Odd Fellows Dedicate
Princeton Lodge, I. O. O. F., No. 208, Dedicates Its New Hall with Imposing Ceremony. Beautiful Dedicatory Exercises. A Memorable Event for Princeton Odd Fellows. Over Four Hundred Present.
1893 Geo. A. Eaton, N. G., Gilbert Monette, V. G., Guy Ewing, Recording Sec’y, M. S. Rutherford, Financial Sec’y, B. M. VanAlstein, Treasurer, Membership 19.
1902 L. M. Wheeler, N. G., A. B. Chadbourne, V. G., F. A. Lowell, Recording Sec’y, J. C. Herdliska, Financial Sec’y, M. C. Sausser, Treasurer, Membership 168.
The dedication of the new hall of Princeton lodge, I. O. O. F. No. 208, last Friday night was an event long to be remembered by the members of the lodge and by those who were so royally entertained by the local Odd Fellows. The occasion will be a memorable one both from a social standpoint and from the standpoint of Odd Fellowship, and the beautiful and impressive dedicatory exercises will long remain a pleasant social land mark, while the lodge in the future will point to no part of its record with more pride or pleasure than to that which will chronicle this grand fraternal event.
The Odd Fellows were in fine shape to entertain the members and friends who attended to the number of over four hundred. The big hall was taxed to its utmost limit. A large platform was erected on the north side of the hall for the ceremonies. Vases of cut flowers lent a fragrance and beauty to the brilliantly lighted hall. There was a warmth of fellowship and sociability inspired by the spirit of the occasion. Over the broad entrance to the dining room was the familiar sign of the order with the words “Friendship, Love and Truth” interwoven in the floral decoration, while over the design was “Princeton Lodge, No. 208.”
As the guests arrived they entered the cloak and reception room. Ushers attended to the seating and all the preliminary arrangements were looked after with a perfection of detail.
It was nearly nine o’clock when a piano solo by Miss Munz announced that the dedicatory exercises were about ready to begin. Grand Master Wm. McGregor from his station in the noble grand’s chair arose and made a few opening remarks. The opening ode was sung and there was a prayer by Deputy Grand Chaplain Fletcher of Mora. The beautiful ceremony of building the altar to represent the cardinal principles of the order was very impressive. At each corner of the platform stood a Rebekah, as the grand heralds of the north, the south, the east and west. Mrs. J. P. Zimmerman, Mrs. E. E. Whitney, Mrs. Amos Chadbourne and Mrs. Mary Zimmerman of the Rebekahs officiated in this part of the ceremony.
In the center stood Geo. A. Eaton as Deputy Grand Marshal and at his summons and bidding the Rebekahs one by one descended from the platform and returned with a portion of the altar, in doing so keeping step to a solemn march from the piano. Purity was the base and foundation of the altar, on top of which in order rested Friendship, Love, Truth, and Faith, Hope and Charity, the latter being put in place by all four of the Rebekahs. With the completion of the altar Judge Van Alstein as chairman of the building committee of the lodge, offered the hall to the grand master for dedication. The grand master received it in due form and a prayer was offered by the deputy grand chaplain followed by a dedicatory song by the Masonic quartet. The new hall was formally dedicated to the grand cardinal principles of the order and the altar ceremony by the deputy grand marshal and the four Rebekahs was very impressive, especially so when as a part of the ceremony the top of the altar was lit up with fire and Deputy Senior Warden, C. W. Wills of Milaca, read from the scriptures, “Though I speak with tongues of men and of angles and have not charity I am become as sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal.” The altar ceremony with scripture reading by the deputy grand warden and the music by the Masonic quartet was the most beautiful and inspiring feature of the ceremony. An address by the grand master concluded the ceremony, after which there was music by the Princeton quartet, and short but very interesting addresses by Rev. Brown of the Fremont Avenue Congregational church of Minneapolis, Rev. Wm. Fletcher of the Mora M. E. Church, and Revs. Gratz and Moxie. Rev. Brown who is a short, chunky bit of a divine, had intended to deliver a set speech, but after one or two very good stories he continued in the same strain for some time and made anecdote and story point their own morals. He set the pace for those who followed him and the audience enjoyed many a good story that was told. Rev. Fletcher spoke of the work of the church and the lodge and said that the church preceded the lodge and put society in a condition so that fraternal orders might flourish, Rev. Moxie spoke of the value of fraternal orders and of the good work that Odd Fellowship was accomplishing. He made a plea for righteous living and for a higher order of manhood and citizenship. He said that the church and society and fraternal orders all needed more of charity. Rev. Gratz followed and entertained the audience with some good stories and very clever repartee at the expense of Rev. Brown. The speeches got the audience in good shape for the bountiful repast that soon followed.
