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Somewhere in Western Wake County was the Western Sun Masonic Lodge Number 72, which existed for a space of ten years, from 1818 to 1828, and to which many of the original members of the Holly Springs Masonic Lodge Number 115 belonged. The first recorded minutes of the Holly Springs Masonic Lodge are dated in the year of 1847 but neither month nor date are given. The following members were present:
regular officers were absent. Also it is to be supposed that the lodge was meeting under a special dispensation, as the original charter granted the lodge gave the date of the charter as December 10, 1847. This first meeting is interesting also because of the fact that there is a connection with the former Western Sun Lodge, as the following quotation from the original minutes shows:
These minutes were written in a neat, legible long-hand. They are well preserved and in good readable condition today. There was another called meeting in that year 1847, but again neither month nor day was given. Both of these meetings were held before December, 1847, as the first recorded meeting with a date of month and day is that of December 3, 1847. At that meeting there were more of the regular officers present. At this meeting we find Joshua Rogers and Hinton Hudson being made Master Masons and so closing the first year of the Holly Springs Lodge with an addition of two members. The following officers were elected during the year 1848:
January 8, 1848, with most of the above officers present and the ever faithful member, John Dickey. At this meeting the time of meeting was changed from the first Saturday to the second Saturday, and the time of meeting was either 10 A.M. or 2 P.M.. Quite often they met in the morning and after a short session adjourned for an hour and then resumed their meeting in the afternoon. On some occasions there are records of their having continued the meeting over to the following Monday. We, of today, seldom like to extend our meeting over an hour’s time. The fact that this history covers five war periods is interesting. In this meeting January 1848, we note that the lodge was to wear the usual badge of morning for a space of thirty days on account of the death in Mexico of past Master Lewis D. Wilson of Edgecombe County, in defense of his country. That was the Mexican War period. The second was the Civil War Period; the third was the Spanish American War; the fourth World War I; the fifth, World War II. The minutes carry very little information about any of these war periods. There is an instance or two in which the lodge conferred degree work rapidly because of the emergency arising from candidates returning to the army. The officers of the lodge for the year 1848 were installed by the High Worshipful William F. Collins, Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, with the assistance of the District Deputy Grand Master, John Cosby. In March 1848, P. W. Down, Grand Chaplain, gave an appropriate lecture. After the installation of officers, the lodge conferred degrees, working in the Fellowcraft and Master Mason Degrees. The lodge did not have a hall at this time, and they ordered the treasurer to pay Richard Jones $5.00 for the use of his house. The charity of the lodge was ever ready and available to the worthy. On May 6th the lodge appropriated $5.00 to Brother John Dickey. This was the first of its many gifts. A committee composed of Bros. P. B. Burt, Gaston Utley, and James Woodard was appointed to ascertain whether the Reverend P. W. Down, Grand Chaplain, could attend the laying of the cornerstone of this lodge on June 24th, next month. The minutes record very little concerning this important event in the history of the lodge. It does record that the cornerstone was laid on June 24th, 1848, with the appropriate ceremony. The Grand Chaplain, P. W. Down, delivered the address of the occasion, for which he was thanked by the lodge and of which he was requested to furnish a copy for publication in the Raleigh Star and also in the Standard. The brothers lived their masonry, and they lived up to their obligations, because there are numerous occasions of the lodge’s discipline having been administered to an erring brother, if after being duly reminded of his faults, he did not amend the same. One brother was notified to appear before the lodge on a certain date and make satisfaction to this lodge for his unmasonic conduct, in and out of this lodge, previous to this time. Usually satisfaction was given and peace and harmony restored, but on occasions the full penalty of the lodge discipline was felt by the wayward brother. During this year, brother John Dickey died, and the lodge thanked the chaplain for the very able manner in which he performed the last rites for our late lamented brother. The festive days of St. Johns were usually celebrated by the lodge with a special meeting or occasion. Thus on this St. John’s Day, June 24, 1849, the lodge attended a special service in the Church to which it marched in procession, and after the service resumed its procession and marched to the home of Bradford Utley where it visited an afflicted brother, Henry Brown. This year gave the lodge some ten new members. The officers for 1849 were the same as for the previous year. The by-laws of the lodge were amended on August 4th. The afflicted brother whom the lodge had visited on the past St. John’s Day died and the lodge buried him with Masonic honors. The lodge was interested in education, and early in its history it supported schools and usually rented its lower rooms for a school. On November 3rd, a committee, consisting of A. Hunter, James Rogers, James Woodard, and Gaston Utley was appointed to report at the next meeting what the lodge would do for the contemplated Masonic school. Later, on December 1st, we find recorded that the lodge would pay $100.00 to the school fund. It is interesting to note that the lodge ordered bills paid for a certain half cent; for example, it ordered the treasurer to pay A. Leslie $1.92 1/2. The lodge was up with its Spiritualistic work, as it conferred its degrees with no mention of many, if any, visiting brothers helping them. The lodge must have contemplated buying a lot and erecting a building, as the minutes contained this resolution in its September 11, 1850-51 records.
