The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-03-08


q From an address recently delivered before
the Grand Lodge of Iowa, by the Rev. Bro
I. X. Fuller, Grand Orator, we take tbs
following answer to the foregoing ques-
ton: "EH
Latitude and Longitude or the earth's
surface are measured by degrees, minutes
and seconds, and the smaller divisions the
minutes and seconds, are esteemed to be
equally important with the degrees, and
absolutely indispensable to the perfection
Of measurement. So that he, who, placing
undue emphasis on the degrees, is unmind
ful Of the mi ,utes, will be regarded as un.
skillful and defective in his calculus. And
so, brethren. in computing our masonic
latitude and longitude, it is 10 be feared too
great stress has been laid upon the degrees
as such, while too little importanc, has
been attached to the minutes and seconds,
or what Masonry enjoius upon US between
the degrees. 1t is to this detection, this
criminal want OF attention to what have
been falsely called the little things OF
Masonry, that such false estimates have
been made as to the character Of our
institution, and that profanes have some
times said Masons are no better than other
people, whereas Masons should SO exem
plify their principles in their lives as to
constrain others to desire admission to our
rights, lights and benefits. But hasten
to the consideration: who is Master
Mason? hear q brother say, he is one
who is regularly initiated, passed and rails.
ed according to the due and ancient form.
But does this really make Master Mason
| answer unhesita,ingly, no. Masonry, as
you are aware, is a great moral science,
ard in strictness, he only is Maste,
Mason who he's succeeded in mastering the
whole subject in all its parts, whether
speculative, perceptive or practical
He who has simply graduated in the third
degree Of Masonry has only entered the
vestibule of our glo,i US old temple, having
not yet penetrated far enough to become
familiar with its sublime mysteries. If to
live in Christiln country, to profess the
Christian religion and join church neces
sary makes a man Christian, then te
have taken the third degree CT Masonry
makes man genuine Mason: but the
promise being false, the conclusion is o.
course untrue; still further, person may
take upon himself the solemn obligations
Of Christianity, and still have done nothing
( more IMAM StOleH Tue NSCy VI A1OdNCu "
serve the devil in" So ifyod were to ask
brother what makes him Mason, and he
were to answer, my obligation, he would
have but half answered your question, be-
cause his obligation only makes him 8
Mason nominally, not de facto. 1t is thu
WORKING out that obligation into the life tha
makes him such in reality it is profession
and practice, married, faith and works al
cause and effect, that illustrate Masonry
In word, then Mister Mason is or
whose heart is always in the right place
always palpitating at the sight Of human
woe, and true to its trust as the needle t
the magnet, who comes up out Of the dus
and toll, the complications and antagonism
Of daily life unsullied, with his soul perpen
dicular to the zenith. He is man who's
hand is never lifted up in violation o
Gods law as expressed in the decalogue
but who is always ready to mingle his tear
with the suffering sons and daughters o
morality. Such is my ideal Of Mastal
Mason, an ideal which am glad to know
has many illustrious cxempIifications IL
the catalogue of American Masons."