The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1868-01-03
Masonic re.sir'ar at Rice

| Masonic restiriar at Rice.
= o. s'oyaq oiiviAe";t u il
Oh ,ReliDf Dodge No '2ll' gave a
Masonic Festival, ! Dscembor 9th,
1867. atl tltonpnlsee IF niccviilc. -
Owing to,sthcr inclrme'mysgof the
weather. and tho slippery arl i'm.
passdble cmnSition; of the roads the
Cr;rftb wcrei not out in full force.
while tic representatives, from those
not of the. workmon was quit @ large
md respec ailje7 9sitdal. 1.-The en-.
| tire lraceedings were of such a char
actersas to Leave good impression
ITnppu those wll,.at sendelni.Tile ex.
ercises began at the loaga room at
about 6 o'clock p. NJ. after which a
magnificent supper furnished by
Bro David Wy!ie was ps<taken Of
f'asiSidSn dsh sosiakasjsmea MI = Afteir:
the bvuntcous rcpast, those feeling
bihclincl for further recreation pleas.
.. astlyys.ssd csnrtenreF7svo in the
giddy mazes Of tie social dance.
/ The brethren at RiceSllle UNDER
stand how to manage an affair of
thp kind so as to make !: both profit
able and pleasant Pursuant to a
resolution. Of the lpdge, we publish
below the, address delivered ON the
OCCASION, W. =
} o. Bro w. r. pHpAD..l Al =.
WoRsn!Fxyt. MASTER. gra'l u.
iBEiHnrTTuuEEEt;s,. : LADlFs,ASD Grs,
IhkNhN NS..:'.-.oiraatnrD "a
The commcncemcn Of all written
history is merely traditional--indcctl d
the very cSistencc'ofH old historians
~, iii many Instances only tradi
tional. y Facts oiiee.ast, become
traditionaE, and all writing and
printing IF then, are but artificial
or temporary aids to tine memory in
retaining them. Y>3LAl 2"ANT ,
And even that which is written is
short lived although recorded histo-
ry has borne it upon the wings Of
time, from the remote past, until
the present. IDLY man counts the
years as they pass chronieling as
tic 's"pposes upon his hour-glass Of
time their incffacab bic marks. a
But there are things which do not
die, neither can Oblivion bury them;
and these are the immutablo ideas;
tae imperishable onories; the en-
fblems anr symbols that mboidy
living and undyihg principles. These
arc what the mere c,hranologist reg
lccts, and the student rarely is
taught to consider But when great
principles arise out of this chronal-
ogical cha, ehaas. J. appa. AZ d. sweep like the
spirit of God over the, " aters, there
isno need for Omuipotcncc to say,
r'...l.ct there be lisht,,'ls iars ,therc Is
light ~ g.
With these ideas in the ascend
ant'ltt 4; contemplate tie objects,
land history p. Masonry. Y The fact
of its remote antiquity is establish
ed beyond cayil. That it's age has
not been one OF error and crime, at
this day and age Of the world, ought
to be so we'll established as to need
no word of Ti6dication.. \ We are
taught that those principles arc the
best, the noblest, and purest, an,
Iestitled 'toothe highest admiration
of the best men Of all ages, whicl
have Undergone the seycrcst tests,
because if they, contained errors,
they would in tho very nature 0:
things be exposed by tests and or.
deals, and repndiated from the
knowledge ane application of tl.os.
tests. In every age, Frecma sonry
has in various ways had these tests
iapphed by generation after genera
ton, each claiming it as an impera
tive duty, to subject This ancient
Institution, with other vestiges %
antiquity to such trials as shoul,
decide not, Il senl Fits useiulnsss Is ar
organization, but its influence o,
hanhna. 9..8 { t.RG9 ID IN
The church bas:teEelcd its Can
ons at the, Fraternity, pouring
its bitter and burning ~anath.ma.
upon it's defenders; civil government
has in almost every age aud country
put it upon its trial. Yet boelfhis
tory and tradition in all the ages o1
the past fail to connect the Mason
ic body in any conspiracy any where
to usurp tho just province Of tho
church. OF, oyerturn and destroy the
.arn.c~,ock ~ ,,,l:.,1, -,