The lodge contributed to the National Monument in Washington, D. C.. The September 11 resolution bore fruits, because on October 25, 1851, we find a motion made in the lodge that another lodge be built. The following committee was appointed to report at the next meeting, with a plan for a house:
Bros. Gaston Utley, W. M. Clements, T. J. Manning, James Jones and Nathan Gardner composed this committee, which committee also was to report at the next regular meeting. The two committees, the building and land committees, made a favorable report at the November 22 meeting, at which time a committee was appointed to let our new building. The following named brothers were appointed on that same committee:
in their July meeting, 1852, the building committee was given authority to have two good chimneys built to the lodge building. A. Hunter was the under taker of the building. The master and the wardens were given authority to sell any quantity of the land belonging to the lodge, not to exceed fifteen acres. At that time the lodge owned a tract of land which today extends from the Raleigh Highway to Mr. E. G. Brewer’s Store and between Raleigh Street and the Apex-Fuquay Highway. [Mr. Brewer’s store is reported to have been along Main St., just south of Ballentine St. RMD]. A sale of some of this land was held later. This is our present building, for which the cornerstone was laid at a later date. Furniture was inexpensive then, for the lodge paid 50 cents for one-half dozen chairs purchased from R. M. Brown. One of the first uses made of the lower rooms of the new hall was their use for school purposes, as the lodge rented them on November 27, 1852. The lodge accepted the building on January, 1853, although the chimney still needed plastering. At that time a committee consisting of brothers A. K. Clements, James Rogers, Isaac Hunter, Gaston Utley, and Alsey Hunter was appointed to lay off the land in suitable lots of proper size and then to put them up for sale at the next regular meeting. This was done, as the lodge paid James Adams $1.00 for crying off the lots. The cornerstone was laid on November 10, 1853, with a proper ceremony. James S. Purefys made the address. This is the present cornerstone, which was removed from the building in August, this year, 1947, and is to be reset on October 11, 1947. The cornerstone when removed contained one small Bible which upon exposure to the air crumbled into dust. We are enclosing in the cornerstone when it is reset a copy of the history of the lodge and the names of its present member and officers so that future generations of Masons may know something about the lodge at this period. These will be sealed in a copper box and placed in the cornerstone. The cornerstone has been polished and the following inscription cut upon its side: Chartered, December 10, 1847, Reset October 11, 1947, along with the usual masonic emblem. The first grand lecture seems to have come to the lodge during October, 1854, with Brother Dunker doing the lecturing. The charter for the lodge was framed and paid for March 24, 1855, and bears the following names and signatures:
the leadership of a board of trustees consisting of, in part, members of the lodge and the Raleigh Baptist Association. The membership of the board included James Adams, James Rogers, and Gaston Utley. The school was all-male and drew members from all over the state. The Academy closed at the beginning of the Civil War because there were no men left to pay tuition. As a response to the founding of the Holly Springs Academy, the residents of Holly Springs demanded a school for their daughters. While the lodge had rented the lower rooms for school purposes, it seems that a special school for females was needed, and so on October 27, 1855, the lodge endorsed the establishment of such a school. The following April, 1856, the lower rooms were rented to Nancy Turner, daughter of the late J. Turner. In the same year 1856, in September the lodge was requested to help in forming a new lodge. The location of said lodge is unknown, but the request came from a Brother J. M. Arnold and David Holly. The lodge assisted in the funeral services of J. Powell at the Piney Grove Church. Another service rendered by the lodge was the aiding in the laying of cornerstones for other lodges and organizations. In April, 1857, a communication from Roger’s Store asked aid in laying the cornerstone of the Mt. Pleasant Lodge, Number 154, on June 24. To continue the policy of the lodge’s charity, any vacancies in the female school were to be filled by orphans of the deceased brothers, but if none of them were available, then by any other need. The building