Name/Title
Program, Masonic Lodge F & A M #48, Sesquicentennial 150 Years, 2004Description
Masonic Lodge Program. Waupun F. & A. M. #48 Sesquicentennial celebration program
"MASONS LAY CORNERSTONE
With ceremony that has come down through the ages, the cornerstone of Waupun's new Masonic Temple was laid on Monday afternoon (May 15, 1922). The event brought to the city over three hundred Masons from Beaver Dam, Horicon, Fond du Lac, and Juneau. It also bought William F. Weiler, Grand Master of the Masonic Order in the state, and several Past Grand officers, including Past Grand Masters John Corscat, Charles E. Whalen, and A. N. Shafer, and Past Junior Warden Wesley J. Cochrane.
Masons met in the present Masonic hall and marched to the new building. W. F. Weiler presided and the laying of the cornerstone was done under a session of the Grand Lodge with local officers of the Masonic order occupying the positions of deputy grand officers. The order of march to the new building was: City Band, Knight Templers in full uniform, Eastern Star, Master Masons, Grand Lodge. The city officials attended in a body.
The ceremony of placing the stone was a beautiful one, and the symbols of Masonry were used in testing the stone, the corn of nourishment, the wine of refreshment and the oil of joy were used as symbols of what the building should mean to Masons and the community. In the strong box were placed the following articles: lists of Officers and members of the Waupun Lodge No. 48 F. & A. M., Officers and Companions of Waupun Chapter of No. 48 R.A.M., original donators to the Masonic site, Officers and members of Waupun Chapter No. 144 O.E.S., Officers and teachers of the Waupun Public Schools, Officers of the City of Waupun, program for the laying of the cornerstone, Officers and members of Dan E. Getchel Post No. 210 American Legion, Veterans of the Civil War '61-'65 and Spanish American Veterans '98, copy of Waupun Democrat (May 12), copy of Waupun Leader (May 11) and proceedings of the Most Worshipful Grand Lodge F. & A. M. State of Wisconsin.
With the stone in place, Lewis Ulve, W. M. of the local Lodge, presided and introduced Grand Master William F. Weiler who spoke briefly. The address of the afternoon was given by Charles Whalen, Past Grand Master of the State and a former Waupun boy.
Mr. Whalen's address was a masterful one, and he reviewed Masonry and told the things for which it stands and how the belief in God and in the brotherhood of man and the carrying out of Christ's teachings are the salvation of the earth. He had rare powers as an orator, and although his address was long, the crowd standing through his address and through the ceremony of laying the cornerstone, listened with great interest.
The Masonic Temple will be a decided addition to Waupun, and if the Lodge will but do the work laid out for it by the ceremony of laying the cornerstone, and in the address of its Grand Officer, great good can come from such a building and organization in our city. We as a city should heartily commend the enterprise of this organization at this time."
