The weekly Panola star. [volume] (Panola, Miss.) 1857-1881, 1866-05-19

Heath, snd That eHfm heaft il s.,fd Ii /
soldiers EfHgs iIH Affection. dsffI
+ We hitter aguny n truth. stlll m. /
hindle. Ne beae0n In NE heart and .
sings Tho delnsins N hope, wbee
each revolving aighi bot as,ls f,s,b |
evidences n despair, anl DESTROYS
lhe dream n yesterday. Heaven
bless tho eliif.walchers, II there are
any among Ne, and ~ temper lhf
mcrties that upon the bIiaaGlll Milf
of immortality they may alix The
light of their salvation, which will
brightly burn through VII eternity.
Imposing as are The ceremoniaIs of
this hour TO the individual stranger
10 The mystic rites of che ancient
Ordcf--the melancholy duties 10 he
observed have double significance and
effect upon us a. Masons. The or
der of the Grand Lodge, requiring
subordinate Lodges throughout The
State 10 hold sad communion with
The dead Of our Brotherhood, Is
something new In the history Of the
fraternity IN this State. Glad in
the emblems Of grief, more than Ghy
such assemblages as this are now con
ycncd, aud upon the altars Of every
Lodge-room-an incense Of prayer
and eulogy is burning, aud from the
general heart of Masonry in Missis-
sippi there arises before our Grand
Masters throne, the deep and silent
devotions Of our hearts, for mercies
shown and love extended TO us. In
common with every department Of
society, Masonry suffered heavily
from the calamities of war. Her
temples were profaned, her Lodges
plundered, her sacred Jewels torn
from her bosom, and made the sub
jects of coarse and sportive jcsts
Incendiarism completed in several
instances the work of spoilation, and
added the crime Of sacrilege to that
Of robbery. But thanks to the in.
herent strength of principle, the Arb
Of the Covenant rests, after thu
delugc Of war, on the mountain firm
ness Of truth. The dove Of Peac'
has folded its weary wings; its muir
muring coo-note resounds from III
leafy home, in mellow warblings Of
love and safety. The clouds are lift
ed, and the widowed mother calls hel
grief. stricken children around tn,
family altar, and bids US weep fol
our Brothers slain. Fresh evil is up
turned on the brows Of a thousan,
Mt. Moriahs, and sorrow fills th'
Courts Of the Temple. From th'
North Anna to the Rio Grande, Ma
sonry has furnished her jewels, an'
Springs early flowers deck the OBJ
scure hillocks of her sons on ever,
battlefield of the war. Their bone
bleach upon the fields of their fame
and their chivalry and devotion ar
all that is left of the animated form
which once, my Brethren, knelt witt
you in Lodge prayer. Their labor
are over--thc sound Of the garei will
awake them no more. They hav
no use for lerei and plumb-line. The.
have threaded that many-pathed ant
gloomy wilderness which Hiram be
fore them entered, and from whicI
pilgrimage they will never, never re
tusn. Until thejudgment trumpsbal
unseal the ear Of Death, they vii
lie as they have fallen-glorious max
tyrs to what they deemed u principle
and arise ut last, when the Maste
orders the roll Of the workmcn call
ed, in the vast Lodge Of eternity.
II is not my purpose, my fellow
citizens, TO enter into discussion
the causes which led to the deplorl
bic war just closed. The motive
which actuated both contestants Ia,
been submitted to the scrutinity
that All-seeing Eye, from who's
searching glance nothing is hi
Upon that record judgment will |
passed, and either on this or the ne'
generation the sin will be visite'
Whether it will light on our NortheI
brother, or, like the ghost Of destin
sit brooding at our fresides, is OF
Of these announced intentions
, heaven, which will vindicate itse
The council Of the ancient days vi
, not be intruded upon by poor, Gni
man. In that tribunal the majori
) of the God-head will be represent'
/ by those triune intelligences Of self
+ wisdom, power, right--and He th
! speaketh in the lightniugs aud shak
the solid globe with the earthquake
: grasp; who fashioned the boundl'
0 splendors Of the Universe at a woI
\ and binds the stars in bonds Of /
: will, will yet manifest Himself IN
4 His children, and do all things We
4 War, my audience, under any c
a cumstances, is a scourge, and |
y world from the earliest moment
e its existence, from the time VIII
>, society was first formed and conn
e mites organized, has been ravas
ls and desolated by its red hand; q
r until the nations are summoned
a Judgment, and the funeral train
y the doomed stars, marshalled in
q, and final procession before God a.
70 last great day--until then will ,
d and the nlmors Of war convuLe
o mar the beauties Of earth. The I
e. Il past, and the dead are with G
n and II only remains our solemn
I'd eagement to profit by the lesson
'ir virtne they have left, For them
n twine the urn with cypfess. and
"A their los pour TIE nnavaiIlng
he Nor do | deem II enjoined upon