The true Democrat., 1854-07-19

stood many revolving ages. Amidst the sue cessive revolutions of states and pires, it has remained without any change in its principles and without any material alteration in its origi nal form. Placed on the immovable basis o the best natural principles of the human heart Its pillows have remained unshaken amidst the rage of every storm.
 The prejudices which exist against our socie- ty are generally in proportion to the degree o1 moral civilization. They vanish as it tadvances weak and wicked men enveloped in darkness Tn respect to our society and often actuated by malice, regard this institution with supersti. tlous eye, an institution to which they are total strangers. They ascribe to it motives entirely foreign to It's principles; it is represented by them to be destructive of that holy religion which the craft so highly reveres Against the lmputatlons of charges so unfound, the fraterni- ty appeals to the candid and enlightened part of the world, cites the testimony of history and decends to such an explanation of its ob- jects as is consistent with its preservation. The claim of Masonry to antiquity rises to the be- ginning of time. When the Architect of the Universe completed the stupendous structure of the world he gave symmetry to it's parts, and harmony to the whole of it.
 While the proudest fabrics of man: the mo- numents of glory; and the governments of the earth have yielded to the power of all distroy- ing time or perished by the hand of convul. sions, Masonry deposited in the heart, and its tenets faithfully recorded in the memory of its possessors has survived, and been preserved bv tradition more durable and permanent than brass or marble. And i'll those ages which were consigned to darkness and superstition, our or der retained the only remnant of knowledge.- An institution so remote, commencing from the creation itself, which leads us to a Knowledge of the other sciences, and which has been joined by the good and great ofall ages, must rest on some other foundation than vice. But where do prosecutors of Masonry draw their proofs, that it IS destructive ot morality and good order?- Though they have labored to establish such proofs, yet they have wholly failed And his. tory may be ransacked in vain for period in which It has been accomplished.
 Would ministers of the Gospel have regis tered their names to an institution derogatory to morality? would patriots and princes inhu- ence and cherish society of men nimical to order and harmony? Mo- A Solomon, Washing ton, Franklin, and various of others never would have registered their names and permitted them to have remained to an institution delete rlous to the welfare of mankind.
 The intrinsic merit and leading features of Masonry, fully demonstrate the fallacv of the charges of her enemies. Morality is the foun- datlon of the superstructure and religion the chief cornerstone. Masonry inculcates the prac- tlce of virtue, charity, friendship and fidelity, and he who can view the sutferings of his fellow man without feeling the sensations of charity, Is not permitted to enter the walls of a Lodge as member. Has the chilling hand of mis- fortune brought woe and affliction upon broth CT? The soul of Mason expands, his heart palpitates, and his ready hand holds out the means of relief. Nor does he stop here Has brother been summoned from the labor of this life by the Grand Master of the Universe and left widow and an orphan? The generous hearted Mason watches over their happiness with tenderness, wipes away the falling tear and gives them hope and comfort, here tis that our order shines with peculiar luster; while 1t blunts the shafts of diversity. And when the true prlnclpes of Masonry are correctly taught and practlced there Is no virtues to which 1t does not add new charmes and no misery which It does not to some extent mitigate So soon as the ceremony of initiation is performed, the Ma son becomes allied to thousands of brethren in all nations speaking all tongues, who will succor In time of need, and fly to his relief Has the business of life led him to the remote corner of the earth, and has diversity overtaken him there? A stranger with different visage and speaking in an unknown tongue approaches him. the symbol of Masonry is given and un- derstood, his wants are immediately supplied, and he Is enabled to return to the bosom of his family; thus it serves as universal language, and as a letter of introduction which the Ma son always carries with him, and which none can deprive him of but the strong iron grasp of death, and if he has been faithful to the Su- preme Grand Master he receives passport to the Grand Lodge above
 In the battle field, when confusion and blood shed reigns; when the clash of arms, the roar of cannon and the groans of the dying, alone are heard, and the clouds of smoke are ascending to heaven, Mason by flash of light, sees his hand raised and raised and directed against a brother. The masonic sign is given his arm falls, the still drops and instead of the cold en- brace of death, he is folded in the arms of friendship. Without fidelity, friendship could never subsst. A Mason is required to be faith full in all his promises and undertakings, and no threats can exort, nor arts of persuation win posted in his breast, and whatever vortex of
 
 his obligations; and the secrets of the order re- main undiscovered, such are the virtues taught and practiced by our order.
 It will be saidno doubt that the conduct oi all Masons does not correspond with the sketch have given; while brethren, it becomes our so- lemn duty by our conduct to prove to the world that large majority of our order does not con- form to these principles, for candor obliges us to admit that some of our brethren occasionally leave the path of virtue and are guilty of un- masonic conduct. This, however should not diminish from the responsibility of our institu- tion. Masons do not claim to be exempt from that imperfecton which is the lot of all mankind. The Grand Architect of the universe, has re- served perfection to himself. That portion of intellect given to man by his Creator is insuf6- cient to guard him against imposition. All of us are subject to this fate; with all the caution that the fraternity can possible use, still some times improper subjects are initiated into our