Natchitoches spectator. [volume] (Natchitoches, La.) 1867-18??, 1867-12-31

the Evangelist-the 9th day of De-
cember, 1867. ei9
Brethren and Feliosc- Citizens Over
feighteen centuries ago, on this day,
there was born a man, whose teachings
and whose deeds were to herald the
/ dawning of the grandest Era of Time.
The day had come when new and a
mighty dispensation should be given
unto man, aud a revelation which should
open the portals of the grave and bring
life and immortality to light" The
moral darkness, which had for centuries
hung as pail over the hearts and the
minds of men, yelling from their visions
the great reality of a future state, was
now to be dispelled by the glory OF a
rising Day-Star from oil High, that
should tighten the acay of every man
ssthat cometh into the world" a mighty
revolution was to be wrought, and as q
chosen Instrument in the accomplish
ment of it's purposes there was man
scaled" whose words OF wisdom should
open the eyes of the blind, and whose
labors of love should move the hearts of
men: A man, whose life of cirtue and
derotion sh ould be browning glory to
his race, and whose Heaven-lit genius
should pour upon the world flood of
/ light that should spread to the uttermost
bounds of Earth. On this day, in CALI
lee, province of ancient Palestine, q
Land ever memorable as ssthe Canaan"
of the Jews, John, ''thc Evangelist"
and Masonic patron, the champion of
Right and advocate of Truth, first saw
the light and breathed the vital air.
1t is proper to here add that tradition
is the only true medium through which
| we trace the connection of st. John with
| the Institution of Free Masonry, but
the same remark may be applied with
equal propriety to Solomon and Zerub-
babel The most copyincing-proof OF
the fact is, that they have always been
so reported, whether this may or
NAV not amount to such a demOnstra-
ton as to convince the mind of the skep-
teal, certain it is, that it has ever been
received as q maxim, both in politics and
religion, that whatever has been Deiley-
ed by many men, in different ages, is
held to be true, until the converse is es-
tabished by force of facts. 1t is pre-
cisely ON this ground, that we admit the
present histories of the Creation and of
the whole ante-deluvian Era, as well as
Eof that great period intervening between
the flood and the coming of Moses
therefore, we may say, that well connect
ed tradition, extending over a great
i period of Time, must be allowed, un-
less the facts it attests, are improbable
1 or absurd. Our most ancient Histories
/ fell ms that from the building OF the
Temple at Jerusalem to the BabyloHish
captivity, our Lodges were dedicated to
Solomon; from thence to the advent oil
! Cerist. to Zerrubbabel; from thence to
the reign of Titus Vespasian, to John
the Baptist; and from that time onward
TO John the Evangelist. Our tradition
runs, that while he was Bishop of Ephe-
sus. then being in his ninetieth year, he
I was induced to accept the appointment
of Grand Master, in order to revive the
.many Lodges then scattered over the
land and which had fallen into almost
IhoDeless disorder. 1t is, therefore, on
j this tIay, that we yearly meet as Band
of Masons, to commemorate the virtues
of this illustrious member OF our order
the better that we may keep ever III
view the footprints of Him, "who has
travelled this way before us. IL Is
sacred duty of our Order to remember
tbe virtues and cherish the memories Of
? the departed; for the life of every true
Mason is unto us, priceless pearl; his
death. the loss OF brother. 1t matters
mot who he is, nor when nor where az
falls. it is n eight" extinguished in thu
TemnIe. a link broken in the universe
cnain of brotherhood. Ours is not thu
love of a day, for neither Time nor for
time. nor absence, nor distance iength
ems or shortens that Mystic Chord thai
binds our hearts together.
1T is pleasing and profitable to ponde
upon the well-spent lives of the Tru'
ana the Virtuous for they afford us alike
instruction to direct and consolation t.
luphold us. The fall or the fortune oton
man is but ais glass, through which W
may see our own fates dimIy; the. htstor
: of one bnt the recorded experience o
all the rest. We are all the same in GU
natures and desires, in our hopes and y
our destinies: we are travelling as pr
II grims the same journey. and hourl
meeting with the same obstacles. VIVA
: NAV be said of one may be said OF alb
came upon the stage of life and smile
and nlayed awhile, and wept and turne
away and died. Inc ages of the pas
are but silent monitors pointing us I
the Landmarks along our way and "
are but to listen to the voices OF tn
dead that Eve may not err therein,
In considering the lives of the dead, "
: cannot but discern those great commo
qualities of mind and heart, which seer
to link us, as with a chain, to all tn
i o,oporations that have gone before u: