The Mississippi Creole. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1841-1851, 1847-01-09

gratitude and admiration, and he resolves
the fervor of Patriotism to transmit to thof
n who shall follow after him the rich nheritanc
+ Of Freedom, which was purchased at so high
; price. On this blme occasion even Avaric
! rests from its labors and Ambition pauses in il
It restless struggles.
f Ask you then why we as Mnsons love t
meet together upon this occasion and mingl
our rejoicingse Go to that Sacred Tolun1e, tn
: only light on the dreary pathway of life, b.
which mans footsteps can be safely guided
SEQ there the monuments erected for our good
Peruse the Epistles of our patron Saint, thu
, most truly spiritual Of any Of the Evangelical
writings. These are sufficient to gain tor hin
the palm of Immortal greatness, and stamp hin
aAustrious. Here the mind is lost in wonde
and admiration while contemplating the stu
pendous system of Gospel goodness and great
ness. Go farther with our ilusrious patron
view him in the Apocalyptic vision, where were
seen things beyond mortal ken, and where
were heard sounds aaautterable, the mere at
tempt at the description of which, under inspi-
ration, brought language itself to trembe.-
Then is respect and veneration for the memory
and virtues of such one strange? Can it be
untimely? Is it not sacred dutye Are not
the virtues that adorned his life worthy of
imitation! For we have high authority declar-
ing that they qualify us for happiness.
Tradition informs us that St. John the Bap-
list and St. John the Evangelist-the one the
forerunner, and the other the Disciple, of the
Redeemer-were patrons Of our order, and they
illustrated in their lives the great principles
which it inculcates.
AS to the origin Of Freemasonry, much has
beed said and written, and many coniectures,
tending TO absurdity, have been hazarded, by
the initiated, as well as the uninitiated We
can truly say thatit is, without doubt, the most
ancient Society in the world. And as to it's
utility, will any one doubt the utility of virtue!
-Qor this is its christian name ITO demon
strate the utility of Virtue, would be very much
like arguing truism. Do people go about
the streets saying "the Sun shines o., Yet to
admire the beauties, and praise the benefits of
virtue, is both pleasing and profitable as it
likewise is, to admire the briliancy of the
sunbeam, and iescant upon the salutary in1u-
ences OF that luminary. And it may well be
said, that as the Sun is to the material world,
SO is Virtue to the moral world. If it is not
profitable to speak of Virtue, Of Charity, of
Faith, Of Benevolence, of Gsod;-:f it is not
profitable to. live by, andact upon, these prin-
Nles, then is our meeting together upon this
~ r IN. Il
'ciefy contemptible mockery. You erect
EhnsTlIes and consecrate them to the service of
God you build affairs and bow around them in
his worship, and these principles are attributes
OF Him, the possession and exercise of which,
we are assured brings us nigh unto Him, and
qualify us for his appreciation.
Freemasonry, then, is the hand-maid of Re-
ligion, and is so far interviewer with it. as to
bring US under the strongest obligations. to pay
that rational homage to Deity, which at once
constitutes our duty and our happiness The
principles of Masonry are based on the purest
morality. Its ethics are the ethics Of Christi
anity; its doctrines the doctrines of Patriotism
and Brotherly Love; and its sentiments, the
sentiments of the most exalted Benevolence.
Upon these points there can be no doubt. All
that is good and kind, Just and charitable, it
encourages and nculcates. All that is vicious,
cruel and oppressive it reprobates and discour-
ages. That Charity which is described in the
most mastery manner by the eloquent Apostle,
composes its very essence, and enters into the
vital principles, and every true Mason is ready
to join him in saying, although speak with
the tongues of man and Of angels, and have
not Charity, l am become as sounding brass,
or tinkling cymbal. And though have the
gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries,
and all knowledge; and though have all faith,
so that could remove mountains, and have
not Charity, am nothing. And though bes-
tow all my goods to feed the poor, and though
give my body to be burned and have not Cha
rity, it prohteth me nothing. Charity suffereth
ong ind is kind; Charity envieth not; Charity
5auncth not itself, is not pulled up, doth not
behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own,
s not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoic-
'th not in iniquity, but rejoceth in the truth;
'eareth all things, beleveth all things, hopeth
Ill things, endureth all things. Charity never
aileth; but whether there be prophecies they
hall fail, whether there be tongues they shall
ease, and whether there be knowledge il shall
-ansh away.'
Freemasonry, without arrogating to itself
he office and province of Religion, has yet
lone more to harnsonise the conflicting ele-
nents of the human character, and to soeialise
mankind, than even Religion itself. While
'igotry, Superstition and Intolerance, have fol-
owed in the wake of Religion, disturbed and
distracted the elements Of social life, and de-
uged the earth with the tears of the bereaved,
nd the blood of Martyrs, Freemasonry sought I
o cement the bonds OF society, and unite all
mankind in one sacred Brotherhood. While
he demon of Religious intolerance, enthroned
scarlet and purple, with hands ensanguined ,
the blood of maryred thousands, sat gloat- 6
ng on the desolation Of her violence, Freema- I
Onry, like an angel Of light, divinely commits I
Toned, came TO the rescue, wiped away the {
ears Of the bereaved, soothed the sorrows of ,
he disconsolate, and reared aloft her anc;eD,I