The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-10-15

fair reputation of his order, and will
avoid rything which may tend to sully
the institution which he venerates on
account of its exalted teachings. Those
cast.aways were taught better; were
| charged, in the most impressive manner,
that every brother ought to hold dear
the four cardinal tncs-tcmpornnco,
fortitude, prudence and justice. Yet,
while we do not and cannot deny that we
have at times admitted members whom
we were afterwards compelled to discard,
on account of their faiIings, very many
have been induced to forsake the path OF
vice, and, raised by the strong arm o:
| Masonry, have been given back to the
| world. useful and honorable men. The
outside world, watching our foibles on
every step, sees only the dark side, while
it remains Ignorant of the happy changes
wrought by us. and if it knew it, it ,uoult.
not be .ciNing TO gire as credit, for the
multitude takes peculiar delight to dc
tract from real merit.
But we do not congrcgato for socinl
purposes only; we huve much higher
for the sake Of moral improvement, be-
cause it is our object to make man better;
in other words, to make perfect ashlar
out of q rough one, just AS these masons
have done here, with the chisel and ham
mer. This very cornerstone, now bcnu-
tiful to the eye. when brought here from
the quarry in it's rough state, was un-
slightly to behold. All its sides were
rough; but tho repeated strokes of the
hammer, the frequent application Of the
square, have made it what it is: fair,
true and well-tried cornerstone, to lie
nndisturbed for centuries, and speak to
future generations Of our skili and in
dustry.
Ii those rough ashlnrs yonder, des-
tined for the use uf this building, have
but one flaw, the workmcn full in all
their attempts to mako thom perfect
yet how many flaws has the human heart!
Is it, then, to DO wondered at, that in
spite of our best endeavors, wo at times
fail to make man better? II the opera
tive mason discovers a flaw, which q
certain hollow sound indicates to him,
he ceases to work, and rejects tho stone
as unit; 1t is thrown among the rubbish.
Dare we do the same with our material
when found defectivc? Has not our ma
terial All immortal life? We, therefore,
must continue to work, although We
often find the ground unprepared to re-
ceive the seed, which can only bear good
fruit when it is sown into the we'll worked
ground. Our efforts never relax, for
what we fail to accomplish to day we
may effect tomorrow. When the seed
does quicken mono can tell, for it is
wonderfully wrought in secret. is left
to Him alone who fashioned the seed,
| each after its own kind. Let us then,
brethren, never despair if we fail to see
the fruit come to maturity at once; let
us use the hammer incessantly, until We
| accomplish what our operative masons
here to-day present to our view. this
perfect ashlar, this truo corners stone
For the little charity which va spend,
we claim no credit, because it is duty
devolving upon all men, although vio-
lated by those whose hesrts are harder
than this granite. Oar motto is. lot not
the left hand know what the right hand
does. and therefore We do not parade
our charitable acts, proferring that they
should remain unobserved by by-stand-
ers. We will. therefore, not lift the veil
that hides our charitable deeds.
Masonry serves as bond IT union,
because it brings men into fratcrnal in.
tercourse, who would have otherwise re-
mainea at a perpetual distance" Ours
is not selfish union, for it is open tc
all who come well recommended. The
king meets his ,ubiect on tho same Level
platform; rink and distinction are laid
aside in the lodge. The hamm knocks
off these human frailties; the poorest
and the richest. tho highest and the
lowest are seated side by side. The
king divests himself of his purple and
becomes brother, for royalty weighs
nothing in the Masonic balance
Masonry opeus doors that would other
wise be shut. Many Of you, my hearers,
havo gone to strange places where none
knew you. and you felt lonely. It is
otherwise with us; for wherever We &C
we meet brethren, and are received at
brethren.
| Masonry teaches liberation. 1t teaches
us not to persecute men who may differ
from us in opinion, and to respect them
although their peculiar views may clash
with our own. The weakness to con
denim any one on account of bis creed
or politics, has been the cause of hatred
and feud; but men will no! learn that the
opinion of others may be as good as
their own, or at least entitled to their
regard.