The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-01-31

Inc GranQ Lodge OF Mlcnlgan, com
posed of men of different parties and
sects, at its recent session, deplorine
the crisis now imminent in the country
and deprecating any estrangement Of
brotherly feeling between different,sec
tions, unanimously adopted the follow
ing report and resolution:
To the M. W. g. L.:
The committee to whom was referred
so much of the M. w. Grand Masters
address as relates to the Union respect
fully report:
That while in our opinion neither
this G. L. or any subordinate, or any
Mason, as such, should interfere in any
way with the political faith or opinions
of any party or set of men,-but the
broad mantle of Masonic charity should
extend to, shield and protect from cal
umny and abuse, our brethren wherev-
er situated throughout the globe,-yet,
we believe crisis may arise which will
demand of all good Masons to show by
their acts and words of counsel and
admonition, as well as by precept, that
they are quiet and peaceable citizens,
true to their government and just to
their country.
The Grand Lodge, as well as its sub
ordinates, is composed of members diff
fering in mere political opinions, but
bound together, and with their breth-
rem everywhere, by the ties of brother
hood which know no party, sect or
country, and which animate with equal
ardor the heart of him who lives in the
sunny cline of the South as of him who
resides amid the SHOWS of the North.
A crisis such as we have referred to,
many good and patriotic men believe,
now exists, and we may not shut our
eyes to the disastrous consequences
which would not fail to flow from the
permanent weakening or overthrow of
that great temple of human liberty
raised and cemented by the blood of
our fathers. Whether we were born
under. the constellation of the Union,
or have adopted this country as our
home aud the home our posterity, we
cannot, as Masons or as men, be indif-
ferent to the past history of our nation,
nation, or the glorious prospect which
that history until recently seemed to
ordain for its future. We look back
with pride and gratitude to our revered
brother Washington, whose memory
is embalmed in the hearts of his
countrymen, and we hold in rever-
ence the sacred place where lie the re-
mains of him who was an ornament to
the craft and the race and, with hearts
gushing with fraternal affection, we
here, in this hall devoted to brotherly
love, relief and truth, pledge ourselves,
and appeal to our brethren everywhere
throughout this broad land of ours, in
the name of him whose ashes repose
in the hallowed tomb at Mount Vernon,
to join with US in unceasing peaceable
effort and constant invocation to the
great Architect of the universe to al
lay party strife and to strengthen the
bond Of fraternal love, to save us from
the dangers which have or may threat
en- the destruction of that temple of
liberty erected by our sires, and so to
cement and bind us all together in the
four-fold cord that cannot be broken !;
that the keystone may be secured in
the arch of our Federal compact, and
future generations unite in singing
praises to the good men and patriots
who laid so broad and deep the foun-
dations of that temple that although
the floods came and the winds blew
and beat upon it, yet it fell not, for it
was founded upon a rock.
The members of this Grand Lodge
listened to the stirring words of affec-
ton from our respected p. G. M. Rob
Morris, of KY, and were deeply moved
at his touching illusions to the friendly
feelings which have heretofore existed
between the sons of his State and ours,
whose blood in times past mingled on
the same field in defence of our nation
al liberties; and in common with him
we unite in friendly greetings to our
brothers throughout the States of this
Confederacy, and appeal to them, by
the hallowed memories of the past and
the brilliant hopes we have so long en-
tertained for the future of our beloved
land, to unite in unceasing efforts for
the permanent good, welfare and pros
perity of our common country, and,
with its future and perpetual Union,
for the elevation of our ancient and
time-honored institution, and the per-
fection of that beautiful moral temple
within whose walls is heard continual
thanksgivings to the Grand Master of
the universe, to whom we are indebted
for all the blessings we enjoy.
All of which is respectfully submit
ted, with the accompanying preamble
and resolutions, of which we recommend
the adoption:
Whereas, AS it pleased kind Prov
idence through the blood and suffer-
ings of our fathers, to confer upon our
country the blessings of peace and lib
erty, and to enable them, through wise
and patriotic counsel, to form govern
ment based upon the broadest princi-
Piles of human freedom, and which se-
cures exact and equal justice to all
And as we deem the privileges which
we enjoy under our present form of
government to be of inestimable value,
and are anxious to transmit them un-
impaired to our posterity as most
precious legacy;
And as we regard with the deepest
devotion the bonds which bind togeth-