Carson daily appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1873-1877, 1875-06-06
rHE NEW MAsONIC TEMPLE N
$780, KDW. YORK, -.

In the New York Henold for Nay d
We have . most exhaustive statement Of
the proRraxame OF the celebration of the
dedication Of the new Masonic Temple
in that city. history in brief Of ancient
and modern Masonry. the struggles and
successes of the fraternity. &c. Grand
Master Elwood r. Thorne has a long
communication in the Herald in which
many interesting statistics are given. He
also answers the question. What is
Masonry? As follows:
First. Masonry is the handmade Of
peace. the good Samaritan BY the way
side, tie nurse in the hospital, the
friend in distress. the helpmeet OF the
widow and orphan. Its corner stone is
charity in its broadcast sense: its compass
is the Bible, and its Grand Master
the Almighty. Second, the true Mason
walks hand-in- hand with the true wor-
shippers at the shrine of the Holy Of
Holes. In his own way he obeys the
lessons Of ritual, symbol and emblem.
and these teach, with solemn power,
obedience to God, respectio law reverence
for religion. and recognition of all
the sweet prophecies Of life. Upon the
altar of every lodge the. Mason finds the
inspired volume. and no man can stand
before that altar who processes disbelief
in the wisdom OF authorship Of the
Sscr-d Book. Masonry is therefore
the sister Of religion. Nay. it is in one
sense itself religion: hut it does not
usnIp the place. the Offices or the
funciions Of the Church. 1t seeks no
control Of conscience. no measurement
of the soul ny creeds. and no excellence
that does not spring from the contem-
plation of divine truths and the practice
Of every virtue
Upon the subject of Masonry itself the
Herald has an excellent article from
which We quote as follows: The near
approach Of the dedication of the new
Nssouic Temple in this city tends to fix
attention on an order which is older than
any existing government and antedat-s
the Christian religion itself Men may
differ as to the propriety of secret socie-
ties whose aims are not known: but the
Freemasons are too ancient an Order for
any intelligent man to distrust its OBJ
Jects. 1t wonld seem to derive its power
from the love of mystery. which has a
strange attraction for human hearts; but
even those who regard its ritual as a
cannot, with any show Of rea-
son, impeach its moral aims. A major
Try of our most illnstrious statesmen. in
Guiding Washington. have been Freema-
sons. and an institution in which he
held a high rank might be safely ac-
cspted on trust rs not inconsistent with
good morals, ardent patriotism or reli-
gious duty. /. is simply one Of the
many forms In which the social instinct
Of men seeks indulgence. and is only
little more select and exclusive than the
modern clubs. Club life il almost pure
y social. even in clubs which are organ
lied With an ostensible POLITICAL purpose
The Masonic institution. while it affords
equal qualification to the social feelings.
would seem to cherish higher moral ends
han modern clubs. The members of a
club owe each other nothing but mutual
at their habitual place Of meet
ing. but the members of the Masonic
bind themselves to assist bro
hers in distress. even though they may
never have had any previous ac4usint-
lpce With them. Their ceremonies Of
initiation and the mystery in which they
reil their proceedings are merely an ex-
scsioD Of the exclusiveness and the self
'sOteetion against intrudiug strangers
shich are the ordinary practice Of clubs. |
nth the added attraction of mystery.
Too many Of our most honored citizens
,ave always belonged to this ancient
)sdes FOR any reasonable man to regard
/ with suspicion"
Tsuv ArrrIvYays ora v,,ovspu in Hha