Welcome to the Allentown Masonic Temple.

On the tour, we will view 6 major rooms, beginning on the 3rd floor and ending in the basement.

MAIN ENTRANCE

When you walked up the steps and into this building, you entered one of the finest examples of neoclassical revival architecture in the area. Some of the features of the outside of the building are the 4 columns of the porch, which are classified as being in the Greek "Composite" order of architecture. The capitals or top portion of the columns incorporate the Scroll of the Ionic order and the acanthus leaves of the Corinthian order. The triangular facade above the porch is called the Pediment and is decorated with projections called "Acroterium" at the end corners and at the peak. Other classical detailing is seen on the cornice and around the upper roof. The classical design is continued in moldings and decorations throughout the building.

Please enter the elevator and we will proceed.

Freemasonry began in 1717 in London, England, and came to Philadelphia by the 1730's. In the 1780's, Pennsylvania became an Independent Grand Lodge and, in 1817, the first Lodge, Jordan No. 151, was chartered in Allentown. In the 1830's the antimasonic period forced many lodges to halt their activities. But after this period, the disclosure of Masonic ritual in taverns for public ridicule only served to whet the appetite for the ritual offered by Freemasonry. A revival period began in the 1840's and 1850's, which saw an increase from 35 lodges in 1841 to 128 in 1855 in Pennsylvania.

There are 5 Masonic Lodges which meet in this building.

Barger Lodge was organized on March 7, 1859. Barger Lodge is named for William Barger, a Past Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania.

Greenleaf Lodge No. 561 was constituted on November 10, 1882.

Jordan Lodge No. 673 was constituted on June 10, 1913 and takes its name from the beautiful Jordan Creek, which runs through Lehigh County and Allentown and reminds us of the Biblical Jordan. In 1913 there was such a great interest in Freemasonry that a third Lodge was constituted. Some of the most important community leaders were instrumental in creating this Lodge, including Mayor Al Reichenbach, and General Harry C. Trexler. In its first year, 450 members were initiated into Jordan Lodge. Jordan Lodge meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Extra meetings are also held on Tuesday evenings.

Edwin G. Martin Lodge No. 689 was constituted in 1917 and takes its name from Dr. Edwin G. Martin, a leading citizen who served as Mayor of the city and Grand Commander of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania.

New Temple Lodge No. 720 was constituted on January 20, 1923. During the fund drive for this building, it was felt the time was right for the unaffiliated Masons living in Allentown to become the 5th Blue Lodge in this new Temple building.

Among the activities of the five Allentown Masonic Lodges and the other Lodges in Pennsylvania is the support of the various Grand Lodge Masonic Charities, including the: Masonic Homes at Elizabethtown, the newly affiliated Eastern Star Homes in Warminster and Pittsburgh, the Masonic Children's Home at Elizabethtown, the Pennsylvania Youth Foundation, which supports the Order of DeMolay for young men, the Order of Rainbow and Job's Daughters for girls, the Pennsylvania Masonic Foundation for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse Among Children, and the Masonic Library and Museum of Pennsylvania.


This year, the Grand Lodge is offering a Masonic matching charity grants program, which will match up to five thousand dollars for a community charitable endeavor which is sponsored by a Lodge.


Recently, the Grand Lodge provided for the complete restoration of the Triumphal Arch at Valley Forge and several years prior has presented the first private statue to the Gettysburg National Park. This was the "Friend to Friend" statue which depicts a Union officer helping a Confederate officer who was mortally wounded and had made himself known as a Mason. In the early 1970's, the Grand Lodge has presented the Washington at Prayer statue at Valley Forge.

THIRD FLOOR
On this floor, there are 3 Lodge Halls and the Trexler Masonic Library. We will begin with the largest room, Egyptian Hall.

Egyptian Hall

Egyptian Hall is designed in the Egyptian style of architecture and is 48 feet by 78 feet in size, with a ceiling height of 21 feet. The design motif is the papyrus and lotus. The carpet, furnishings and organ were custom made in keeping with this motif. In 1964, the original ceiling lamps, depicting a winged sun, were removed and replaced with the present recessed lighting. Also much of the original stencil work on the walls was painted over to give a softer color and yet utilizing the color from the carpet.

