Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-10-13

preserves us; obedience to the laws of the land Tn which we live, courtesy and amitv to our brethren, equity and compassion to all man. klnd. It teaches us, like the Christian religion. to piety and forgive our enemies to love and reward our friends, to relieve the distressed and cherish the neglected. Its object is to form men into good husbands, good fathers and good sons; to make them nviolabe in their promises, faithful friends, and more lovers of liberality than reward.
 Free Masonry wages no war with political or religious opinions. It is the firm friend of good government, good order, peace and har- mony The citizens of China, of Russia of England, of France, of Spain, of America, meet upon common political platform. The libe rals and antl-lberals, the jacobins and royasts, the democrats, whigs and know nothngs, give to each other the right hand of fellowship and brotherly love.
 People of every religious belief, without envy or jealousy, strife or contention, can meet together in the same church. and worship and give praise te the great Jehovah.
 Is, however, incumbent upon all to be per suaded of the existence of H i'm, who is the beginning and the end, the alpha and omega, the great first cause. And when we contem- plate the variety, the harmony, the beauty, and the perfection of all animate and inanimate nature-from the mnnow to the whale, from the mouse to the elephant from the humming bird to the ostrich, from the mustard seed to the majestic oak, from the grain of sand to the heaven kissing mountain, from the animacule to incom mparable man-when we behold the heavens, which are the work of his fingers, the moon and the stars which he has ordained" who is 1t that does not believe and feel, and know that God is, and will be, and hath been from the beginning? And when we consider this infinity of owedge, of wisdom of power and of goodness, who Is 1t that is not inspired with feeling of love, of gratitude and vene- ration Tor the Great Architect of the Universe?
 And how Is 1t that his comparatively insig- nlhcant creatures, even those claiming to be members of the Masonic fraternity can con- stantly blaspbeme and take his name in vain, by indugng in the vulgar habit of profane swearing? Let us ever be on oar guard against the commission of this great sin!
 Free Masonry, in fine, is religion without schiSm, without sect without creed without contention: it is universal, it is practical reli- zion.
 Free Masonry being such a good thing it is sometimes matter of wonder, and occasionally oi inquiry, with the uninitiated to know why the ladies do not belong to our order?
 We are asked why woman-she, who was
 
 first to welcome our eyes with the light of day -she, who is the first to sympathze with and relieve the distresed-she, who smiles upon all benevolent and good undertakings-she who directs and presides the destinies of man s ministerjng angel--we are asked why amlabe, generous, kind hearted woman, " with grace Tn her step, beauty In her form, and heaven i'll her eye" Is not member of the Masonic fraternity?
 Being young Mason, this is adil1icult ques- tion for ne to answer The ladies 1 am cer- tain are practically Masons, or they would not be here day to cheer us with their smiles; (aud if it were not for their presence l doubt very much if there would be quite so many of the opposite here) and the ladies, hope, are all Masons ct hear. The best answer l can give, why they do not join our lodges, is that 1 suppose King Solomon thought they were good enough without.
 Private benevoence in its extensive opera ton, becomes patriotism, which is in fact pub- lie benevolence; from hberality of thinking and acting towards indi,iduaIsit becomes propitious to general liberty; but it is liberty void of licen tiousness. Our order holds oat uo encourage ment to faction or tumuItuous bros; and So far as the welfare Of State is concerned, our wishes, as well as those of ali good members of community, must ever be for its prosperity and happiness
 It would be difficult matter for mankind to determine to which they are most indebted for thelr advancement Tn prosperity, in morals, in | learning, and m government whether to cOm- merce, Christianity, or Free Masonry. Com merce seems to have opened the way, and | Christianity and Free Masonry to have follow ed, to regulate, to comfort, and to crown with success.
 How much we, as American citizens, are in- debted to Free Masonry, for our just and libe- raj principles our republican form of govern- ment, our happiness and nnexamped prospe- rity and progress, it would be equally hard to determine.
 Who knows but what the genius of Free Masonry first inspired the breast, kindel the zeal, and nerved the arm ot the heroic War; ren, who fell the first great martyr u the strus- gle for Independence?
 Who can tell how much the statesmen, he roes of the revolution, the lcarned Franklin, the patriotic Washington flor the wis om which controlled ther councils, the succes, which crowned ther labors the glory and i'm. mortality which cucrce thelr names were in- | dehted to Masonic light?
 Under the divine rule and government of the Supreme Architect of the Uni, er,e the brotherhood has steadily increased in numbers in power, and in the affection of the b.e.hren. Growing and strengthening with the lapse of ages, it has lived until its birth is orgotten- Ignorance and bgotry, and jealousy, and su- perstiton have assailed it but to return dis comhtte'l; and spreading with the spread of Gods creatures it extends from the east to the west between the north and the south, bound less and limtless IL has held in its fratcrnal embrace in all ages, the wisest and best men of the earth-prlnce and peasant, the powerful and the weak, the rich and the poor, the honored and the obscure, the learned and the unlearned -people of every nation, cline and condition. Solomons, and St. Johns and C@sars, and AL feds, and Warrens and Frankins, and w ash- lngtons, have sung around Its festive board, and drank deeply from its sparkling and peren- nial fountains of joy. Attuning its march to the music of the spheres iu its mission of love it has gone on conquering and to conquer, until millions of the human race have been enclosed within the mystic circle Over all 1t has thrown the hallowed influence of its eternal principles, and their pathway illumlned with the golden beams of celestial light!
 Other institutions intended for the benefit and happiness of mankind have been founded in different ages and countries and though their objects similar to ours, they have fallen short of public expectation, and finally been cut down by the all-destroylnl scythe of time.- But the principles of Free Masonry are now the same in all places of the world, have remained the same for time mmemorial, and will conti- nue the same until the morning of the reSur. rection. ' es, Masonry divine,
 When wrapt in fire the realms of ether glow,
 Ana heavens last thunder shakes the world below
 Tho uldisnay ed shalt OCT the ruins smile,
 And light thy torch Ut natures funeral pile"
 Beloved brethren, let us awaken to fuller appreciation of .he utility and glory of our ho- uorable and venerable institutions. Let us pre- serve 1t in all of its pristine purity and moral grandeur. Let us place our candle upon the hilltop, so that its mild and cheering rays may shed their benignant influence upon all; and the world seeing good works may glorify our Father who is m heaven. In our every thought and word, and deed, with religious devotion, let us observe all of the principles, l .,-l, of r1o th