Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-08-30
The Philosophy and Sublimity y
Of FPee.MasOnry.

La Speech delivered ut Ironion, August 18th
1883, to the Grand Masonic Celebration
(colorcd), by the Rev. j. w. jackson, o1
Ironton. About 1,OOOpeOple We're present
Ladies and Gentlemen: To-day we
have the privilege as we'll as pleasure
of viewing the living votaries and ad.
herents of an institution whose original
foundation lays firmly and surely far
back in the ages of remote antiquity
There surely must be something in
trinsically valuable and inherently
sublime in any Institution of man
which can endure so long and remain
essentially unchanged from its original
constitution, while many and great
have been the mutations and f1uctua-
tions of the world and of men since the
laying of the cornerstone of Free-ma-
sonry. Great has been the conflict
within the domain Of the intellectual
world concerning the philosophy OF
Nature and the realities OF mans eter-
nal destiny. Mighty minds have
roamed the perplexing labyrinths OF
molishing long cherished theories OF
the material and spiritual universes,
and established others in their stead
more agreeable to truth and reason.
From these hypothesis have been
evolved truths now held sacred by uni
versal assent. But during all this pc
riod of change nothing has been dis
covered, either in mind or matter, that
has impaired either the beauty, stabil-
ity or sublimity of the ancient institu-
ton of Free-masonry. Since her birth
she has ever been the friend and guard
ian of both material and intellectual
progress, cultivating and improving
the arts and sciences. From her ranks
have gone forth to bless the world men
of the highest and brightest genius and
Of the most exalted intellectual power
and refinement. Men Of all profess
sions and callings: divines, statesmen,
orators. philanthrophists, philosophers,
poets, ETC., and from the rich and mex
haustihle fountain Of her genius have
flown pure streams of peace for the dis
consulate, comfort for the suffering,
strength for the weak, and light for
those who sat in darkness.
Free-masonry is an offspring of ne
cessity-the out-growth of mans high
est natural desires-his perfected ideal
of his highest and purest conception of
the beautiful in human nature and
morality. 1t is, exclusively, q materi-
allied product Of the esthetical faculty
of our being-an inevitable outgrowth
or development Of an intuitive princi-
pie of our being; a principle which is,
indeed, the ground of our cognition
and appreciation of the beautiful in
Nature and in Art. The sublime beau
ties of Masonry rest upon an elemen-
tary dictum of reason, and have their
origin in the intuitive intelligence of
our being. The grandest secrecy of
Free-masonry is its subjugatng and
power over the discordant
and lnharmonious elements of our be-
ing. Its highest and most exalted
beauty consists in Its power to mould
unity out of diversity. 1t does not aim
to centralize human thought; it does
not aim 70 rob man, by any secret en-
chantment or magical devise, of intel
lectual freedom. 1t enters not into the
of religious thought to de-
prive it of it's own free choice. It
knows no political creed or obligation
under which mems consciences are
bound. Its voice in matters of the
State is so broad, free and comprehen-
sive that all men of whatever political
proclivities, can freely and willingly