St. George Lodge No. 33 Cornerstone
St. George October 29, 2005
Loyd E. Davis, W. Grand Orator

Most Worshipful Grand Master Gilmour, Distinguished Guests, Brethren, Ladies and Gentlemen. The Grand Lodge Free and Accepted Masons of Utah is pleased to join you today on this historic occasion. St. George, Utah, being a well known retirement community, has attracted masons from many states. After arriving here, they felt a need to continue their Masonic journey in their new home. Two Masons did major organizational work: Dr. Attilio (Tillie) Parisi, a dual member with Story Lodge No. 4 in Provo, and Zahnor Edwards, Past Master of Kaibab Lodge No. 25 in Salt Lake City. As a result of their zeal for the craft, they founded the Dixie Masonic Social Club in 1986. The club is still active today, recently changing its name to the Trowel and Star Social Club. Dedicated to Masonic charity and fellowship, it meets monthly with the exception of July.

In early 1993, a group of these Dixie Masons broached the subject of establishing a chartered Masonic Lodge in St. George. The first organizational meeting was held on April 22, 1993. Most Worshipful Grand Master Larry Fairclough, Grand Secretary Richard Leader, and several other Grand Lodge officers, along with 40 Dixie Masons, were present at that meeting. As a result of this meeting, a dispensation was granted on June 14, 1993, and on July 10, 1993, Saint George Lodge was instituted. St. George Lodge No. 33 was chartered on January 31, 1994 with 53 charter members. Tintic Lodge No. 9 donated an altar and three officers' pedestals-essential items for the newly formed lodge. This furniture is now over 128 years old and has an interesting history. It originally belonged to Saint John's Lodge No. 8, which was chartered on January 18, 1882 in Frisco, Utah. Just six years later, on March 9, 1888, the Lodge surrendered its charter. Five years later in 1893, the Grand Lodge of Utah approved the sale of this furniture to Tintic Lodge No. 9 in Eureka, Utah, for $25.00. Today, St. George Lodge has grown to 70 members, many of whom hail from different jurisdictions throughout the United States and abroad, from Washington to Maine to Australia.

In selecting a name for their lodge, they chose the obvious name - St. George. Owing to the 12 or so different original Masonic jurisdictions these men represented, however, a more appropriate name might perhaps have been Cosmopolitan Lodge No. 33 in the Southern Utah Jurisdiction. St. George Lodge could also be called a polyglot lodge in that the various versions of ritual brought by the brethren to their new lodge sound somewhat like several different languages. I am told that these St. George brethren practice a form of UtaCal ritual. I personally understand how that might occur since I have a tendency to practice a form of UtaVir ritual, having first learned my Masonic ritual work in Virginia.

Today's ceremony marks the fruition of the vision, planning, and perseverance of the brethren of St. George Lodge. They have labored over 10 years to raise the funds to construct this lodge building. I don't have to tell you that there were many fundraising projects; garage sales, dinners, drawings, etc. Then there were the challenges: one brother would donate to the building fund and challenge his brothers to match it. Another brother bequeathed $15,000 to the lodge from his estate, several others made sizeable donations directly. Such dedication is characteristic of Masons, and is one that we celebrate today.

Masons are dedicated to serving God. In fact, our ritual describes it thusly: Masonry . . . "is so far interwoven with religion as to lay us under obligation to pay that rational homage to Diety which at once constitutes our duty and our happiness. It leads the comtemplative (mason) to view with reverence and admiration the glorious works of creation, and inspires him with the most exalted ideas of his Divine Creator." No man can become a Mason lest he profess a belief in a Supreme Being.

Cornerstone ceremonies are full of pomp and circumstance and hold great symbolic meaning. The cornerstone has in all ages been deemed an item of great importance, as important to a building as is a keystone to an arch. In ancient times, human sacrifices were made at the laying of cornerstones to ask for favor from the Gods for disturbing Mother Earth. This gave way to animal sacrifices, thence to symbolic ceremony, which brings us to our ceremony here today. Masons believe that no great and important undertaking can begin without first invoking the blessing of Diety. Second, it is fitting and proper that the handiwork of the craft be approved by the Master of Masons prior to its certification as proper for use as a cornerstone and its installation in the building. In Utah, the Master of Masons is the Most Worshipful Grand Master Free and Accepted Masons in Utah. You saw him direct the use of a mason's tools to certify that the cornerstone was indeed square, level, and plumb, and suited for its intended use. The shape of a cornerstone also has symbolic meaning to Masons. The squareness of the surface is emblematic of morality, its cubical form is emblematic of firmness and stability of character, its finish and the quality of its material is emblematic of virtue and holiness. We celebrate the certification of the cornerstone for its intended use by symbolically giving to the Masons who made it their wages - corn, wine, and oil; the corn of nourishment, the wine of refreshment, and the oil of joy.

Congratulations St. George Lodge No. 33, your cornerstone has been proven to be square, level, and plumb in the ancient and accepted traditions of the Free and Accepted Masons, and is suitable for its intended use. Your vision, planning, and perseverance have been achieved. We tip our hats to you. We wish you continued success in the years to come.