was first insured in August 1859, for a five year period. The Civil War period is not recorded in much detail as there are few references to it, but on one occasion the lodge conferred all the degrees on a Mr. A. Rogers at one meeting as the candidate was going back into the army. Another instance states later in the war period, 1864, that the treasurer was to lend out all the money he had on hand to any person with or without interest and take a good note until the better regulation of our currency. Whether or not the school was continued during the war period is not recorded definitely, but on August 25, 1865, the lower rooms were rented to Mr. Julius Allison for the purpose of teaching school. A petition asking recommendation to the Grand Master to form a new lodge at or near Holland’s Church, Wake County, was granted. This lodge became the Cokesbury Lodge which lasted some years. It was about five miles west of Holly Springs. For some reason or other the lodge adopted a resolution at this time, 1865, to dispense with the order of wearing a sash at funeral processions. Ever mindful of the lodge’s charity to its members and their widows and orphans, it appointed a committee to visit A. J. Woodard’s widow and advise her for the best. Later this committee purchased a mare for the widow for $25.00. On November 26, 1866, the Harnett Lodge, working under a dispensation, asked this Lodge for a recommendation to the Grand Lodge to receive a charter, which request was granted. James Rogers’ life was full and valuable, not only to his community, but especially to masonry, for we find at his death the lodge’s requesting the following lodges to wear the usual badge of mourning for thirty days:
deceased brother, James Rogers. There seems to always have been trouble with broken window panes in the lodge hall, and when the hall was rented to a Miss Lydia Lindsay for the purpose of teaching school therein, one condition was that she or the proprietor have panes put in the window when they were broken and leave the room in good order. In April, the lodge paid 50 cents to J. C. Carroll, agent for St. John’s College, which later was the Oxford Orphanage. The lodge lived its principles in Masonry, and so we find it again caring for the widows and orphans. In January, 1870, a committee was appointed to see Brother Gaston Utley’s widow and advise her about buying a home. Getting to the lodge was not always an easy trip then, and so on occasions the prospective candidate would ask that the nearest lodge confer the degrees. In 1870, the Cokesbury lodge Number 235 asked permission to give degrees to a Wm. Askley, which permission was granted, thus, lodges respected each other’s territory. The question of the rental of the lower rooms kept plaguing the lodge, so it gave that job over to a special committee, with the instructions that it could handle them in the best way it thought possible. The lodge bought eight shares in the Masonic Temple Building in Raleigh in May, and evidently the matter progressed slowly, for in November, 1873 the representatives to the Grand Lodge were directed to inquire whether or not the Masonic Temple was a failure. In 1874 the fees for degrees were changed, there being a special fee for each degree instead of the one type used today. In 1875 several of the brethren of the lodge made a recommendation to the Grand Lodge for a dispensation which was granted. They later became members of the Fuquay lodge, which was chartered at that time. Two more lots were sold to Mr. W. M. Jones. The good Templars were allowed to use the basement of the lodge for the next year. The charity committee was given authority to draw from the treasury without action of the lodge. Prosperity was far away for the lodge, as on February, 1878 the following action was taken to pay the lodge’s indebtedness and its dues. All land from some point north of the hall was to be sold. The sale took place on November 16, 1878, at which time three acres were sold for a sum of $140.00. While the above action was taken to pay the lodge’s indebtedness, we find the lodge at the same time in doubt as to whether or not ministers should pay dues. It was later reported that they should and that dues should start the same year. In regard to matters that affected the Grand Lodge of North Carolina, the lodge spoke its mind, sometime approving and at other time disapproving. It gave its sanction to the recommendation of the William G. Hill lodge to continue the office of the District Deputy Grand Master. The lodge must have gotten behind with its payment on its shares in the Masonic Temple, because a committee was appointed to investigate the