The Van Buren press., 1873-07-01
OF X OBJECTS

] OI conscience 'tiilIR H0 HlHf iDdsttE Saw
| the Maker of us all, but holding the God giveI
right of freedom Of thought
Holding To the freedom of conscience, Ma
sorry has passed through hours of blood
shed. Easy now it is to organize benevolent
orders and appear in public. How different
/ In the primariyc period of Masonic history
Kings and Popes prohibited their meeting
Yet these noble men, meeting In silent groves
or rock -ribed caves, preserved the principles
of the Order, and many of them sealed thell
devotion with their blood. rather than bartel
for life their God given rights Of conscience
To-day Brazil presents the picture Of Mason:
fighting the Roman Catholic hierarchy IN de-
tense of the same principle
To send these principles abroad. Masonry
has In every age been the patron of learning
recognizing the truth that Brotherly Love
when spread by the Trowcl of knowledge, /,
the only cement which can hold the moral
fabric together. Masonic colleges dot thl'
land, and her sons can be found in every
faculty of our colleges, and in every field ol
scientific research. While we relieve tn,
widow, we educate the orphan. We would de-
yelope the mind, and thus open the heart. and
add to the moral strength Of the world, ioi
in knowledge there is power"
II is sometimes objected that while these
principles are good, many Masons do not car
ry them out. We are forced to the necessity
Of admitting the tact, but we ask you though
Judas was traitor, not to condemn Christ and
the Apostles Because you have In some in
stances found the counterfeit, do not reject
the genuine, but realize the fact that the eX-
istehce Of the counterfeit is but renewed
proof Of the genuine. Never try principles
by the individual actions of men. but always
bring the actions up and measure them by
principle. If you find a man who does moi
! live mp to these principles and yet PROCESSES
to be a Mason. judge not our Order by an nn-
worthy man, but weighing his actions and il
found wanting let the Stigma rest upon him.
We should feel encouraged, Brethren, at the
rapid development OF our principles. Broader
demand has resulted in greater facilities for
the propagation of the principle OF Brotherly
Love. Whatever may be the success of other
Orders, their very existence is due to Masonry
! behold before me to-day the representa-
tiyes of two OF the most promising olT-shoots
OF the parent stem.
We look upon the gentlemen knights who
are with Us, and faney'S swift and tireless
wing bears us back to days of valor, and ages
of chivalry. May be permitted to greet you,
Sir knights, and hail you welcome to the bond
of noble brotherhood, 'Iis true YOU are but
in the infancy of yeur history, fair pages, un-
touched, are spread out before you. and we
fondly hope you will write nothing unworthy
the common brotherhood of man. We say.
we nope llll7-ItI Tue OpoflUD qua now gives
promise ofa luscious fruit.
look again and see the representatives of
the oldest Branch that spring. fpem the pa
rent Tree, 1t is an odd Branch, yet at all
times ready to admit 1.-TWO better than one. "
odd fellow though he is we hail him the fair
est and noblest child Of venerable mother
\ OIL, Brethren, represent an Order which has
passed its infancy grown into full manhood,
and we see your beautiful banner, llung to the
breeze, while upon it is the noble motto /:
Friendship Love and Truth.
We Eail you thrice welcome to-day, TO this
reunion Of our noble Orders, and bid you God
speed in the noble work, in which trust we
are all engaged,-that is the elevation OF man.
We fondly hope that we will all realize the
fact, that our cause is enc, and that while we
work under different charters, yet we are one
family.
Now, Brethren, we have published to the
world our principles and objects, 80 far AZ n
Master may labor, and we should remember
that the world will Judge the Order by the ac-
tionS of its members. May remind you that
an Entered Apprentice is charged to be wise
to be truthful to be teinperatc-tO be hon
est--to be prudent. IT. then, these things be
charged YOUTH, what should be expected
from AGE? TO propagate the principles OF
our Order we must be Masons.
What j. u Mason? ! answer: a man who
stands to the PLUMB or INTEGRITY. whose ac-
tions may he squared hv the SQUARE OF NIR-
TUE, who recognizes the fact that he is tray
cling apon the IEvEL oF TINE, under the
ALL-SErING EYE sF GOD, and that the sands
of the Hour GLASS remind him that he will
soon reach the Fords of the Jordan, where the
Jealous Angel of Justice will demand cor
rect pronunciation of the word ofSafcty, and
If not properly given will receive the penalty
of law visited upon one who pretend- 20 be OF
Israel and yet is not. "A man who feels that
he cannot be a Drone in the BEE HIVE OF LIFE,
but must use diligence in using the TRowEL
in advancing all noble ends This man s a
MASON AT HEART
In conclusion. there fore. let me ask YOU,
Brethren. so to live. And when the GAvEL
OF God shall sound the death knoll OF time.
and call the Graft from Labor it will bo to Re-
freshment. wo will be found in the ARK OF
SAFETY and with the ANCHOR or IloPr, and
be at lat landed in the Grand Ledge OF
Eternal Glory in the Inner Courts, the Holy
of HOLES, and finding the LOsr WORD have
the Pass to admlt us to revcl forever in the
pastures Of eternal felicity.
After the address, the procession was sgan
formed by Grand Marshal II. G. lIayman and
moved 10 Water street and again counter
marched and after escortng the Masonic Fra
ternity to their Hall, the Odd Fellows re.
turned to their Hall, and the knights in fine
style formed platoons and broke ranks.
We cannot refrain from saying that the
performance of Tuesday, taken altogether,
was the finest display we have seen in this
State, The kindly feeling manifested by the
various secret orders is highly creditaLlc to
those composing them, and gives the pnbllc
additional confidence in their sterling worth
and great Importance In the community, The
snowy equipments ofth Knights, who acted
as escort added much to the imposing cer--
mony Of the day.
The day was excessively warm but all
things went of pleasantly.
The Van Buren, Cornct Band, as usual, did
themselves credit.
sT' Both of the Fayetteville papers are
mistaken in their statements OF the John Read
case. We gave the facts, as given to us by an