The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-06-25


ST.. JoHN's Yesterday, the
24th Of June, was the day dedicated
to st. John the Baptist, one OF the
patron saints OF the Masonic Order.
'In The middle ages, says a Ma
sonic iexchange, 'severyl aiiild svas In
corporated, and had It's own officers
and regulations, as well as peculiar
privileges accorded to il by the.
lsoyereign. 1t had its general meet-
ings on stated days, but there was
always one day more honored than
the rest--the festival that ,is in the
calendar appropriated TO q particular
saint. Of which each corporation had
one. The Masonic body are more
fortunate, for they have two patrons.
viz: st. John the Baptist and st.
John the Evangelist.
"On the Oath, all over Europe and
America, the Masons meet and cele-
hrste the festival of st. John the
Baptist. On these occasions, speech
es are made, eulogizing this ancient
order, its great prosperity in modern
times, its glorious principles, its
faith, its hope, its charity, the many
good deeds that it has done, which it
blazons, not upon the house-tops,
but OF which correct record is kept
by the Almighty Architect, in the
Grand Lodge on high, and which
will be displayed on the great day as
bright jewels set upon the breasts Of
the Kings and Priests of the Eternal
Temple of Jehovah.
In these days of decentralization in
Church and State, it may not be
amiss on this occasion to revert
briefly to Q distinguishing character
istie of this man while in the flesh.
His uncompromising fidelity. The
exigencies of our times demand this
moral element as truly as did those
of the, day and generation in which
this herald of the Prince of Peace
acted his part in the worlds grand
drama. Temptations to compromise
truth and principle are more than
ever powerful. Judges have soiled
the ermine, statesmen given the lie
to previous records, and preachers
pandered to prejudice cater still to
the popular tastes and the temporal
interests of their hearers. Such
should learn of st. John: Know the
truth; and, knowing, dare maintain.
-<~%$-s
The YOUTH OF THE SoUTH.-A
writer in the New Orleans Times thus
vindicates the young men of the
South:
"Upon thousand fields of battle
they performed heroic deeds of valor,
which will ever live upon the bright
est page of history, while since the
conflict of arms ceased, they have
almost, without an exception, gone
nobly to work, and are striving might
and main to retrieve their shattered
and broken fortunes. The whole
history of the world does not afford
more striking example of manly
resignation to existing circumstances,
and heroic determination to recon
struct their desolated country, than
the young men of the South have ex-
hlbited since the war in every depart
ment of industry.
Thousands who were reared in
affluence and case can now be seen
tilling the fields of corn and cotton,
and doing the work of their former
slaves.
elm the workshops, counting
rooms, mercantile houses, schools
and colleges, the young men of the
South have been diligent, faithful
and energetic.
'If some have preferred the paths
of science to other occupations. by
becoming lawyers, doctors or mer-
chants, it is extremely unkind in the
Picdyune to be constantly making
them the subjects of its sneers and
insinuations No country without
men of science and art has ever at
tained to any degree Of civilization.
Why, then, ridicule those attempting
to climb the already difficult heights
Of science?
"It is much more just and enlight-
ened to encourage those who are
striving to qualify themselves to keep
alive the noblo professions among
u.s."