Kerby Masons mark 150 years with cornerstone
From our weekly issue dated July 16, 2008
Masonic officials conducted a cornerstone ceremony for Kerby Belt Lodge 18. (Photos by Zina Booth, I.V. News)
Nearly 200 people gathered for a parade of Masonic officers as Kerby Belt Masonic Lodge 18 celebrated its 150th anniversary on Saturday, July 12.
Robert Richmond, the Grand Master of Masons in Oregon, and his line of Grand Officers, conducted a ceremonial laying of a cornerstone at the RCC Belt Bldg., also known as the RCC Learning Center.
The Grand Master first invoked blessings of deity, asking for noble light to dispel darkness. The crowd responded by saying, “So Mote It Be.”
Masonic officials conducted a cornerstone ceremony for Kerby Belt Lodge 18. (Photos by Zina Booth, I.V. News)
One Masonic custom is to place a time capsule for future generations to show industry of the time. Some of the contents of the July 12, 2008 time capsule include a Grand Master lapel pin, copies of Illinois Valley News and Grants Pass Daily Courier with articles about the lodge and its history, and a current membership list of Belt Lodge 18.
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Each Grand Officer demonstrated another facet of Masonry as they dedicated the cornerstone by using their jewels of office: the square, level and plumb -- emblem of uprightness, to symbolically try the stone. A trowel represented applying the cement of brotherly love.
The Grand Master declared the cornerstone “well-formed, true and trusty” -- and it was then anointed by the three elements of consecration: corn, wine and oil.
This dedicated cornerstone will be placed in the northeast corner of a new building to be finished in December. (See separate article elsewhere in this issue). A ground-breaking ceremony will be held Thursday, July 31 at 10 a.m.
Michael Yanase and Jackie Sweetland presented a plaque engraved “1858-2008” to honor the 150-year anniversary of Belt Masonic Lodge 18.
Masons, known as master craftsmen, help sponsor many worthy causes. They include I.V. Little League and the IVHS graduation party, as well as two college scholarships to middle school. Masons also donated a flag to IVHS, and aid Shriner’s Hospital Outreach for Children.
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