The Russellville Democrat., 1877-07-12

l Mic and Celebration of Anni- yersary of St. John the Baptist,
 at RusseIlviIic, Pope County, Arkansas, June 23d, 1877.
 LADIES, GENTLEMEN AND BRETHREN:
 1 Tn all Christian countries, Masonry celebrates two grand frstal days. The anniversary of St. John the Baptist. on 1 the 24th June and St. John the Evan gelist on tire 27th December. On this occasion we have assembled to cele- 1 brate the former on the 23d, because l the 24th falls on the Christian Sabbath and Masons are taught everywhere to respect morality and religion and the days set apart for such obscrvances. While Masonry is not church or even form of religion; yet 1t holds to re- l ligious truths and is very rigid in re- l quiring all it's members to subscribe to 1 the fundamental truths it holds and l teaches: France and Belgium, ill their recent looseness- ss--ripened fruits of in- | fidelity, to the contrary notwithstand- l ing. The pillars of our creed are, the unity of God, the immortality of the soul and the resurrection of the body, which we briefly mention; and If time | permits, may notice more i'll detail; first, however, we will not.le our fes- tai days, and why we as Masons ob- serve them, because e.D know our ln- stitution antidates the christian era and hence those christias, worthies to " hom our Lodges are now dedicated. In an cicnt times our Lodges were dedicated I to King Solomon, and continued l to be so dedicated | nfta q Tn of our monitors the change is beautifully explained. Among the various orders of Knights that were found upholding the flowery banner of Christendom in those chivalric wars, none were more conspicuous than the noble and mag nanimous order of the Knights of St. John: their valor i'll battle, or wisdom l in council, had never been questioned, | and their standard fluttered proudly ill the breeze as the christian host lay en- camped before the walls of the Holy City. Many brethren of our ancient craft also went forth to aid in redeem. ing the sepulchre of the Saviour, from | the hands of the infidel; between these and the Knights of St. John, there existed reciprocal feeling of kindness and brotherly love, strengthened by long association, and continued strug- gles in their sacred mission. On the plains of Jerusalem, they entered into solemn compact of friendship, and it was mutually agreed between them that tllenceforth all Lodges whose mem
 bers acknowledged the divinity of Christ, should be dedicated to St. John 1 the Baptist, and St. John the Evan gelst; who tradition informs us, were two eminent christian patrons of Free Masonry. To our Jewish brethren was reserved the right of continuing to dedicate their Lodges to King Solomon as all had previously done.
 The point within the circle border ing on two perpendicular parallel lines which rests the holy scriptures is q symbol older than Masonry itself, orig inally it symbolized more than is now usually taught, and when fully ex- plained is easily comprehended, and our feast days readily accounted for. Many of the ancients blieved God to he both male and female, and worshiped the prolific powers of nature, both active and passive. Phallus, repre- sentiug the male, and Cteis the female, which they rep! scented by two perpen
 dlcular parallel lines, and a point with in circle the point represented the sun, the circle the universe which was fertilized and invigora.ed by his gener- ative rays. In some of the Indian Caves temples on the circle was in
 scribed the signs of the Zodiac. Now if we call to mind the fact that at the two particular times of the suns course we find him in the Zodiacal signs of cancer and capricorn, the points being astronomically designated as the sum- mer and winter solstices, at the time when he has reached his greatest Ncrth- ern declension, and produces the most evident effect on the temperature of the seasons and the length of the dayand night, and if we will suppose the circle to represent the suns apparent course, we will see the points indicated when the circle touches the perpendicular parallel lines. Astronomically the circle touches on the perpendicular parallel lines at the time of the suns greatest Northern and Southern deelen- sion, about the 2lst June, and 22d De- l cember. The church having fixed the anniversary of those eminent christian worthies near these days, to-Wit: On the 24th June and 27th December, the change was easily made, the ancient symbol was adopted and given new and extended explanation. The point made to represent all lnulNlUudl uEOlu- CT, the circle his boundary line, the perpendicular parallel lines thence forth have stood as the representatives of the two Sts. John, iL all christian lands; hence as Christian Masons in a christian land, we are here to-day, publicly to acknowledge our belief ill the Great Book that ever lies open on our altar, which we recognize as the lamp to our feet and light to our path way to guide us through the difficulties trials and conflicts along our dark and benighted pathway in this world to the one beyond the world of light and life, where the Supreme Grand Master, the architect of the universe forever reigns, forever presides.
 At this late day, our ancient institu- ton calls for no vindieation from any mans pen. Hoary with age, it looks down from it's elevation indifferent to the contumely of its feeble opposers. Their maddened fury may burst in bounding pillows on the great sea of life, but they only have the bulwarks of our grand old fortress in gentle ripples. The pillars of our institution require no props to keep them from falling; firmly based on the corner stone of truth, truths planted by Deity himself, her towering shaft cleaves the heavens; every stone perfect ashler, laid in the cement Of brotherly love,