Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-08-02

attained among the great moral lniiu-
ences at work at the present day. Its
brow is gray and wrinkled with age.
but its heart is young and warm with
universal love and benevolence The
worthy poor and distressed everywhere
are its friends. II is a great leveler.
The rich and the poor, the distinguish
ed and the obscure, the wise and the
simple. all stand upon the same plane
in masonry.
The first preparation TO be made 4
mason must be in the heart, and I'M
less this preparation proceeds the work
of the lodge, the material is bad and
should be thrown into the rubbish and
not placed in the building. Masonry
is however human institution, and il
therefore not perfect. IL is not gifted
with the power TO look into the heart,
and see the true character of the man.
1t has to Judge of candidates who knock
at its door for admission by appear
anees. Appearances are deceptive,
and many are admitted to the frater-
nifty who ought not TO be. The frater-
nifty is thereby made to suffer for the
unworthiness of its children. thus pay
ing debt which all human institution
have TO pay 10 the weakness and de-
prayity of mans nature. Nor does the
fraternity claim for itself Instability.
Ii has made mistakes; mistakes which
have aroused against il strong preiu-
dices, preiudices which have lived
life time and then died, leaving the
fraternity comparatively unaffected by
them. 1t is not the policy of masonry
to defend itself against the attacks of
the outside world. The opinions of the
uninitated of the fraternity are of little
consequence to Mason. The institu-
ton is not in search of prosclytes. 1t
is one of the most imperative and CON
Scientious duties of Mason to pass
upon the admission of candidates for
initiation. The integrity of the institu-
ton depends upon the exclusion of
bad material which may apply for adj
miss on. While the fraternity well
comes to its doors men of good char
acter, who will conform To ITS rules and
principles. its doors should be closed
like adamant against the base and I'M
worthy. Thus guarded so long as vir-
tue exists, will the institution of mas
onry live.
In conclusion let me say to the COM
panions and brethren of Plattevile,
with these additional facilities for
masonic work, and additional incen-
tiyes TO devotion to the principles of
the fraternity, comes additional respon-
sibilities. Where much is.given much
is required is rule having the divine
sanction. Let your lives be well order
ed that you make the greatest attain
able progress in moral and masonic
perfection. Life is made up of small
things. The artist, however gifted he
may be, cannot by a single blow of the
hammer upon the chiscl, or in single
day or month, develope from the rough
marble, the thing of beauty to which
his genius has given birth. Months
and years of toll many times lie be-
tween the conception in his mind and
its realization in the marble before him.
Every point in the statue must be care
fully studied and as skillfully wrought.
as though the quality of the whole de-
pended solely upon the merit of each
part. So with the perfect human
character 10 which masonry aims.
Character is the crystalization into
menal habits of millions of the exper-
fences, impulses and acts of the indiv-
idual, all relating to the most common
place affairs Of life. To be perfect
character must be perfect in every
part. A single blemish determines
largely the standing of the whole. How
many of our race, and of our brethren
have in most respects approXimated
closely to perfection, while life has
been failure from some single fault
or weakness, insignificant perhaps but
incompatible with what the world re-
quires of its fayorites. Masonry is an
aid in the elevation of individual
character towards the perfect model.
1t is not exclusive but will cooperate
with other aids in this ground object
Ii IS not required to crowd the church
and religion out of the man to make
room foI masonry. both can exist to-
gcther in harmony, and he who is so
narrowly constructed as TO have in
sufficient moral or mental compass for
both, has obviously too little tor either.
At the conclusion of Judge Orton's
address a bright bit of song WA rem
dered by the choir in admirable style,
which closed the exercises of the even
ing. As soon as the rooms were cleared
Kneeland's Monroe band took the stand
and from that time until the lengthen-
ing hours of the morning dainty step
and manly tread kept time TO the har-
mony of the different numbers. In the
meantime the supper room was crowd
ed with searchers after the fuel that
feeds the lamp of life, one table full
following another in rapid succession.
Among those present from abroad
whose names were obtained were:
Madison -Ex-Gov. Lucius Fairchild
Boscobel-Sir knights, j. G. Bancroft,
r. Y. Hubbell, S. NJ. Harris, T. j.
Brooks, NJ. A. Sawyer, S. Il. Willough-
by, W. E. Delap, J., Reichel. j. W. Me
Cabe, j. Scott, G. H. Sylvester, II. w
Favor, and A. G. V. Elston, Mrs. T. n.
Hubbell, DIR. and Mrs W. f. Hurd. c.
E. Clifford, w. Il. Dixon, H. r. Hub
bell Il. ID. Booth, Aug. Doeringsfeldt,
VIM. Meyer, VIM. Taylor, W. Mercy
nolds, John Ruka, j. T. DeLep, Chas.
Willis and Max Nobis.
Lancaster - Mr. and Mrs. G. ID.
Streeter. Mr.. and Mrs. C. w Hill. Miss
Flo Hill, L. IL. Boughton, Thos Me
Mahon, A. Michaelis, win orion. John
Wright, j. l.. Rewey and wife, Mr.
and Mrs. A. II. Bushnell, Miss Mabel
Bushnell, Geo. Baxter and Fred Burr
Potosi Lodge-H. b. Coons, Geo T.
Foster, Chas. White and family. John
Chester and family, Thos. Stevens,
VIM. Hounsell and wife.
Montfort Lodge Joseph Allen, G. |.
Biddick. Thos Watson. Ole Iverson.
Geo. Heller. G. Dewitt, d. T. Stevens,
o. 2. David Parker Comfort, L. j. Bid
dick.
Mifilin LODGE Hugh Livingston, j.
II. Harper, VIM. Holmes, c. S. Miller
Hazel Green-Geo. Mills, Jack Bur
kett. John Cox.
Georgetown John Eplitte, VIM
Dent, FL. Burns, Jas. Luce. John +.
Lane.
Well Rewarded. IA liberal reward
will be paid to any party who win pro-
duce a case of Liver, Kidney or Stom-
- z.....sl .:..e .Lo4 Elaot,.;o Ds4.a..a ....1i