or Saturday preceding the full moon or if the full moon came on the designated evening, then the meeting was held on that night. If two meetings a month were held, a two week interval elapsed between them. The time of meeting being held was at early candle lighting.
During these years, the election of officers was held in the month of June of each year, and Grand Lodge convened in December. Unity Lodge invariably arranged to have at least one delegate to the Annual Grand Lodge Session.
In 1874 and 1875, we find in the minutes of the Lodge such items as — collected for a Charity Fund, 16¢, 14¢, 12¢; sold spittoon for 25¢; charges against a Brother Mason who was expelled after due trial; fee remitted to Brother x. x. xxxxxxxx for the Fellowcraft Degree. The Warren Sentinel was being published at this time as we find an order for the Treasurer to pay the bill of that office for printing “demits, petitions, and citations to Brethren delinquent in their dues and contributions” amounting to $5.00. Unity accepted an invitation from Spurmont Lodge No. 98, to assist in the laying of the cornerstone of the Methodist Church South in Strasburg, the 14th of September 1876.
In 1876, a contract was made with x. x. xxxxxxxx who was then erecting a school building, whereby with the consent of the School Trustees, he would add a third story to the building then under construction, for the use of the Masonic and Odd Fellow Orders, at a cost of $1000.00. Before completion, the Redmen and the Friends of Temperance were included in the joint project. As near as can be determined, this lodge hall was occupied first on the 22nd day of February 1878, and apparently more or less satisfactorily until about 1907.
At a stated communication of Unity Lodge held Saturday evening, the 24th of January, 1880, a committee was appointed consisting of Brothers x. x. xxxxxxxx, x. x. xxxxxxxx and x. x. xxxxxxxx, “to name a time and place, to procure by means of subscription or otherwise, and to make all necessary arrangements for an oyster supper for the members of the Lodge and their families”. Brother x. x. xxxxxxxx moved that each member may invite as many friends as he sees fit. This must have been quite an occasion as there was no meeting recorded from the above date until the 20th of the following March.
The minutes covering the period from the 29th of April 1880 until the 10th of June 1886 have apparently been mislaid or lost. Diligent search has been made in about the several apartments of the Temple and they cannot be found. Succeeding generations have been unable to discern even a small sprig of acacia which could have marked their location. Many important events may have transpired during that interval of time, events of vital interest to the Craft of that period as well as worthy of being placed in the archives of the Lodge where they might be studied by future generations endeavoring to prepare a Lodge History such as we are doing at this time. In searching the available records, we find many instances where others have sought historical information, also
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Unity Lodge No. 146 