The weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1878-1881, 1881-09-06

From Tuesdays Daily
An Eloquent Appeal in Behalf Of
the Ancient Order.

Edu0r Butte Miner:
The Ancient, Free and Accepted MasoIls of
this city have it in their hearts to do the COED
work Of building = Masonic Temple for their
Order-one that will be an architectural
structure worthy of this growing and prosper
Gus city of Butte and of its Masonic frater-
nifty.
Why should this work be done?
A large number of our most respectable
citizens are members of this Order, and they
desire a suitable room in which to assemble
and cultivate the social arts OF their cher
ished fraternity. 1t is certainly an organiza-
ton which call lay claims to being connected
with emotea ages and filed an important Of
flee in the twilight of early civilization. The
foundations beneath the ancient Egyptian OBJ
elisk, lately erected in Central Park, New
York, indicated that they had been laid by
operative workmen who we're the progenltors
of this Order. 1t has come down to us a
broad and philanthopic fraternity, guided by
worthy principles. While it welcomes to its
poor, it can count among its votaries the rich
and renowned, princes, kings and presidents.
While some have condemned it, the best
and the purest of the land have remained its
steadfast friends.
While it cannot be termed a teacher of any
religion, yet it has always recognized that
there is a one true and living God. The arti-
sans who built the first temple ever erected
for His worship Masons claim as their broth
ers. 1t holds fast to the belief in mans i'm
mortality, and teaches that the pure morality
taught in the Holy Bible is binding upon us
all. While it teaches no political faith it
proclaims that man should be a law-abiding
citizen. 1t, however, does not pro-
hibit men from using honorable
means to change what is wrong in the
avs of the land, and while as an Or
ganization it never countenances any revolu-
tionary schemes, it would not ask any mai
to be bound by the letters Of tyranny. 1t be-
lieves in the dignity and high destiny of the
race. 1t has been said that Masonry is an in
s~titution which teaches morality by means of
symbols and a~llegory. 1t would perhaps be
better to say that it is an honorable fraternity
with all that implies, and it is a fraternity as
broad as humanity.
No religious or political creed, no nation
atty bars the door of the Masonic Lodge.
Upon The Masonic Lodge floor The Jew, the
Mohammedan and the Christian, the Royal
ist and the Republican, the Asiatic and the
European may meet as friends and broth
ers, children of one common Father,
the Architect of all things. To those whose
sympathies are circumsc ribed such a %fraterni-
ty as this may seem an impossibility. But
this is the ideal of Ancient, Free and Accepted
Masons. When we consider how men have
fought upon questions of religion and of state,
how they haye hated each other upon the
ground of nationality, does not this high pur-
pose of Masonry commend Itself to the liber-
al minded and progressive of this age? And
in this young city where shall be congregated
the people from all sections of the world, =
not fit that here, upon this mountain side,
should be erected a building for a fraternity
of such great antiquity, when sympathies en-
brace them all, and whose broad charity prac-
tically acknowledges the common paternity
of all? If its delineations are such the answer
s this is a landmark, a tradition Of the past
which they have a right to maintain. "By thei
frui shall know them"
Let all who can lend a helping hand.
The cause is a worthy one AMI the bailding
will be an ornament to the city, and proclaim
the confidence of this people in the lasting
mineral resources of this section. Those who
would condemn the work because Of its Ma
sonic character ought not hereafter to ssk
Masons to contribute to objects they may
deem even more worthy. The fraternity
itself will undoubtedly respond literally.