The Van Buren press., 1874-01-06
a DDRESS I.
G WILCOX

ADDRESS:
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN -
Another Masonic year has passed
away, and We again assemble to witness
the Impressive ceremonlais OF our beloy.
ed Order Another year is added 10 the
dead past and Masonry has passed one
more cy elc in its earthly life, and added
another period of labor to the many,
many periods that have been accounted
10 us for good or evil, in the great here
after, Tue Graft have not been idle for
the past twelve months, but have been
busy giving practical cXempliicaliuns Of
our teachings We havc---as far as our
means wou!d perm.t-not brcn uamimd-
tal oi the "idow and the orphan Where
the household Gods nave brea rade Y
broken by Death, the great lconoclasl,
we have been ever ready 10 soothe the
troubled breast, and 10 endcavur to ill
the aching void, with hopes given us by
the Author OF OR being We have great
cause 10 bc thankful Ia the Grand Mas
ter above, that in His mercy, lie has
spared So many of His wOrkmpn, and
has srea tit 10 draw further designs III ON
our lre,sel Boards To guide us in our
Lahors IN carry ing out HIS plans. One
beloved brother lails to answer to our
Roll Call his Working Tools are Idle
The sprig Of Acacia has been planted and
the brethren mourn According to our
custom. we paid the last solemn tribute
to his memory, and with gentle hands
lad him IN that narrow home that finally
bounds all earthly greatness.
During the past year the sickle of
Death has been LuSy il Shreveport aud
Memphis The victims of the telrb. e
scourye, are numb red hy thousands
Homo circles have been brokrn-sumc.
wholly drstrolr To alleviate the sui
terinss Of these unfortunate people. the
Masonic, in unison with other sister char
table associations, has been Liberal II,
aid, both by tie personal services oi
Rreihrcn aad contributions OF money
The plague has been driven of by the
bl'ns !tos', OF winter bu, il is tlMn
has l,ft gloom, drsulalion aud despair.
Calls upon The charitable have not vet
ce srd. and Masonry has not yet finished
its labor in that field.
On occasions like the present, it is Gus.
tomarl tor brother 10 deliver an ad
dress upon some appropriate subject.
These occasions having been SO often re
pcaicd. It is no easy matter to s., Ice, Il
subject that has not already been treated
~ il In 1 :.
beaten paths, 50 there IS danger of being
found With an inanpropr,a SUI j1ct on
the one hand, or OF becoming iiIvs met,
commonplace ON the other.
Frecmasonry OF to-day, being purely
and entirely speculative. It's hhors alc
directed To sharpening men nc ions b, in
slrhcting the mind a.:d filling the heart
with moral prercpts Its teachings EN-
brace all the liberal sciences, rs well ~
the pure morality of the Holy Bible.
We find man distinguished from The
lower orders Of creation. by heing en-
dowcd with mental faculties. called com.
monty reasoning powers, of such char
ac,er that their expansive power is TN.
limited and their depth uniathonab.c. 10
the brute creature, there may be given
some reasoning power, but il is decided !
~ limited. and susceptible Of lil,le ex |
pansion. While We call this power in I
stinct, yet we are forced to conf, So that |
ANIMALS arrive at conclusions hv n Jrioyj |
reasoning, just us man does Ileox or
horse. and other animals, will certainly |
return TO the usual feeding place, az, |
at The usual time This cannot be in.
slinc', else they would not change this
habit to other places and other times, al
the pleasure ol their Owners. The reason.
ing powers of the dog, mans most faith.
rul companion, can hardly be questioned.
But the intellect, il We may so call il, in
the lower animals easily reaches its
greatest cNpai sioa, whiIe IN man It 5 uu.
imi,cl. The gigantic results OF the men
tai labors 81 Ia day, are lar ahead OF the
last century, while we may reasonably
expect the future wisdom of the world
will account our wisdom rs folly. Hence,
We liad it 10 be utterly impossible to dl.
vine the iull capacity OF man mind.
encourages the stuHy OF The LTD
eral arts and sciences, and encourages its
devotees 10 continue to heap up stores
of golden thought. and add 10 the grea,
mass of accommodating wisdom, believing
the world grows better as it increases in
wisdom.
IL is, and should be, the desire OF all !
Masons 10 become intelligent Masous. /
and intelligent citizens. While we rev
erenlly cherish the traditions Of our Or. |
der. beautiful and grand as they are. we
shouIi not forge; ,la, the Master Of the
household has given us is servants
talents to he used aud improved 1t
dues nut become us 10 iol| them IN The
napkin nf indolence and Indifference. but
we should put them 1T interest, that we
may rvSl tAat Nc deserve tie eommsuda