Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1856-08-20

] mystic ceremohies, hoy oa'A 'S'"o'' w ~
cate by its position, and to tell by the in
scrip,ions and memorials secured beneath il
that there once existed in this place, erected
by the zeal and liberality Of men who nj
longer live, building consecrated to no
bic and sacred purpose-the promotion o
harmony and brutherly love.
So, too, does this permanence and dura
biity of the corner stone. as the emblem o
ourselves, remind US that when this earthl,
house of our tabernacle shall have passet
away, there is, within us, corner etone o
immortaIity-an emanation from the Divine
Spirit which pervades all nature, that mus
survive the tomb and rise triumphant anc
eternal above the decaying dust ofthe grave
Reminded in this way by the stone itself
by its position-its beauty and its durability
of significant lessons of virtue and duty, we
are next attracted to the symbolism of the
ceremonies which accomplish its deposite ir
its appropriate place.
The stone thus properly constructed is
carefully examined with the necessary i'm
plements of operative masonry. and declared
to be well formed, true and trusty." This
is not vain nor unmeaning ceremony. Il
teaches that our virtues are to he tested BY
temptation and trial, by suffering and adver
sity, befure they can be declared by the Mas
ter Architect of souls to be materials worthy
of the spiritual building Of eternal life. But
If they shall he faithful and withstand these
trias--if they shall come forth from Il csc
temptations aud suferings like the pure gold
from the refner's fre-tten int'eed shall we
be deemed "well formed, true and trusty,'
and worthy to offer "unto the Lord an offer
ing in righteousness"
The sacred elements of masonic conse
Grafton are then produced, and The stone is
solemniy set apart by pouring corn, wine
and oil upon its surface. Each Of these ele.
ments has beautiful significance in our
ritual.
Collectively they allude to the Corn Of
Nourshment, the Wine of Refreshment, and
the Oil of Joy, which are the promised re-
wards of a faithful and diligent performance
OF duty Under the peculiar circumstances
Of the ceremony we are considering, they re.
fer more particularly to the anticipated sue,
cess of the undertaking whose incipiency
they have consecrated. They are also
officially types and symbols ofall those al
daut gifts of Divine Providence for W.
we are daily called upon to make an off,
of our thanks, and which are enumers;cc :.
King David in his catalogue of divine -.
sings, as " wine that maketh glad the hea
Of MAN, ,7and oil To make his face shine, and
bread which strengthened mans heart"
individually, they contain, other and a.
proprate meanings.
Corn, in the language of Scripture, from
which, as well as from the implements and
terms Of the operative art, the symbols OF
masonry are generally derived, is an emblem
of the resurrection. St Paul, in that elo
quent discourse which is so familiar to Us
all, us beautiful argument OF the great
Christian doctrine of future life, adduces
the seed of grain, which being sown, firs
dieth aud then quickeneth, as The appropr.
ate type OF that corruptible which must puI
on interruption, and that mortal which mus,
assume Immortality. We are reminded,
then by this portion OF the ceremonies, thai,
from The stone thus COVERED with the conse.
Grating grain, will ascend the massive walls
and towering roof of a building OF perma.
nent existence and for noble purpose
which, too, will be- itself to US IL suggestion
and a symbol that our spiritual building is
not 10 be of the earth, earthly; but that it
also must arise in glory and live forever i'll
realms OF endless bliss.
Wine is symbol of that inward and abb.
ding comfort with which the heart of the
man who faithfully performs his part on the
great stage of life is to be refresh.d d, and as,
in the fgurative language ofthe East. Jacob
prophetcally promises to Judah, as his re.
ward, that he shall wash his garments in
wine and his clothes in the blood Of the
grape, it seems morally to remind US OF
those immortal refreshments, which, when
the labors OF this earthly lodge are over, We
shall receive in the celestial lodge above
where the Grand Architect Of the Universe
forever presides.
Oil is symbol Of prosperity and happi.
ness and joy. The custom Of anoi ting
every thing or person destined for sacred
purpose is of venerable antiquity. The sta.
tues of the Pagan deities, as well as the al.
tars on which the sacrifices were offered to
them, and the priests who presided over the
sacred rites, were always anointed with per-.
fumed ointment as conservation of them
to the objects Of religious worship.
When Jacob set up the stone on which, he
had slept in his journey to Padan.aram, and
where he was blessed with the delightful WIS.
ion of ascending and descending angels, he
anointed it with oil, and thus cousecrated it
rs an altar to God. Such an Injunction was
in ancient times, as it still continues to be in
many modern countries and contemporary
relig gions, a symbol of the setting apart of
the thing or person so anointed and conse'
Grated to holy purpose.
Hence, thea, we are reminded BY this las,
impressive ceremony, that the cultivation o
vrtue-the practice of duty--the resistance
of temptation-the submission to suffering
the devotion to trutll-the maintenance o.
integrity, and all,hose other graces by whicl
we strive to fit our bodies as living stones fol
the spiritual building Of eternal life, mus
after all, to make the object ef1ectual and The
labor successful, he consecrated by hol,
obedience to Gods will aud firm reliance
on Gods providence, which is alone the chic
corner stone and sure foundation on which
any man can build with the reasonable hop,
of a prosperous issue to his work.
have thus briefly, but would fatter my