Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-05-18

which sparkle in her crown Even If we con-
fess that in themselves signs and symbols, rites
and ceremonies afford no trustworthy resources
upon which an intelligent and immortal soul
NAV safely draw in the heaviest emergencies
of life yet they have, in all eges and by all ma
lions, been regarded as significantly expressive
of great truths to be TAUGHT and have ever ex
erted an invaluable influence in maintaining
vivid recollections OF the past and excit-
ing to livelier interest in the, future.
The whole form of Jewish worship was
symbolic. The shew bread, the smok
ing incense, the flowing blood the mercy
seat and the outspread cherubim, all forcibly
portrayed or distinctly foreshadowed some
great religious truth. Indeed. before the dis
covery of letters and the advancement of
learning symbols were necessary to elucidate
thought as well as to perpetuate lmpor-
tant events in the history of mankind. In the
days of Egyptian splendor, when the Pharaohs
held their mighty sway, the language OF
hieroglyphics was taught to prince and king,
priest and scholar. But, says some cynic, that
was when the world was young. We need no
symbols now that it is old. Old The world
is not old. It changes, perchance, but it grows
not old. Nature has no wrinkles upon her still
fair brow. The lustre of her hair is free from
strands of snow, and with every step she makes
the music of youth and springtime. These
symbols were needed when the heroes or
Pharsalus fought. when Rome stood mighty In
her splendor; yea, even when the Master
spoke the restless sea to stiffness. and as they
were needed then so are they needed now.
They are the thread to which the Mason holds
to guide him through all the labyrlnthlan
paths of life back TO the spot where Masonic
faith first planted her banner and Masonic
truth reared her altar high. The reason for all
this-the reason why no age nor change can
come to Masonry, why her needs ana ner les
sons are ever the same-is based upon the fact
that her richest gems of symbolism are gath
cred from the spirit of her greatest light, the
Word of God Upon it rest her ritual and her
faith-from it proceed her impresslvenesS and
her power, and because or TINS sne renewed
h.ay- choT axun of
pie, and the wisest OF kings stood sponsor at
the ceremony. Nor has she ever failed TO rec
ogniza her obligations to this source, and
whether moving amid camps or courts, bask-
ing under the smiles of royal patronage, or
bending beneath the lash of persecution
whether surrounded by all the appliances or
pomp and power or standing near crumDlng
thrones or diSsolving dynastles She mas ever
and always chung with unwavering strength to
the destinies of that Light, the source OF her
purest symbols. There was time, we are
told, when a period of more than
thousand years passed by without an
authentic record in the annals of
the ''profane world" The tongue OF
history was palsied Not sound escaped her
lips. Not bell tolled from her dnapldated
towers to report the passage of rolling centu-
ries. Universal darkness fell like pal upon
the nations, and Intelligence, during long and
dresry winter. slept as sleep the dead Yet
then, even then, amid the general gloom ana
reigning silence, Masonry-hke the FAVORED
people during the rayless night or the Egyp-
tian curse-had light within her dwellings and
still worked on by the hallowed blaze which
flashed from her central affairs. YEA ruiz h9lt
a century before the Christian era, when the
greatest of Roman orators died in doubt aud
darkness upon the momentous question II
man die, shall he live again?'-lndeed, -FOUR
hundred years before, when the great Armenian
philosopher drank bis hemlock and sank into
the grave. without dreaming that 1t would give
back its tenant Masonry, we learn by her sy m
bols and her ritual taught in the sacred reulre-
49, To1r f1a md
the resurrection from the dead. But trace her
steps ia other ways Before the classic piles
of Greece and Rome had won the pralfeS
of surrounding nations vast structures ueVoVeu
to Ma, onic mysteries had stood for many years
in lonely grandeur overlooking the luXurlant
valleys of the Nile. Long before Hero lotus
wrote or Homer sang the legends OF Masonry
were sculptured in the living rock and shone on
the palaces of Nimrus and the Wondering
piles of Karnak. Calleda venerable chronlcler
of the mighty and'myste1ious past, she has LETT
her symboli-m upon almost every pyramid
which raises its head, and on tomb and temple,
old and gray. of doomed and deserted Egypt,
Surveying thus the path from whence her sym
bols come we find her ever and always oattllng
for virtue and preserving upon her affairs the
sacred light from whose spirit is drawn the
symbolic beauties which mark her labors and
her laws Within the space allotted TO my
duty 1 may not dwell at length upon all the
symbols which Knights Tsmplar guard lest L
iDtrude upon the time devoted to other u'es.
