The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1875-01-08

guard and perpetuate. The White EN-
blem OF innocence has been transmitted
to us by predecessors, let it still
continue to be the badge and to Illus
trate the character of a Mason.
And perish from Our records the name
Of him who shall s~acrilegiously dare to
affiX a stain upon its spotless surface.
Let the Guage still divide your time,
and be careful never to move without
the limits Of that mystic circle, which
bounds the lawful qualification of the
passions and appetites of lei
Let the common GaVel be always in
your hands applied to those valuable
ends for which it is designed, that you
may be prepared as living and polished
stones, to enter into the composition of
that Spiritual Temple, not made with
hands eternal in the heavens.
Be eve mindful, that the All-seeing-
Eye, which surveys the circle of the
heavens, and which the Sun, Moon, and
Stars obey, looks also into the inmOst
recesses of the human heart; and adorn
your lives, with those celestial vest
ments of Purity, and Bevolence, which
are the shibbOleth to felicity beyond the
grave.
Companions; mark-well the i~nstruc-
tiOns you have from time to time re-
ceived, and suffer yourselves to be guild
ed by the Divine Light to which you
have had access. Admit none to that
fellowship in which we delight to
dwell who are not worthy and we'll
qualified, in the true sense of Masonic
estimation. Our glorious institution
contains within itself, all the elements
of prosperity and pe%rpetuity.
Masonry is Interchangeable, has been
Il boast let our actions but comport
to this proud declaration and we shah
never have occasion to blush for the
reputation of the craft. But looking
forth as the morning, fair as the moon,
clear as the sun. and terrible as an army
with banners, it shall cast it's mantle
of splendOur over the sombre sky of
hitherto unenlightened lands, and tri-
umphing Over the opposition of it's enc
mics, march onward, and still onward,
with shouts Of cOnquests and songs of
victory.
And when the strife and labors of
this life are over, may we each realize
our sweetly cherished hope of immor-
tality. Believing this truth, Divinely
taught, our Order echoes in ears the
glorious words: We are immortal. It
The earth will pass
Like q wild dream away; the very heavens
Be rolled together as a scroll but He,
H Hefe@ aaiG T9 9TS, feet ao the he'll 5pn ns and stars Sta are dust,
That the grave shall not receive our
spirits; and That's" If man die, he shall
fpe again." Light breaks in upon our
souls, and sheds a radiance around the
tomb.
should, mig brethren, Ike to tell you
more about 10 principles and 9cork, but
time admOnishes me that [ must not
trespass longer upon your patience. I
should like, on a sort of mental panor-
anna, to unroll before you the beau
ties that flash upon the vision of those
who bow at Il innermOst shrine. I
should like to take you by the hand
through the various halls and chambers
of Il magnificent Temple.
To You, would unfold its scenes of
beauty, sparkling rills, it's gushing foun-
tains, It's grassy mounds, it's starry dome,
its varied emblems by which some beau
tiful truth is evolved or some duty to
or God is forcibly i~nculcated.
IshOuld like You to stand by my side. |
and catch the rich anthems of harmony
the soul hears when it's splendid Wis
ions are unfolded harmony that floats
in mellow cadences from the choir
till, in rapt spirit. you kneel be-
fore the name of the "Wonderful. the |
the Mighty God, the Ever
Father, and the Prince ofPeace.D
Where the Shekinah, or Visible GLORY.
pours a flood of hallowed light up0n
that votary whose heart feels the touch
of His mystic presence, and whose soul,
waited upon the wings of it's w i'm
mortality, quaffs from the fountain of
perennial joy, and realizes that God still
with man.
And, thus, having been initiated here.
may we be passed to the higher privil-
eyes in fellowship with angelic spirits,
md raised to the enjoyment of the sub
lime inheritance of the children of God.
Having received the mark of the Lamb,
5lle impress OF the signet Of the AL
may we be admitted to behold
he most excellent displays of %infintteJ
Glory, and finally exalted to the Divin-
EST hOnnrs conferred upon all who are
permitted to cross the tesselated Dor
Ter of the celestial court-the special
Chamber of the Deity.
And nor, brethren, arhGt Robler objects
,OHM bind men together?
On what more sacred mission than
he relief of suffering humanity: the
of the principles of beneyo-
and charity, the elevation of our
moral nature, could fallen man be en-
In what nobler work than that which
love for our country, fidelity to
'ur felIoWmen, and obedience to our
4Od? Under the influence of such in
titutions, how exalted. how enobled
he situation of man. How extended
he sphere of his influence and use
how unconfined all those fac
lilies which raise him a1oft above the
est of created things. How sublime
he spectacle, from his proud position,
e presents to angels and to men,.
Standing on an elevation, like the
yelectable mountains which Bunvan's
Pilgrim visited, he finds himself above
he clouds which hitherto obscured his
islOn his eye rests upon the e Of
aFlshing beauty, the sun beams on
i'm in undimmed snlendor, the rain
'ow with its gorgeous hues spreads it.
elf above him and through the merits
t the Lion of the tribe of Judah,n
nay each n here, be admitted into
he celestial asylum of saints and an
and greeted with the welcome,
Well done, enter thou into the joy of
by Lord