The prominent focal point are the six columns in the front of the Lodge Hall. They are of the papyrus motif with closed capitals. At the base of the columns is a sheathing of leaves. The columns rise up from what represents a mound of earth. The stenciling of the border above the columns represents the open papyrus bounded by triangles representing water or the eternal. The closed papyrus columns are found in Egyptian architecture from the Middle Kingdom 3,000 to 1500 B.C.

The elements used by the Egyptians were from their natural environment. Thus we find lotus, papyrus, lily, and date palm as subjects for stylized design. The coloring in Egyptian art consisted of flat tints without shading. Red, blue, and yellow were the principal colors used, with black and white to define g from the ancient kingdom 4,000 to 3,000 B.C.

The cartouche-like design on the face of these pilasters incorporates the lotus flower motif. Note the seated figures in the upper medallions, the rams heads on the sides of the urn and the sphinx style face in the lower element.

The carpet was custom made and the pattern is one of a kind. The motif is the lotus and papyrus within interlocking spirals signifying rolling waves of the sea. Again, we see the stylized chevron and triangle representing the closed papyrus flower. The open flower medallion contains a figure of a plumb - one of the principal Masonic working tools used to verify the uprightness of the builders work. To Freemasons, the plumb reminds us to be upright in our actions.

The stairs to the balcony are supported by a column with open papyrus flower capital. It is similar to that found at Karnac dating from the Middle Kingdom, 3,000 to 1,500 B.C. The stair wall is surmounted with bronze castings bearing the lily motif. If you look closely at the railing end- post, you will see a closed lotus capital and the banister utilizes the lily motif.(Pause) The metal grillwork on the ceiling to the back of the hall is also cast in the lily motif. Behind the grill is the organ chamber.

The original decoration of this hall reflected a 1920's interpretation in both color and decor. While much of the original stencilwork has been painted over, what remains is sufficient to allow us to appreciate the original.

Egyptian Hall is used exclusively by the Masonic Lodges for their stated meetings and ceremonial work. The Lodge is presided over by a Worshipful Master, "worshipful" being an old English term used to show respect. His station is in the East, the position given to the front of the Lodge room regardless of geographic direction. He is assisted by two wardens who occupy the West and South stations. Other officers assist in the working of the Lodge. The degrees conferred by the Lodge are the Entered Apprentice, or first degree, the Fellow Craft, or second degree, and the Master Mason, or third degree.

As we proceed to the next Lodge Hall, you will notice that some of the ceiling lights are just bare bulbs in the fixtures. In the 1920's that was an acceptable decor for residential homes as well as public buildings.

Washington Parlor (Doric Tyler's Room)
Note the pictures of George Washington. He was a Mason in 1752 and, in fact, was the Master of his Lodge in Alexandria, Virginia in 1788.

DORIC HALL

You are now in Doric Hall! The principal theme of this room follows the Doric order of architecture,

This room is 36 feet by 46 feet in size, with a 21 foot ceiling. Some ceiling stenciling was painted over in 1965 but the room remains essentially as it was in 1925. It is similar in layout to Egyptian Hall. The outstanding feature is the wall murals painted by Gustave A. Brand, a prominent Chicago artist, whose work was exhibited at the Columbian Exposition in 1893.

The murals in the East depicting Faith, Hope and Charity represent Masonic virtues. The murals speak very clear due to the lack of ornamentation of the Doric order.

On the rear wall and the wall between the windows, are Truth, Wisdom and Beauty, three foundations of Freemasonry.

The remaining wall incorporates Freemasonry's principal belief in a Supreme Being and the rules of our Faith.

The Egyptian motifs as seen in Egyptian hall influenced early Greek ornamentation. But the cold severity of Egyptian art was antagonistic to the Greek sense of beauty. The Doric period developed about 1,100 B.C. After 300 B.C., the Corinthian order developed. The quiet harmony peculiar to the Doric was lost as ornamentation became predominant in the other Orders.

The Doric columns in the East are typical of this order: they have no pedestal upon which they rest, nor is there any detail at the base. Their proportions are eight times the diameter and the capital at the top of the column is 1/2 times the diameter. In keeping with the classical design, these columns each have 20 flutes, or ridges along the columns length.

