The Vindicator, Liberty County Texas
The Grand Lodge of Texas will level a dedication stone for the new Liberty County Community Building and Shelter Sat., Sept. 28.
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday morning.
Wednesday, September 25, 2013
The Grand Lodge of Texas will level a dedication stone for the new Liberty County Community Building and Shelter Sat., Sept. 28.
The building is located on the corner of Beaumont Avenue and San Jacinto Street in Liberty, Texas. This event is hosted by Liberty Masonic Lodge.
Thomas F. Griffin Past Grand Master of Masons in Texas will be in Liberty to perform the ceremony. The Grand Master and other Officers of the Grand Lodge of Texas will travel from across the state of Texas to be here for this ceremony. The public is invited.
One of the special items for this ceremony will be the placement of a time capsule behind the stone when it is permanently installed. Everyone is invited to bring some item such as a photograph or letter or card, usually about the size of a post card, that can be placed in the time capsule.
The ceremony will begin at 11 a.m., Saturday morning.
For further information, contact Mike Spears 832-248-8418
CORNERSTONES TODAY
Cornerstones lie at the corner of two walls of a building in which certain historic documents are placed and on which historic inscriptions are engraved. The cornerstone is usually a polished stone, found near the foundation, but not a part of the foundation, and high enough from ground level to be easily read. A cornerstone generally has carved upon it such things as the name of the owner, purpose of the structure, date of the building's erection and sometimes other facts. Such a stone is frequently made hollow and, at the time it is placed, filled with various printed articles current at the time and other objects reflecting the era or time in history. Time capsules are frequently placed in building cornerstones but sometimes buried separately. Although terms are often used interchangeably, there are actually three major classifications of such stones.
CORNER STONES are the first stones placed at ground level. Generally, the first stone is placed in the northeast corner, from which the building traditionally commences. They are part of the structure, and therefore, are placed before or as the building is built.
COMMEMORATIVE or DEDICATORY STONES are the stones most commonly placed by the Masonic fraternity today. They are not part of the structure of the building, but fit into a space left in the stone or brickwork. They usually seal a cavity in which a "time capsule" type deposit is made. Generally, the placement of such a stone is the last act in the building and serves as a dedication of the building and a signal of its completion.
FOUNDATION STONES are the first stones placed as part of the foundation of a building. These stones are below the level of the ground.
WHY MASONRY IS INVOLVED IN THE PLACEMENT OF CORNERSTONES
The medieval stone masons organizations; builders of the glorious cathedrals across Europe are, in fact, forerunners of modern speculative Masonry. References to cornerstones are found in various places in the Holy Bible in both the Old and New Testaments that indicate the antiquity of the cornerstone and its uses. Because Freemasonry is non-sectarian and because Freemasonry is heir to the historical tradition of building, it is the appropriate organization to dedicate or symbolically level the cornerstone of a public or religious edifice. For this purpose Freemasonry provides a special ritual to govern the proper performance of that duty. Among the ancients, cornerstones were laid with impressive ceremonies. The Masonic cornerstone ceremony, like most customs, has evolved over years of use. The symbolism of the cornerstone, when duly laid with Masonic Rites is full of significance, which refers to its form, to its situation, to its permanence and to its consecration. As to its form, the cornerstone must be perfectly square on its surfaces. To Masons, the square is a symbol of morality and truth. In the situation, the cornerstone will symbolically lie between the north, which Masons consider a place of darkness and the east, which Masons consider a place of light. Hence the northeast position of the cornerstone symbolizes the Masonic progress from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge. To permanence, the stone, when deposited in its appropriate place, is carefully examined with the necessary implements of operative Masonry which include the square, the level, and the plumb, themselves all symbolic in meaning. The cornerstone is then declared to be "well formed, true and trusty." Lastly, the elements of Masonic consecration are produced and the stone is solemnly set apart by pouring corn, wine, and oil upon its surface, emblematical of the nourishment, refreshment and joy which are to be the rewards of a faithful performance of duty.
LEVELING OF CORNERSTONES A GREAT HONOR FOR TEXAS MASONS
Masons of the Grand Lodge of Texas are proud to continue the long time tradition of leveling cornerstones. In 1994, the Grand Master of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge of Texas leveled the cornerstone on the extension to the Texas State Capitol building in Austin. It was a beautiful ceremony and brought to mind the 1885 ceremony when Texas Masons leveled the cornerstone to the main state capitol building. Throughout Texas history, Masons have leveled cornerstones of schools, churches, local government buildings and public buildings. It is considered a great honor by Mason’s to perform this service in their communities. The Grand Lodge of Texas receives numerous requests to officiate in the Consecration, Dedication, or laying of a cornerstone. Before requests can be considered there are certain guidelines which have come to define the role of Freemasonry in such ceremonies. For example, the building must be a public building such as a police station or school...or of sacred character such as a church. Another guideline is that buildings proposed for the laying of cornerstones must be constructed of brick, stone or concrete. Of course, veneer of such material on steel or concrete supporting frame will qualify. The cornerstone should be an actual stone, cubical in form, upon the face of which should be carved the words "Leveled (or Laid) by the Grand Lodge of Texas, A.F. & A.M., "with the Masonic emblem and the year carved thereon.
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