The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1874-03-27
What Masonry Requires of
masOns.

~ %-
Masonry requires of Masons fraterna
confidence, sympathy and love. Ma
sons are taught to cOnfde in eacl
other. And in this world, where there
is 80 much cold suspicion, and jealous
ly, and distrust, is it not cheering IL
feel that there are faithful hearts int
which we can pour our sorrows, ant
griefs, and wrongs, and be assured tina,
they will be met by no sneering repulse
by no frigid exhortation to take care o:
yourself, and to manage your owl
affairs better; but rather with a warm
brotherly sympathy, that is interested
at once for You, ready to s00the, and
counsel, and aid. A Mason always hal
a right which is recognized by a true
brother, to ask for sympathy and aid il
his trials and ~peIplexities, and to fea!
no betrayal, to dread no unkind re.
pulse. In all his relations in life, the
Mason is taught that, on one hand it il
his duty to give, and on the other thai
he has a right to expect, e%0untenance
and assistance from his brethren
Other things being equal, a Mason has
the first claim on a Mason. Of course
there is no right to require a sacrifice OF
the domestic or social relations of life
or to require q crime of self-injury; but
as | have already said, other things be-
ing equal, a Mason is always bound to
prefer q Mason. Is it objected thai
this is a wrong and selfish principle 1
ButhOw liz it sol Is not every man
c%oncious of drawing of affinity towards
sone OF his fe1low-men rather than to
othersY There are some men in whom
you prefer to eontide, with whom you
had rather converse, deal in business,
be associated on more intimate and
friendly relations. than others. You
will aid them as yOn may have Oppor-
.tunity, throw business in their way,
and seek, 50 far as You can, to advance
all their interests. lie there are none
towards whom you feel such procliyi-
ties, no man for whose prosperity and
happiness you feel a warmer interest
than for the mass of mankind, you are
to be pitied as q poor, selfish mortal,
whose social affections have been frozen
by intense worldliness, or being frozen
in a harsh and ungenial nature, have
not been thawed by benovelence and
social sympathy. Now, this genial
sympathy, common TO our humanity in
its higher and nobler types, Masonry
guides along certain prescribed paths.
On some satisfactory grounds every
man has certain preferences and lean
ings towards other men. Now, other
things being equal, Masons prefer Ma
sons. There are reasons why they
should, do so, and in doing so they are
only directing into different channels
those sympathies and encouragements
which must find objects somewhere.
1.-two men sustain to you precisely the
same general relations, and you, by
your influence, can promote the interests
of one of them, you viii give that in
f1uenee in his favor with whom you
have the most sympathy, for whom you
feel the warmest affection. You would
not iniure the other; but your affections
draw your towards your most intimate
friend. Every man is conscious of this /;
nothing more, nothing less. Within
the limits of right, and justice, and
honor, a Mason will always prefer one
to his own serious detriment, or to the.
still more ~endeaTing claims of wife,
and children, and kindred. Masonry
requires no neglectof the laws of natural
and social affection, but it regards
every Mason as a brother, to be honOred,
and aided, and served, and loved, as.
opportunity may be afforded. Like all
other good principles, these may be
neglected, disregarded; i only speak of
what Masonry, in its spirit requires.
Lansing Borroughs.