Holly Springs gazette., 1845-02-15
BY ED. A. WARREN, ESQ.
Ladies. Companions,
Beeihrea and GeatlemeR

BsefhfeH GnG Ge9tLemeR.
You viii not be disappointed that ap'
gear T. fore YOU on this occasion with an
unusual degree of cifice.ce, when you
recoIIect for one moment the momenious
importance with htcA the subject hat oc-
"a pies oar minds is fFaught. Tie humble
ability Of the organ ot It's advoca es END
the fact that | have addressed you on the
same sublec; on TWO foruer occasions
But believing rs | 90, that every ind'VIuuai
profess ny tie least spark ot philanthropy
sbou 4 ever weld TO the wishes OF their SUI
periors. and duly appreciatieg The kind PAL
rialitv nv brethren have again shown me,
| have conciu led once more III my feeble
manner 10 advocate before you 10 day the
cause of Il e nobleSt of all human ins:itu,
tions. end the only oLe too, that has been
In all soes of he world able to withstand
nersecution. aui cause It's shafts To tall
harmless at It's feet l. has been the mis-
fortune of the Masonic Institution Ct only
to be prosecuted by the atheist and lnhdel'
but il h 5 received the most unhallcwed blast
from those who wear about them the badge
Of Chrstianitv Bat, my brethren, there IL
connected with this matter fefecuon That
should ever inspire The breast OF every good,
true and devoted E9asOn, with the most
pleasant emotions. and that is this: the
greater portion 3! hose individuals " no
most loudly and openly peTsccute ms IN
stiu,ion, la We not moral worth about them
/ sufficient to gain admission 10 Is benehts
and privileges. Bat, Sis. With such' emo
through ignorance or sinister motives per-
secute this institution, | have no cayli on
his solemn occasion. Bat In the language
If the Scriptures our moral and masonic
tressIe board, [ would say most respectfully,
Take fist the beam out Of thy own eye,
and then thou shalt see more clearly how
to remove the mote out Of Thy brothers
eye"
Aqd now, my brethren, through the KIND
/ interposiliJn of an ailwise and mefcliul
1 God. we are again permltted 10 assemble
ourselves together for the purpose OF show
/ ipg our regard for the character of an Indi
! vidual who has never had an equal. The
! oDIy individual VINO has ever made his ap
nearauce IN the world fitted with the iioly
I Ghost. and wholly perfect He mho was
/ selected by the God Of the universe To pre-
pare the micds of the people tor the recep-
lion of thai blessed Messiah who WAS soon
10 make his appearance ia this world, tc
m Ike an atoncmcnt for the sins OF the people
and make it possible for them to escape the
ruinous elects Of the aPoatacy OF our first
parents.
You will fad. my respected audience, by
consulting the Sacred Scriptures, that the
| beginl ins Of the Gospel of Jesus Christ,
the opening of The Christian era was intrust-
4 ed To the Il!ustrious character whose anai-
versarv we this day celebrate he was the
bearer Of glad tid-ugs of great joy, &c. the
| first individual who preached the subj. me
/ doctrine of Rep niaace IN connection with
| fsilh in the LoJd Jesus Chslst
You 6nd he did not regard the outward
I aapparance Of a man, nor could he be uflu
enced by wealth or nobility for you hear
/ him say, when the srifrigbLeous Pharisee
and Saducee demand baptism at his hands
! with the stein authority of one no per-
ceived tie hypocrisy OF their hearts, and
! feeling as ] doubt not, the cha racter OF his
/ high and solemn mission, ''tbink not sand
+ be 10 these. ITO say We have Abraham to
! our father, &c. But ye must bring forth
/ fIuits NEE. for repentance" He II was who
/ first declared that The kingdom OF heaven
/ was at hand.
Among BIT not ofthe men Of his genera
1 tion, commuuing with but TO- inslruct them
\ in the mystery of the slupendous events
which were about to transpre, he moved
/ forward IN the dIscharge of the high fumes
lions of lis ministry, with a profound seri
business which carried upon il the indiSt uta
bic impress of his divine legation; and when
The fulness of the time was arrived, you 6nd
he was indeed and in truth succeeded by the
blessed Saviour, who performed many won
derfuI miracles sc and CONTINUED 10 preach
and proclaim to the people the same sublime
4 hat 1, Il
by his messenger before him; and, too, to
declare that the kingdom of heaven was at
hand You find, my friends, that the whole
life of John the Baptst from his first appear
ance in the wilderness of Judea to the hour
Of his death, in dungeon of Galilee, is a
bright and glorious illustration Of the pure
doctrines which he preached. Such, my
respected audience, companions and breth-
ren, is an imperfect and hasty skeich of the
life, ministry and death of ST John the Bap-
ust, whose anniversary, as an eminent pat
ron of our order, We have this day met TO
celebrate. Nor are we alone in the far
OF lands of the East, when he broken al
tars of primitive Christianity have been re.
built in our day by the pious hands of de-
voted and sell sacrificing missionaries of our
own happy country, upon the very sites
where stood the gorgeous temples reared TO
the worship of the Pagan gods OF Asia, in
The wide domains of Europe and upon the
parched wastes of Africa beneath the shad.
ow of the Cordllleras and in the Isle S W hich
| gem the seas. La "a word, in every country
under heaven in which has been planted
the standard OF the Cross of Christ. there is
/ assembled the brotherhood of Ihe faithful to
render grateful tribute of respect to him
4 W no WAS the mOrpipn Sta IN that