st. john's lodge no 2 - The Trestleboard

1931, when our present Temple was erected. W.H. Congdon was our first Master, and made a practice of looking up the other officers every few days to make sure that they were making satisfactory progress in their work.

When the Lodge was first formed, some of the furnishings had to be obtained at as little cost as possible. The first altar was not much more than an ordinary box. The pillars for use in the Fellow Crafts Degree, and which are still being used, were made from old pillars taken from the porch of the Dr. Short residence.

On Monday evening, April 8, 1912, a Special Communication of Gresham Lodge was opened and the dispensation for the new Lodge was read. W. H. Congdon was appointed W.M., C. Cleveland, S.W., and O. A. Eastman, J.W. The M.W.G.M. then presented the working tools of the order to Worshipful Master Congdon, who appointed several brothers as officers until such time as the Lodge received a charter.

On the following evening, April 9, 1912, the first Stated Communication of Gresham Lodge was held, at which time a committee was appointed to procure the necessary paraphernalia. They were empowered to borrow money if necessary. The petition of W.H. Cleveland was received, and he was raised August 13, 1912 being the first candidate to be accepted and raised by the new Lodge.

A Charter was granted to our Lodge on July 13, 1912. The by-laws were adopted on September 10, 1912 with the Lodge meeting twice a month on the second and fourth Tuesdays until June, 1913, when they changed to once a month on the second Tuesday.

On July 13, 1915, the building committee reported that the most suitable lot for building a Lodge room was the one owned by brother C. Cleveland, on Main Street near 5th Street: 50 X 115, for $650.00. The building committee was then discharged.

On September 14, 1915, a building committee was appointed to ascertain the cost of building a hall. On December 14, 1915, the building committee was authorized to solicit for sale of stock for the building of a new hall.

Finally, in April 1930, the new building committee reported that a new Temple could be built for about $10,000.00, and it was proposed that the dues be increased one dollar per year, to help finance the building. In September 1930, five trustees were given authority to form a corporation for the building of the Temple.

On February 10, 1931, it was reported that $7,000.00 had been pledged for the building, and of March 10th bids were opened and the contract for the building was awarded to Steele and Davis of Portland, for $9,984.00.

On April 10th at 4:00P.M., a happy group of Masons assembled to lay the cornerstone of the Temple. Grand Master Otto Hagmeier officiated. The