The Doric columns also decorate the officers pedestals, the large chairs and the altar in the center of the hall.

You can see examples of classical architectural trim of the Doric order on the back of the Master's chair above the columns. Also this chair has a representation of the pediment of this order with upright projections at the corners and apex, which in the classical orders are called the acroterium (ak-ret-air-ee-um) .

The color of the chairs is verdigris, an effect of a green wash over a black underlay.

The carpet was custom made specially for the decor of this hall. It is simple in design in keeping with the Doric order. Stenciling of meandering fretwork originally bordered the ceiling panels. Such fretwork patterning is representative of the sea, and is seen encircling the walls.

Doric Hall is used exclusively by the Masonic Lodges just as you have been informed with Egyptian Hall. We hope you have enjoyed your viewing of Doric Hall.

We will now proceed to Gothic Hall. On the way, you will see various Masonic memorabilia on display. An example is the Bass Drum of Allen Commandery Knights Templar. In the 1920's this organization had a very active band under the direction of Albertus Meyers.

GOTHIC HALL

Welcome to Gothic Hall. This dark wood paneled Lodge room is in the Gothic style and measures 25 1/2 feet by 39 feet in size. Its vaulted ceiling is its notable feature and measures 20 feet at its center. The Gothic style evolved from the Romanesque and Celtic styles of ornamentation. The rounded arch of the Romanesque was raised and pointed, giving a freer and intellectual development to architecture at about 1200 A.D. This new style allowed a taller, more slender building characteristic of the cathedrals of the Middle Ages. The principal Gothic ornament is the leaf-molding, plants being always selected from natural flora.

Here the intertwined oak leaf is used to illuminate the Masonic symbols on the end walls. The oak leaf motif is also found in the decoration of the chandeliers, wall lights and the three tapers by the altar in the center of the floor.

The ceiling vaulting illustrates the pointed arch, which if further utilized in the grillwork of the end walls.

The doorways and chair backs also make use of this form. On the smaller chairs can also be seen the quatrefoil design typical of the Gothic. It is made up of the intersection of four circles.

The carpet, also custom made for this hall, utilizes the oak leaf surrounding a floral medallion.

This room is essentially as it was in 1925, with the exception of the stenciled bordering around the ceiling panels which were painted over due to water damage.

We hope you have enjoyed viewing Gothic Hall.

The last stop on this floor is the TREXLER MASONIC LIBRARY.

The Harry C. Trexler Masonic Library was created in 1928 by a gift from the late General Trexler to the Masonic Lodges of Allentown, and is a 501(c)(3) charitable/educational organization. The collection originally contained a donation of 2,500 volumes and was expanded after the General's death in 1933, when the Library was permanently funded through a trust created in his will. The Library is administered by a Library Director and a Board of Trustees. This Library is a charitable non-profit educational institution whose purpose is to preserve Masonic lore and knowledge for future generations. The collection now contains over 5,000 books on Masonic and related subjects, including many rare books. The oldest volume dates from 1685 and the Library boasts of several original copies of Anderson's Constitution of 1723, the first printed Masonic constitution. The Library is open to the public both on Masonic meeting nights and by special arrangement.

The Display Cases in front of the door contain the personal effects of:
Charles B. Wolfertz, who served as Grand Commander of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania in 1947 and as U.S. Department Commander in 1965
General Harry C. Trexler, who donated the Library in 1928 and served on the Building Committee. He served as Quartermaster General for the Pennsylvania National Guard.
Dr. Edwin G. Martin, who was Grand Commander of Knights Templar of Pennsylvania in 1884, the same year he was Mayor of the City of Allentown.

RENAISSANCE HALL

Welcome to Renaissance Hall! Renaissance Hall is styled in the 15th century Italian renaissance style and features, on the far end of the room, a coffered arch encompassing a stained glass window. The room, 36 feet by 61 feet, and 21 feet high, is of the pure classical design. all tapestry stencilwork and the chandeliers were removed.

On the end walls, there are 3 canvas murals painted by Gustav Brand.

On the left front wall is Justice: one of Aristotle's 4 classical virtues (Prudence, Fortitude & Temperance) are the other 3.

