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

- teacher and .enfosess upon its mem.
bers the existenoe Of, and our duty 10
nThs Great Creator Of all.' Directipg
Ss, ,5iu the laSsusse of othsss. bettSf
versed than jour speaker, .'to behas6
oarselyes,aa heesasss- ;eysasssss TO their
Oreatof--to BE satSaSd' witt his dispan..
sstioss. siyayp 70 rely upon Him vhsss
ES3z4s 4Sfp tresr hapRi1Sss,
and whose goodness will not vnnssss:
sasiiy iuterrspt e." With1svss4.tiaf
lgratithds, sAsssAary % SotshiD tAs
Creator Of ali good, tsaehing us thas
when wssesk b a Rsysse4pi piaas ssd
pAiy then, wfli ths sdiAos No erect. md
the result W seosmplish DO beautiful
Iufshe second place, it ipstfuoe. rs
10 our duty to the State. It commands
aud directs ps to uhs peaesable suhjeets,
Is know neither party n6f faction and
spiraoies." ~ ~ s
In tho. 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 deceived TO
tell him the truth, ifunjustly reproach-
ed and neglected, to comfort his soul and
soothe it to tranquility. It teaches us
not to injure him in any of his connec.
tiona, but in all our dealings with him
to act with justice and impartiality.-
Il bidi us not to circulate any Whisper
Of ,infamy--improve any hint Of suspi-
oion or publish any failure of conduct
against himj 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--ucver to
deceive him who relies upon us--to be
above the meanness of dissimulation, to
let the words of odr months express the
thoughts Of our hearts, aud whatsoever
we promise religiously to perform. 1t
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 worms our hearts with true philan.
thropy, which directs us mover to permit
a wretched fellow creature, much less a
brother, to pass unnoticed. IT makes
us stifle strife, enmity, wrath and
and nourishes love, peace,
friendship and every sociel virtue. 1t
tells us to seek our. happiness in tho
happiness we bestow, and to love our
as ourselves.
It informs US that We are all the,
children of one father, that man is an.
infirm, short-lived creature, who passes
away like a shadow-that he is hasten.
ing to that place where human titles
aud distinctions are not considered
where the trappings of, pride will be
taken away and virtue alone have the
pre.eminence. Riches aud poverty, the
pride Of place and power, and tho fan
cied humility oftoil 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 aud bigotcd
notions, and teaches US never to suffer
sectarian or religious disputes in our
Lodges, that as Masons we are members
Of an Order not narrowed to sect, and all
"who fearcth God, and worketh right
eousncss," whether Christians or Jews,
We receive and acknowledge as brcth-
ern, and though We may take different
roads to that "bourne whencc no travel
Ter returns" We are taught not to be an.
cry with or perseouto eoch other on that
account. We mean to travel to the
same place, We know that tho end of
our journey IL the same, aud we all
atfeotionatsly hope to meeet 10 the same
Great Lodge of the "just made perfect"
Aud last Of all, it instruots Us 10
our duty to ourselves. It teaches us "to
set just bounds to our desires, to put
curb upon onr sensual appetites and to
walk uprightly."
Such are the principles aud the
duties which our Order, in its rules and
regulations, its signs and symbols, its
charges aud lectures, aud its By-laws
and Constitution, teaches hor children.
Are they such as should merit your
aud your encouragement Z Is
there aught' upon which,you could fix
your opposition, or which you could
wish eradicated 2
Is not all calculated to make of our
people better men, better husbands, bot
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 priuci.
Piles, is not only capable Of being per-
verted but often by tho base and design.
ing, who, viper-like, sometimes creep
into its bosom, is Hisused and abused.
But because it Is capable Of being per-
verted because it is sometimes ,nisused
and abused is no reason why it should
not bo supported and encouraged, and no
proof that'it is not calculated to pro-
mote the welfare aud happiness of pun.
Every thing good may bo abused aud
psrverted. The Legitimate object Of the
printing press ia, by transmitting and
diffusing knowledge, to improve, enligh-
ten aud oivilize mankind aud yet 1t is
often made. the vehicle Of abuse, the
pauder to vice aud the minister to the
dopraved and worse passions Of men |!
Though it is, as it is called "the great