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

er amid friends and relations III Gallilee,
| or as an exile upon the Seabeaten isle
of Patinos; whether ut home or abroad,
on the land or on the sea; ever demon
Strated by his life and his actions, the
suhlimity of virtue and the beauty of
holiness. AS he lived so did he die, an
upright man and steadi;Ist Mason. IN
view of such a life, we can but add, that
if the unseen world be q reality, il there
| is truth in the doctrines of the Here
after, il there is above us and beyond
the pale of mortal vision, san House
not made with hands, eternal in the
Heavens" whittier we may all reach,
by the aid of "Jacob's theological
Ladder" that death was to him. but
the beginning of life-that the con-
signing of his body to the Earth,
but the laying aside of the garments
CT flesh, in order that the inner man
might receive admission into that
Temple where the Master of Nature
presides.
With these observations upon the life
and character of our illustrious patron,
we will now direct our attention to the
history and teachings of that Order,
which he has consecrated by his sane
ton and Illustrated by his conduct. The
principles of Masonry constitute mys-
teal, moral science, illustrating by a
system OF rites. ceremonies. types and
emblems, the sublimeSt truths and max
inns of Nature and morality. Its Phi-
losOphy IN point of beauty and of wis
dom is perhaps unexcelled by the inven-
tons of man. The history of the Order
has ever been an object of interest to
the world, having, as it does, a high
claim to antiquity, universally and sta
6ility, than any other organization
known upon the Earth. There is plena-
ry evidence afforded alike by history
and tradition, that traces it back in the
most unerring manner to the building
of "King Solomon's Temple" where it
first received an organized form. 1t is
an universally conceded fact, that this
wise King was one of the founders of the
Institution and that that s'magnificent
structure which was the wonder and
admiration of the world, was reared by
the hands Of MaSonS. We may here
pause to consider the object of this
mighty building with which Masonry is
so fully identified. In SO doing, with the
Bible before us, which we call "the ines
Unable gift of God to man and the rule
and the guide of our conduct" we can
not but mark, with feelings of reverence.
that it was sam House, erected by Di-
vine command, ''unto the glory of the
Lord an House which when finished,
presented more the appearance "of the
handiworll of God, than the work OF
men" There is conclusive evidence
that at this period of Time, the mythol-
ogies and idolatries of the Egyptians
were fast absorbing the religious wor-
ships of the world. Even the ''chosen
people OF Israel" who had been led
forth from the Gland of Egypt and the
house Of bondage. by miraculous cloud
| by day and pillar of fire by night"
who had seen the hosts of Pharaoh
swallowed i'll the Sea and heard the
thunders from old Mount Sinai; who
had eaten of the mamma that had de
seconded from Heaven and drank of the
waters that gushed from the smitten
rock, were fast becoming corrupted and
contaminated, by the universal spread
of the Egyptian mysteries. They were
wandering way from the object of their
''irst love- and losing sight of the wor-
ship of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. In
! this period there were but two great
types of the religious orders, the Jew
and the Pagan, and this system had be-
i come so confused aud commingled, that
there was scarcely any Wit llity in either.
lThe day had come, in the fulncss OF
4 Time, when system should be devised
that should abolish the distinctions OF
races and of kindred, aud should dis
close unto man, MS liuo itldCIOuS uilIO
God and his fellows.
i The fiat seemed to have gone forth
that henceforth and forever there should
be no more moral distinctions Of race,
between the sons and the daughters Of
:, Adam; that there should be a comm OIL
altar erected, where the people of all ma
lions might meet on one grand teret anC
where ''every knee should bend, anC
Eevery tongue confess that the God o
f Israel was the only true and the living
], God. The reign of David, the man o
, war and OF blood, had passed away, anC
f Solomon, the Prince of Peace, had beer
duly anointed as the King of Israel. NJ
5 sooner was he established upon hi
f throne than he invoked the God of hi
? fathers, to- imbue his heart with wis
e dom and understanding, taat he nigh
5 know how to govern $50 great a people.
I In answer to his prayer, God gave hin
5 wisdom and understanding exceeding
4 much, and largencss of heart even a
q sand upon the sea-shore," and Solomon
t said unto Hiram, King of Tyre, saying
4 '.thou knowest how that my fathe
g could not build an House unto the nam
O of the Lord has God, for the wars wLic