Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-06-27
MASONIC.
ADDRESS.
ADDRESS,
Delivered in the Episcopal Church in
Martinsburg, Virginia, by
Bro. EDMUND p. HUNTER,
before the Brethren of
EQUALITY LODGE,
JUNE 81, 1893.

In all associations Of ancient
origin, social, political or religious, Gus.
tom has prescribed an occasional fes-
tival, for the purpose of imprcssing
upon the mind ihsir principles and the
duties Of their members. An epoch is
usually selected, remarkable as the
birth day of some patron, or as pre-
senting some other important portion
of the history of such an association,
which is best calculated to arouse the
zeal ofthoSe within its embrace. These
festival days were common among the
ancients, and their fitness and useful
ness have been acknowledged in more
modern times. Thus Christians cole
brate the natal day of him who left his
home in the skies, who pat aside the
glory ola Cop, and assumed the form of
man, descended upon the earth, suffered
the penalties of broken law, and died
upon Mount Calvary as ransom for
the whole world. Thus Americans eel.
citrate the natal day Of him who was
sent to deliver them from the chains
and bondage Of temporal oppressors;
and thus maSons celebrate this day, the
natal day orSt. John the Baptist, whom
they claim as their patron and their
advocate. In accordance with this Gus
tom which has been honored by the
craft, through successive generations
we have met on this occasion TO cclc-
brate our mysterious rites, to rchearse
our imposing and harmless ceremo.
MES, TO exhort each other to patience
and perseverance under persecution,
and to declare TO the world the antiqui-
" of our history and the spotless puri-
ty of our principles and our practices.
The history of nations which once
hourished in splendor has been lost a.
mid the Whirl of revolutions, and the
natural transitions from light to dark
ness, from CIVILIZATION TO barbarity,
and from learning to ignorance and
superstition. So it is with the history
of Masonry. The enemies of our or
der when at a loss for reproach against
the character of our institution or the
ly attacked our assertions Of its anti
guilty. Bat the very diversity, of the
opinions which they inharmoniolsly
h We advanced and sought to establish,
concluslvely refute them and at once
expose their ignorance and their NAL
ice. The Able Barruel has assigned
our origin to the crusades, and sought
10 identify us with the religious en-
thusiasts who conceived the project OF
cXpelling, the infdels from Palestine at
the point of the sword, and deranged
the governments Of Europe in the fruit
less attempts at it's execution. Dr.. Ro-
bertson has laborcd to prove that it
originated in England during the reign
of Charles list. and was instituted by
the royalists for the purpose of forming
and maturing secret, political cabals
against the power Of Oliver Cromwell.
Others have so far honored Cromwell,
the scourge Of Britain and murderer of
his king, as to assign to him the inven.
ton of-inasonry. 1t is needless to ex-
pose to the craft the dark and malci-
GUS designs which when cloaked under
these proiessedly disinterestad invesli-
cations into the history and the char
acter Of a secret institution. 1t never
was intended or expected by their au-
thors that masons should believe them,
but they were daring attempts upon
the ignorance and crcdulity of the
world, intended first to destroy the ven
Grafton and cool opinions ofthe public
which masonry had attracted to itself;
and there to be followed up by more
open, rigorous and efficient plan of dc.
Struction. Masons know the falsehood
of these allegations, by the light which
masonry has shed upon them; but the
world may know it, and men of candor
and intelligence do know it, by diligent
perusals and Investigations of authen-
tic written histories.
The same causes which have involy-
cd the origin and history of nations in
darkness, have clouded the origin and
history, of Free Masonry. 1t has ex-
listed in different forms and under differ
cnt names for thousands of years. The
most approved opinions deduce it from
the EIeusinian and Dycuisan mystic
rles Of Greece, which existed l50OI
before the birth of Christ. Associations
OF similar character spread rapidly
over Greece and thence over the ad- |
lonng countries in Europe and Asia.
Their main design was the cultivation
and preservation Of the arts, and no !
body at that day doubted their useful. |
nsss or their purity, for the benefits
which they conferred upon the world, |
being Immediately before the ewes of
the world, then gratitude was not slow
Il i,,lln,r, thnir n.l,,ni ,.nA,..r.