claims of the Masonic Temple against this lodge. In 1880 the lodge was repaired to the sum of $12.00, and 30 aprons were purchased for $4.20. The lower rooms got into the minutes again at this time. The partition was to be removed. A lot on the west side of the lodge was sold. The time of meeting was changed from the Saturday before the fourth Sunday to the Saturday before the third Sunday, except for the June and December meetings. On November 17, 1883, the lodge voted favorably on the question of appointing the Deputy Grand Master. Education, always supported by the lodge, now came into its own as the lodge decided to add a “T” to the north side of the hall to be used by the trustees of the Holly Springs School and the lodge. The side room was to be 20 x 40 ft., and the lower rooms were to be used for school purposes only, with the understanding that if the school interest at any time demanded, it could be removed and the 20 foot gap repaired. The date for election of officers was changed from June to December, and the election for the year of 1886 was held under a dispensation of the Grand Lodge. T. A. Council was elected Master. With all the land being divided into lots and sold, a controversy of some sort or other was bound to arise on the question of the boundary lines of the lodge’s property. This was the case of G. B. Alford, who owned land on the west side of the lodge. Thus in an attempt to settle the boundary line disputes, a fence was run on the east, west and south side of the lodge’s property. A committee of three was appointed to superintend the work, consisting of Charles Page, Dr. B. S. Utley, and G. Utley. The “T” was added to the building and the lodge rooms painted and repaired on September 15, 1888. Captain Siler was present in the lodge. He was later to be the principal of the school operated in the lower rooms. This school continued during the year 1889, and in 1890 the rooms were to be used for only school purposes. In July the lodge was draped in mourning until the next communication of the Grand Jurisdiction in memory of William E. Anderson, Grand Treasurer of North Carolina. A motion was made to reduce the fees of the lodge, but it did not carry. In July, 1891 the lodge passed the following resolution in regard to ministers’ fees:
The lower rooms were insured by the school and lodge. Captain Siler and the ladies were thanked for the excellent dinner today, March 19, 1892. At this time the continuation of the school sponsored jointly by the school committee and the lodge seems to have ended. The lodge decided to establish an academy there, and the following resolution describes the lodge’s action:
The following quotation from the catalogue of the Holly Springs Masonic Institute for 1892-93 states:
This indicated that the lodge became actively interested in education early in its history, and to be exact just seven years after its formation and receiving its charter. This joint control of the Institute ended at this time, 1892, and the lodge assumed complete ownership and control of the Institute. Quoting further from the Institute’s catalogue of 1892-93, it is stated that to fulfill their aim of preparing the students for college, teaching, and the active business pursuits of life, the Institute offered three courses of study. - Intermediate, which embraced Arithmetic, Primary Geography, Reading, Spelling, and Primary Grammar - Higher English: which embraced Higher Arithmetic, Geography, Natural Science, Higher English Grammar, Hygiene, and Elocution - Classical: which embraced Higher Mathematics, Bookkeeping, Latin, Greek and French Languages. Expenses for a term of five months were: - Intermediate: $10.00 - Higher English: $12.50 - Classical: $17.50 - Music, Piano or Organ: $15.00 - Board per month: $7.00 Thus a student could take the Intermediate Course with board for a sum of $45.00, while the Classical Course cost a handsome sum of $52.50. The following faculty was employed for the Institute on April 16, 1892. Capt. C. F. Siler, Principal at $55.00 per month; Miss Sarah Pugh, assistant at $15.00 per month (her sister’s tuition to be paid out of it); Mrs. J. R. Carter, Music Teacher at $25.00 per month (she to furnish the instrument). The lodge paid $19.00 to Edwards & Broughton Co., Raleigh, N.C. [which is still in business RMD] for catalogues for the school. Thus the school began its career as the Holly Springs Masonic Institute with an auspicious beginning, with 51 students present in the month of August, 1892. Turning to other matters, we find that the first minister to receive his fee gratis was C. H. Rowland. A misunderstanding about the minister fees arose in 