Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1862-01-08

OriginaI 4spers.
Masonry--Its PrinciplesEand Benefits.
FOR TIE SPIRIT OF PIE AGE.


preiudicial to the human race, is no longer
problematical "No institution was ever
raised on better principle, or more SOL
id foundation nor were ever more ex.
cellent rules and useful maxIms laid down,
than are incucased in our several Masonic
lectures. The greatest and best of men, in
all ages and countries, have been encour-
ayers and promoters of the Art, anG have
never deemed it derogatory to their digni-
ty, to level themselves with the fraternity,
extend their privileges and patronize their
assemblies"
The great and good of our own country,
nave been united by the mystic tie" into
one sacred band, or society of friends and
brothers, among whom no contention
should ever exist, but that noble contention,
or rather emulation, of who can best work
or best agree" Among these, we're Wash
ington, Franklin and host of others
Warren, who laid the corner stone of
American Independence at Bunker Hill,
and cemented it with his own blood, was a
Mason. Montgomery, who fell on the
heights of Canada, in the hottest and
thickest of the fight, at the cannon's
mouth, was Mason. When this noble
son of the Emerald Isle fell, Heaven, as if
moved by sympathy, dropped winding
sheet of snow, and shrouded his manly
form. All who are familiar with the his.
tory of that battle, will recolect, that
when it commenced, a.snow>storm began
to fall, the snow of heaven was never Grim
soned with purerssblood than that which
flowed from his every vein.
A large number of the officers of the
revolutionary war, perhaps a majority ;
all the Major Generals, save Benedict Ar
mold, the traitor, we're Masons: forty four
of the noble band Of fifty.six, who signed
the declaration of American independence,
and pledged their lives, their fortunes and
their sacred bonor >in support'of it, we're
Masons. These were some OF the great
and good men, who aided in the erection
Of the Masonic Temple, until now, its tow
ering columns cast their shadows over the
halitahle globe. 1.-THE lapse of time, the
,u,hI, IS hand of ignorance, and the devas-
,atious of war, have laid waste and de-
stroyed many valuable monuments of an
tiouity, on which the utmost exertions oi
human genius have been employed. Even
the Temple of Solomon, SO spacious and
magnificent, and constructed by so many
celebrated artists, escaped not the unspar,
ing ravages of barbarous force. Free Ma
sonry, notwithstanding, has still survived
The attentive ear receives the sound from
the Instructive tongue and the mysteries
of Free Masonry are safely lodged in the
repository of faithful breasts" .s..
What then, is Masonry, that,
$50 many men of the nation, Ia.
Should aprons put on, ill., ....l
To make themselves one, . . ....
With free and accepted Mason ?''
1t is an organization Of principles, O
principles derived from the highest source
of human reason and intelligence; of princi
plies In their character profoundly philoso-
phcal and in their effects of untold auC
incalculable benefit to the human family
of principles, moral, benevolent, charits-
BILE. To blot out her proud memorial from
under heaven, the most furious efforts o
fanaticism, the most ingenious arts Of ty-
rants, and the concentrated strength O
empires, have been freqaently and pcrse-
veringy applied. Her enemies rejoicec
>ver her decline, and erected monuments
Is they vainly imagined, to her perpetua
ain. But, where now are those tyrants
md where their empress The tyrant
>ave long since gone to their own place
Jblivion's deepest grave; their names hav
descended in the roll of infamy, and thei
empires have passed away like shadow
over the rock; they have successfully dis
appeared, and left not trace behind. N,
place has been assigned them on the MAJ
IF the world, and the historian has refused
write the history If their rise, progress
md decline; the just fate of all anti Ma
IONS and anti Masonry. But what becam
1f Masonry She rose from her ashes
resh in beauty and in might. She ha
'ashed down, demolished and scattered t,
be four winds Of heaven the monuments
larble Of her foes. laughed to scorn th
nscription aud the@hand that wrote it; 5,
acre might not remain, among men o
lasons, neither name or remembrance @
1ch vile wretches. With songs of triumph
I'D shouts of jubilation she has celebrated
le funerals Of Kings and Kingdoms tha
lotted her destruction, aud with the in
tription of their pride, has transmitted t,
'sterity the record of their confusion
orse confounded. uras Ttse lsea
For more than three thousand years th
; 'ttest thunderbolts of partisan warfar