Weekly Trinity journal., 1857-07-04

have been selected 10y the craft to perform thai
duty on this occasion, and although it is to me Q
pleasing task, yet for the sake of the craft gene
rally, and for the sake of this audience in par
ticuar, regret exceedingly that some one more
deeply skilled in the Mystic Art more gifted
with the powers of eloquence and oratory, had
not been selected. In addressing you l shall
confnc myself principally to the origin and OBJ
jects of symbolic Masonry and in doing SO
shall detan you but short time.
The carly history of our Order, like that Of
the world is involved in much obscurity, yet oul
traditions and landmarks induce the belief that
Masonry is of great antiquity. In its progress
through many generations some innovations may
and perhaps have been, engrafted upon the sys
TEN, but its fundamental principles remain un
altered, and fixed as The needle to the pole. The
internal evidence of Freemasonry. tending to
establish its ancient origin, could not with Ma
sonic propriety be disclosed to the public eye
yet there are but few bright craftsmen | pre-
sumo who have investigated its history, who
have not been forced to the conclusion that il
originated in very remote age. Its ceremonies,
language, signs, words aud usages are all all
c;cHt. The traditions of the Order carry about
them the ear marks of antiquity while the truth
of many Of them are confirmed by Rabbinuical
traditions, and other reliable evidences Many
| intelligent brethren have thought that the prn.
cipal facts engralted into the body Of Masonry
must have been transmitted orally through many
! generations to King solomon, whilst others, a
little over anxious perhaps for the dignity of the
| Order, have represented it as being coeval with
the world But while | would avoid any absurd
statement or speculation, feel warranted in as
serting that the symbolic degrees were perfected
at the building of the first temple, or short
time prior TO its completion. The Masonic Ice
turers would seem to indicate, at d indeed to
prove that such was the fact.
Frccmasonry is connected with every apart
| mcnt Of King Solom0n's temple and its religions
seryices-itis is associated with that great building
from its foundation to its crowning stone.
might if l thought proper trace NJ nry
back from the present day through each age aud
generation to that renowned period but do not
deem it necessary TO my present purpose TO follow
it up so closely. Masonry is not of obscure pa
rentage or private growth. 1t has not been kept
concealed in some dark corner of the earth Sc
clud,d from the gaze of the critical and curious.
1t has not been the creation of an age in which
human genius has burst its fetters and gone forth
into the field Of fancy and created images erect
ed structures, and painted fairy scenes. as If TO
exhibit The strength OF its own powers, and de-
stroy the preconceptions of others. Go back five
hundred years and you will find Masonry in the
very pride of its strength and vigOr. Go back
through the lapse of ages until you lose the aid
of recorded history, and tradition itself becomes
fabulous and still the genius of Masonry will
accompany you in your pilgrimage. The history
of the world is the history OF Masonry, and no
one of ordinary intelligence who is even partial
ly acquainted with ancient and modern history,
will contradict the assertion that Masonry may
be traced and found to exist in almost its precise
present form, in every age and generation since
the days of King Solomon and the building of
the first temple.
At the building of the temple we find more
than one hundred and fifty thousand operatives,
brought together as it were hy divine command,
from the different portions Of the continent,
speaking different languages and tongues and
strangers to each other in strange land. For
seven long and tedious years, through sum
mers heat and winters cold-through storm
and sunshine amid prosperity aud adversely,
they t0iled on harmOniously without murmur
they were building temple in which to wor-
ship the true and ever living God Is it strange
that the operatives at the building of this tenn
ple circumstanccd as they were, should find a
necessity for secret and fraternal associations
The great work would soon be completed, the
craftsmen would then be assembled to receive the
reward of all their heightened seven years labor
and hardship, to take the last fond embrace with
their masters and fellow-craftsmen. whom long
years of toll and association together, had rem
dered more than brothers-to speak the regretted
and sorrowful farewell, aud then to separate to
different portions of the earth to meet no more
unless they met in Heaven. Does it not seem
| probable that the workmen while they were thus
toiling and laborng together for so long time
and under the peculiar circumstances in which
they were placed, should organise associations
md societies for mental and moral Improvement
and for the assistance aud protection of each
other in sickness and adversely And when
they we're thus about to be scattered to the four
quarters of the globe, is it strange that they
should adopt certain signs, symbols, words, and
tokens, by which they might recognise and know
each other as friends and brothers when they
might meet percbance in other lands?
That temple Is no more. 1t fell beneath the
hand of the spoler, aud long sinee-ages since,
became heap Of dust and ashes, But the moral
Masonic edifce thea erected was constructed oi
mpefi.hable materials. Al rs t,ldng an Order