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

y star, and in the blazing majesty of the come
u wildly towering through immensely. Yet sti
> His face has aeeey been looked upon, by any {
the sons 81 men. In the early ages Of scienc
= secrecy was esteemed virtue, and we VIII
5 think differently, 90 read the Proverbs of Sole
I mon and be wise, and you will no longer Ger
!, sure us for having MYSTERIOUS SECRETS An
: if you seek to know the character of our sc
e crets, read the published principles on whicl
: our ordesis founded; read that Honor, Probity
/ Fidelity and Truth, Charity and Hope, are tn
, doctrines Freemasonry; and as attributes Q
> these, on as viaducts for their concentrate,
J and trarsmission, let your fancy supply gu
J SECRETS, Masonry is ever ready to be judge
by its wq'ks. II obtrudes not its claims upoI
Itho worfy and wilun- persecat1d BY open enc
mics, or betrayed by pretended friends, it hal
{ bowed its head, unmurmurng, 10 the storm
and has waited patiently the slow awards 0
justice; and whether in prosperity or adyersi
ty, Masonry never departs from her ancient
great landmarks.
Our emblems, implements and tools illustrate
our duties and speak in language not to be mis-
taken, They inculcate moral lessons more for
chilly than words possibly can. Yet the utility
of theseis questioned. Are there no emblems,
mottos and figures used by others which have
world Of meaning? What means the figure
OF that giant s. ntinel with the almost suffocat-
ed infant under his protecting arm as he PUSHES
forth to place Of safety, through the curling
flames Ger the burning boards? A SIX the fire.
man, on whose banner it is emblazoned, and he
will tell you that it is a representation Of an
| incident in real Ii E, the recollection of which
inspires him with new ardor and fresh zeal to
discharge his important duties What means
| the floating banner o'er the field OF carnage,
whe o death holds his cruel revels? Our gal
liant soldier falters not at the most fearful and
around him by the iron hail Of the foe, SO long
as the Banner Of the brave and free waves over
him. There is a mystic power in the stars and
stripesthat steels every nerve against fear, and
he is inspired by glance at that glorious flag
to deeds Of superhuman greatness But lower
that banner--remove the stars and stripes, and
victory, like the pioneer dove, has no place on
VIII CHI to rest the sole of her foot, and patriot
ism and valor are gone. IN another department
Of life, see affections offering, the diminutive
ring, upon the hand Of the affianced one
Has It no meaning !-Speaks it no language!
II Is the altar of love where the sacrifcial fires
ever haan. Wis here the incense of the heart
&c ssaaspn, that deep and exhaustless mine Of
affess4on is offered up. Docs waywasdness
suggest other fancies! This talisman brings
back The heart to duty in tones inexpressbly
distinct, such as language affords not, and can
not equal There is world Of meaning in the
modest, changeless, silent, though eloquent
lustre of that simple token. So with us, our
badges, implements, emblems and tools, each
inculcates some useful lesson-pointso out some
fault to be amended, some error to be avoided,
some improper desire to be restrained, some
passion to be subdued-some duty to be per-
formed
1t is not denied that the privileges of our or
der may be abused, and perverted to the acqui-
sition of unmerited charity and convivial ex-
cess. But this is not the fault of the institu
ton, for it inculcates probity and fidelity, in
dustry and temperance. The great Philoso
pher, John Locke, was much struck with
manuscript of Henry the 9th, of England, de-
posted in the Bodliean Library. 1t is in the
form of questions and answers, and to the in
terrogatory whether Masons were better than
other men, it ia answered, sSome Masons are
not SO virtuous as some other men, butin gene
raj they are much better than they would have
been if they had not been Masons." This is
unquestionably correct No man, unless he
be gone in depravity beyond redemption can
fail to be profted, morally and socially, by the
rites and ceremonies of Masonry.
The votaries of religion permit not the wor-
ship of the ,lmighty in common at their res
pectve affairs. The Protestant looks in scorn
upen the rites and ceremonies of the Catholic;
and SO the Catholic on him and his mode of
worship. These, agreeing in their estimate of
the attributes of the Deity, worship the TRIuNE
GoD, vet SO unlike in form, that each regards
the mode of the other as sacreligious and pro-
fame. The Brahmin in his worship of three
hundred and thirty millions of Gods, the satel |
lites and auxiliaries of the great Vishnu. The
Indian, in his worship of the Great Spirit per-
sonified in the Sun, the Moon, or the Whirl- |
wind-each and all OF these, though regarding
one Great First Cause, with that devotion
which the constitution of mans nature COM
pels him to observe, regards himself as in the
right, and has telLOios in the wrong. Their feel
inqs, views, and sentiments are as divergent as
the poles, and they harmonize in no form or
manner; all is impIacable hostility and differ
ence. But around the altar Of Freemasonry
ALL may bow together
"Not to one dome circumscribeth she
Her worship, but devoted to her rite
thousand affairs rise forever blazing bright"
In her principles all agree and unite. The dis
liant Chinese, the wandering Arab, the Euro
pean and the American Indian,-the Protest.
ant, the Catholic, the Jew, the Mahomedan, all
meet together here in brotherly love and kind
ness, and revere the Great First Cause,
sConverse with natures charms and view her
stores unrolled,n
Z -.a ,-...xl 81 r,,rn he mann the |