The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1874-02-21
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Masonry ana the AAbb0th.
The laws and usages Of Masonry are
ounded upostAA sbssryati0p aid, eie
perience Of our fat6s3, Though many
centuries and countries, and the re-
suits Of their wise counsels have been
beque3thed to our times, in which we
ind rs b6aihent OF wisdom and
Bound principles, forming paramount
basis ofmorals and science upon which
we may safely erect the superstructure
pf our civil and social institutions.
MasonryymlbaaiS 45ckNSietS Ss:
fem OF laws, in an organized govern
tment, complete in all its parts. It
holds an Independent relation to the
Church and State, and all other insti-
buttons on earth. All who unite With
it doso "of their own free will and ac-
cord, and in 80 doing they take upon
thenselvcsa ceyeEant obligations, to
stand To- and abide by the salutary
laws and uaages Of the Order, freely
and williagly, that they may share in
the Msny beRe6s ,tesulting from the
associated brotherhood Sd, Gliw ~
llsthe government of the Order. in
the nature and necessity of the lease,
its fundamental principles aud land
marks mast be most sacredly rreserv-
edsRpQpu yohediapce To- thsss, thu
health and prosperity Of the Order de-
ponds. As these laws and principles
have been tested now for centuries,
and haze sustained the Order and
brought it dowas a to our times and
counfry. with growing strength aud
vigor, we have in this fact one of the
strongest proofs Of the purity and cor
rectness of those principles. q sas ss.ga..
Il is not claimed that our fathers by
the unaided power of reason alone,
had discovered and adopted the prin-
ciples upon which they have erected
the sup< rstructure of Freemasonry;
no, they received and adopt, them as
revelations from God; and because
they are such, they become doubly
valuable and authoritative foe the pur-
poses for which they are employed.
The moral law, as q whole, forms
the foundation of the Order, without
which there could be neither light or
strength in il; but under its wise and
saldtary restraints, the best interests
of the Order and Of society at large
are sacredly preserved. .Ins y1a
One leading obligation in the moral
law is to remember the Sabbath day
and keep it holy" There is much
more involved in keeping the Sabbath
day than the superficial observer Is
aptt0 perceive Msnyao Of the profane
are disposed to look upon it as an ar.
bitrarys and unreasonable restraint
upon their Liberties. The more thought
ful and philosophical look upon it il
very different light. l.s9s, a. !
To say nothing of the masonic OF
christian obligations to keep the Sab
bath, after having conyenanfed to dc
10, the best civil governments have
found, upon close and physiologica
Investigation Of the subject, that, as .
civil institution, it is Indispensable t.
the we'll being Of both man and beast
rs 2 day Of rest. Hence our father!
taught. the laboring Craft to rest OF
the sabbath. Many experiments hav,
been made as to the power of cndur
ance, both of man and the laborins
beasts, under ceaseless toll; and it ha,
been,foynd that either could do NOR,
labor. and thrive better, to work bba
six days in the week, than to continu,
ut labor every day.
But Masons, and Christians botl
recognise ash1har Law th.n thstf o
physical aeceGaity ii they receive ths
law as coming from that Divine Bein.
whose laws are all founded in wisdom
truth and goodness, and as one that il
INDISPENSABLE to the perfectsdeyelep
meht IND enjoyment 81 our moral, re
ligious and intellectual being. In tn,
Language of our Ritual, we are taught
that Our ancient brethren, in obedi
ence to Gods Law, slaboredg elk day
and rested on the seventh, thereby en-
Toying frequent opportunities to con
template the glorious works of tn
creation, and to adore the great Crea
tor" -