Nine little girls came onto the platform with their dolls to which they sang in childish mirth and glee in a pretty way and Miss Bessie Smith furnished the piano accompaniment for them.
It was after twelve when all the outside guests were admitted to the large dining room where fifteen tables were loaded with tempting things for the inner man. There were 120 persons served at a single sitting and the supper served was fit for a king. There was cold turkey and dressing, cold tongue, celery, cranberry jelly, baked pork and beans, salads, pickles, doughnuts, cheese, coffee, cake, etc., and plenty of it. The service was excellent and the ladies are deserving of great praise for the painstaking efforts to make the evening’s program and supper a success, and an official vote of thanks was tendered them later in the evening. After supper there were cigars for those who desired to smoke in the rooms on the floor below and many availed themselves of this privilege.
It was after two o’clock when all present had been to supper and the guests began to depart for home. All unite in saying that the Odd Fellows hold the banner for royal entertainers.
The Masonic quartet of Minneapolis was a feature of the entertainment and dedication ceremony. The quartet consists of E. P. Browning, first tenor; W. B. Heath, second tenor; W. S. Marshall, baritone and F. H. Forbes, bass. Some of their best hits are “The Picanninies,” “Delsarte,” the parody on “The Old Oaken Bucket,” “The Owl and Pussy Cat;” “Zizzy,” “Nellie Was a Lady,” etc., all of which they sang with perfect harmony and wonderful effect.
Among those present from outside points were the following: W. S. Foster and wife, H. R. Mallette and wife, Arthur McFarland, Louis Merry, Chas. W. Wills and wife, A. C. Wilkes, Miss Mabel McClure, Milaca; Dr. R. F. Lynch and wife, J. A. Brasie, A. W. Ober, W. E. Lindsey, C. E. Lord, Moses Chamberlain, Mrs. O. E. Thompson, M. A. Thompson, W. M. Glazier, Monticello; Mrs. J. O. McKenzie, Grace Marshall, Ida Clough, Libbie Chapman, J. F. Stark, A. B. Cook, Roy and Ira Ellingwood, Ernest Ellingwood and wife, G. C. Smith and wife, Flora I. Smith, Wm. Swanbro, Jessie Swanbro, Lili Seyerance, Rufus Boestridge, C. G. Thompson, Bertha Thompson, Frank Gardner, Dr. Whiting, Spencer Brook; Fenimore Howard, H. J. Lowell and Hattie Lowell, Wyanett; Geo. H. Deans and wife, Eunice Deans, John Norgren and wife, Miss Hulda Lindman, W. Trumble and wife, L. Robideau and wife, Foreston; Michael Gillan, Minneapolis; Sam Scott, V. E. Elmer, John E. Clitty, Henry Brown, Wm. F. Hopper, Geo. Howe, P. J. Anderson, Becker; Louis Moses, Sandstone; Mr. and Mrs. Mergel, Blue Hill; Mr. and Mrs. Harry Farnham, Brickton.
Delegations from Sandstone, Mora and Milaca had intended to be present, but could not make the satisfactory arrangements with the railroad for a special train and thus missed the dedication. It had been the intention of the Odd Fellows to observe the eighty-third anniversary of Odd Fellowship, which falls on the 26th of this month, but owing to the absence of some of the parties who were to be present this part of the program was omitted. (The Princeton Union, Mille Lacs County, Minnesota, Thursday, April 24, 1902, Volume XXVI, Number 19, Page 1)