The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1878-04-16
THE LAME. THE HALT AND THE BLIND.



the applicant; seeking initiation to our mysteries
protest to this has been looked upon by
many a>.aimo>i . sscrilegc. but ~ some Grand
Masters have granted d-pensatIon- for the inita.
iion of certain persons. who we're not pers.-t in
their PARTS - one or more Grand Lodges have
formally dscr--d that ~ long a. the applicant,
caPahic IL Receiving sud srvns the signs and to.
x-n>. u h-~omes question " this - not worthy
of q li',i. calm discussion.
We admit that when Operative Masonry uas re-
ally ami prsrth,aliy in existence. >,sch q rule OF
iaw xss in existence and such existence waS night
and proper. fart, absolutely necessary. hut AZ
ter the submer.psnce and fusion Of Operative
Masonry in l:l7, into Speculative Fresma,onry
such Landmark unnecessary. and il strictly
adhered. 10 would render q vast portion of appii-
canss ineligible TO degrees. Nebraska has de-
cii-d la> note in its last Grand Lodge proceed
ins>, page l:sJ that who has lost hrs right
eye not eligible for mo matter shat his other
qualifications may b., the lame. the hal, and the
hini. not eligible to the DEGREES IN Masonry
This ruling - held to he good in many jur,.!lc-
tons. Now. let u see what this, literally means
IL means that thousands u good and true men.
men that would h. ornaments In the Ma,ons.
tiara To- h. rejected because they are not per-
feet IN all their parts. Carry the point n little
further an Are We to refuse To initiate n man be-
cause. he has los; tooth Certainly, h- IL to
bs perfect AL his parts Such Is the position IL
1.-The maims' II we strictly adhere tn this Ancien,
Landmark. A. before stated when Masonry wss
operative, such a Iaw vas reasonable and Just,
lat after We bae.sm~ u speculative association,
many changes naturally took place in the instit,i.
ti"n-"ur symbolism Developed, our ritual
Hs> changed from Its crude state into a liturgy,
beautiful AMI Impressive. and has the >-Ien.e
cf the craft advanced Such being the case u j.
IN accordance Nth the spirit IL the age thSt We
should reject those who are otherwise worthy. L.
cau>s Nature PeEci.an.,e has deprived them at an
eye or the sy'i,ient IT fortune of an ear or a
tooth, surely So long tho applicant CIV. and
receive the signs and tokens, he Is, n otherwise
worthy, d, aud proper person tn h. Initiated to
our mystcne>.
We eIairn then, that thus SUBJECT i worthy u =
little mor- discussion than u has heretofore re-
cciv-d. IL Is very right AMI proper that ". should
L. careful IN infringing upon any II the Ancient
Landmarks. hut when time and experience have
taught Us that M longer any necessity exists for
s,sh Landmark. i'm fact, that by retaining IL, AN
in,u-ts- actually IL done To- many thousands of
:"s..i an~ tr,I- ni.n. then hold u - time Tor
';rsni Lodges 9" take the hand. discus.
II fire. from any pr.conr-v~i bts> and give iu.iy-
m-nt upon il from that liberal standpoint that b.
such Distinguishing characteristics cf the spccu-
Inve frcemssonry Of the nineteenth century.
EpurosisL C.Sxr>r.-The founders of Masonry
yer. profound phIIo>iph'csI men. and. only for
invincI'Ie n.s-on> .l'i they adopt the ideas. prn-
cip->. sll-sor.>. l-s-oi-. AMI lsni'n srks cf the
Orier. There i. therefore. requirement. form,
ceremony. symbol or enpI-m Of fr-cmasonry,
which has not a profound aesthetic >iyniib.ation.
This applies no les the requisites the ntis-
than the at,rii;it.> of TIN, Fraternity. They
wisely conclude that Masonry should not Ia
>,i,ution for the multitude. Ne, for those who
could appreciate and exemplIfy it, sublime prin-
ciplc- and -thr>. Nor were they un~arranted in
doing. i"r thus has II ts."n all the mysteries
OF all the ago. AMI thus IL IL in the HvIne ecou-
49, On ss,- rrlncini. 49, '-'~rr"i~"s' So .
candidate for initiation shall ~ a man. freeborn,
having no msiin ar defect IN hi> body that NAV
render him incapable IL learning the art, etc.
And thst. IN every other respect. ne shall b.
worthy Of IN. high honor sought Nov, we must
seek their reason for establishing this high stand
ard Of admission into th. Institution. and shall
hni u IN the Divine lsw concerning sacrifices.
given To- Moses and recorded IN the first seven
chapters of Ievi,icus wherein IL requires that
the animal offered shall be without blemi>h, and
tina, the fruits presented shall b. the first, or
finest, they alone being lrvinely acceptable. The
great lesson OF the sacrifices that anything
short ofairsclu'e perfection cannot command the
Divine favor. and IL like wise - the aesthetic idea
Of the first important requirement. Of Freemason
~. Nos. one Who has lost an eye. foot, = hand.
an ear, or even = thumb. not without blemi>h.
AMI. consequently. to admit such into the
Order. t-cau>e otherwise he might he entirely
worthy. and would he n Reputation for trml by
the supreme Grand Masters unerfins square.
No. the STANDARD IT admission il none 700 high.
and. however might desire tn lower il to sc-
some one whom We highly esteem,
the ancient requisites must ~ maintained because
not To 10 would ~ To sap and Q. destroy thu
foundations @: Masonry. Nor ~ili this work in
Justice to''nsany thousands of good aud true men,
for the very simple reason that no man has right
!" become y Mason unless ne fully meets all Of
the ancient requirements Of the Order concerning
admission nor ~ u unw>e. for by II F:eemssonry
'orcihy 'sarh~s the grand j~s 81 manhood TN
manhood