Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1870-01-06

49, ese>@ SSes ~ 49, CSkAR0nys w oay VI
such persons, what happy faculty they
have Of making Themselves agreeable TO
everybody" and seem altogether upcon-
seious that we ourselves possess the same
faculty, II 1t were only brought into prsc-
tice. And II is whh chserfulness, 90 eve
ry other attainment of the human will, the
moro We euitivste and practice 1t. the
more complete. and easy becomes our
mastery. As cbeerfulness and good feeling
are the promoters of charity, so are they
the landmarks Of religion. A sanctimo-
NOUS face, whining, nasal twang. and q
villainous garb. have long ceased to be an
evidence o. internal piety. They are now
justly regarded as the badge of an igno>
rant superstition, or base hypocrisy.
When . man comes to you with viii
ming cant about the terrible depravity Of
the human race, who thinks the ringing
laugh and merry song are hollow vanlfies;
that the Joyous dance, where happy feet
keep step to the melody of delicious mu
sic 10 the whirlpool Of ruin that the So
cial game, and festal hour are q laments-
bic waste of time, shun him. His fancied
piety is nothing but selfshuese and ego
tism; h1 cant and winnings, the natural
Sh'Wt1 ~ PONttSy LIE
heart 10 q whited scpulcher, beautiful and
dead meas bones, and al uRcleapness. II
should be said of him as Shakespeare says
Of the man, Who hath no music In hts soul,
that he
''rs DC for trsssons, stratsssns. aud spoiis.
1.-THE motions Of his spirit are dull 20 night,
"knd His affections dark Erebus.
"1st no such man BE- trusted"
We learn nothing of this hypocritical
cant about the good things of life in ma
sonry. It's intelligent. and catholic teach.
ings expsnd the soul, and I'll ii with eve.
~ bright and beautiful image. which the
experience of life can give. Its beautiful
symbolism, its wonderful ritual. its grand
history, its exalted tenets. and cardinal
virtues, all tend TO dignity man, and &C.
ment him Into one grand social brother
hood, with kindred synpathies, and affec-
tons. and hearts trained, and ins tructed
TO gather fragrant sores from every flow
eret earth can yieid-
In masonry we are taught to look up
from nature to the Supreme Grand Master
Of the universe, and view with reverence,
and admiration the glorious works Of this
creation; and IN this sublime contempla.
ton, how surely are we taught, that God
delights in the happiness Of his creatures.
Were il not so, why has be clothed this
beauteous earth with flowers and verdue
stretched on It's bosom lake, and river.
mountain, valley and plain Why has he
gemmed the ornament with stars? Why
does the majestic sun pour over all his
food of mellow light, and His clouds drop
down fairness?
II is that man might be blest AMI happy
in this mortal life. God bounieous gifts
to US. are to teach US that we should give
Of our good things to others less favored.
His beautiful creations are designed 10 fill
our hearts with gladness, and inspire 10
us love for the beautiful; and We dis
honor Him when we neglect 10 cultivate
that exalted faculty OF The soul.
Thr humble Nszarene was not ashamed
to bee seen at the marriage feast in Cana,
and his Godlike powers were FIRST exercis-
ed to bless that festal occasion.
Re, whose birthday we celebrate here
tonight, was o man full of genial, and
kindly sympsfhies. He entered into all
the feelings of his fellow men. II were
these qualities which marked him for the
highest distinctions among tie Apostles.
The title of 'the disciple.pest beloved"
the Son of Mary. And masonry apprecia-
ting this, chose him in modern times as
one Of her patron saints, to whom, there's
after, together with St. John the Baptist,
all Lodges should be dedicated. We hon
or the Holy Evangelist by this festal
gathering tc-night, and We will keep In
memory his many virtues, by doing this in
OF him.
Seeing then that our lives are made up
of little things-here n heart-throb, there
Q smile. here tear, there a joy, is it un-
worthy of US to consider these things and
study to increase the grand sum OF hn-
man happiness
He who create smile is the benefactor
of his race he who pours joys into the
heart is doing Gods work he who stills
q heart-throb, or dries tear il doing a
deed of mercy. and love. Whose memory
does not cherish q remembrance OF such
kind Offices? Who has not sometimes
heard song, the melody Of which would
linger in the heart long after him, or her
who sang 1t had slept meath the sod !?
Who has not seen q smile, the light ct
which seemed never tn fade from the soul?
Who has net gathered here and there q
thought, like a waif on the sea-which
filed the soul, and became . part Of it +? |
remember once walking in q strange old
and coming to the grave of a
little child, l read on the stone this in
scrIption:
"'who piucted that nower1' said ihe Gardener,
"As he passed through the garden,
"His fellows answered The Master
"Aud the Gardener held bis peace"
Here, In these few, simple, touching
words was expressed the whole provi>
ience of God towards men. and their duty
10 Him. The words entered into my very
being. and blessed in my heart the per-
son who uttered them
We learn, therefore. that happiness is
not the creature of pomp, and circum-
stance, and wealth. and worldly greatness,
but is the careful cleaning. and gxrpering
Of the little wallis Of bliss, and JOY, that
We find scattered along our pathway.
But man cannot always be happy
dark hours will come. Hours when he
feels Inclined to abandon his best enter
his dearest hopes appeay de-
|usive, hours when he feels unequal TO
The burden, when his aspirations seem
Let no one think that he
Alone has dark hours. They are the CON-
mon lot of humanity, and we often call
man cold when he is only Sad.
Alas how often has this Lodge put on
he badge Of mourning, as one by one the
inks have been riven in our golden chain.
L must ever be 90.
Into each life soms rain must f.n,
"eouse days m1st he dark and dreary-"
But we should not for this reason de-
pond. Shall We less love the rose because
Is bloom fsdeth1 Shall We less enjoy
he sweet breath OF autumn because 1t
nelts into the embrace of cherries win
err Shall the sun be forgotten when
,bscured by clouds7
Life il beautifully compared tn foun-
ain fed by Q thousand streams, that per-
sh Ii ono be dried.
The poet may sing that imam was made
O mourn" but not more 50, imagine,
han that, he was made to rejoice.
10 an accident rather than