FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 02-28-2022
Tenishea Turner
City of Princeton
972-736-2416
tturner@princetontx.us
City of Princeton Host Cornerstone Leveling Ceremony to Dedicate Municipal Center
Masonic Grand Lodge of Texas will conduct the Cornerstone Leveling Ceremony
Princeton, Texas: On Friday, March 11, 2022, City of Princeton is hosting a Cornerstone Leveling Ceremony to dedicate the Municipal Center located at 2000 E. Princeton Drive at 11:00am. The public is invited to attend this historic event.
The Masonic cornerstone ceremony, like most customs, has evolved over years of use. The symbolism of the cornerstone, when duly laid with Masonic Rites is full of significance, which refers to its form, to its situation, to its permanence and to its consecration. As to its form, the cornerstone must be perfectly square on its surfaces. To Masons, the square is a symbol of morality and truth. In the situation, the cornerstone will symbolically lie between the north, which Masons consider a place of darkness and the east, which Masons consider a place of light. Hence the northeast position of the cornerstone symbolizes the Masonic progress from darkness to light, from ignorance to knowledge. To permanence, the stone, when deposited in its appropriate place, is carefully examined with the necessary implements of operative Masonry which include the square, the level, and the plumb, themselves all symbolic in meaning. The cornerstone is then declared to be "well formed, true and trusty." Lastly, the elements of Masonic consecration are produced, and the stone is solemnly set apart by pouring corn, wine, and oil upon its surface, emblematical of the nourishment, refreshment and joy which are to be the rewards of a faithful performance of duty.
Historically, cornerstones lie at the corner of two walls of a building in which certain historic documents are placed and on which historic inscriptions are engraved. Today, most cornerstones are usually a polished stone, found near the foundation, but not a part of the foundation, and high enough from ground level to be easily read.
The Masonic Fraternity, the Freemasons, developed from the guilds of stonemasons, builders of the glorious cathedrals across Europe during the Middle Ages and forerunners of modern speculative Masonry. They are the oldest and largest fraternity in the world, with a tradition dating back hundreds of years. In North America our forefathers laid the first cornerstones, and they continue in their tradition. Masons of the Grand Lodge of Texas are proud to continue the long-time tradition of leveling cornerstones.
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