Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1865-1872, 1868-01-24

cient fraternity.
In rejecting upon Masonry in its or
ganixed form, the contempative mind will
be foreibly impressed with the antiquity
of the Order One viii feel that an insti
tuition which had its origin in the dim
twilight Of departed ages, amid the most
thrilling events of the worlds history,
and that has withstood the storms, the
revelations aud the fierce persecution of
many long centuries. must have truth for
It's foundation. While instability. forms
long, sad chapter on the page of history,
il is the glory of Masonry that she is now
in her distinctive character, what she was
in the days Of the ancient prophets.
priests aud kings Masonry may be con
sidered in two-fold aspect-theoretical
and practical; the one originating in mans
physical wants, the other in his moral
wants.
In the Garden Of Eden man knew no
painful hunger nor thirst; he was not
scorched by heat nor chilled by cold. In
his pathway no thorns were found. No
exhausting sweat broke from his aching
brow. When.
The fruit Of the forbidden tree,''
he forfeited his primeval- home Of bliss
and purity, he bade adieu TO Paradise aud
looked upon the wide world before him,
black with the smoke of the curse, aud
dark with the cloud Of future woe. Ills
descendants felt the orphanage Of their
condition. From the cold of winter they
sought the caves of earth From the
heat Of summer they sought the shade of
some embowered grove In seeking an
artificial shelter adapted alike TO shield
from the heat and from the cold aud from
the storm, mans inventive genius FIRST
conceived the primitive tent, then the
rude cabin, afterwards the costly mansion
and the gilded palace. When the posteri.
~ of Noah became numerous people,
they gradually extended over the noun
tains the vallies aud plains of Armenis
The patriarch oil the new world transmitted
to his children knowle ledge of Architec-
lsre The scieuce of which existed before
the Flood. At length, in the days OF
PeIeg, each branch Of the family Of Noah
went to that part of the earth TO which it
had been assigned by tho Almighty.
Soon after this, we read of their building
villages, towns aud cities. The rufus Of
many an ancient city, the moss. covered
column OF many dilapidatea temple, the
fallen triumphal arch dug from the rub
bish of ages, found ia oriental lands, at
test 10 Us OF this day the exquisite skill
aud taste of the ancient architect. When
the traveller visits tho deserts Of Egypt
aud gazcs upon the mighty Pyramids that
stand before him in solemn, silent gran
deur; when he walks upon the banks OF
the Nile. aud wanders among the ruins of
cities once proud and busy on its shores;
when he visits the more magnificent
ruins Of classic Greece, Ct Persia, aud of
the Holy Land with what deep interest
does he ask, Who were the builders of
these mighty works?
History informs US that, anciently,
when one nation riumphed in victory
over another, the yanquished were reduced
to state OF slavery; their wealth and
labor were applied to the building of ten
Piles, pyramids, palaces aud other monu-
ments, to crafty tho national vanity of the
yiclors. Hence arose speculative Masonry,
hfAh tVt a. VI toHtiN0 Ht'Ettf
toiliug beneath the rays of a burning sun,
tasked by unleeling masters, cut oil from
the means of instruction; no way OF teach
ing their children the history of the past,
nor OF inspiring hope for the future. Such
prisauons led the more enlightened 70 de-
vice some way by which to escape the ''com
mon Danger aud find 'cOmmon safety"
They devised measures for mutual protec-
tion, founded on the principles OF brotherly
love aud charity. Tho moral lessons OF
those virtues were obvious to all. Truth
is more lorcibly impressed upon the mind
when illustrated By sensible objects; hence
these lessons we're emblematlcaliy taught
and their obligation enforced.
At the building of King Solomon's
Temple, associations for mutual relief
assumed moro compaetness OF form aud be
eamo more specified in purpose. BY the
wisdom Of the king, IL was directed that
the working implements OF the craft should
be adapted as 80 many emblems of virtue.
The temple Of Solomon exceeded all others
Ia costliuess aud magnihccnce. We may
infer It's greatness from tho immense mum.
ber of pcrsons engaged in its erection.
There were employed ia its building,
three Grand Masters, three thousand
oyersoers OF Master Masons, eighty thou
sand fellow crafts aud seventy thousand
entered apprentices. IL required seven
years to build this temple. When the
building was completed aud dedicated to
the service OF God. the time came for
those who had worked so long together in
harmony to separate. Before bidding
adieu to the scenes with which they had
been long familiar, aud which had been
rendered dear To them by many lond
memories. they adopted, by mutual eon-
seat, certain words, signs aud symbols by
which they might be able to recognize
each other by day or by night, wherever
they might thereafter meet This sym.
bolic language has beon sacredly preserved
aud faithfully transmitted FROM aye to age.
We a. Masons, speak the same mystic
language to-day that was spoken by our
fathers in tho days when the beauty of the
tomplc was the glory of Mount Zion.
For example, the ro,oei was given to
spread the cement of brotherly love; the
teeet us token Of our equality before God;
the squire NJ test Of virtue. Based up
on such principles thus indicated, these
associations were formed. They were
governed BY laws enacted in the free exer.
else Of their enlightened Judgment. The
virtues OF faith, hope, charity, wisdom,
la. A L.