Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-07-02
Gri.dQesklp Gapltoilan
ADDRESS
HON. DAVID N. BARROW.
delivered on NJ. JONAS Day Mt the
Masonic Picnic, at the Garrison
Grounds. June Gath. 1881.


BnoruEgs AND FRIESDe-When 1t was hrst
suggested that q part OF the programme LOT this
dav ahouh consist In an address 10 rs had
aattered myself upon being listener to BE- IL
Eliminated by some OF you, more able, from your
Iong pyncriclCe study and research into the sub.
ierts prooer TO be considered than feel myself
10 be- A nd when your committee selected me,
p,v first determination was to decline and insist
that aome other brother having more right and
greater cupaciy to entertain and instruct, should
be selected.
But remembering that had come up to assist in
The erection Of our great temple, without the
',hopc OF fee or reward and that had declared
nv willingness to undertake. any part OF the
work however seryiIC or ardu0us the same might
prove concluded could not decline this part
assigned to me by the united counsel 0fyOur com
mttee, and that 1t becomes my duty to dig down
into the foundations OF the history and principles
OF our beloved institution, removing the rubbish
that may conceal their true worth, In the nope
that RAY make some discoveries, which wheh
brought mp and submitted for Your Inspection,
will be found of sufficient value 10 De st"re1
away in your minds and which may be lOuno
useful to you in the erection OF that tempe, tne
construction Of which each brother begun "hoh
for the first time hc stood IN the nortteaSl COT
ner Of the Lodge room
And with the further hope that tho'r OF F",,,
10 he may when you sce the beauty ana r%ceI'
lcuce of their principles, pfcccpts ana pfactiC"s,
be confirmed In your good opinion ol our ofHoI
and led 10 encourage ~ to pcfseycre III nhG uhj
dertnking however rough anu rugged lne io"'
may be- Masonry In it, origin being both sprGu
latiyc aud operative and Ia itsearly history the
lucrative bfHg the most conspicuous conform
cd 10 the universal custom prevailing at that
time and sought for its protection and enc0ur
agcmsnt the patronage Of the heads OF the GOV
eminent the constitutions Of York ordained that
IAN legitimate societies OF MasOns, shall labor
under patrou." But their labors having always
been speculative by which we understand the
incubation Of those principles By which we are
taught to rule and direct our passions, 10 nave
faith and nope In God aud charity toward man,
Masonry has always had patrons for this part OF
the work, to whom her lodges have been dcdicat
ed. From the building Of the first temple at Jc'
rrisalcm ~ the BabyOnist captivity, they were
dedicated to King SolOm0n--that prince to whom
the great architect Of the universe declared hr
had given 80 wise aud understanding heart; 40
that there was none like him, neither after him
shall any arise like unto him
From that time 10 the advent OF Christ they
were dedicated to Xcrubbabrl who built the sec
Ond temple and who, though born and reared IN
captivity by the rcctitude Of hi' conduct, the
wisdom Of his counsel aud zeal with which he scrV
ed gained the confidence and friendship otCyfuS,
release his cOuntrymcn from captivity, and begin
the work Of rebuilding the temple, and when op
pOsed BY enemies he was able to obtain through
the same influences the order Of Darius for
completion.
From the advent at our Savior 10 the dcatruc
ton Of the Temple by Titus our Lodges were
dedicated 10 st. John the BAPTIST, who IL repre-
tented as the voice Of one crying In the wilder
ness prepare so the way Of the Lord, make hi!
paths straight Every valley shall bc filed and
every mountain and hill shall be brought lOw
and the crooked shall he brought straight, and
the rough shall he made smooth, and OF whom
Christ sad. Among them that are born OF w0'
men there hath not risen . greater than John the
Baptist.
