The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-04-20

Oie from Tue ocflptureS rs 70 make the |
proof texts unnecessary. Templar Ma |
sonry, bereft Of the Scriptures, would die
indeed il would never have existed. |
Square, level, plumb, trowel and cross, all
the implements of Masonry, derive their |
significance from the Bible According to
Masonry. no man can give an honest |
pledge Of fidelity, integrity and devotion |
without belief in the divine author |
| ity of the Scriptures-without this be- |
lief there can be no binding force in any
Masonic obligation. Without the Bible, |
the landmarks, the principles, the ceremo-
malls, the entire meaning of Templar Ma
sorry would be utterly obliterated. In
WORD, the use of the Bible in Templar Ma |
sorry is no mere expedent to inspire
solemnity or to fill out the ritual. 1t is so
interviewer with il, that to remove it would
be like taking flax out of linen; the life
blood out of mantle residue would be
vanity and chaos.
Do you imagine put this too strongly
] tell you nay. Language too force
| full cannot be employed in describing the
essentially Of the Bible TO Templar
| Masonry.
Third-Templar law requires of the
Knights Templar a belief in, and a con-
fession of the supreme divinity and sover-
eighty of our Lord and Savior, Jesus
Christ.
The luminous cross and inscription which
thrilled the heart of Constantine is the en-
| sign of our order Its motto-'By this
sign we coaquer'-is the Knights Templar's
declaration Of faith to the world To every
true Templar Jesus is REX regum ct DOM
mus dominorum." This enters into every
knightly VOW. In q manner that can never
be forgotten, the Knight Templar taught
that only through the atonement of our
Lord Christ can man be saved. The cross,
the symbol of that faith, is emblazoned on
every banner of the order, it is on the hilt
of every sword, it is the badge shining on
the breast and forehead ofevery Sir Knight
: Every Knight declares this divinity of
Christ in terms as unequlvocal as those
which fell from the lips of st. Thomas as
his fingers pressed the broken side of the
Lord and My COD"
The order of Knights femplar is, in
its whole theory and regulations,
n Christian order, clearly tracing
its origin to the pious enthusiasm of the
crusaders, i'll their somewhat fanatiCal but
certainly devout endeavors to wrest the
sepucher of our Lord from the infid eli Sa-
raCen.
Fourth-Templar law requires of the
Knight Templar II profession of faith in the
resurrection of the body and in the i'm
mortality of the soul.
Fraters, you know that this is a tenet OF
Masonry, taught by her as it is taught no.
where else. With our eyes resting upon
n representation of the most remarkable
event in the roll of the ages we are taught
the mutability of all things material; that
the mighty conCourse of all worlds around
us now choring the praises of Jehovah are
finally to yield to decays eifaclng fingers,
and are to pass away, even earths granite
ribs are to yield to the heats of the general
Conilagration and be exhalcd in vapor, but
man can never die. Changes of state and
abode may await him, yet he must live on
and on forever. We can imagine the in.
l iant born amid natures dissolv
ing throes living on, and in some
; far distant eternity, looking back to
This world which now so absorbs
our whole being will regard ii but as a Leaf.
, let flung upon the bosom of infinite space
that played awhile upon its surface and
then sunk forever into its fathomless
t shades. The soul of man will outlast the
Stars-"will survive the wreck of matter
l and crash of wOrlds;n and as long as God
, lives will man live. Faith in the Lion OF
I the Tribe of Judah is the strong grip by
, which we will be raised from the rubbish OF
Q the grave, and our bodies be made as in.
cOrruptible ~ our souls. 1--WE beliye in the
, resurrection of the body and the life ever
1 lasting
a Fiith-Templer law requires ofthe Knight
c Tempar the exercise of brotherly love.
t Love is II principle most highly esteemed
, among Tempars. The principal rounds OF
, the mystic ladder are faith, hope and char.
, ity, Faith in God, hope in immor
c tality, and charity, or love, ior
Il all mankind, but especially for brother
Y Paul has declared, in comparing these
| three, that love is the greatest. Faith Is
s sublime in itself and heavenly in its mis-
y sion heayen-born, it is true, but dies on
II the earth. Like the rain, it cometh down
IS from heaven, but returneth not thither
o The time will come when it ends in sight
o It's light flashes into the soul here, but u.
! the midnight lamp pacs and becomes use
II less in the Spendors OF the meridian sun
3 !; so faith becomes useless in tn,
Il glOreS of the upper worl., where love
st ensplendors all things, is the light and
glory of the heavenly world. Hope, by the
is genius OF the poet, has been deCked with
81 beauty and power not her own. 1t has
a been sung OF her that she commenced hel
% career rs the morning stars sang together
n and the sons of God shouted for Joy ut the
t, birth Of our world and it is said of her
re when natures funeral pile is built and the
IT general confederation shall envelop crea
10 ton, She will be there to tighten the gloon
IS and cheer the despairing. The truth is
he when that pyre Is built-hope will b,
ar laid upon it-amid the terrors of that
er day her gentle footballs will no
n be heard. She will not be there t
I; smile upon the ruin, nor will her torcl
Iy tighten the smothering gloom. Hope, like
lie her sister, faith completes her mission here
t. Their blended beauties form the glowing
O. arch on which we ascend to heaven but VI
ne leave the arch behind, and in the glory o
to heaven IL is no more seen. 1t DER arches
ry world where clouds are seen. We 90 to
IS. land of cloudless skies and supernal bright
ne ness. Faith, God knows not. Hope! Fo
OF what can God hope? Love- God is love
and this we hold to be the key to the hear
n. and life of true Knight Templal
Without love he is tinklin
er brass and sounding cymbal. A Templa
no who does not with jealous care protect hi
n; brother Knights character, family, Ii fe ant
he fortune is iorgetful Of the solemn obligo
us ton which binds him to the fraternity
he We are taught to nourish and cherish
&c brother, to whisper good counsel in his eal
Is, to admonish him of his errors and in tn
p most friendly manner aid reformation
ut No congealing frost, nor swelling torren
pit can make us unmindhl of the cry of di.
he trcss yelling up from the soul OF worth
us Sir Knight, Purse, counsel and sword ar
he pledged to him, and periured and iorsworn
er In Win uniustlv withhnlds tbom ~, yo,,