Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1871-03-30


: our own negligence in allowing so
much immortality amongst our
members than from all the anathe-
mas that ever, from ignorance or
fanatical bigotry, have been hurled
against it; its enemies, through
our own inconsiderate acts Of i'm
prudence and negligence, have
been furnished the weapons to as
sail it, and we have thereby weak.
ened the means Of our own de-
fense. A man addicted to deliber
ate profanity, intemperance, gamb.
ling, or any other licentious hab-
it or vice, is not a proper per' on
Cor reception into the fraternity,
much less to be a member thereof,
unless he reforms Immediately, TOR
such a person may with just pro
priety be classed as an irreligious
hbertine--his habits would at least
entitle him to that credit An in
stitution where the purest of NOR.
ais are taught, where reverence to
the High and Holy God are en-
Joined, should never contaminate
with impure and dcfled elements,
Good and true men revolt at it,
honor and honesty forbid it, and
divine justice will sooner or later
demand full retribution for all such
delinquencies. We have nothing
to fear from outside pressure the
powers Of Church and State, with
the feeble breath of the fanatic,
have been hurled, time and again,
against our noble and time honor.
ed institution, and yet it occupies
nobler and higher position
throughout the world than ever be. /.
fore, and so it will ever continue
to do if yCu will only be just,
and practice outside of the Lodge
those noble preCepts which we are
taught in it. 1t must be apparent
to the mind of a rejecting and con
siderate Mason that his obligations
are of most serious nature. that,
he has voluntarily, and Of his
free will and accord, assumes du-
ties and responsibilities which re-
quire him to obey both divine and
moral law; and the nature of these
responsibilities he cannot--uay, he
dare rot--with impunity disregard.
His duty to his God, his neighbor,
his lodge and to himself and fami
T ly, requires not only that he should
obey it, but that he should use all
means in his power to enforce
obedience to that law from every
member of his Lodge. Every insti
tUton, and more particularly ours,
is judged by its individual mem
bers. If any of our members are in
temperate, profane or immoral,
men, our Order must to a great eX-
tent, suffer for their action. A
great responsibility rests upon the
Master of a Lodge. He should at
least be possessed Of all the cardi
nal virtues: temperance, fortitude,
prudence and justice. How can the
Master of a Lodge teach morality
and virtue and expect his mem
bers to follow those teachings,
when, perhaps he is Incorporate,
rofane. licentious and immoral in
his habits? If so, he is false to
his God, false to himself and his
Lodge, violating his obligation, vi
olating his promises he made at
his installation. He stands be-
fore his Lodge perjured man.
Such a man is unworthy the name
Of Mason, ard ought not to be al
lowed to preside over Lodge Of
Masons, He cannot expect ohedi
ence to our laws from his members |
if he violates those laws with i'm
punity. A man ought not to be a
Master over others who is not
Master over his own habits and I
passions. Such Master would |
not be the proper person to en-
force this edict Of the Grand Lodge, |
unless he Immediately reforms, and
if he does not reform, upon
proper information being sent
to me l will deem it my duty TO i'm
mediately suspend him from office,
as being unworthy and incapable
of difusing that light and knowl
edge due from a Master to his |
Lodge, and | hope no brother,
through fear or favor, will hesitate
to inform if the Master Of his
lodge is profane, intemperate, or
guilty of any licentious or immoral
habits. 1t is a duty every good |
man owes to himself and his
Lodge to see that none be elected
to office hut good men and true
To the end that our institution does
not suffer by the election to office
of who will bring censure and
reproach upon oGr Order it is nee~
essary that we should commence
ut the Master of the Lodge. If he
is moral man he can command
the respect and esteem Of his breh-
ren; If he is immoral, the first
thing to be done will he to relieve
him from office. And it is hereby !
made the imperative duty of the
Masters of the several Lodges in
our jurisdiction, and they are here
by ordered and enioined to use all
the powers of moral suasion, broth
erly love and kindness to induce
the erring brothers to refofm; use
all the arguments and entreaties in
your power. talk to him as you Z
would to your own brother or your j
only son. as Won would like to I
- eALaur fo1b 20 x,o4, if xrou yVprp