We are told that owing TO the losses that wor,
sustained by this memorable destruction Of tn,
temple Frccma.onry declined many Lodges wer,
broken up, and the brethren were afraid to meet
without an acknowledged head. At u secret
meeting Of the craft holden in the city of B"nlA
min. this circumstance was much regretted ana
they dcputed seven brethren to solicit 81. johI
the Evangelist the disciple whom Jesus loved
and who was ut that time Bishop OF Ephrsus, to
accept tho Grand Master He replied to the dep
utatiOn, that though well stricken ~ years. hay
ing been in hiS youth initiated into Masonry. M
would acQnicsce In their request, thus c0mpictih.
by his learning what the other 81. John hat hc
gun by his zeal and then drew what FrecmasOu
Lodges in all Christian countries have been dcdl
Gated to The two 81. Johns
II IL la the celebration Of the birthday Of thcs
two saints that the teasts Of our order have been
fixed on the eth Of June and nth Of December
and cyUry Lodge appoints these two days rs timc'
for their regular meetings
These excellent aud exemplary men being ON
acknowledged patrons II becomes on this ocCt
sion . III enquiry Of h0w far the institution J.
Worthy Of such patrons and whether from ih'
time Of its origin is members H'y" served then
with 'trsedom JerCcHcy dud zcnl.
The iusliIutiOu must command the respect .
the world, because Of IT, antiquity. Nation
have passed away since It's institution. MI M
ancient mystcric4 and societies have disappeared
and We only know that they have been FROM II
PAGES Of history But from it, origin down &
this day wc can trace Masonry asa subsistin
and living institution in the ciyilimd world
Sometimes ~ the barbaiism Of the dark ages ro!
ed civilization back or dimmcd its light, the lam
Of Masonry burned low, but II continued tOTCtai
sufficient vitality 10 shine out brighter and bright
cras intelligence, tOlerance friendship and bfoH
eriy i0Cc bore down ignorance persecution, 81
NIFTY and hatred.
ii cannot b. cmtrOywtrd that prior 70 the con
llcucrmcut Oi the tirst temple by King solomon
Ia 1912 before the Christian era, science and ~
Chitccturc had reached u great point OF perirrtlo
among the nations surrounding the Jews. ina
the wUrkmru engaged IN constructing IN" blll'
ngs had organized societies for their mutual ptt
lection and perhaps instruction, We cannot dOul
that the architects of Eyre were more skilled an
expert than any of those Of j udra, Is drmOnStra
cd hg the fact that Solomon applied to Hiram, Kin
Of Tyre for assistance, and that monarch SCI
him 4 company Of Tyrian architects, under II
supcrntcndmCC Of Hiram ALI who il describe
in Scripture az u man called with Wisdom an
understanding and cunning to work all works
brass" We claim however that it was at Il
building OF this temple, that Solomon ny the VI
dom given him by the supreme architect OF II
universe organized Masonry into in speculative
features and made the institution which has no
that time till now subSistcd asa real organtHntir
without any material charges in ts primo iplcs (
its body. The temple itself though built on
plan furnished by God being bat material. III
passed away aud the operative branch 0i our .
der has also unfortunately been lapscd Oh, but Il
speculative feature cmiuating from the wisdO
OF God and intoxicating lessons of truth, whic
lie 1T the foundation Of society itself has stood
this day
There IL no difficulty 10 tracing the order fro
the binding Of the first tempt" to the dcstruCtiC
OF the last by Titus A. y. III not only in JUDI
but throughout the then civilized world. Sol
mons temple built on plan furnished by Go
could not flil Ia be- what God intended it shOu
be-stbe most perfect specimen OF archltcctur
bearing.
Il was not it, size that made II so rcnOwnr
for. cOmpAratiycly both the second and tti
temples were much larger II was not grOtesQu
ness not yet did 1t present any extraordina
properties of mechanism. This Eastern descrl
ton Of SoOmons throne built at the same p!ac
shows il to have been far surpassed in these pa
tiCulars:
The sides of the throne were Of pure gold, al
tb. feet of II were of cmcrgldg and UparII, i