There is one, however, which the order of
Templars, by reason of the fact that for many
years il stood pre-eminent as strong bull
Wark of the Christian faith, efficient defender
of pious pilgrims and ablest champion of the
Holy Cross" regards with special reverence
and protects with chivalr0us care. That sym
boil is the letter G. which in some way nd I'M
der some form holds its place in every home
where Masonry abides. In some way, under
some form, il teaches the lesson which comes
from the remotest past 10 all who tread the
pavement of the Masonic Temple
fx@I1 %I,off f1OT1 n mic hfy
sepulchre. That in its bosom is the dust of
heroes such as Sparta, nor Rome nor Greece
can ever claim. That in its sod are memories
such as Hannibal nor Cesar nor Aerxes ever
had. That under it's many stars repose deeds
such as Marathon nor Lucera nor Thermopyla
ever saw. That the world has felt the mighty
rush of armies, the watching night witnessed
the fearful clash of arms, and the thirsty
earth drank to its full the tide Of human blood
Be it so, ami yet the Deeds the memories. the
heroes of that simple letter q surpass
them all-deeds and memories and
heroes which claim no martial
no blood-stained banner for reward of praisa,
The records of the good work it has inspired are
everywhere. The trees which crown the hill
tops Of the land have caught the breeze that
bore the sympathetic word upon its bosom.
The roses which make the valleys sweet with
perfume have been touched by the fragrance
that flowed from the mercieS of its inspiration
When the perfidieS of mortality gather in
cohort strength about the Mason's life to drag
from its hold ON Masonic truth the anchor Of
his faith: when temptation, with siren voice
would lure him to Circean Isle; when falsehood,
adorned in pleasing garb, whispers the words
which hearing makes to die; when from out
the shadow of the night the evil spirits gather
ia battalion strong to beat his better purpose
down: the lifting wing, the warning note. the
saving sword, all spring forth from the Masonic
memories of that simple letter q. It is the city
Of his refuge, the Mecca of his aspirations.
When at the close of day he lays down the
burden of his cares and seeks for truth and
knowledge beneath the starry canopy, where
brethren love TO dwell in some way under
some form, 1t gives silent greeting as he halts
before the altar of his faith; and when his
labors done he rises up to meet
again the duties of his life in some way. under
some form it gently drops upon uncovered
head, that blessing which Masonry fondly
hopes shall ever like crown adorn the brow
Of those who make ''the household of the faith
full Between the compass which circum-
scribes and the square which @udes it holds
central place and standing ever as the guar
dian of Masonic justice while its mandate is
obeyed, Right in rags shall triumph hold over
Wrong in rich apparel clad:
But. more than this, it bids the thoughtful
TempIar bear in constant remembrance the
solemn truth that earthly Deeds either good
or had while soon swept from human view by
The waves of time are neither forgotten or de-
stroyed by Him who holds them all That his
life. and the life of every man, is but part
Of the one of which the traveller speaks when,
with pathetic words, he tells US
"And vet with Him who counts the sands,
And holds the waters in his hands,
know the lasting record stands
Inscribed against my name.
of all this mortal part has wrought,
OF all this thinking sSul has thought,
And from these ieeting moments caught,
For glory or for shame"
Like the sun In the natural world 1t marks
the place whence comes the light which ushers
In Masonic day. and while it fingers to Ma
sonrv can come no night. The stars may be
bIotted out. the waters may fade from the
sea. the blossom Of the tree no more appear.
me rock ribbed-hils to the plain return, the
silver cord be loosed, and the golden bowl be
broken. but what is taught to Templars by
hat letter shall, as noontde splendor, shine
until old Time, weary with the weight of
many centuries, shall lay his head upon the
An Of earth to die. And we do believe, my
Praters, that If the paths II leads us TO are
rod. then even the lowly place, the obscure
ife. the hidden worth of this existence shall
speak of us as of him they spoke when at the
bar the question came:
who speaks for this man9" From the great
white throne
Yelled in its roseate clouds the voice came
forth,
Before it stood a parted soul alone,
And rolling east and west south and north,
The mighty accents summoned quick and dead
who speaks for this man ere his doom be
saidf"
Shivering he listened. for his earthly life