1893, and at this time it was decided that they should pay regular dues. However, they could pay only the Grand Lodge dues. The time of meeting was again changed to the original time, the Saturday before the fourth Sunday. In school affairs, the Education Committee expelled three boys for discipline problems and exonerated one. The committee on the misunderstanding with William T. Bain lodge reported that the lodge would discontinue their claim to the Rowland brothers if Holly Springs Lodge would pay ten dollars. This was done, and the lodge extended its thanks to the William T. Bain Lodge for its courtesy. By 1894 we find the principal of the school, Capt. C. F. Siler, was to operate the school on his own for the next five months. The lodge would assume the debt contracted by Messieurs, Holt and Carter in behalf of the school. The delegates to the Grand Lodge opposed a raise in the dues of the Grand Lodge. They did pledge nineteen dollars to the Orphanage which the lodge assumed. To improve the degree work, it was suggested that the Master or one of the Wardens exemplify one of the degrees at each meeting. In order that aid might be given to all deserving, all applicants for aid would be turned over to the Finance committee for their disposition. The lodge did its own thinking in regards to important matters, for we find it opposing the proposition of the Grand Lodge to raise a tax of one dollar per capita for the Oxford Orphanage. It seems that Capt. C. F. Siler’s service with the Institute ended in December, 1895, as the minutes record the following:
In September the Alliance was allowed the use of the building for the next twelve months. A committee was appointed to see whether it can secure a deed to the land owned by the lodge. J. L. Griffin was given the use of the lower rooms for school purposes. A year later the Land Committee reported that the lodge owned 1 5/16 acres of land. In 1898 the lodge stated that all performances be excluded in the academy except for school and masonry purposes. The ever troublesome property lines seem to have become quite vexatious as we find the lodge appointing a committee to see a Mr. Angier and ascertain whether a sale of his lodge property can be affected not detrimental to the lodge: also, to look up another site for the lodge room and make an estimate of the cost of building. Luckily this did not go through, as in their February meeting 1899, it is stated that they would not sell the property at all. This was later amended to say state for not less than $1250.00. This amendment did not carry either and so today, we have the original site and building of the Holly Springs Masonic Lodge. For its June 1900 celebration, the lodge had fifty aprons made. At that date the lodge had a public installation of its officers at the Baptist Church and dinner was served on the grounds. The following ten lodges were represented: Harnett #258, Hiram #40, William T. Bain #231, William G. Hill #218, Cokesbury #235, Palmyra #147, Gunder #232, Cary #178, Bulah #409, University #408. Fabius M. Busbee, Past Grand Master, officiated. The proper use of the lower rooms still gave trouble, and in the April meeting, 1901, the lodge again issued a resolution stating:
In 1902 the lodge was asked to aid in organizing a subordinate chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star. The lodge favored building a Masonic Temple for the Grand Lodge of North Carolina. The academy days for the lodge seem to have ended at this time, for in its July meeting in 1902, it passed resolutions calling for the repair of the building with certain alterations such as boarding up the North side gap from removing the “T”, and putting a porch and steps on the South side. Chimneys were built on the North and West sides, thus leaving the building in its present form. The building was again rented for school purposes and even in the summer it could be rented for private school. Brother T. A. Council was loaned ten dollars without interest for one year. Brother Council was held in high esteem by the lodge and community. The temperance of its member was considered a part of the lodge’s duty to masonry, for it passed the following resolution in its July meeting: “ That no man shall be eligible to membership in this order who is engaged in the manufacture of intoxicating liquors or the wholesale or retail business: that the same shall be the law of the Grand Lodge as soon as a majority of the subordinate lodges vote for this resolution.” The lodge’s oldest member at present is Brother Joe Stephenson, who was initiated July 24, 1904, passed and made a Master Mason in 1905. Brother Stephenson has been and is a