The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1856-07-05

It's foundation IA Geometry, hence the
antiquarian proclaisns that from the foun.
dailon of the world we may trace the
foundation OF Masonry claiming tha,
ever since Symmetry began, and harmo-
ny displayed her charms, our order has
had being. Dung many ages and in
many different countries. it has ilourished.
No art or scisnce proceeded it. In the
dark ages Of antiquity, when literature
was IN low state, the rude manners Of
our fathers withheld from them the
knowledge we % amply share. Masonry
then didused its ligLt; when this science
became unveiled, the arts arose, civ,lixa-
tion took place, and the progress Of knowl.
edge and philosophy gradually dispeIled
the gloom Of ignorance and barbarism.
These views however, appear some.
what nstaphesical. In those days wha.
they thus class - masonry. Was but the
science Of literature aud PHILOSOPHY; il
was geometry. Or an order Of learned,
wise and good men, who were leaders,
teachers and rulers over the people.
But whatever may be the truth and
real merit OF these claims of its origin
and antiquity, this much is beyond dis
pu,e, that Masonry and civilization, like
twin sisters have gone hand in hand to-
gether. .a q
The orders Of architecture, mark their
growth and progress. Dark, dreary and
comiortless were the times when Mason
ry had net laid her line nor extended her
compasses. The race OF man in full
possession of wild and savage liberty,
mutually offending and afraid of each
other, fled from the presence of their fell
low men to hide in thickets Of the woods,
in dens and caves of the earth. In these
sombrous solitudes the Almighty Archi-
tect directed Masonry to find them, and
instruct them 10 build houses of comfort,
convenience and defence. Sacred and
proiane history both agree in this and
allow the origin Of Masonry to be coeval
with human society.
In all ages OF ~ world and in all coun-
tries We find men Of the most exalted
stations In life, as well as the most en-
llghtened characters have been anxious
TO be invested with the badge of innocence
and have their names enrolled as men,
bers OF the order, abstrac,ng hom the
pure pleasures which arise from friend
ship SO widely constituted as that which
subsists among Masons. We find that
Masonry Is a science confined to 10 par
tica'ar eoun.s.ys has ditfused over the
whole terrestrial globe. Wherever arts
aeurlsa, there 1t hourishes also,-and
that by the secret and inviolable signs
carefully preserved among the fraternity
throughout the world Masonry becomes
ar UNIVERSAL language.
Lui ii.ese opinions OF lis antiquity are
aot to be taken as the data or guide Of
Its orlgln-ef its first institutional
many contend and not without good rea-
sons, that its original institution, as an
order or society--that Its first organiza-
ton as fraternity. was at the time Of
the erection of tbs Great Temple a. Je-
rusalem by Solomon, King OF Israel.
That il then was established as an or
der, and has existed to this day on the
original plan, without interruption or de-
cay. That we now have it In its primi-
tive purity, unimpaired by time and un-
changed by the spirit of invention.
That il alone of all the works of an.
tiquily, or Of all the conceptions Of those
primitive days has been handed down TO
Us BY tradition, with all its yigor, its sri.
ginal beauty and efficacy, as fresh and
youthful how as In the days Of Solomon.
The lapse Of time, the ruthless hand OF
ignorance, and the deyastations of war
have LAID waste many valuable monu-
ments Of antiquity on which the utnos.
cxertions Of genius have been employed.
Even the Temple Of Solomon, so spa.
cious and magnificent and constructed by
80 many celebrated artists, escaped not
the unsparing hand Of barbarous force
Freemasonry alone has survived. The
attentive ear reserved the sound from in
structve tongues. and the mysteries of
Masonry are lodged IN the repository ol
faithful breasts.
This view Of the origin Of Freemason-
~ places il directly upon the rock Of hi.
vine aathsntieity by the writings Of Holy
inspiration, o. 1 this view We claim to be
the proper one.
il dispesses oil claim Of Pagan origin,
or the equally visionary doctrines Of its
being Identical with the Egyptian mys.e.
rles.
Oar order is ancient. This has been
a pride to its followers. but jealous advo.
cates have overstepped the bounds of au.
thonty by claiming for it an existence
coeval with the world, and handed down
10 US through the medium Of Paganism.
We hold the true doctrine to be, that it
was Instituted by Divine arrangement, in
the primitive days, when heathenlsm
and darkness encampassed the world -
when the people had forgotten God; aud
was intended to subyert heathen mythol-
ogy and bring mankind back to the only
living and true God. This position is
supported by Divine authority, and is in
accordance with our instructive lessons
and the legends and traditions of the or
der.
II then, ii had its origin at the time OF
building the magnificent Temple at Jeru-
salem, 1t may be we'll to stale the occa.
sion which brought il to light
The Temple Of Solomon was an under.
taking OF no ordinary kiad. Ii was a