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

i ,r5vIyS.Ss ~ tS>h
r3 teaches and enforce upon its mem.
bers the existence OF, and our. duty 10
HHThs Great Creator Of ALL" Directipx
Ss, In ths slAaguske sof oshsrsl. bettSf
versed than your speaker, .'to behave
oarselves,as beeo1ss lsyeas4ses 10 their
Oreator-.to IS Satti&Sd viii his dispan,
satioss, siways 70 rely upon Him vhoes
>wjS slqtee skS sas happa1S ~,
and whose goodness will not Vnpsess.
sasily istsrfape IT, WitA1svsrsptial
kratftnds ehssff6Tly 70 8otshiD the
Creator Of aii good, teaehing us that
when wsterk b >Ais, psytse plens, ead
only then, viii the sdiAees we ersst md
the result ws aecsmpiish be beautiful
aRd everlasting. =. IS ~ ~. II =
xnshs ssSoad place, it ipstfuces 'us
10 our duty to the State. It commands
and directs us to "ba psaeeable aubjects,
to know neither party n6t faction and
never to be concerned 10 plots and COM
spiracies." -. -
In the third place, it instructs us In
our duty to our neighbor, and especial.
ly to our brethren. It commands us
to stretch forth the hand Of relief to
him, if he be in necessity ifin danger,
10 run to his assistance, If ,decie ieved TO
tell him tho truth, if funjustly reproaoh.
ed and negleoted. to comfort his soul and
soothe it to tranquility. It teaches us
not to injure him in any of his connec.
tions, but 10 all our dealings with him
to act with justice and impartiality.-
It bids us not to circulate any Whisper
Of infamy--improve any hint OF suspi-
cion or publish any failure of conduct
against him; but enjeins upon US
to tell him, in love, Of his errors and
encourage him in the right. It orders
Us to be faithful to our trusts--ncver to
deceive him who relies upon us--to be
above the meanness Of dissimulation, to
let the words of our months express the
thoughts of our hearts, aud whatsoever
we promise religiously to perform. It
teaches inviolable secrecy, bids US never
to discover our mistic rights to the un-
enlightened, nor betray the confidence
a brother has placed in US.
1t warns our hearts with true philan.
thropy, which directs US mover to permit
wretched fellow creature, much less a
brother, to pass unnoticed. 1t makes
us stife strife, cnmity, wrath and
dissension, and nourishes love, peace,
friendship aud every sociul virtue. 1t
tells US to seek our happiness in the
happiness we bestow, and to love our
peighbors as ourselves.
It informs US that We are all the,
children Of one father, that man is an.
infrm, short-lived creature, who passes
away like a shadow-that he is hasten.
ing to that plaoe where human titles
aud distinctions are not considered
where the trappings Of pride will be
taken away and virtue alone have the
.eminence. Riches aud poverty, the
pride Of place aud power, and tho fan
cied humility of.oil are alike ignored
and With US there is no title to prefer
ment but that of merit.
In the fourth place, it directs us to
divest ourselves Of confined and bigotcd
notions, and teaches US never to suffer
sectarian or religious disputes in our
Lodges, that as Masons we ore members
Of an Order not narrowed to sect, aud all
"who fearcth God, and worketh right
eousncss," whether Christians or Jews,
We receive and acknowledge as breth-
crn, and though we may take different
roads to that "bourne whenoc no travel
Ter returns" we are taught not to be an.
cry with or perseoute each other on that
account. We mean to travel to the
same place, we know that tho end Of
our journey il tho same, and we all
affeotioaatsly hope to meeet 10 the same
Great Lodge of the "jast made perfect" "
Aud last Of all, it instruots Us in
our duty to ourselves. It teaches us "to
set just bounds to our desires, to put a
curb upon onr sensual appetites and to
walk uprightly."
Such are the principles and the
duties which our Order, in its rules and
regulations, its signs and symbols, its
charges and lectures, aud it's By-laws
and Constitution, teaches hor children.
Are they such as should merit your
approval aud your encouragement Is
there aught| upon which you could fix
your opposition, or which you could
wish eradicated ?
Is not all calculated to make Of our
people better men, better husbands, bet
ter brothers, better friends and better
citizens?
Such, We repeat, are our principles
We claim not perfection for them nor
for our Order. And we admit, while we
regret it, that, like every thing good,
our institution, with its enobling prinoi
Piles, is not only capable Of being per-
verted but often by the base and design
ing, who, viper-like, sometimes creeI
into its bosom, is naisused and abused.
But because 1t is capable Of being per.
verted because it is sometimes misused
and abused is no re son why it should
not be supported and encouraged, and nc
proof tliat'it is not calculated to pro-
mote the welfare aud happiness of pan
Every thing good may bo abused aud
perverted. The legitimate object Of tho
printing press is, by transmitting and
diffusing knowledge, to improve, enli gh-
ton and oivilize mankind aud yet it il
often made the vehicle Of abuse, the
pander to vice aud the minister to the
depraved and worse passions of men
Thouoh IL ia. aa IL ia called "the great