The Kansas herald of freedom. [volume] (Wakarusa, Kan. Territory) 1854-1860, 1859-07-02

mortality, growing out OF our falth IN
God; and the topmost round is Charity
Faith the root, Hope the trunk, and
Charity the fruit. Our faith may be lost
in sight, our hope ends in fruition, but
charity extends beyond the grave, through
endless ages of eternity.
These are the doctrines taught by Ma
sonry, and this the manner of instruction.
Even more, Gods Holy Book lies open
continually upon our altar, which we
recognize as the great light of Masonry.
We dedicate it to God because it is his
inestimable gift to man. We endeavor to
make it the rule of our faith and prac-
tice.
Notwithstanding all this, Freenasonry
is not religion. 1t is only the handmade,
or avenue, leading to the gates of the no.
ly city. 1t takes man as the rough
asher. polishes aud adorns him. teaches
him that reliance on Divine Providence
alone will fit and prepare him for the
Grand Lodge above. We take the mi
tiate by the hand, conduct him along this
beautiful avenue; we show him, as all
entered apprentice, the ground floor Of our
mystic Temple, beautiful mosaic pave
ment, embematical of human life,
chequered with good and evil, tessel-
ated border surrounding it, representing
the comforts and blessings that surround
us; and blazing star in the centre Of the
pavement, representing Deity, upon whom
he is taught to feel his dependence for
those blessings and comforts that surround
him. As a fellow craft, we show him
the beautiful proportions of our system,
leading him up the flight of narrow stairs,
where he gains admission to the middle
chamber; there we reward him with the
corn of nourishment, the wine of refresh
ment, and the oil of joy. We teach him
strict observance of the Sabbath day,
and to hold in veneration the name OF
Deity, never to mention it but with that
reverential awe which is due from the
creature to his Creator; to square his &C
tons by the square of virtue with all
mankind; to walk uprightly in his sew
eral stations before God and man, always
remembering that he is travelling to an
undiscovered country, from whose bourne
no traveller returns. We exhibit to him
Daniels vision Of the Lord standing upon
wall made by a plumb line, with a
plumb line in his hand, announcing to his
people that he would set plumb line il
the midst of Israel; that he would moi
again pass by them any more; that desc
lation would be visited upon the house o.
Jeroboam. We show hun this vision a:
a warning to those who forget Gods holy
precepts.
AS Master Mason, we again raise the
veil, and permit him to view with admi
ration and delight the inner chamber, o.
sanctun sanctorum, The resting place o
the Shekinah. We teach him that tn,
ground upon which he stands is holy. w
exhibit to him the Acacia as an emblem
of the Immortality of the soul, an emblem
Of the Christians hold upon the merits O
the Lion of the trbs of Judah. We teacl
him the necessity Of cultivating all thu
Christian virtues. We impress upon hin
here, in forcible manner, the great doc
! trine of the resurrection of our boGie
from the grave; that the various casual
ties and diseases which surround US will
ere long terminate our lives but w
/ should look forward with Christian
hope, with confidence and composure t,
a blessed immortality that our bodie
shall be raised and become as incorrupti
BILE as our souls, that never die. We clos
with him upon the solemn thought o
death, which, without revelation, is darl
and gloomy indeed. This is Masonry
This we teach the candidate on his wa,
up this beautiful Masonic avenue to tn
gates Of the molly city.
At this point the Christian religion
comes in, opens to him the gates, ant
a blaze of glory bursts upon his vision
such as Masonry could only prepare hin
for, but never fully develop to him
Thus we prepare men to receive the great
er light, Us our patron saint, whom W
this day celebrate, prepared the Jews t
receive the Messiah.
As Royal Arch Masons, we are laugh
the toll and priyaton Of our ancieu
Brethren in captivity. How joyfully the
received the proclamation of Cyrus. Kin
of Persia, to come up 10 Jerusalem an
rebuild the Temple observe them o
their way from Babylon to the holy city
travelling amidst broken columns an
I ruined arches of ancient cities. Occs
sionally they find standing an ancieI
altar, where perhaps their fathers ha
knelt down and worshipped the God {
Abraham, of Isaac and of Jacob; see thel
kneeling around those affairs and THANH
ing God they were once more without II
, gates of that wicked and abominable cit,
and for their deliverance from captivit
See their torn garments and bruised fee
Methinks / see them ascend an eminent
: that overlooks the city os their God, an
hear them exclaim: "As live, my ey,
once more behold the city of Jerusalem
let US again kneel where our fathers hay
knelt, and thank God for his deliverance
! See them approach the Grand CounC
} there assembled and crave permission
] engage in the glorious work of rebuildir
the house and city of the Lord witho1
the hope of fee or reward.
In the 18th and 18th centuries, you 81
; springing up in Europe the orders
} Knighthood, for the purpose of rescuir
the holy>city from the hands Of the Ii
fidel. They put on their armor, and dra
, their swords in defence of the Christis
/ religion. IN Hoe Signo Vinces'' is il
scribed upon their banners of the Gro:
: Witness their devotion to the cause
E humanity and religion; witness in Il
, 18th century, the martyrdom of the la
Grand Master Of Tenplars with thou
ards of others; see them in dungeon
: loaded with chains for months, broug
, to the pyre by Pope Clement V, al
3 Phillip of France, BY whose orders Il
5 fires were kindled to crush out the TEN
: lars or cause them to recant.
S Hero Jaques De Molai, when the tor,
e was applied to the faggots, and almc
= stifled with smoke, excIaim aloud: II
Clement V. thou unjust Judge, summo
9 the to appear, within forty days, before &
Q judgment-seat Of God;" and King Phil
y be summoned to appear before the trib
: nal of the Most High within one yeaI
Q Both died precisely within the time.
!, Thus suffered thousands, who, rati
IS than sacrifice truth to become Kings a
d Princes, preferred exile or an honoral
q death