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The cornerstone was laid in an elaborate ceremony on September 9, 1916. The following is the newspaper account from the September 13, 1916 issue of the Naperville Clarion.
CORNER STONE LAID FOR MASONIC TEMPLE
The corner stone of the new Masonic Temple in this city was laid on Saturday afternoon with impressive Masonic ceremonies, before a large assemblage of residents and Masons of the city and from surrounding counties. Bro. Ralph H. Wheeler, Grand Master of Ancient Free and Accepted Masons of the State of Illinois, officiated, assisted by an occasional Grand Lodge composed as follows: Brothers H. H. Benjamin, Deputy Grand Master; C. W. Reed, Senior Grand Warden; C. A. Ashley, Junior Grand Warden; Claude V. Leffler, Grand Treasurer; Isaac Cutter, Grand Secretary; A. E. Randell, Grand Orator; Harry Woodward, Grand Chaplain; C. V. Wellner, Senior Grand Deacon; Edward Enck, Junior Grand Deacon; Wm. H. Bird, Grand Marshall; C. F. Wm. Schultz, Grand Pursuiviant; John Eisele, Senior Grand Steward; Earnest Rich, Junior Grand Steward; Ralph Steele Shepardson, Grand Architect; C. S. Gurney, Grand Tiler; John A. Bell, Master of Oldest Lodge.
The Most Worshipful Grand Master was escorted from the depot to the Masonic Hall by Aurora Commandery No. 22, Knights Templar, under Commander F. Merritt Pepper and Captain-General C. E. Cooley, which was headed by the Lounge Factory Band and the G. A. R. Drum Corps of Aurora.
The Grand Lodge was then convened at the Masonic Hall where together with a delegation of Master Masons, the procession was again formed, the line of march being east on Jefferson Ave. to Washington St., south to Water St., west to Main St. to Jefferson Ave., and east to the Temple site.
The Grand Lodge then counter-marched through the line of procession and assumed their places on a tastefully decorated platform, erected for the occasion.
Worshipful Master Sankey S. Good, after a few introductory remarks, then requested the Most Worshipful Master and the Grand Lodge, on behalf of Euclid Lodge No. 65, to officiate at the ceremonies of the laying of the corner stone, which was performed with Masonic honors. The occasion was most impressive and will never be forgotten by those who were priveleged to witness it.
Appropriate vocal selections were rendered in the course of the ceremonies by the Oriental Quartet of Chicago and a feature most appreciated was an oration delivered by Rev. A. E. Randell, the gist of which was the relation and benefits of Masonry to society in general and the fact that the importance and desirability of any edifice to a community, no matter how beautiful architecturally, rested absolutely on the nature of the institution which it houses.
The corner stone was the gift of Bro. Arthur R. Beidelman, a member of Euclid Lodge No. 65; it is exceptionally beautiful in design and will be a lasting and worthy monument to Masonry and to the beneficence of Bro. Beidelman.