On the right is Religion: a belief in a Supreme Being is a requirement for being a Mason.

On the rear wall is Love: Brotherly love the foundation of Freemasonry as well as love for family and for the arts and sciences.

At the end of the ceiling vaulting is a decorative corbel from which flows a typographic ornamentation. This stenciled art form is a 1920's interpretation by Gustav Brand, the decorator, of late Renaissance style.

We also can see in this room an example of the unique painting technique on the side panels between the corbels which illustrate a faux rolled on treatment.

The Renaissance began in Italy in the 15th century. Its seeds were found in painting and sculpture which showed a tendency to revert to the earlier classical art. This influence spread to other Western European countries. The Renaissance style was devoted more to civil than to church architecture. In France during the latter part of the reign of Louis XIV, pomp and display were the fashion and the Renaissance ornamentation degenerated to that of the Rococo period.

The stencilwork viewed in this hall is of the ribbon and foliated scroll style, derived from the Gothic manuscript illuminations.

This hall was originally intended for Masonic Lodge meetings. Soon after the building was occupied the room was given over to the meeting of the Ladies organizations: Eastern Star Chapters, the Order of Amaranth and the White Shrine of Jerusalem, along with the Assembly of Rainbow for Girls. In 1992, the room was again renovated and modified to accommodate the stations of the Ladies organizations.

When the carpet was replaced due to being threadbare, a stencil template tracing was found on the concrete floor. It was the design of the old wall tapestry. A reconstruction of that design and a portion of the original carpet can be seen on display as you exit Renaissance Hall.

We hope you have enjoyed viewing Renaissance Hall.

Renaissance Hall is the meeting place for 2 Eastern Star Chapters, the Order of the Amaranth, and the White Shrine of Jerusalem.
Mary Livingston Chapter No. 167, Order of the Eastern Star was organized on May 25, 1914 and New Temple Chapter No. 298, O.E.S. was organized on May 4, 1920.
Allentown Court No. 19, Order of Amaranth was organized on February 21, 1921
Allentown Shrine No. 27, Order of the White Shrine of Jerusalem, was instituted on October 14, 1927.
The Allentown Assembly, Rainbow for Girls, also meets in this room.

CHAPTER HALL

Welcome to Chapter Hall. Constructed in the Romanesque or rounded arch style of architecture, Chapter Hall incorporates the flame motif representative of the tabernacle of the Old Testament, upon which the Royal Arch ritual is based. Jordan Royal Arch Chapter No. 203, was formed by a 1991 merger of Allen Chapter No. 203, which was constituted March 29, 1866, and Jordan Chapter No. 302, which was constituted June 9, 1916, meets here. The room measures 36 feet by 61 feet and is 21 feet high. This is the only room in the building with a balcony completely surrounding the main floor. Numerous symbols and special features are built into the architecture of this room.

The keystone above the presiding officer's station relates to the Mark Master Degree, the first of the three Chapter degrees.

The four doors constructed along each side of the arcade conceal curtains which are drawn for the Royal Arch Degree.

The flame light globes are antique glass from Czechoslovakia from the period in which the Temple was built. These original globes are appraised at $100 each and there are 42 such globes in this room.

One might also note the detailed design on the walls, which are representations of 16th century grotesque or arabesque, a fanciful design employed in Italy and northern Europe to illustrate a craftsman's skill. You will notice equilateral triangles in the design. These are symbols representative of the Royal Arch Chapter. As in the other rooms of the Temple, specific stencilwork was employed by the architect to fit into the style of the room as it would have been conceived in the 1920's.

The repeat interlocking spirals around the wall are symbolic of the sea and its importance to commerce in the Mediterranean states from which area the theme for this room is taken.

Renovations in 1965 have obscured most of the beautiful original stencilwork which was found on the walls of the upper balcony between the arches and on the walls beyond the arches, as well as the ceiling overhang

The degrees conferred in the lodge halls, which we saw on the floor above, have as their motif the building of Solomon's Temple. During that building, something of value was lost and a substitute adopted. Here in the Chapter hall, the Royal Arch Chapter has as their lessons the rebuilding of Solomon's Temple, which was destroyed by the Babylonians and the discovery of that which was lost in the Lodge degrees.

