The Yazoo Whig and political register. (Yazoo City, Miss.) 1840-1842, 1842-01-07

Every lesson ~ Masonry tends to plant in the
oul Of man, true and genuine courage. ssTbs,
lOble and steady purpose Of the mind. wheroL,,
We are enabled 20 undergo any pain, peril. or dan.
ger, when prudeDHally deemed expedient Tb;.
lir.ue S equally distant from Fashness and eow~
lrdice - and when fully Undecided in the hear,
becomes spring Of actiOn arOusng to every dutv.
enabling Us 70 consecEate health and life 20 this
blessed service. Be armed, Brethren, in the pan.
0plJ Of this virtue; you NAV be travelling with
brother, through the pestilential TavaRes Of the
syellow tyrant Of the trOpcs,' and &c may be
seized with the disease; stamped with this virtue
and bTotherly love burning warm in your hearts.
you will brave the risk of cOntaRiOn and fever.
and Will stand by his bed and with heart burn
ing with atecnOn,will alleviate his suererings and
comfort MIN In his Affections. And some Of us
may be even called TO suffer martyrdom in the
cause OF Masonic truth. Yes; even this NAV be-
put among the possibilities which lie before YOU.
Some rude attack may be made to extort from US
those lnestlmable "secTets'' with which we have
been 80 solemnly entrusted, and which were en-
olemaucaliy represented in our FIRST admission in-
to the Lodge, and we may be called upon. in
truth, TO represent our illustrious Grand Master.
My brethren, should any Of US be called upon in
our uncertain travels through life, to lay down our
lives in this sacred cause, never, never, let the
thought of shrinking into its betrayal find an en-
trance into our minds. Stand as firm as the beat.
en- anvil. Our Masonic fathers have been banish-
ed into exile, as the illustrious patron Of our
Craft, whose virtues we this day celebrate.-Oth-
ers have had to mark the track of service with
their LIES blood, and by these heroic examples
the purity OF our institution has remained unsul-
lied and its benefits been handed down to Us and
to our children. Shall not we with equal fidelity
preserve it, in order to hand il down to future gem
eratiOns? From this steady and determined PuE-
pose, never let death in its most terrific form turn
Us.
We come now TO the consideration Of that lead
ing, prominent and distinguished characteristic or
our ''OTder," BrOtherly Lore. This is that mighty
principle which kindles cOldness into ardoI, and
transforms the affections of the apathetc, and the
rugged temperament, as we'll as those Of bland,
mild and compassionate disposition, into its own
unbounded, enlarged and expanded Iullness. o!
the strength of this heaven-born principle! And
how rapturOusly can we dwell on our success in
writing this principle on the Utmost soul OF all
who are ''raised" to the third degree in Masonry
And how it encourages when we find il requisite
to leave our domestic firesides; to go away from
the pleasures Of the social circle, and to turn aside
from the aluTing pursuits of fortune, in order in
the silence OF the dews of night, to go into the
cred retreats of our Order; there TO work, and
strive, and lecture, long after surrounding nature
shall have been mantled in repOse, that we may
bring some lnsubordinate heart into q reception Of
this glowing love; and then, 0 then, when we
find that from all past experience this principle Of
love will take such deep root that il entwInes it,
sell 50 thoroughly around every cord and tenduI
Of his heart, as still to abide with him while the
pulse of life shall beat; o, how it encourages and
urges as ZeslOusly onward in the communication
of this sOul-mOving principle. We have alluded
to the indestructibility Of this principle. Members
of our Order may give way to the trailties Of ma
/ tuTe; may be drawn into the whirlpool Of intern.
peTance, and all our tears, efforts and entTeateR
may prove Intellectual in keeping them from being
engulp Pied therein; yet at the very moment when
| the surges Of intemperance shall be dashing their
/ last waves against his trail bark, and when that
hideOus mass Of defO!mity shall have attained the
still this precious gem, this sparkling jewel, is
living in his sOul.-His eye still beams with
brothery love, his heart is still stirred with the
emotions Of irateTnal affection. and as long as the
hand express the feelings he seeks in the cor
dial shake of bF9theT's hand he bids the world
| adleu, 20 communicate 10 the whole brotherhood
| the abiding strength of this principle.
This principle OF love has laid hold Of the
wrinkled, the defOrmed and the witheYed heart OE
envy and triumphed over IT, II has been brought
to bear in its influence the sepulchral Rotten
of the heart, of the offensive and fOul-tongue6
Slanderer, and has gained its trophies.
"By the exercise Of brotherly love, we are taught
to regard the whole human species one famllys
the high and low, the rich and poor, who, as cTeS-
ted by one Almighty Parent, and inhabitants Of
the same planet, to aid, support and pFOteet
each other On his principle Masonry Unites
l
ciliates friendship among those who might other
wise remain at perpetual distance"
Christians and fellOw-citiZenS, oppose net this
venerable institution. 1t meets important requi-
sites Of fallen and degenerate man. lthas nothing
in it Of the spirit Of opposition to our civil nsEftu
TONS but suStains them; inculcates the precePts
of religion, and is ready to extend its usefulness
to all the children of men. We know not on
what ground any set Of men, or any religious
body can say we have no night to do all the good
we can to the community among whom we live,
and to OBJ ect that shall ourselves be aided in
bufetting the storms Of life by this fraterna as
sociation.
"Brethren of the Mystic Tie,n-ln coming to
the close Of my address, allow me to inquire, are
you ready to enter into 'that spiritual templethat
house not made with hands eternal in the hea-
vens?" II is to be greatly feared that some of
you have looked at Masonry only in connection
with the present existence. 1t this be the case,
beg you TO come up TO Q nObieT estimate OF Its
worth Shall you have been so often pointed in
our Lodges to the embematic hour glass, to im-
press on YOU the shOrtness OF life and the uneeas-
ing approaches of death, and shall you therein 90
/ often have viewed man as standing under the
/ scvthe of Time, and that scythe ready to cut him
down, and still stand in the outer courts of the
temple unclOthed in the garments Of saiValiOn?
o, be aroused 20 q sense OF your souls value. Ia
/ that pot Of incense, ever burning with feFvent
heat, which stands before you in your Masonic
Chart, you are faithfully admonlshed that supreme
love to God must burn in your hearts, in order
that you may see his face in peace. That veTV
Bible whose precepts we 50 much revere, andTron
which we derive all our lessons Of instruction
urges you to receive all the strength and beauty
of holiness into your hearts. The Holy Spirit Il
continually engaged by his secret calls, his pow.
erful influences, inspiring you with holy feelings.
pressing you by urgent motives, cOntendinq 4.
gainst your obstinacy, and proposing il you will
yield to its direction, to dwell in you and guard
those hallowing and refreshing influences which
shall complete the work Of eternal salvation 10