Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1881-01-21

and the Mnsun's fndder aud compass to
guide him through the vale to n harbor-
home in the Snnctum Sanctorium Of the
gloriously bright Temple on high. Mason.
ry rests firmly upon the Word OF God, and
without II we can not work ne Mnsons; no
lodge cnn be instituted and no man can be
made member Of the honorable and an
Client Order. Masonry does not interpret
the Billie for man, but directs him to II ns
the fountain Of life and all truth therefore
every Mason can worship God according
10 the dictates Of his own conscience, and
Is free TO Judge for himself how to serve
him whom Masonry duly recognizes MS
the great Architect OF tho whole Universe.
Yet, Notwithstanding this and other facts
Of which we shall speak, some persons
claim that Masonry il unti-religious,
and think they do God service by
their unholy and unchristian opposition.
How can they oppose Masonry when they
know nothing of ii? This is like panic
stricken army which turns upon its own best
friends aud strikes down the defenders OF
truth with the ruthless hand of blind envy
und fanatcism. Itis Bruius-like, aud ends
only in their confusion and shame, for
there viii be Cassius to defend even
though Caesar should fall to the ground COW
cred with the gown of royalty and honor.
Masonry is not religion; we would not
have il religion, but 1t is mol opposed to the
teachings of true religion all the truths of
the Order are in perfect harmony and con-
sonance with the teachings Of the Bible.
MASONRY A BENEFIT TO THE HUMAN RACE
But my friends may ask me: "What
good in Masonry? Wha; Inns it done for
humanity We nnswer-It is of great
good. 1t has been of great benefit 10 the
human race. Masonry is n great brother.
hood, and has taught the true nature OF
this great and beneficial unity. Masonry
has taken the Rough Ashlers from the
quarries of society, dressed them with the
working tools of the Craft, the emblamatic
Square, Plumb and Level, and with the
Perfect ASHER thus formed, they have
bnided truly permanent and beautiful
edi6ce. Each ASHER is laid upon the
other with care and precision, and joined
with the cement of brotherly love and af.
fection," which has been carefully spread
with the Trowel Of the Master Masor, thus
forming structure that time can not re-
move and that all true men must honor
and respect. This edifce is supported by
The pillars Of Wisdom, Strength and Beau.
ty,nnd teaches the great lesson that Masons
like bees, should be industrious, and should
practice that" Virtue 10 MI created beings,
from the highest seraph of heaven to the
lowest reptile of the dust" 1t teaches that
we should be watchful and great in our
thoughts, "that justice will sooner or later
overtake u.s." and that though our thoughts
and acts may be hidden from man, the
"All-seeing eye of God, whom the sun,
moon and stars obey, and under whose care
even the comets perform their stnpendous
revolutions, pervades the inmost recesscs
of the human heart, and will reward us ac-
cor,ling to our merits" 1t teaches liz that
the anchor of our souls, rcii grounded hope,
only comes from well spent life, aud that
the hour.glass will finally be emptied OF its
sands of life, and then we will be called TO
the judgment seat of The King Eternal to
be judged according to the work performed
n sober thought. Will this teaching, so
great and beautiful, be of any benefit TO
man? Can this have any influence on the
action of men and directthem Alright? You
must answer-These teachings can but be
of great aud las ing benefit To all true and
honest Masons. and those who live up 10
them will lie better men, better citizens and
better subjects of the King Of the Universe.
1T BINDS MEN TOGETHER IN ONE UNITED
| BROTHERHOOD.
Masonry gathers people from all climes
and parts of society to its fold and binds
them together in one united Brotherhood
OF love and peace thus, we find, il will he
of great and permanent benefit to man, for
it teaches him to circumscrihe his desires
aud keep his passion within due bounds"
and TO be the friend of universal man as
the creatures OF the Architect of the heav-
ems and earth. Will moral teaching bene.
fit man? Then Masonry will also benefit
its novitiates, ior Masonry is n moral
teaching. Will the calculation of the re-
lation of man to God and his fellows bene-
Gt man? Then will Masonry benefit man,
for it elucidates these principles with great
beauty and real perspicnily.
OBJECTIONS ANSWERED..
But some extremist may object that Ma
sonry will not save man. No moIe will
society, colleges, schools, science, philoso-
phy, architecture, agriculture, business.
Shall we cast these out because they will
not save men? You answer, No: Then
we can not, upon the same principle and
by the same rules of equity, cast out Ma
sonry. Each Of these may have been in
strnniental, by their benign influence, in
the salvation of sOuls-so has Masonry
been instrumental, by directing the mind
Alright, in the salvation OF some. Masonry
does not parade it's accomplishments to the
world; il dies not boast Of wha, il has done
or is capable OF doing. 1t works with the
silent hand of power, bcneiiting not only
its own, hut mankind by its Faith, Hope
and Charity, and its Friendship, Love and
Truth.
Anstlier objcctor may say-you have
base hypocri,es in the order. Granted. We
have hypocrites, men who are unworthy
men who do not live up to the beautiful
teachings OF Masonry, and we deplore them
MS much as any one, but from this fact
alone, we dare not Danish Masonry from
the arena "f the world. What good thing
can we find that is free from hypucritcs
bn-e and vile men? Men will not counter
felt that wlicl, is not good or beneficial
All hypocrilcs seek that whicl, will be ol
advantage TO them, and when hey find il
complying with the tenets and Laws o
the some. Hypocrites will not counterfeit il
that which will be Of great disadvnntag,
to them. Men do not counterfeit illega
money, nor do men counterfeit Illicit s0ci
ETY.. Masonry endeavors to make OF tles,
Rough Ashlern something that will bene
fit ,Ociety, and II they fail, after having
tried, II is no disgrace TO the fraternity
but mn honor that they have been so patien
> and charitable in their endeavors. III W.
cast ont Masonry on this account we mus
do away with, not only all society M,
charitable institutions, but with all churcl
!. organizations us well and, perhaps, thos
| who fight against us most severely woult
/ be the very first that the God OF HeaveI
, would Danish from his holy presence II
j unworthy pace on his mundane foolstoo'
| NOT A RELIGIOUS BUT MORAL oRaANI
= ZATI0N.
4 From these remarks, then, we may lear
: what Masonry il. Masonry is not II relig
= ious institution,b but il tenches real and soli
. morality, and directs that al men shoul
q worship God according to the dictates o
b their conscience. We equote from the "Ol
d Charges" as written la the Book of Con
;, slitnlon OF A. ID. 1861. Listen: "A Ma