The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-04-20
KNIGHTS TEMPLAR.
Continued from Fourth Page

TIE mplar the exercise of every Writ ne.
Yes, OF every virtue, private, social and
public Her solemn voice is ever heard
ringing from the temple urging the
SHgh's oS Of jesus Msi to be good men and true
Schools sch The @A'G Z. A, IN is an tau e sst
how TO become just and upright man.
The +. c; to observe the Sabbath, to mas
ter sciences and bow before God, and to
teach his ongue to frame his words Alright.
These well understood, the NJ. NJ. enters the
silent chamber of the dead and learns how
to appreciate even murdered merit, and to
enjoy with 1t resurrection from the the
rubbish of sin and behold it soar away into
the regions ofthe blest. He is taught never
to be dishonest, claiming wages when
naught IS due; the value of
secrecy and silence he will
probably never forget. nor the severe test
TO which his fortitude and courage have
been subjected; he will know what it is to
stoop low when adversity's ieaIful load
brings him even lower than his knees, and
yet he knows that answering rectitude of
lite and purity of heart will finally bring
him to the Supreme High Priest. And
then, Sir knights, as he enters our spacious
halls and is everywhere greeted with memo
rails of Him who spake as never man snake.
he must be bastard in heart and
vicious in life who does not find
in Templar Masonry trumpet call to the
practice OF every virtue.
But am told by an obiector, "You do
not enforce these laws. That the lives of
some distinguished with office are marked
yintemperance, sensuality and profanity
do not know this to be true. am afraid
that there is some ground for the charge.
But is that true only of Templar Masonry
II the sky were one vast whispering gal
fpry and tho prino Nd - II,
Of God could be gathered therein, how
much lamentation and woe would
our ears to-day? She
n. because of the iniquity
OF and hers, like the record of
Ez, written within and with
outs 1g. A mans entering a
COM acre makes him a Templar
than ,into u church makes him
Chr ess he be first prepared in
his NJ Te teach is but as an idle
tale, u fish of an idiot
Sir h what are We called upon to
do in th litter? Is it not high time for
US to be, to enquire whether we are do
ing our q " by Templar Masonry? A dis
tinguished writer on Masonic jurisprudence
declares that an oflense in Masonry is any
injustice 10 God, to ourselt, or to our coun-
try; any violations of the laws of God, the
laws OF nations or the laws of physical,
mental or moral well being. The popular
vices of intemperance, Sabbath breaking.
profanity, evil-speaklng, RIGHTEOUSNESS and
gambling are by our laws especially inter-
dlcted; negligence OF family and neighbor-
hood duties are manitestly unmasonic, ard
deserving of censurc and punishment.
Against these vices the Knights
OF Jesus are expected to lift
their voice like trumpet, and the blows of
their battle-aXes are expected to sound out
, above the din of this moral battle as the
blows of the lion-heartcd Richard did at
the storming of Torquilstone. We must
wage war of determination upon them,
or our insignia assumes the appearance of
incongruity and bombast. Our beloved
order is suffering from their inslduous
poisons now. The public judge of our in
stituton by those who wear its badges and
NIL her offices; they will not stop to dis.
criminate between our preaching and our
practice-between our principles and the
conduct of individuals. II we tolerate such
vicious practice as in temperance, sensual.
ity and profanity, the verdict will be, that
so TAR from being moral institution incu-
eating temperance, lortitude, prudence and
Justice, our influence is decidedly immoral.
one thing is certain-that Templar Ma
sonry as an order teaching high Christian
morality will be crippled nay DESTROYED,
be enforced. The good of humanity de-
mands tour duty to ourselves and
TO the erring one himself demands it. Wa
are to nourish and cherish brother as we
do oursclf, but no better than we love our
order. If he will not obey our laws, then
let their penalty be inflicted, and let him
be TO us as heather man and n publican.
have sometimes been asked what Is the
difference between Masonry and Christian
ity. | answer, the same there is between
the shadow and the object which casts it,
Christianity IS that system OF doctrines and
rites proclaimed by our Lod
Jesus Christ and His apostles
and of which the New Testament il the
only authoritative exponent, and to become
Christian one must be born again.
must become "a new creature"-without
this new birth, this becoming q new Great.
tnrc, no one can "see the kingdom OF Cod 4"
This Masonry does not require, conse-
quently 1t cannot by any means he called
system of salvation. | do not wish to he
misunderstood here Christianity and
Masonry are not equals, exerting an equal
influence, and comforting equal ben.
ehts upon mankind, Christianity is Gods
greatest and best gift To man. She is in
command Of the vessel freighted with the
holiest, dearest and most momentous in
tercst Of the race, both for time and eter.
nifty, Masonry is one of her skillful sail.
ors. Taking the cue from Christianity, she
eniorces some obligations and illustrates
some duties with peculiar beauty and force.
10 change the figure, Christianity |, the
clear, luminous sun, shining into the dark
ness of our ignorance she discloscs the
hidden springs of our heart and shows
now is TO be obtained the full
tfuition Of the pure, the beautiful,
and the good. Masonry Is q star deriving
us ulster from the sun. and while Masonry
cannot bridge the gulf between man and
MS Maker, II beauties and adorns the life
o. him who yields to her benign influence.
Nhristianity and Masonry are not rival
candidates for mans homage, but stand re.
lated as mistress and maid planet and satel.
I'VE, OF sun and star.
In the grand academy In which mans
moral nature l. truly educated, Chris
vanity Is the presiding genius,
sac prepares the textbooks, and
,ays down the laws and principles of ethics
Masonry, as teacher In the same school,
ases the textbooks and in her own way
caches sublime and invaluable lessons
Ihey are not enemies, but allies, working,
although with nothing like the same eth.
Nehcy, for the same grand cnd-thc good
y, man, Now, let me In conclusion say
iemplar Masonry has kept the even tenor
~ her way, not by chartered rights, not by
we protection of the law but by the prac.
we OF her own unsophisticatcd vir.