The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1864-02-17

Ad.Ire.s Of p. H, T. l. B,e5e al the b,staiLi
ior Of Officers of Gap tai Lodgc, 5 y, No
&c, January, ls64.
BRoTHEas:-0n vacsting the Oriental Chair
I feel impeied to say that my hear, is much
too foll 20 retire in silence. and ! take this op
portuui'y to sincerely and mos, devoatl, shank
you for the many, and olC repeated kind
nesses I have go constantly received at your
HANDS And may here say, that your able and
efficient department have not only sustained
aid guided NE IN my feeble Efforts to preside
over your deliberations, for the several terms OF
my Office, but that it affords the best examples,
and the brightest Illustration OF yoHr stead. az
tachnent to the sublime principles Of our An
cieut Institution, az well as testimonial Of your
kind regards for myself I was not called 20 fIl
this high and responsible station through any
ambitious desiro OF nay own-and conscious OF
my inability to perform, (perhaps The most most
difficult part Of the uOrk Of our beautiful I. m
ple,) accepted the honor with many misgiYing- !
In regard to our future prosperity; how far l
have succeeded 10 preserving the Apcieut Land
Masks is fully answered in tho prosperous aud |
happy condition Of our Order, which may be |
chiefly, if not entirely Attributable to the high
position taken By the members Of our Lodge |
and here let me seriously admOnish You, kindly /
but earnestly, to continue on in the practice OF
every cOmmendable virtue-and let the incom- |
ing administration be characterized hy the en- |
ulatiOn of who can best work, aud best agree
Such Is the nature Of our engagements that some
must, Of necessity, rule and govern; so Others /
should, with equal propfiety, learn to submit /
aud be content; aud 1t affords me great pleasure
to congratulate you on your choice Of oficrTs
for the ensuing year, aud doubt not that our
Lodge will continue to prosper, and under their
able council maintain its high position among
our sister Lodges.
II viii be remembered, and should be deeply
impressed upon the minds of every member OF
this Lodge, that our order Is not a political IN
stituton, to be governed by majorties; but on
the contrary, it is an Order of immutabIe cousti-
tuition, in which, authority Of the most unlimited
character is intrusted to certain officers, ard in
which cheerful obedience to official commands
is eri0iued as a sacred duty. Our most ancient
Grand Masters were Kings, whose characters
ard predictions we venerate, and our Institu-
ton has come down to Us through Land Marks
that are not to be mistaken or perverted; and
It Il fair to suppose that the same scrutiny and
indomitable perseverance will charactcrize your
labors in the future, that has been manifested in
the past.
In this jurisdiction it has been our good for
tsue, heretofore, to be governed by those who
have enjoyed, "a they have merited, our entire
confidence. Such, believe, is the general ex
peTiencc OF other jurisdictions, and whatever
dscords may reign without, here. gathered
around our Masonic Alter, we fnd an sndarir
peace.
The mandates Of authority conceived In be-
nevolence meet with cheerful obedience, and
the only emulation is, who can best work for the
good OF the order. And my brethren, it there
is one lesson which, more than another, I would
avail myself on this accession to inculcate, it Is
that Of a more intelligent and entire devotion TO
the interests OF our Order-tO make masonry
what it should be. to give it that high position
and influence in the world to which. by its be-
nefcent purposes it j. entitled. We should i'm
i,ste its ecclesiastical character, which nculcates
the Advancement of the power and influence of
our fraternity The good Of the order, rot
merely of our own jurisdiction, should be the
ons;ant and controlling motive power OF all our
masonic acts, and especially of those important
acts by which we add numerical strength to our
/ Institution. When Mason is made, be is not
made for sDy particular Lodge alore-bu. rights
are conferred on him which bind him to every
4 individual Mason in the whole world. Let. then.
no desire to accede 70 individual wishes induce
yen to relax an effort to guard well the en-.
trance of our beautiful temple. The benefits Of
our order are sacred trust, which have been
handed down from generation to generation, and
in its administration, We should initiate the fide
ty of the inustrious dead. An Institution which
has survived the lapse Of ages. which lives and
eourishes in al counties, and in al conditions
OF soeieiy-Hhich tempcrs the wrath of sava-
ges, enlsts the sympathies of Kings, and raises
the amenities Of cultivated life to the sublimest
heights OF charity, has principal which viii es-
cape the ravages OF barberoas force, and az tri
umphantly endure a. eternity.
cannot conclude these imperfect remarks
without abiding TO a theme, over which, if
were permitted would gladly draw the vel Of
silence The relation of our order to the pres