Also meeting in this room, is the Council of Royal and Select Masters of Cryptic Masonry, whose ritual depicts the crypts beneath King Solomon's temple. Allen Council No. 23, Royal and Select Master Masons, was constituted on December 24, 1864.

In this hall, the three principal officers sit together in the "East", unlike the three separate stations of the officers in the Lodge. Here, the stations in the South and West are used for several of the six degrees which the two organizations confer here.

The COMMANDERY ASYLUM or Auditorium

We welcome you to the most completely preserved room in the Masonic Temple. It is called the Commandery Asylum and was so designated on the blueprints in 1922. The organ found in this room is the largest in the building; it is a double Austin.

Every surface has a special painting technique attesting to the decorative skill of the designer and painters of the 1920's.

The room was originally designed for the meetings of the Commandery of Knights Templar. This is the most completely preserved room in the Masonic Temple, bearing original designs. It is in the 16th century French Renaissance style as interpreted in 1926. It is 45 feet wide and seventy feet long, with a ceiling height of 25 feet.

The age of chivalry was most flamboyant in the 15th and 16th centuries, and is therefore fitting that the renaissance style portrays the ideals of knighthood. Although the design gives the impression of being overdone, it is typical of the Renaissance period, where palaces would have had ornate tapestries and flooring, along with elaborate architectural details. The richness of the Renaissance period is muted by the typical subdued colors characteristic of the decorative style of the 1920's. Seventy-five years after the original rendering, we view this room with an aged patina.

The focal point of the room is the proscenium [pro-seen-ee-um] or stage, designed with classical columns of a modified composite order. Note the capitals with the Ionic scroll and the Corinthian acanthus leaf but also with a Star and the Cross and Crown, which are Christian symbols of significance to the Knights Templar, and the shaft bearing Fleur-de-lis rather than the classical flutes. The entablature or horizontal portion over the stage is ornamented with dentil, or teeth elements, above which is an egg and dart molding. A very ornate cornice is supported by brackets.

Inside the proscenium are panels with a heraldic design bearing a Cross with a checkered background of flat and metallic gold.

On the walls to each side of the stage are elaborate stencil paintings with ferns in a tree of life motif. At the top is a Cross and Crown where one would find the flower.

The scallop design in the niches on each side of the front wall are emblematic of the pilgrim's badge and another reminder of the medieval period and the epoch in the Holy Lands.

Above the scallop is a griffin supporting a chivalric knight and, flanked on both sides by faces in the form of the "Virgin Sophia." Above them are pots of incense. The blue sky background illustrates a faux sponging technique. On the arch above the stage and around the balcony, is an intricate stenciling design composed of oak leaves and stylized rosettes incorporated with a scrolling element. The lower side walls are stenciled with a repeat design similar to the example in Renaissance Hall. Here we see the Cross and Crown emblem of the Knights Templar employed throughout.

The central mural depicts tms of the Knights Templar on the right, and of the Scottish rite on the left. The heraldic designs along the sides are emblems of the various degrees of the York and Scottish Rites.

The background of these canvases is a subtle painting with the tree of life composed of oak leaves, a symbol of strength and longevity.

Below the balcony on the rear wall is more stencilwork showing much detail. The ceiling molding is an elaborate buildup of the egg and dart, the bracket and the coffer elements.

The ceiling illustrates an ochering technique and was probably rolled with some device as there is a faint repeat pattern. The walls on the balcony also illustrate a unique rolled application but the method of this application can not be determined and is perhaps a lost art.

The carpet is a custom one-of-a-kind design and, like the other original carpets, is made up of strips 27 inches wide and sewn together. The design is a stylized tree of life with heraldic flora.

Two elements of trompe l'oeil (tromp loy) are seen in this room: the molding below the canvas murals is one excellent example and the marbling at the base of the columns is another.

In 1926, the Lehigh Consistory of the Scottish Rite was formed and shared this room until 1970, when the new Scottish Rite Cathedral was built to the south of this building. Emblems of the Scottish Rite were included with the motifs of the Knights Templar as can be seen at various places in this room and in the main lobby.

