The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-07-06
Profanity and Hnte1nperamce,

! have had (and am sOrTy to say it) Oc
| caslOn, to reprimand several officers of
lodges, and also members, for profanity
and mtemperance. =
Officers OF lodges. and more particu-
| larly the Masters, should be living ex-
amples of morality: if not, how can they
| expect to impress upon the minds of
others those virtues which it is their
| duty to teach?
| The important position which they
occupy as Masters, must givemore noto-
| rlety to every violation of these virtues.
| A man cannot be u good master over
Others who is not q master over his own
passions and habits.
How can man teach morality when
he does not practice it2 ...
| What effect must it have upon the
candidate to see the Master standing up
| i'll the place of Light, directing the cam
didate's attention to the cardinal virtues.
morality, ETC., when that same candi-
date knows the Master to be profane,
| intemperate, and immoral man?
| This may be delicate question to
bring up at this time, but it is my duty
to do it.
have been frequently asked: What
course shall we pursue toward such a
brother for too frequent use of liquor,
or, perhaps, our Master, who is intern
| peIdC6 anu pIOIdnGI
have answered: Go talk to your
| brother kindly; if he persists in drink
ing, tell him it is q Masonic Offense,
point out the consequences, the result to
himself, the disgrace he brings to his
family
AL agree that intemperance is con-
traTy to, and a violation of, a mans
duty and obligations as a Mason.
Is 1t right, or just, or fraternal to wait
| and see our brother oVerpowered and
murdered by this cunning, deadly, and
insidious fOe-intemperance, and not
raise our warning voice and give the
sign Of danger, when our friend and
brother stands, as it were, on the edge
of the precipice? ~
| We have, most of us, frequently seen
| the demon approach, and realized the
danger, but have too often looked ON
idly, and made ourselves his friend, in
stead of his most bitter enemy.
Let us, hencefOrth, my brethren, re-
solve to do our duty in this matter, and
not stand idly by, and see car brother
pursue q course which will result in ruin
to himself, worse than misery to his
family, and disgrace to our order. Let
us use argument and entreaty with our
brother to abandon his cups, and If en-
treaty and persuasion won't change his
AlhDILSS bllCIL ASSd1 M1lEk lllEL&S dts 1Gi OIltl
Masonic Ofenses; let us first do our
duty.
Profanity is another fashionable evil
which it is our duty to endeayor to cor
rect, particularly among our brethren.
Before a candidate can advance, he
must declare his belief in God; If he
puts his trust in God, as he says, how
| dare he curse that God in whom he
, trusts, in time of trial. It is worse than
| mockery! it does no good to indulge in
J profanity and inteinpeFance. Those are
part of the qualifications of lOafeFs, not
of MaSOns.
All of our lessons teach us different
! code of morals.
Why not practice them, and require
our members to do it also? Intempe-
| rance and profanity are both Masonic
Offenses, and should be so treated by all
Masons. Our institution is judged to a
3 great extent, by the characters of in
{ diYidual members.
/ Let us use every means in our power
. to crush those vices that tend to destroy
/, both body and soul. Let us practice
t what we profess.
E We claim that orr institution is a
: moral one, and all its several features
: inculate morality and virtue taught tC
us at every step we take.
. Twas acquainted with certain brother
: in this State who was very pr0fane
. otherwise a first-rate man and Mason
g Last Fall he was elected Master of hif
/, lodge, was surprised, not but that he
B was In every other way well qualified fol
e it. Shortly after his installation me-
him, and, i'm conversation, allusiOn wat
made to his profanity. He very sOoI
+ satisfied me on that point. He said:
: After the brethren elected me, il
!. thinking matters over, it occurred to lnt
d that could not be just and perform tbs
Y That would not do. Would it not ht
E better to drop that miserable. filthy, low
E habit OF eursingf One or the other
4 must quit
e / F He very soon came to the conclusion
q that, as he had been elected Master owe
!, i that lodge, he would show them that hi
o could and would be master over him
8 self Grand Master NeWcomb, of Ohio
i ----asasa--
e FREEMAsoNRY AS A GUARDIAN
# Every Freemas0n who has been proper
q 1y impressed with the benign principle
d Of the institution, finds himself, al1nos
HnknOWingly, acting as q guardian o
), the families of deceased brethren. iii
+ sees young lady at a party, and pro
" baby learns by accident, and for th
Is first time, that she is the daughter of
v dead brother, whose name he neYe
5 heard before but from that moment Ii
It feels new interest.in in her welfare, an.
ii watches her with d new interest. H
it finds himself becoming interested in th
ISL character of the young man In her com
u pany, and stands ready to guard he
it against imposition. and to aYenge am
1t wrong done her,
lr Hundreds of fatherless daughters hav
l. hundreds of eyes on them which the