faithful member. He has attended the lodge when it was necessary for him to walk seven miles to reach the lodge. When the finances of the lodge ran low the members, and particularly the officers, did not hesitate to put their own money into the lodge’s treasury. The following incident indicates just that: In February, 1906, it was moved that the first money coming into the hands of the treasurer, that he be ordered to apply it to his own use until he shall be satisfied in full. The lodge [made? RMD] its payment on the note to the Masonic Temple Building in Raleigh, N.C.. In 1907 the lodge took part in the laying of the cornerstone of the Masonic Temple Building by being in the procession there. The year of 1908 was a full one for the lodge. In February, the Grand Lodge convened in a special session in the Holly Springs Lodge for the purpose of laying the cornerstone of the Holly Springs High School. Grand Master W. W. Wilson made a very able address on masonry. In accordance with its policy of benevolent charity, the lodge sent a small contribution to the Fredericksburg Lodge # 4 of Virginia to aid in erecting a memorial to George Washington, who was made a mason in that lodge. The committee on the excursion to the Oxford Orphanage reported that they had arranged with Brother S. W. Reams, General Manager of the Durham and Southern Railroad, to run an excursion on the tenth of September, the cost of which would be one dollar a round trip from Holly Springs to Oxford, N.C.. The lodge sold a 40 foot lot to the Junior Order. At this time the annex to the north side of the building was removed. The lodge decided to attend as fully as possible the dedication of the Masonic Temple in Raleigh on January 10, 1909. As a memorial to the death of Past Grand Master Fabius H Busbee, the lodge’s three great lights were draped for a period of thirty days. The lodge paid Brother T. A. Council five dollars for enough shingles to cover the lodge building. In the year 1910 the lower rooms were painted and rented to the Episcopal denomination for a year. The annual dues of the lodge were increased to $1.50. During this year the lodge gave aid to Brother E. B. Stinson, who was stricken with paralysis and in need. It was to contribute fifty cents per week until further notice. The lodges at Cokesbury and Enno surrendered their charters. The lodge added a payment and bought a Masonic Temple Bond. Due to low funds, the lodge did not aid in raising funds to put a bust of Samuel Johnson, First Grand Master of North Carolina, in the rotunda of the state capitol. The lodge received its share of stock in the Masonic Temple in the year of 1912. The lower rooms were partitioned and rented. The Masonic Temple stock was sold during the year of 1913. There was not a report for the year of 1914. The European War was mentioned in the 1915 minutes with this notice from the Grand Master in regards to urging prayers for Europe and the brethren in war. The lodge subscribed the sum of twenty five dollars to the Masonic Home in Greensboro. Brother B. S. Utley’s widow, now Mrs. Sue Davis, placed some property and an account at the disposal of the lodge to pay for a monument to his grave. This year, 1916, finds the lodge contributing five dollars for the first and second best readers in the sixth and seventh grades in the Holly Springs School. This was divided into three dollars for the first place and two dollars for the second place. The lodge was presented a portrait of the late Grand Secretary, John Drewry, by the acting secretary W. W. Wilson. This portrait hangs on the wall of the lodge today. Charity, always attended to by the lodge, now shows that the lodge sent a contribution to the Fuquay Lodge who had lost their furniture by fire. A cornerstone was laid at the Methodist Church October 17, 1917. The following account of the event states that the Grand Lodge met in our hall and went to the church, performed the services, and then repaired to the Baptist Church, where Brother R. M. Sikes, Assistant Attorney General of the State of North Carolina, delivered an edifying address. The war period, World War I, found the lodge with some money on hand, which it took out of the bank and invested in war bonds. It also sent twenty-five cents per capita for aid in building a building at Camp Sevier for the benefit of the soldiers who are masons. The following incident shows the strong friendship and brotherly love of the lodges for each other when adversity visited them. On August 18th,1918, a communication from the William T. Bain Lodge was read, and it included a gift of thirty-two dollars for the relief of the members of the Holly Springs Lodge