Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-01-15

tant enquiry is beyond the powers of hu.
man enetration--known alone unto God
are the times and the seasons appointed
unto the sons of men. Then let us on.
deayor to live as those who are conscious
of an impending mortality; and that when
these bodies are consigned to their mother
dust, our immortal spirits must wing their
upward flight TO that Omnipotent Power
who gave them,thero to be Judged accord
ing to the deeds done in the body. Let
us endeavor to live the life of the chris.
tain, that we may die the death of the
righteous,
In the few remarks which | contemplate
offering for your consideration on this oc.
casion, il is my purpose briefly to notice
the rise and progress Of free and accept.
ed masonry, so far as my limited sources
of information will enable me, together
with some Of its leading characteristics,
and prominent duties which it requires al
the hands of its votares.
We regard it to be no Dissertation to at.
tribute masonry to the supreme Architect
Of the Uniyerse,who presides in the grand
lodge Of eternity, and the sound of whose
gavo called a dark and disordered chaos
into prevailing harmony, and at whose
mandate there came forth, from the most
profound darkness, that bright and eIIul-
gent light which displayed to an astonish-
ed and admiring world, the grand and
beautiful fabrics Of His construction -
Behold that royal arch which spans crea-
ton, bespanglod with millions of twink.
ling Iuminaries, and determine who was its
archetect. Yes, Jehovah is a builder,
and the vast universe showeth forth. His
handy work. But speculative masonry,
as practiced by US, although perhaps eX.
sting in an imperfect form anterior, was
perfected in the building of King Solo
mons Temple, the grandest and the rich
est, the most stupendous and magnificent
ediice, Of which the ancient or modern
world can boast. In the building of this
Temple, besides ten thousand men en-.
ployed in Lebanon to prepare timbers for
the craltmen's use, there were engaged
three grand overseers: Solomon, King Of
Isreal, the principal patron; Hiram, King
Of Tyre, SoIomon's coadutor; and Hiram
Abid, the grand Junior Warden, and prn.
cipal artlfcer, and who was, as is known to
all master masons, UidoW'8 son; togeth.
er with 1900 Master Masons, SO 900
Fellow Crafts, and 10000 Entered Ap.
prentices. And this immence number OF
workmen we're engaged for seven years
in the completion OF the temple. To ar
range this immence throng of artifcers,
coming, from different parts of the world, land
speaking different languages, into a pro-
per organization, so that concord add haI.
mony might prevail over discord and con.
fusion, King Solomon, in his wisdom, es-
tablished certain secret signs of recogni.
ton, whereby the grand oyerseers might
recognise who were workmen belonging
to the temple, and at the same time
be able to distinguish the particular
sphere or grade in which they were en-
ployed. And as the workmen were paid
according to the grade in which they we're
employed, whether as Master Mason, Eel
low Crafts, or Entered Apprentices, these
secret signs Of recognition (whereby one
mason knows another in the dark as well
as the light,) served most valuable pur-
pose in enabling the wOrkmen at even.
tide to manifest themselve to the grand
senior warden, who was stationed at the
west gate Of the temple, and who paid the
craft their wages, il any were due. And
these are the same secret signs of recog-
milton now used by all regularly made
masons. But at length the keystone is
laid, the earthly temple Of the living God
is finished, and this vast concourse of ar
tiicers are about to separate and disperse
throughout the earth: but before thus sep
arating, they we're assembled upon Mount
Moriah, by the summons Of King Solo
mon, all coming duly and truly prepared,
worthy and every way well qualified to
receive, at his lips, the grand masonic
word The solemn word was thus impair
ted, and this vast assemblage, then upon
the five points Of fellowship, breaihed into
the ear each Of the other, the sacred
pledge Of brotherly love, relief, and truth,
whereby, although meeting in distant
countries and foreign cIimes, each might
distinguish the other as having been mi.
tiated into the secrets Of the ORDER and
then separated, each masonic bosom lodge
within itself retaining safely and secure
" the inyiolable mysteries Of masonry.
And from that period down to the pre-
sent day, FREQ and accepted masonry has
remained one and the same. No human
institution can boast OF such immutability.
More than three thousand years have al.
ready rolled down the eyeniful tide oil
tjmc,since it commenced Ils bright career
The destructive whirIwlnds Of war have
whirlcl in furious blasts over the earth,
leaving devastation, ruin and death 10
mark their dismnl course Tho manu.
mcn's OF ancient grandeur hoyo crum5led
INTO dust; ,he .ccptre hus fallen from ihol