Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1865-11-02
AMis1ellaneOus.
a MASONIC APPEAL.

10 tie FrccmasDns fMe Nnttcd .Stutcs
The dcplorablc contest in our country,
which for the past four years has separated
States and people, inaugurated and carried
on to destroy the Federal Union Of the
nlted States, Is now ended. History en-
thrOned in the majesty OF a coming Judge
ment, with the camnesS Of retrospect, and
the impartlality of truth, will determine on
whom the responsibility rests Of this crime
against representative government. | will
award to sections and individuals their
mcrited condemnation. The oracles Of
Truth and Justice, unimpaired by the pas
aions aud prGjudiccs OF men, will proclaim
IL final and unaltcrablc decree. Let Us then
leave TO these attributes Of Omnisciencc
their divine duties. The civil war is closed.
Efforts OF patriots and statesmen must now
be directed to the restoration Of unity and
concord amongthc people who SO lately were
IN hostile array against each other The
things that are behind must no longer Uccu-
by our thoughts, since they excite discord
and enlblttcrcd association. The future
must engage all our energies. The mighty
task Of constituting reconciliation, Is the
duty now imposed upon US. The renewal
Iof the covenant Ofpcacc aud love, must be
by rcbaptlsm with the spirit of charity in
IN waters of Lcthc.
Brethren OF the Order Of Frecmasons we
have oyr dutie, to perform. Maaons who
wOlsh hip III the temple dedicated to II com
lmCn iratclnSy, our masonic minds and
lhcarts have Dccu taught those sublime les
, SONS there only impaired.
A., our ancient and honorable Order has
never taken part in conspiraces against
government, since this is forbidden, its
members must bc true to the teachings OF
the craft. We, everywhere throughout this
/, land, must be the first to show hy our con
Guct and conN crsatiom, by our example and
oar precepts among men, that there is vita
ylgOr in lIccmasOnry. We are Il unit,
II band, free aud excepted by and between
ourselves Discold aud onnlity-thc evi
passions, revenge, distrust, hatred and NAL
zee, never yet have entered the Masonic
temple. Il our faith is strong III the land
marks, if we have known Of the doctrln,
e. that 1t livcth and abldeth among Us at al
lines, IN all pcrilS, IN every commouOn; II
strife and war, lot us now demonstrate tina
We hold II a. delivered to Us by our fathers
!. Our Order is consccratcd to unity, brothcrl
love, charity. 10 cnlighten mankind ha
= been our mission since the earliest OF ages
Before Christianity the temple of the Graf
was open. Its teachers were calling bcior
the days Of the pnlrlarchs to come aud rc
celNc the light. That hight has never yc
gone out The jew, before the altar on III
sacred mount-th the raiscc, in his adorato
of the sun -thc Mussclmcn, bowing to til
east, in praycr-the Greek, before the shril
of his divnlty-thc Christian, in d,you
faith at the foot of the cross, alike, IN ia
days Of their generation, knew and under
stood the nlSauC language, God said !,
4, there be light, and there was light. -
Brethren, We also are gathered III our ten
pie, you assembled in yours Musons in eN
cry cline or country, are by adoption AM
acceptance IN common fraternity, ON
ic. united and inscpurahlc. There can be nclth,
- schlsm, separation or rebellion within {
among us. The white apron OF rcpentanc
and innocence il an emblem we all compr,
hcnd 1t teaches Us that the entrance int
n the holy OF holics can be had but in subo
IL dination To the fundamental principles
tho order. Ii admonlshcs Us ut all time
under all circumstances, to rcn0uncc eve,
y, act or decd, and the motives for eithc
''' which can destroy unity, harmony an
charity
~, Bach member of our fraternity in the sc'
cral Grand Lodge Jurisdictions ofthn nit,
States, is directly appealed to in his ind
, yidual masonic character, to maintain, IN a
. their integrity, the principles of the ordc
- Ii is his solemn duty, Obligations once Il
Il, sumcd, must ever be binding in all the
force, ON the conscience OF every Mason.
We cannot, five would, surrender or Silen,
them. We unite the soul to the Throne
Is' Jhordh, and are rs eternal as His laws.
We invoke the serious consideration of Il
craft to the most welghty responsibility
4 .. which reference is made
These obligations impose on Masons Al
u, Jurisdictions the recognition of those rlgh
which are thus common to each and all, N
constitute the life, power and virtue OF Il
Masonic relations.
u We believe il to be the duty of Ere m
- sons to regard the craft in the jurSdictiC
ofthe States of the South, as brethren,
is theirs To recognize tho power Of this un
yersal Masonic landmark. Thus the reu
ion of iiatcrnal association can be csta|
z. IliShed, and this example before the peop
will lie a demonstration of the living pow
of our venerable institution.
Brethren OF the Sunny South, We bclieN
your faith and sincerity in the landmall
are equal to ours We claim no right to $
in Judgment over your fidelity or your oh
i, dcncc to the landmarks -oryourperpetuit
We recall from the pnst four years nclth
witness nor testimony The Ihght IN Il
To- Masonic Temple casts.no shadow IL oy,
at the meridian when we look at each other
hearts, and take each others hand in brotl
H. erly love. But while we are all Nlasons "
arc also fellow -countrymcn, We are cltlzel
- of States whose prosperity Is indissolubl
connected with this Union. We are cltizer
of States where individual and collcctiy
happiness and welfare can be best MAINTAIN