who had suffered from the hailstorm of July 12. Brother A. M. Betts added one dollar to this sum and the Master and Wardens were requested to divide the amount among the suffers in proportion to the losses sustained. The thanks of the lodge was extended to the William T. Bain Lodge for its gift. The following account of its distribution is recorded : W. T. Brooks $12.15, W. W. Burt $2.60, H. W. Norris $8.63, A. M. Collins $2.60, A. J. Holt $.85, F. C. Adams $6.00, and Y. B. Stevens $1.17. In 1919 the lodge was asked for an option on a lot on which would be built a Baptist Church; and the following resolution was passed: “ Resolved, that we agree to give Mr. L. F. Holleman an option of purchase for a church building, a lot of our land, facing Raleigh Street one hundred feet and adjoining the land of G. W. Alford on the south and west, for the consideration of three hundred dollars; and that we donate of this sum one hundred dollars to the Methodist Church of this town and one hundred dollars to the Baptist Church should they make the purchase and build thereon.” This was done and the present Baptist Church is located on said lot. To keep the lodge up on its ritualistic work and ceremonies, a special committee, consisting of Brother Adams, Page and Lineau, was appointed by the Master. In 1922 the first notice of electric lights being installed in the hall is recorded. A new schedule of meetings was adopted which gave the lodge two meetings per month instead of its customary one meeting per month. The time adopted was the Tuesday after the second Sunday of each month at 7:30 P.M., and the Saturday before the fourth Sunday of each month. The lodge today, 1947, uses the once a month schedule for its meeting. The regular time being the Tuesday after the second Sunday of each month. In September, 1923 the cornerstone of the Baptist Church was laid with the proper ceremony. Brother John Patton lectured the lodge for one week during that year. 1 November an educational meeting was held with Brother Harrison Kaufman, District Deputy Grand Master, speaking. The dues to the lodge were raised to three dollars per year. In 1925, the lodge once more was called upon to discipline one of its members. The annual dues were raised again and this time to five dollars. Kindness and brotherly love is shown for a worthy member in the October minutes as there is recorded in them the following statement: The secretary was ordered to write brother W. W. Edwards, a needy mason, who is behind with his dues, that the lodge would like to pay his dues if it met with his approval. Ever interested in education, the lodge gave its endorsement to the maintaining of the high school at Holly Springs. The hall was rented to the Junior Order. The Saturday before the fourth Sunday meeting was changed to the Tuesday after the fourth Sunday. In 1929 a flag was given to the Holly Springs School. The walls of the hall were painted by M. B. Stephens and D. E. Barnes. A bookcase was made by W. A. Jones, Brother D. A. Baker donating the lumber. A special meeting was held in August and the degree work conferred by a team from Raleigh. An oyster supper was served on October 10. In 1930, Brother Carl Burt, who lives in Cary, but is a member of this lodge made a donation to the Holly Springs School by furnishing the hardwood flooring for the gymnasium. The lower rooms were not rented again after this year. On November 25, Grand Master Timberlake came to Holly Springs and gave an address on Masonry at the Baptist Church. This was a special Thanksgiving service. On July 20, 1931, the lodge attended the laying of the cornerstone of the Cary Lodge. The lodge was also represented at the dedication of the Cary Lodge on November 12, 1931. In 1932 the two meetings per month was changed to one per month, the Tuesday after the second Sunday of the month. Brother M. J. Stephens gave an interesting report of the dedication of the George Washington Memorial Building in Washington, D.C. on May 12. Brother Jack Holt expressed his appreciation of this lodge adjourning its meeting and extinguishing the fire that was about to destroy his father’s home place. In 1933 the lodge gave a medal to the best declaimer in the Holly Springs School. Brother R. C. Stephens reported that Brother T. A. Council had celebrated his 100th birthday by taking his first ride in an airplane. Brother Council held every office in the lodge during his long and useful membership in the lodge. He was a member of the lodge for over fifty years. In 1935 the lower rooms were used for the high school banquet. Our beloved brother T. A. Council died this year and was buried with masonic honors. His age