Lodge dedicated in ancient tradition

</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[The Grand Masonic Lodge of Illinois dedicated Harrisburg Masonic Lodge No. 325 in a ceremony steeped in ancient tradition.

"When I first came into this lodge room it was a wow moment," Worshipful Grand Master Rick Swaney said.

After a brief introduction, Grand Lodge members bedecked in aprons, some in tuxedos, and Swaney in his top hat, the explanation of the ceremony began.

Swaney was presented with and poured chalices of corn from the fields, wine from the vineyards and oil in the groves upon a model of the lodge.

The Harrisburg Lodge was chartered in 1859 with soon-to-be brigadier general of the Civil War Greenberry Raum as worshipful master, Senior Deacon Mack Farmer said. There were six other members. Between that time and 1925 when the lodge moved to its previous location at Main and Walnut streets the lodge had moved nine times. It was at the Main and Walnut location for 83 years until 2008 when it met at the Equality Masonic Lodge as the new lodge was under construction.

After World War II, the lodge had 600 members, Farmer said, and was the center of social activity for Harrisburg.

-- DeNeal receives e-mail at bdeneal@yourclearwave.com.

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