Architects Comments

Seven lengths of the Masonic twenty-four inch rule become fourteen feet and this being a convenient measure, it was made a basis for laying out our Temple. Thus, the usual spacing of structural and ornamental columns is made fourteen feet, West to East and South to North. When larger or smaller column spacings were necessary, then the dimension is exact feet and always divisible by seven; and the spacings actually used were seven feet, fourteen feet, twenty-one feet, twenty-eight feet, forty-two feet, and seventy feet. These were carefully followed and are always exact feet with no odd inches. Of course, if adherence to these significant Masonic measures did not also provide a practical and usable module, then it would have been ridiculous to have held to it.

The Temple proper is three stories high, starting at the first floor, and rests on a base or ground story. These three stories are significant of the three degrees of Masonry, and contain all of the tiled or ritualistic rooms. The ground floor has non-ritualistic rooms for administration offices, banquet room, etc.

Entrance to the Temple proper is gained by ascending three, five, seven steps and nine steps. For strict adherence, three, five and seven might be more appropriate, but practical considerations demanded a greater number of steps and additional steps were added in the number nine, which also has considerable Masonic significance, being the cub of the first number three and sometimes, but not always, being assigned as the number of rungs of the mythical Jacob�s ladder reaching to heaven.

The base upon which the Temple rests is seven finished courses of ashlar of Utah granite. These are rectangular stones and contrast with the cornerstone, which is, as it should be, a cubical stone. This stone, located in the northeast corner of the Temple, has one exposed face of rough ashlar, and the other of finished ashlar, upon which is the proper Masonic inscription. Within the cornerstone, a sealed copper receptacle contains mementos of current Masonic interest.

At this point, the ceremony of the cornerstone laying should be mentioned for it was an event of considerable civic interest and importance, and, as was anticipated, attracted a large attendance, not only of the Masonic brethren, but also of public-spirited citizens of the community. In view of this public interest and of the fact that the ceremony was to be conducted in the afternoon at two o�clock, it was decided that each official who participated in the ceremony should array himself in a silk topper, cutaway coat, and striped trousers. You can well imagine the skirmishing about by Grand Lodge officials when that was necessary to provide themselves with afternoon formals for the occasion. Friends came to the assistance of some of our Grand Lodge officers and made it possible that the event be carried out in proper style.

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