The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1867-11-30

Deferred at Ae laying ef the Corner
Stone ef tie Court Iiouse, Botigog lar
deElaa County Tenn, Nee. %, 6S67,
By Rev W C. Gray, a. II


House Of Hardeman eounty-the prayer
that God would bless the inhobitant
Ct this place with peace aud plenty-that
lie would protect and assist the workmen,
and IoDg preserve the bHildine from decay,
together with the Offering of the appropriate
symbols-the corn Of nourjshmept the ptae
Of ref-eshmeat, and the oil Of joy-these all
doubtless seem TO most of you solemn cere
monies and well betting such an occasion
But the question may arise in some minds
Why should the Order of Free and Accepted
Aiasons be called upon to perform this ccre-
mony?
In answering this question; trust to give
ysu some good and substantial reasons why
cur order IS now and from ti3ne immemnrial
has been called upon to lay the chief foun-
dation stones of important public ediGees
Masonry is to be viewed under two as
pects-opGatire and Specuialice. Our an
cieut brethren wrought ia operative mason
ry The inolemency of seasons and the
ferocity Of wild animals very early imposed
the necessity of erecting buildings of som"
kind, to serve as shelter from the one an
a defence against the other These attempts
were originally rude enough. Trees were
cut down AMI posts stood up unhewn ami
rough, with cross pieces at top and bo5tom.
| OF tie same rude pattern, and 50 on with tin
/ whole structure Bat this was beginning -
| this was Invention Necessity is tire n0tHe.
OF invention, and after invention comes i'm
! provement From the rough pattern of tine
unheWn post afterward- comes that rounded
I & A. q
| adding grace to strength; next the iOniau
order rises to show another step in the pro
gress OF Improvement Then finally Cdli
naehus reached the very pinnacle of art, and
! placed upon the summit Of his shaft a crown
Of beauty, and the graceful light and beau
/ tlul order Of Corinthian architecture was
given te the world.
Thus, from rude beginnings, there was
gradual Improvements until at length loiS-
dom, StreRgth and beauty all combine to sup
port and adOrn the temples erected ID the
glory of God or for the benefit Of man.
Operative masonry found the stone rough
in the quarry By means Of the drill the
pick the bar, the hammer, the maIlet and
the chisei, the stone was raised, the roug Oh
edges were taken off and it was smoothed
and dressed until the leUet plumb and square
proclaimed it fired for its place. 30 f the
gr. at temple, built by solomon, the mos;
magnifcsnt that was ever erected, and which
had engaged in work upon it 3, 800 0verseers
$4,000 fellow crafts aud 10000 entered ap
prentiees; every stone was fitted and pre-
pared marked and numbered ia the quarry
with such precision and care, that In the
erection Of the temple there was not heard
the sound of axe or hammer, but every stone
exactly fitted in its place
From what has been said, it is plain that
operative masonry has to deal with plans
Al
material rude, rough, unpublished, and graI
ually, by degrees, little BY little the rough
ashlai' is chiI ped down, the rude edges bro
ken Oh. the supeThuit,es removed, aud il
comes fprth smooth, dressed and perfect
The material thar speculdtiUe masonry has
to deal with, is man himself 1t views hin
as n rough in the quarry, capable o
Improvement 1t regards him chiefly as
moral being capable Of moral inapTOUen1ellt
and by its discipline and teaching would f
him for his proper place in the great mora
or Masonic Temple. As the gavel breaks
off the rough edges Of the stone, 80 it teaches
him to diyest himself of all the vices and
, superluities of life md as the ehisel give:
the finishing and polishing touches to Tho
stone, so is he to smooth down all asppritie:
| and irregularities of character and cultivate
those Cardinal virtues which are esteemed
essential to the perfection of man. The per
/
for Masonry does not profess tO teach re
ligion, although its II" rality is precisely The
morality of the Bible and some Of It's sam
boHc teaching shadows firth the most i'm
lpurtant doctrines Of the Christian religion
Whatever. then, looks to the improvement
OF ma Masonry sanctions, approves anC
teaches. Whatever gives honor and glory
to the supreme Artihcer Of the universe ant
improves the moral condition Of mankind
finds az proval here Whatsoever is virtuous
lovely and of @, cd report, Masons are ever
where called upon to contemplate and pra"
Tee.
1t II not necessary now. nor would tim,
permit to dwell upon the history Of our an
cient and houorable order suffice to saw
| 1t is founded upon science, Morality, frisnss
! ship and henevolence It's friendship Is :
UnirerSaL friendship II embraces brethren
of every nation in the world and IN 1t,
symbols II provides a universal language By
which brother NAV be recognized ant.
or necessities made known. and speedily re
lieyed IL any quarter of the habitable globe
Ii is the boast of England that her morn
ing drum beat, caught up from shore tC
I shore, from province to province, and from
colony 70 colony. keeps pace with the sur
until It eneircIes the globe
Were brethren of the mystic tie to grasp
the hand each Of his ueighbor wh then
| try, network holding in its meshes che
| whole world-a IiriHg network Of golden
| friendship and UaigersaI charity would be
! seen embracing reople Of all nations. kin
dreds and tongues, all linked together round
| the globe IN one grand universal brother
/ hood
/ Benevolenee" says Masonic brother,
| Is the capstone of our mystic dome That
Godlike virtue that ennObIes human nature
/ and gives lus1re to the christian, shines most
conspicuous in tho Mason. Bv it we deal
| with liberal hand bread 20 the hungry. ISy
it we soothe the troubled heart, allie viate the
/ distresses of the afflicted, pour balm upon
the wounded, provide a physiciaR for the
| sick, administer comfort To the prisoner and
/ sometimes set him free Such are the zen
uiue fruits of Masonry
Secrecy IS another virtue most forcihly
| inculeated by Free Musoare. It may IN.
deed be cUiled "a distinguished characteris5ls
1 of cur order, and is Of great utility to man
kini.
While the blbbler and the talebearer are