The present Knights Templar take their name from the medieval crusading Poor Soldiers of Christ, who were organized in 1118 by nine French noblemen and headquartered at the site of King Solomon's temple in Jerusalem. They were thus known as Knights Templar. This monastic order of soldier monks provides the historical background from which the Masonic Knights Templar borrow their name. There is no proven direct line between today's Knights Templar and those of the crusading period, who were suppressed in the early 14th century by Philip the Fair, King of France. In the mid-1700's, the Knights Templar ritual emerged as part of Ancient York Masonry.

Allen Commandery No. 20 was established in 1860 and continues to meet in this room on the second Thursday of each month. The Knights Templar are an appendant body to the Masonic organization. In 1923, Beauceant Commandery No. 94 was chartered. The Knights Templar sponsor two national charities: The Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Inc., for eye surgery and research, and the Knights Templar Educational Foundation, which provides student loans.

Knights Templar are a uniformed order of Christian Masons. In addition to their charitable programs, they confer three Order of Knighthood:

	The Order of Red Cross, which refers to the rebuilding of the 2nd Temple just after the Babylonian captivity of the Jews, and is a preparation for the New Testament Orders which follow,
	The Order of Malta, which relates the story of St. Paul and the history of the Knights of Malta, and
	The Order of the Temple, perhaps the most impressive ritual in Freemasonry, which asks the candidate to do serious soul searching as a Christian and a Mason and refers particularly to the Book of Matthew in the New Testament.

The flags hanging from the balcony were added in 1987 to commemorate the Bicentennial of the United States Constitution and Bill of Rights. The Christian Flag at the far end of the arrangement represents the First Amendment to our Constitution, guaranteeing freedom of expression and to peaceably assemble.

We hope you have enjoyed your visit to the Knights Templar Asylum.

The GENERAL TREXLER CONFERENCE ROOM

Brother and General Harry Clay Trexler, one of the original eight Directors of the Masonic Temple Association chartered through the Court of Common Pleas in December 1917, was directly involved with the planning and construction of this Allentown Masonic Temple building until his untimely demise in 1933. He was a member of the Building Committee and instrumental in having the original site on the northeast corner of 17th and Hamilton Streets changed to the present site - the very pinnacle of the city at that time.

General Trexler was an active member of the Board of Directors and contributed a pledge of 10% of all funds solicited for the building project. In 1928, he donated the Masonic Library bearing his name, which is perpetually maintained by an annual gift through his estate.

In memory of a great public citizen, entrepreneur, and Freemason, we dedicated this room to the General. Originally this area was more than twice its present dimensions and was designated a "card Room" with a billiard table and a smoking room to each side. This area was utilized by the Swain Day School from 1930 to 1942. The area was renovated in 1946 to its present arrangement to serve the Atlantic Broadcasting Company with offices and studios. A radio tower was erected on the parking lot next to the now demolished boiler house. This room was refurbished in 1995. The color tones and faux finish approximate the original decor of the 1920's. The ceiling exhibits a reproduction of the stencil design still existing on the original ceiling of the banquet halls, but no longer visible. The tables and lamps are original from 1926. The chandelier is from the first floor parlor and the carpet was probably purchased in 1928, when the Harry C. Trexler Masonic Library was first opened on the second floor. The portrait of General Trexler was presented by the Trexler Trust to the Trexler Masonic Library.

COMPASS & SQUARE BANQUET HALL

The Compass & Square Banquet Hall takes its name from the Compass & Square Inn which stood at 7th & Hamilton Streets. In 1811, the first Borough elections were held there. The proprietor was George Savitz, Allentown's first Postmaster. Savitz is believed to have been a member of Lodge No. 8 at Norristown, a military lodge during the Revolutionary War.

The Allentown Masonic Temple is an outgrowth of the long history of Freemasonry connected with the city, dating back as far as 1735, to Judge William Allen, Pennsylvania's first Grand Master of Masons. In 1995, the present banquet hall was improved with the addition of chandeliers.

We are proud of our Masonic heritage in Allentown and reflect that connection to the past in naming this the Compass & Square Banquet Hall.

This completes the tour of the Masonic Temple. We hope you have enjoyed the tour and learned something of the architecture of the Masonic Temple as well as its purposes.

"Charles S. Canning, KYGCH, 33^o"