TEMPLE OF FREEMASONS.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3184, 1 April 1911, Page 9

TEMPLE OF FREEMASONS.

GORGEOUS AMERICAN -■A STRUCTURE.

The Southern Jurisdiction of the Or-

der of the .Scottish Rite of Freemason-

ry lias commenced the erection of a temple in Washington costing £200,000, which is expected (writes Popular Mechanics) to be, the handsomest of its kind in the world. The men selected to pass upon every detail in construction and ornamentation are men of whose reputations in the world of art are international. It is expected that the temple will be completed in about 18 months. The international conference of supremo councils of the world, 20 in all, meets with the fouthern council in October, 1912, and arrangements are being made to hold the conference in the new temple. If the purposes of the supreme council are to be carried out, the temple will reflect artistically and symbolically the council’s Masonic glory in being, the parent of the world’s councils.

The approved plan provides for an imposing structure, classic in design, of white marble, and with a gilded dome, rising 150 feet from the street level. The temple will consist of three stories, a basement and a sub-base-ment. Leading from the side-walk to the temple will he a symbolic plaza of granite, the full width of the building. Ornate massive portals form an entrance symbolic of the Masonic degrees. The entrance will be flanked' on each side with two aignt sphinxes, and on the terrace will he symbolical and allegorical statuary. Over the arched entrance to the templet wil he a golden sunburst, the rays of which will flash from the symbolic double eagle and triangle of the thirty-second degree. Above will rise 56 columns, each 33 feet high, which will surround the building on three sides. Entrance to the structure will be through a spacious vestible leading to an atrium, 70 feet by 60 feet, at the far end of which will he located the grand staircase leading to the temple or cathedral floor. The apartments on the main floor will be 33 in number. Each State in the southern council will have an apartment. There are 33 degrees in Masonerv, and each room will have separate symbols and emblems; representing each degree. Each one of the 33 States represented in the supreme council will be represented by a coat of arms. Each room will so communicate with the adjoining rooms that it will be possible when occasion requires to tliVow them all into one, which will lead to the council chamber of the thirty-third degree. The crowning glory of the interior will he the cathedra] or temple, which will occupy the entire upper floor of the building. It will represent- a symbolic hollow cube 75 feet square, rising to a height of 75 feet, surmounted by the curved interior of the golden dome. It null be lighted by a great circular skylight 2-5 feet in diameter, in what is known in Masonic circles as the “grand cast,” where the great dais of state of the sovereign commander is placed, and rising above the columns, will be another great golden sunburstflashing from the symbolic double eagle and triangle of the thirty-third degree at the entrance to the temple.