The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1871-09-23
.sDEAD MAsONS."
BY BRO. W. b. MRLIUS !.


THERE are those who do not live.
In every Masonic lodge can be |
found Masons who are dead to all
the highest purposes OF Mason's
life They simply vegetate-eat,
drink and absorb what they can
get OF the substance Of others -
They add nothing to the &C mmon
stock Of pleasure or Of good in the
society of which they claim mem
bership. They have no hand TO
help on any occasion, no word OF
cheer for the brethren Of activity
and enter rprise, in fact, very little,
If anything commendsble.
They sit still, or il they show
signs of life at all, it is to drag
themselves across the path of pro-
gress in such way as to check
the passing current. If such
brethren have their use, as they
doubtless have, it is, in the econ
omy of affairs, that of testing the
strength and patience Of live breth-
rem N passing over and around
their dead bodies.
Masonry! what is it, il tt is not
progressive profession3 The
end at which it aims is human per
fection, and in striving to attain it,
there must be constant battle
with ignorance, prejudice, passion
and superstition. II we have
abundance OF charity, with plenty
of zeal, We dare to stand in the
open field ready to move upon the
oppcser Of our institution, drive
back the foe, capture his strong
hold, and dictate peace to him as
a conquerer. The living dead Ma
son is nowhere go much out of
place as in the lodge and yet we
have dead MasoLs in New York
State; some in every county one
or more in every lodge. Notice
the marks by which we know them.
Masonry now has creditable lite
rature 1t is easy TO collect hum
dred volumes in English, apper-
tanning directly to the Craft. Some
twenty magazines are published
throughout the country. and as
many more papers, filled with the
doings of our institution through
out the globe, besides abundant
reading matter for the most fastidi.
Gus.
The Master or any officer who
takes an interest in the growth Of
his lodge, feels interest in the one
who says II come seeking, and
want more light" If he can feel
in the slightest manner that his
mission is to benefit that one, he
will surely find means Of procur-
ins and reading some Of these
books and papers. But there are
those who do not. and who would
not, if they grew spontaneous. go
to the trouble of picking them off
the trees that stand by the highway
or street along which they crawl
on their way to the lodge. Their
whole life seems to tend to dry up
the stream of life in others.
t These "dead" Masons seldom
attend regular meetings if they
can help it. but if forced to attend
their ears are deaf to what is said,
their eyes are blind to what is
4 done; they sit, but do not even
look. The two pillars with the
pedestal placed before the Master
could not be more Indifferent and
yet these brethren are without
knowledge, while, like the miser' s
money, it is corroding for want Of
use.
Those who sit next to one G
those torpid fellows in the meet
ing, invariably grow cold by the
contact. Even the eye of The
Master. full of life and Gre, AZ he
nrs es the brethren, or inspires then
with or ater zeal in the perform
ance of known duty, necessary 70,
The elevation OF the Order, loses
its lustre as it rests for momen
upon the cold, blank countenanc'
OF the dead Mason before him
The dead Mason has a certai,
amount of exercise that he follow
day after day with as little varia.
ton as ii he was turning the cranl
Of grindstone. II the lodg
runs he has no right to have an,
anxiety, only he don't want to-
IT any members to get sick, or die
for lear the funds may run shor,
au: that the dues for another yea
will be raised.
Tue joys and sorrows, ~ishe
and wants of the lodge are moth
ing to him He hopes everything
will "come out right" II he i
placed on committee, he attend
TO it with the mo { melancholy in
terest. AMI is sue to forget to 1e
iort at the proper time.
often think my dear, "d.ai
b o;her, that YOU made a gres
mistake in thinking the institu,ic
called you member, or that
is benefited thereby, ald fea
when the Master calls for the Dc
signs upon 'he trestle-board c
Your life, it will be found unfinisl