Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1877-02-10

y
in its larger benefits. But how shall a
lady find identification and recognition |
as having just right to claim relation [
ship and protection, and at the hand of
the BrothersY The Eastern Star fur
niShes just the requisite means. Its
signs and pass words render the whole /
system available to her at all times. And |
you ladies ought to be proud of the fact, !
though many thousands Of ladies, mason
ic by adoption, are widely scattered, yet
in no instance has its system and secrets
been exposed by disclosure.
For a moment allow me to call your at
tention to your signet. 1t is full of mean
ing; the emblems i'm the points of the
Star remind you of the characters they
so beautifully represent. You cannot see
the sword and vail without recalling the
touching history of Ada and her willing
sacrifice. The sheaf will as constantly
remind you of Ruth and her persistent
devotion to religious principles and her
determination to live and die with Gods
chosen people. The crown ard the scep-
tire will ever bring to mind Esther and
her fidelity to kindred and friends, and
the fearful risk she run to save her people
from the stern edicts of wicked decree.
The broken column tells its own story of
Martha, of a sisters love and her unwav-
ering confidence in Christ, and her faith
in the darkest hour of her trial; while
the Joined hands point clearly to the no.
BILE and benevolent Electa and her patient
submission to the severest wrongs. My
sisters, such is the history you are requir-
ed to study, and the characters you are
taught to emulate. The names of your
xEhp have avnlta1 in ofHnanHn and
graced thrones of power in the past, have
become we'll nigh oblivious, while the
names aud characters of your heroines
have been stamped with immortality.
Monuments commemorative of their no.
BILE deeds stand perpetual in the living
christian hearts of to-day, and are des-
tined to brighter glory as the light of
heaven shines more and more. upon the
nations and the ages. Also the emblems
exhibited in the cenCer of the star are pc
culiarly impressive in the light of sacred
history.
The open Bible bespeaks Adams implicit
confidence in the Divine word. The lily
fittingly symboliZes the purity of Ruth.
The sun in his majesty well reminds us OF
the lofty mien of Esther as she stood be-
fore her Lord and King. How expressive
of the innocence, faith and humility OF
Martha is the lamb; while the lion de-
notes the power and courage by which
Electa was kept in the period of j., her
trials. These, my sisters, you have con-
stantly before you in characters of living
light, an exhibition of christian faith,
purity, tirmness, meekness and courage.
Masonry, whether symbOlical or adopt
i've, is social in its character. God has
for wisest purposes interviewer into the
warp and wool of the web of human life
the social element he never designed that
we should live above. The condition of
recluse is strangely abnormal. Here
| you can meet as members of one family,
bound together by indissoluble ties, in
| tereSted in each other and in the lessons
| you here learn and in the hopes you cher
ish. Whatever may be your individual
rank or position outside the lodge room,
those distinctions are laid aside at its
very threshold, and you meet on level.
You meet as child en- Of one common
| father, travelling to one common goal.
Here genuine merit is entitled to more
respect than unbounded wealth, while
| knowledge and virtue become the basis
of honor and the reward of preferment
For worldly purposes you may be EN-.
ployed in different pursuits, move in diff.
ferent circles, be animated by different
hopes and influenced by different motives,
but here you are sisters and brothers,
emulous only of who can best work and
best agree. If the christian church is
higher in its profession and claims, ma.
sorry ought to be the stepping stone tC
the church. If the church has diyinel
sanction we may hope that masonry as q
promoter Of virtue may also be heaven
approved. Masonry reaches and benefits
a class that the church does not embrace,
and throws around them an influence, and
brings them in contact with characters
which cannot otherwise than do them
1 good. 1t satisfies q want of the mind
that must be somewhere or somehow met
1t pleases and at the same time instructS
and elevates. None can give attention tC
the work as it is performed in our lodges,
and listen to the instructions given with
out an enlargement of mind and heart
We have not only lessons taken from the
sacred page and sacred characters, but
carnations from minds of the largest eX-
perienCe and the highest culture, and
from hearts the warmest and purest. Al
evening spent among our truest friends in
the lodge room is far better than thu
hours given to pleasures and diversions
that only allure to captivate and ruin
that entice only to destroy. Our work
affords matter for reflection in the retire.
ment of home, and W hen employed in the
busy associations of an earnest life. II
is stimulus to the highest morality and
the purest virtue. 1t proffers the highest
reward to the loftiest aspirations, and
frowEs with contempt upon littleness and
meannesS in human character and life
anywhere. If Masonry does not benefit
all it is only because they do not put
themselves in condition to be benefited
Christianity would gladly extend its open
hands to all of human kind, and while il
ennOblcS the highest,i it would also elevate
bless and save the lowest. Its principles
are adapted to human necessities every.
where and anywhere. Its love is as pure
as the breath Of heaven, and as free as
the vital air, and it's invitations to all who
will; but if they will not the fault lies al
their own door.
l congratulate you, ladies, that you
have cast your lot with this sisterhood
and brotherhood. Study well its princi
Z Piles and emulate its virtues. Let not the
fraternity suffer reproach because of your
connection with it. Keep inviolate to
the end of life your solemn obligation
The more you learn of it's teachings, the
more you will see to admire; the more
you pattern after its worthy characters
the higher the eminence upon which you
will stand. Then so live that others not
so highly favored as to belong to this roll
of honor, may stand convicted of the sin.
cerity of your intentions, and of the ex-
alting influences of our order. Though
you would welcome all to the highest and
purest privileges, yet you must guard
well the doors of your chapter, See that
no unworthy nerSonS are admitted There