer; A. C. Ward, chaplain.
KING SOLOMON’S TEMPLE, THE BIRTHPLACE OF MASONRY
• 7 :
S 1
: tr
4 .
KING SOLOMON'S STABLES.
It Is believed that they were used for houses or stables *s the name
would imply. There are Targe areas like this under the sits where the
Tsmpto stood. These wars laid up without cement. Th* larger pieces
at th* right are from S to 8 feet square.
degree,
only tbi
thro* other Masons to tbs state ol
OsorgtA end which Is tbs goal ot every
Mason In th* world.
Judge WUklnson has taken fin active
Interest In tha erection of the new Ms.
sonic Temple, and Is secretary and
vice president of the Masonic Temple
Company, and tec rotary of th* build
ing commute*.
MYSTIC SHRINERS HAVE FUN
WHEN THEY GET TOGETHER
k
It there’s any organisation to the
world that has any mors fun than ths
Mystic Shriners it has not boon report
ed. and If (her* 1* a tempi* In ths coun
try that stands any higher than Taraab
tempi* It Isn't of record.
Th* Shriners are th* fun-makera ot
Masonry, and they can *tlr up more of
th* genuln* article than nny collection
of good fellows to th* world. In At
lanta Past Illustrious Potentate Harry
C. Btockdell Is responalbl* for Taraab
tempi*. H* organised It several years
ago, and It has grojvn and flourished
until It numbers several hundred mem
bers.
Ths prerequisite* far membership are
..jat an applicant must b* a Knight
Templar or a thirty-second degree Ma
son to good standing, to tbs United
States and Canada there are over 75,-
000 Shriners.
Ever read on* of th* ukases of Po
tentate Forrest Adair? ' Even lo the
uninitiated It ta fine literature, and It la
quite true that, when he proclamatea
every Bedouin Ih hearing treks toward
Atlanta. . £
Tbe officers of Yaraab tempi* are:
Forrest Adair, potentate: John R.
WUklnson, chief rabbsn; Thomss H.
Jeffrie*, ssslstsnt rabban: J. C. Green-,
field, high priest and prophet;
E. Argard, recorder; J. W.
Sr., treasurer; J.- C. Joiner, cai
the guard; J. R. Dickey, assistant cap
tain of ths guard; Otorge 11. Holliday,
vice ceremonial master: J. M. Wilson,
second ceremonial master; John J.
Woodaldo, Inner guard; J. M. Fuller,
sentinel: E<1 Peek, flyst alchemist; J.
Ben Roberta, second alchemist; L. P.
Stephana, medical director.
Continued from First Pag*.
the many stories and traditions
bait-way -believed until we
them. It-is Friday after-
must leave for Joppa, to
the morning. One sight,
though, we must witness, and our Im
pressions of ths great temple nnd It*
builder will be complete. We mount
tho little asses that stnhd In the street
awaiting us, and “Balaam," our Jeru
salemite boy, leads us through ths
crowded dingy streets to the comer or
the tempts wall, where there aro great
stretches ot Immense stones that are
tha remnants ot Solomon’s original
templo foundation wall. It Is Friday—
Jewish walling day—and there are
row* of men and women—elderly wom
en In poverty sitting on the ston* pave
ments because.they are too feeble to
stand—whllo men and younger women
stand facing th* wallr-atl reading from
their books of Lamentation* and othtr
writings sacred to them. Suddenly a
man more learned In their Scriptures
than th* rest will begin to recite aloud
—and the worshipers will gather
around him and join In certain, end
Inge of verses—and |n tears knd wall
ings, kissing the atones In front of
them, they aak God to restore to them
the kingdom that once was theirs. We
could not understand It—their devotion
and lamentation so pathetic—tha same
one Great God—the God of the Jews,
the God of Solomon, the God of the
Mahometan, our God, but differences In
our ; many beliefs.
We went away thoughlfuL and In an
houf or to were on our way to Joppa,
counting the weeks when we should
see the faces ao long since bade good
bye.
A Chang* In the Formula.
A yeeag woman whose fatlior had hern
teed to let fur her the next day,
Judge wa* tuny, aud the following day
when the yinnir woman called be had for-
ESfew*
room aa* hegsa the
- -Mr dear youuc lady, yea will bare, to
Manage Muttra.,
ion lia s- told mt every thne. I have eome
every day, and, you hare always |*M to
€01119 tWlHrfMIf.'
I Leg your pxrdork'
groat, suiootbuoss. gg -
Up-to-Dat* Fietlon,
Angel chllil-Father, what t* meant by
the |>hraee, "Bark to aature!"
Fnretlnua Father—Oh. that expresses a
mu lying under bis motor car, to see why
Au'gSl z'Gild-Ob. I thought It meant a
mb fatting from a balloon.
DAVID’S OR ZION GATE.
One of the gates in the ancient city wall around Jerusalem, “The Holy
City."
, THE MOSQUE OF OMAR.
Quilt by Justinian about A. D. 1200, at a Christian church. It
converted into a Mohammedan mosque about A. O. 1350, and the orote ta*
ken off and replaced by the Turkish crescent. The mesquo covered the
dome of the rock where the Holy of Holies stood. The pavement ehown
M believed to be from Herod’s time, 30 3. C. .
MASONIC LODGES,
TUB ATLANTA GEORGIAN AND NEWS.
THIER HISTORY AND THEIR WORSHIPFUL MASTERS OF THE
PRESENT DAY
ATLANTA’S SIX