The Planters' banner. [volume] (Franklin, Attakapas Co., Lou.) 1849-1872, 1851-07-19

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by truth, virtue and honor. where eac
may meet his fellow and know him 70
brother, regardless of the frivolou
distinctions which the conventions @
society have from time to time erectet
to check the genial flow of the socia
feelings. And thus does Masonry min
lister to mans physical wants.
She seeks not TO curb the impulses o
the inquiring mind, but safely anchored
upon a faith in and reliance upon Z
God, almighty to punish or to save, she
invites her votaries TO the boldest specu
lation. Firmly resting on this faith
dogmas and creeds, and the petty re.
strictions of sects are held as lightly as
the gossamer upon the evening ray, OF
the frost-work of night-each one
feeling that unto him it is given to
"work out his salvation with fear and
trembling" and in the manner accord
ing but with the dictates of conscience.
And so in the arts and liberal sciences
does she invite her voteries into the
broadest fields of inquiry, leading them
gently by the hand, ever rewarding
patient toll and diligent application by
the ennobling fruits of knowledge. She
is herself temple full of rich and life-
like figures, each requiring and every
way worthy Of a separate and minute
examination. From her portals to the
most secret shrines, everything is full
of meaning. Amid her curious and
massive pillars, wisdom and beauty and
strength illustrate their triple majesty,
while every step leading through her
ancient halls are full of lofty magnifi-
cence and unutterable beauty. If you
enter, the grandeur overwhelms you
not, because these grow upon the senses
by degrees, until, from contemplation
OF their separate proportions, and ex-
panded by the genius ofIthe place, the
mind becomes colossal and prepared
to drink in the magnificent whole, it is
Like climbing some great Alps, which still doth
Deceived by its gigantic elegance [rise,
fastness which grows, but grows to harmonic,
All musical in its immensitiesI
To my uninitiated hearers this may
sound absurd, as they have doubtless
known many who have had access to |
the imposing rites of the Order, whom |
they deemed incapable of this excess
Of wonder and delight; but let them
turn from this reflection to think how
many there be among themselves who
never beheld any nagniicence in our
rivers and lakes-any beauty in the
shifting hues of the sunset clouds, or
glory in the touching brightness of the
stars, other than that which ministered
o their physical wants, and was palpa-
,ly imaged on the external senses
Upon such as these the exoteric and
ublimer beauties of Masonry would
,e lost, for she nowhere proposes 10 re-
:reate, but only to expand the mind and
Minister to its thirst for the beautiful,
n those who truly "take heed upon
What they are enteringn
But [ have said its roots lie at the
'ase Of mans physical wants, and its
ranches are coextensive with the
of his spiritual nature
these extremes lies the work
ppointed for us all. Between these
xtremes Faith, Hope and Charity may
lend their congenial rays, and the
ivine injunction, " Love thy neighbor /
$ thyself," expend its fullest meaning. j
would not be understood to assert that I
Iasonry is religion, as that term is |
sually received, but | do hold that I
lere is nothing in her precepts or |
'gitimate practice varying in any i'm ,
ortant degree from the purest doctrines q
the Bible, or the tenets of the most I
raitest sect" with which I am con-
ersant. Her morals are perfectly in 4
ccordance with those which were pro- 4
aimed from the mount by the lips of n
i'm 1who spake as never man spake," +
Id the deviation from these by the b
embers Of the brotherhood does not n
much svince their inefficiency as f
e perversity of the hearts which they s
I've failed to control. The weak and r
ring are advised, admonished and re. Il
oved-won back from the tortuous n
this of vice and folly by brotherly care /.
i'd the friendly counsel spoken in sea- q
n and in secret without endeavoring,
is too often the manner of the world,
blot the angel entirely from their
casts, by blazoning their errors on
. forehead Of the day, to be magnifed
d distorted by the breath and tongues
the human wolves, who are never so
ppy as when bowling on the track or A
ting on the fallen fortunes of noble =,
ture. 81
Masonry teaches-to restrain these 4,
-huf emf 10 ee;ors a nd pronanc;ffeS-soI