was one hundred and two years. The policy of the use of the lower rooms was changed at this time. They were not rented any more, but were to be given for the use of the Baptist Missionary Society and the Women’s Society of the Methodist Church. Later the Home Demonstration Club was included in the use of the lower rooms. Thus in 1937, in an impressive meeting, the lower rooms were presented for use as the Community Hall of Holly Springs. A set of six rules was drawn up for its use. A Miss Collins presented the lodge with a photograph of the late C. M. Collins. Likewise, Mrs. H. W. Norris presented the lodge with a photograph of the late H. W. Norris. A district meeting of the sixteenth district was held on October 13 with Grand Master Watson H. Sherrod, Grand Secretary, John Anderson, and D.D.G.M. L. G. Jordan officiating. The lodge entertained the Oxford Singing Class October 15, 1936. There was the usual work and business during the year 1939. On January 13, 1940 there was a special meeting for installing the officers of the Apex and Holly Springs Lodges. During the year, the 16th District meeting was held in the Holly Springs Lodge. Ten lodges were represented at this meeting. Again in 1941 there was a joint installation of the officers of the Apex and Holly Springs Lodges. Roger Collins, Jr. presented to the lodge a picture of the late Brittian Utley, The 16th District Meeting was again held with the Holly Springs Lodge, with eight lodges represented. Grand Master Charles P. Eldridge and D.D.G.M. L. G. Jordan were present. Brother T. B. Johnson was appointed to fill the unexpired term of the secretary as Brother R. C. Stephens was called to the services of his country. In 1943, the lodge paid ten dollars to the United War Fund. Also ten dollars to the Red Cross. There was the usual work and business of the lodge during the year. Likewise, in 1944 the lodge contributed to the War Fund and the Red Cross. During this year there was the present concrete steps built to the porch. Brother R. L. Shirlen made and presented to the lodge two columns. A ballot box was made and presented to the lodge by Brother E. A. Leavitt of the Apex Lodge. On November 14, the lodge presented a twenty-five year certificate to Brother Joe Stephenson. The lodge had increased in efficiency in the degree work, so that it could confer the first and second degrees without extra help. In 1945, a special Thanksgiving service was held in the Methodist Church with Ex-Governor of North Carolina Melville J. Broughton delivering the address. The lodge sent a good offering to the Oxford Orphanage. Likewise in 1946, the lodge had a special Thanksgiving service in the Baptist Church with an appropriate address being given by [speaker unknown RMD]. Roger Collins Jr. presented a picture of the late Thomas A. Council to the lodge and gave a brief of the masonic life of Brother Council. In January of 1947 the snow pushed the chimney of the hall down, thus leaving the hall without heating facilities. But, thanks to the courtesy of the Apex Lodge, the lodge continued its regular meeting in the Apex Hall. The chimney was rebuilt during the summer. The town commissioners were given permission to hold their meeting in the lower rooms of the hall. The lodge had the hall insured for a period of three years. Robert Prince, cashier of the Bank of Fuquay, donating a nice sum of the policy. There was a record made of the passing of the late Creasy K. Proctor, Manager of the Oxford Orphanage and a picture of him hung on the wall. The lodge accepted the invitation of the William T. Bain Lodge and conferred the first degree for it in August of this year. The degree team from the William T. Bain Lodge conferred the third degree for the Holly Springs Lodge during this past summer. The highlight of this year is the planned celebration of the one hundredth anniversary of the Holly Springs Lodge. This celebration is dated for October 11, 1947. The old cornerstone laid on November 10, 1853, was removed this August and the contents of which turned out to be one small bible which upon exposure to the air turned into dust. When the old cornerstone is reset on October 11, 1947, it will contain sealed in a copper box the following items: a copy of the history of the lodge, a list of the present officers and members of the lodge, and a part of the crumbled Bible which was placed in it on its original laying on November 10, 1853, and a copy of the program of the 100th Anniversary of the Holly Springs Masonic Lodge # 115 A. F. & A. M. Thus will some of the history of the Holly Springs Masonic Lodge be preserved for our posterity. R. L. Shirlen, Past Master Historian |