The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-10-12

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.pags,of Holy writ, is found its denial.
'AY6shs tie Grand Architect Of the uni
,yerse had. With indnite wisdom formed
This gi66j5 aud fatniyhsaa H with .1tSSy-
thing necessary for life and epjoyment,
'Hat tttslase aseaaed man Ia hisoNh lmsge,
snaoHing him with every faculty and
poWSfs59qtfsite ~fot; che hsppiuess for
which he was designed, and placed him
In Paradise, where every thing sboundsa
for hia sustenancs aad delight, and YET,
all the tssreatriaf beauty and abundance
ofParsdise, and God 10 supply tho wants,
and crafty the wishes Of his nature,
created aud gave him "woman, His last,
best gift" No, not his last nor best
gift, but % gift which. the nature, which
God had formed demahdad for fts.c9na-
plstion--a gift which enabled sAdadi to
exchange tho solitary for the social
life, and an incomplete for more per-
feot bliss. A strong and unanswera.
bic proof, that in man, as he came fresh
from the hand Of God, selfish and mar
row. principles had no share, but with
him TO Communicate blessings, WAS to
increase and. enhance them. And how.
ever much sin may leave yitiated that
nature there is nothing truer, nothing
surer than that man, naturally has re-
course to society, as an essential means
to expand his mind-inorease his joys,
humanize his heart aud alleviate his
sufferings. In this nature, "a nature
given by God, and nature which de.
mands society and association originated
our Order.
Though Masonry is said in this way,
to have originated in the dim
ages Of antiquity, il. never be-
came regular and uniform insti.
tuition under the denomination of free
and accepted Masons, until the build
ing of the Temple, at Jerusalem, by
King Solomon. When that wisest and
greatest of men, in his government Of
and in the rules and regulations adopt
ed for the welfare and success of tie
different classes Of workmen, employed
in erecting that memorable structure,
is said to have given shape and direc-
tion and force to the principles upon
which our Order is based, and to have
originated essentially the forms and
ceremonies and gradations ut'"h we
now practice and abide by.
From this auspicious and almostsupcr
human beginning, with varing success,
through the long ages that intervene,
Masonry gradually mado its way from
one country to another, until now it has
found place in every land aud among
every people, embracing in its rauks
men Of every class aud grade aud com.
plexion. Statesmen, Sages and Conque-
rors arc its advocates. The rich and pow
erful as we'll as the poor and humble are
all bound by it's mystic tie. A tie which
has proved stronger than that which
binds the Miser to his gold, the Warrior
to tho phrcnzy of battle, the King to
his crown, or the Emperor to his throne,
until it has become an universal lan-
guage which reaches the heart Of a
brother Mason with whatever tongue
he speaks, in whatever land he labors,
whatever air he breathes, and finds for
him in every trial friend, and in every
CLINE home. A tender twig years
ago, it is now the sturdy monarch Of the
forest, which bids defiance to the storm.
It cannot be torn up. "Its triple roots
have extended far aud wide and sunk
deep into the Utmost recess of tho hu.
man heart"
Would you destroy itY You cannot.
You may as we'll attempt to arrest the
earth in her orbit. Your opposition, if
opposition you have, comes too late.
1t is now an established institution, one
that has stood and will continue to
stand fast, and unmoved amid tho
changes which have passed over the
world, and, as has been truly said,
"whether good, bad, or Indifferent, you
and the world will have to take it Us you
and it,"
What is it? What kind of on Order
is this 80 deeparootcd and fixed? What
are its principles? What its teachings 2
What likely to be its fruits7 These are
pertinent, practical questions. Ques-
tions which you have q right to ask
and which we shall endeavor to answer.
Lawrie says, "it :is9 an institution
whose object is not only to thform the
minds ofits members by instruoting
them in tho sciences and useful arts, but
to better their dispositions by enforcing
the precepts of religion and morality"
Calcott defines it to be Gan establish>
mcnt founded on tho benevolent inten.
tion Of extending and confering mutual
happiness upon the best and truest
principles of moral and social virtue"
While Jones believes it teaches "a
system Of moral and benevolence more
excellent than that taught by any 9TH
er human institution, because partaking
of the excellencies of ali others moro
practicable and more productive OF
effects on its professors, and enforcing
some of the best precopts of religion,
but these ara mere, de6nitionsY AM
definitions fall short Of defining tho
,Ordor--they, fail to give satisfaction,
both to tho untutored and the initiated.
And while it is. clear that we are o
society at once moral and social, we
must look beyond mere definitions If
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