[Jason]

As the McAlester High School Jazz Choir sang “O What a Beautiful Morning,” members of the Masonic Lodge No. 550 waited excitedly to dedicate a new cornerstone at the former No. 9 Lodge.

They had hoped that the old lodge, at 2125 N. Main St., would have a time capsule hidden behind the cornerstone. Unfortunately, there wasn’t one.

But there is now.

While celebrating 130 years of Masonry in McAlester at the official Centennial event, members of Lodge No. 550 collected business cards and other items from those present.

The cards and a lot of information about Masonry went into the new time capsule. Several of the men remarked that the time capsule is a way for people in the future to know what we did and who we were.

Placing cornerstones and time capsules in buildings is a time-honored tradition among Masons.

Even the White House has a cornerstone that was placed there by Masons.

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