The Van Buren press., 1874-01-06

Gin. and its Immortality. We must fee!
1t to be an cmanation from God. and
| that il must return 10 its immortal source.
We find herein confirmation OF the
teaching OF the great light in Masonry
That there is first great and adequate
Cause and Author Of the world. all ma
lure teaches, and hence we require the
belief in the existence Of God and in the
| Immortality OF the soul We believe in
lis infinite goodness and mercy and that
| lie. ly His grand and immutlblc laws,
governs the world of His creation. But
If we were without Divine authority for
our belief in the souls Immortality, we
tind abundant proof by closely studying
the work ngs Ol nature, aud ianilaIizing
on selves with the laws that govern its
b,auirll developments. A stGdy Of tAe
physical sciences, teaches us that matter
may change lis form, but cannot be de.
sIroled That it too, is immortal and
lndcslruc,illc Tho seed cast into tie
ground may decay, but return Of the
proper season brings forth the abundant
harvest. The analogy is strong JUDGED
IN the vegetable kingdom. Wet hnold
the majestic forest, clothed in It's emerald
vcrdue, brought forth by the qnickenns
power Of spring. Autumn comes, and
lhi, beauty fades Nothing is left but
the bare branches. stretching ont rs il
iluplerlng the cutting winds of winter.
MOTTO visit llem too roughly. This seems
To be Natures death The yi,iiling sap
has gone, and no LIE appears in liie for
est once so beautiful a return of spring
with It's gcsipl showers. aad mild sun.
light, like the resurrection morn, brings
new lie and new beauty. Like the re.
turning spirit, the sap ascends and The
hayes are developed and all is again full
Of lille. The chorus of birds begins aud
their sweet songs awaken the sleeping
echoes, and all is happiness unalloyed.
Beneath the forest shade we find The
earth carpeted with flowers, beautiful,
and redulcnt with a thousand perfumes.
nodding cheerily in the gentle breezcs,
rejoicing in the new life, with which Ma
ture has endowed them, by the same mn
errng law. Have we not. here. some
thing to teach us that there must be Il
hercaftery Ii natter i indestructibe,
must not the mind he immortal? II,
then, we do really believe in the immor-
talily OF our souls, and that the Divine
reasoning power must survive the phys
zeal death. how all important We must
feel it 10 he, HAT We spare no time or
pains III Improving and increasing that
power No one who fully appreciates
the value Of reasoning. end its teachings,
can fail to feel the importance OF becOm
ing an intelligent and well informed
member OF the Fraternity and OF society.
Its secret work is full Of beauty and is
suggestive Of vast thought While we
earnestly strive after Il thorough know
ledge of the symbolisms that are peculiar
to oar Order. let us no. fail 10 fully un
dcrsiand the hidden meaning. Therein
lies the life and soul OF Masonry. Our
method of inculcaliug moral lessons, is
calculated to deeply impress the mind
yet, it is to be feared, many who ardent
ly admire the means used neglect to
profit by the IDEAS intended to be con
veyed. Many who symboIically disrobe
the mind Of the mantle Of worldly dark
ness, fail to receive the iull flood of Ma
sonic light. They are too apt to con
ccivc that Masonry is bnt Il banl OF
brothers, bound together by holy ties.
with simply Il charitable end in view. To
relieve the wants of suffering humanity,
and to look chariahlv v upon the faults
and ioiblrs of our fellow men. are un
donh,cdly among the missions of Ma.
soaiy, but this hr no means completes
the cycle Of lis ol jecls. OF bounds The in.
ties oi its members AS in Youth the
mind Lcsias is Development and 10y
a gradual ir"c}s. .cr2ases IN power. 50
the young Apprentice, beginning on the
Grouai Floor. works himself upward
in The scale OF Masonic knowledge And
rs ideas once firmly fixed IN the mind,
are but palts of it for all time. and are
the subs ructulc for fUlurc labor, so
each Degree N Masonry dcpeud, on its
These several Degrees, blend !
rd into one s,sir:E, compose the frame |
wolk upon winch the complete cdIlicr is
tu bc subsrqu ntIy wrought 1t is. of II
ruth, all important that this system be
fully understood. rs ought the scallull |
iug be strong and well arranged, that the
l'ulld,rs may safely aud conveniently |
lursGc tle.r lahurs Let It's not neglect |
he care that should he bestowed upon
The erecting and bcaulitying Of The spir
Il ual tenn lr, We are now building By |
thus dir citing our efforts To the cypan.
sion of mind. by the accumulation OF
wholesome ideas, we make Masonry Il
assistant to our educational in
stitu,ions. BY our moral lessons, we
bccomr soldiers in the great aIiry thai
Il continual warfare upon evil
We Thus all in increasing the volume of
non al and moral power, and assist u
'arNlng out the plans of the great Arehi
ect and Grand Master above.
Let us then, brvthrcn, while we to-day
cnew our lcdges oi fidelity to our Or.
Ter, also determine 10 assist each other
II storing our minds with useful informa
ion. Let the brain be kept busy and We
will find that the more it is taskcd the
uIlcr will be the yield We will thus be
nmc better and more useful citizens and
AIRY out the true meaning oi Speculative
Masonry