Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1857-08-26

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rity, life and glory-the lion Of the tribe o
Judah, Jesus Christ the Righteous. The Ma
son, who substitutes its teachings for religion
is embracing but the symbol of that trutE
which alone can save him."
"But once more: objection is made to oul
secrecy; and in an age like ours "aore curious
than derout," and with our fair hearers especial
ly, this is an objectionable sin.
"Well. we can plead for this the sanction oil
the most venerable antiquity. The ancient:
seemed to regard silence as divine virtue. They
defed and worshipped it. Plutarch says
"AIen are our masters to teach us to speak, but
we learn silence from the gods" Why silence
my friends, is the sublimcst language in the
universe "The greatest objects in creation arc
the stilest. The ocean has voice, but the
sun is silent. The forests murmur, but the
consultations speak not. Sweetly might the
High Priest discourse, but the Uriin and Ihum,
min, The blazing stones upon his breast, gave
forth meaning deeper and diviner iar."* Be-
crets! nature is full of them. Yon trembling
leaf has its secrets, and refuses to give them uE
to your scrutiny. "The ocean locks up hel
Jewels in her treasure house," giving them up
but sparingly to mans adventurous search.
The brightest gems that pave tic deep
Have never left its dark abyss;
The nobest thoughts that fill the soul
Are those zoe neve, can cypress.
eNay, Hgaren itself is a secret; God hath
spread you intcrcepting veil upon it. Eye hath
not seen, nor ear heard, nor heart conceived, the
wondrous secrets of its glory, and faith is COM
pelled to sit content upon its threshold, with
this assurance, "what thou knowest not now,
thou shalt know hereafter" God's nature is q
secret, sublime, untathomabe! What know we
of God? though all things speak of Him I! The
starry squadrons Of night are but the outposts
of bis celestial army! Yea, all the collected
glories of the universe are but the hem Of his
garment, the fringe upon his robe of wondrous
majesty! And truth, which represents God,
which speaks of God-whose Office tits to make
manifest the will and mind Of God, is but a
beam Of his essential glory, conducted down ny
mercy to give light unto the world. "No man
hath seen God at anytime" Much hath he
revealed of his nature and his plans, but HON
much more hath he concealed.
Encrling shades attend his awful throne.
And veil his face, aud keep him still 'tnkn0Dn." !"
1t is then but in perfect analogy with his word
and works and character, in. conformity with
the common experience Of mankind, and in
keeping with the scope and grandeur OF our
institution, that we practice this reserve. Truth
is ever modest and reserved, and unveils ber
charms, only when patiently wooed and won.
"But our fair hearers themselves are fond OF
secrats, and if the history Of certain tender
passion be correct, arc most pertinaciously 1la-
sonic in keeping them. Shakespeare tells US OF
one, at least,
"Who never told her love,
But let concealmcnt like worm i til bud
Prey on her damask check"
If such he the effect of female taciturnity-
such the result of keeping one secret, then, fair
ladies, you must excuse lis, the custodlans OF
your charms, from committing to your keeping
the wcighticr secrets of Frcemasonry. We
prize too much the witchery of temalc beauty,
thus to ,jeoparlize the rose upon Your cheeks.
Not, therefore, that we suppose you incapable OF
the taclurnity inculculated by our order, do
we deny the privilege of membership 10 your
sex. Woman is already Mason by nature.
She needs no obligations to make her faithful or
benevolent. Her charity needs no training.
The beautiful proportions of her moral cliarac-
tor defy the sculptor'S art, or the mason'S rule.
1t needs no square to try it, no chiSeI to carre
and hew it with symmetry. She is already from
the hand OF the great architect, us the polished
corners Of the temple.
"Whcn has woman's heart denied its sympa-
thy to the suffering, or her hand withheld its
charity? When has it ever required the con-
strant of human obligations to impel her to the
relief of the sorrowing and the afflicted. On,
no! as well might we talk Of training the rivu-
let to flow on with its gladdcning music, as well
of teaching the stars to shed down their tender
rays upon the darkness OF night. Her life is
love, Lcr nature charity, her mission benevo-
lence. The obligations Of Masonry would fall
strangely indeed upon her ear. The secrets OF
Masonry, she has them already cnshrincd in the
sacred depths of her own loving nature. She
is our model, how can she be our disciples! No
let man submit his soul to these artificial re-
straints, and square away tic rudcness of his
character by Masonic discipline. Rough astlars
of the quarry, VIC need tins lewi!iS and squar,
ing: yea, and often the hardest blows Of the
garci, to breuk of our irregularities, and many
Of us 1--WE apprehend) will nerer get square!
Let man call in the plastic influence Of our al
cicnt art to mould and shape his character that
he may better support his part upon the arena
of life But with acoman, the work is done
Nature has already initiated, passed, raised, er-
alictl Ecr, when it kindled the beams Of hel
loving eye, and made it the mirror OF her sym.
pathetic heart. And when to the graces Of ma
turc has been superaddcd the inspiration of re.
ligion, then docs she become a pillar Of beauty
more excellent Than any which Masonry HI:
erected. Yes! as the Sun at High Twelve i;
tie glory and beauty Of the day, SO stands wo
man, the pillar Of beauty in the temple Of the
universe And we, in our rounds Of duty, vii
pause to acknowledge her authority and secl
the passport ol her favor. We ask her not tC
descend from her post of honor, to share OH
heavier tolls; Lc hers the gcnt!er office to call
us oil from our labor to the sweet relreShment
of her smiles and her love
"And ye, brethren of the Mystic Tie, e
forth to your work; be as true, as generous, a.
faithful as woman. Oh, noble mission to raiSt
tine orphans dropping head, and present tht
amLrosia of Hope to the weeping children o
sorrow That Society needs 10 human apollo
gist, which is thus fulfilling Gods own work o
mercy. Go on! ye SONS of Peace and Concord
with united bands and loving hearts, Above
You loats that banner once uniurled BY heaven
~ lai,,ls, and upon its shining folds ye may
read the measure of your duty, the sublime
intent of your Order: "Gory to God on High
peace on Earth, good will towards men," Anc
if, as the Eastern prorerb teaches, one bencvo
lent tear is of more worth than the diamonds
of India-ror with it the recording angel writes
our names in the Book of Life; if, as Divine
Wisdom teaches, the cup which ministered re
frcshment to the thirsty child Of sorrow here
shall be filled in return with the nectar of tht
skies for the soul of Charity, then sure and full
the rccompense which awaits you. Go! AM
THE SPIRIT OF THE WIDow's SON DE IN YOU"