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

fore me as David thy father walked and
do according to all that | have COM
manded thee and shall observe my stat
utes and my judgments. Then will
establish the throne of thy kingdom
according as l have covenanted with
David thy father. saying, There shall
not fail thee a man to be ruler in
Israeli
This is the first masonic dedication
of which we have any knowledge, and
In obedience to custom thus inaugur-
ated we have met with the brethren at
Platteyille to dedicate this beautiful
lodge. The brethren here should be
congratulated for their pecuniary ability
and taste displayed in the erection OF
this building, and for their energy, en-
terprise and devotion to the cause OF
masonry, thus exhibited. 1t is monu-
ment to their love of the principles of a
fraternity, which is worthy of them
and of which they are worthy children.
May charity and the principles of uni
versal brotherhood be ever as active
with the members of this lodge as have
been their efforts to erect this edifice,
and may their characters be as SYM
etrical and as pure and spotless, as
the walls of this beautiful temple to.
night consecrated to brotherly love, vir.
tue and universal benevolence. | need
not say to you, my brethren, that the
institution of masonry is one of the
noblest of human institutions. You
know this for you have tested its virtues.
and you daily attest your devotion to it.
The present age is an intensely practi-
cal one. SO much progress is being
made in every department of life and
the activities of every thinking person
are in consequence SO stimulated, that
instinctively the spirit of the age Judges
everything by its utility. Its tendency
to assist or retard progress, at once de-
| termines the estimation in which any,
thing is held at the present day 1t fol-
lows from this that old institutions
which have outlived the necessity which
gave them birth; which may have been
in their day the greatest aids to civiliza-
ton in its struggle with ignorance and
superstition, but which belonged to a
plane of activity, which the rising tide
of civilization has submerged and oblit-
Grated, have ceased 10 interest the pres
ent age.
Institutions thus discarded are like
the geological stratas in the earth's
crust. Once they were the life of the
planet and all that could be seen of il
at the surface, now, though still a part
of and essential to the existence of the
whole, they are buried deep out of sight
and are forgotten. A difference exists IN
this respect between societies or move
ments for the accomplishment of a
specific object, and those which advo.
cate certain general principles, which
are as applicable to one condition OF
society as another The anti-slavery
movement in the United States sought
the abolition of slavery in this country
and nothing more, and when that OBJ.
ject was fully accomplished the move
ment ceased its activity. The molten
mass fused by the energy of agitation
and aggressive contention when it had
consumed all opposition to it cooled
and became stratifed and now forms
a great underlying moral sensibility
of the nation. giving character and
stability to our social and political
fabric.
Our fraternity is of the other class
its objects are the advocacy and
practice of charity, benevolence ant
brotherly affection. In SO far as thes,
objects are realized it is silent power
ever active for the right, an infiuenc,
ever present TO stimulate virtue. Ii
degree its effect may and does depend
upon the stage of intellectual and mora
development of the people, but its be
! nj MI 1s
| tive, like the sunlight which warns the
desert and the beautiful fertile garden
alike, however different the effect of its
genial life-giving rays may be upon
them.
With institutions like ours, great age
increases influence. The element OF
veneration is added. Its age and vigol
exemplify and prove its excellence
Free masonry is the oldest social or.
ganization in the world. 1t also has
the largest membership, and exercises
the greatest influence. 1t is in full sym.
pathy with the activities of the present.
Age has not brought infirmity. 1t is
an athlete, though the dust of centuries
able to free America of the 10Th cen.
tury, as to the despotisms in Europe Of
the 18th and 18th centuries Its objects
do not require it to interfere in political
matters. 1t is a masonic landmark
that opposition to existing governments
disloyalty and rebellion, are not to be
countenanced. Free masonry is mora
field. Upon his first entry into lodge OF
free masons, every initiate is especially
charged as follows: 'sThere are three
great duties. which, as mason you are
charged to inculcate, to God, your
neighbor and yourself. To God, il
never mentioning his name but with thai
reverential awe, which is due from g
creature to his creator, to implore his
aid in all your laudable undertakings
and to esteem him as the chief good
To your neighbor, in acting upon the
square, and doing unto him as you wish
he should do unto you, and to yourseli
in avoiding all Irregularities and intern
perance which may impair your facul
ties and debase the dignity of your pro
fession.' My friends do not under
stand me as claiming that all masons
live up to the requirements of thi.
charge. They do not, and it is to bt
deplored that they do not One O
Americas sweetest poets has said
Not failure. but low aim is crime.''
Our fraternity aims high Nothing
short of moral perfection; but while il
holds high the standard of moral excel
lence, it recognizes that humanity il
weak. That however strong may bt
the impulse to do right, score of vic
ious propensities and inclinations, Of
equal or greater strength, operate in q
different direction Then, the frater.
nitv exercises charity. 1t teaches that
while it is inseparable from humanity t.
err, it is an attribute of divinity to for
give Every mason is therefore sol
EMMY enjoined to whisper good counse
in the ear of an erring brother, and in
the most friendly manner warn him OF his
dangers, and aid him TO reform. Ifgood
counsel and aids to reformation fail tc
arrest the downward course of brother
then masonic duty enjoins that the
strong arm be stretched forth to aid and
assist the falling brother.
The antiquity of masonry is in its IA
vor. and should be maintained by ma.
sons so far as the truth will maintain it
Tits opens field of investigation
which belongs to the antiquarian, and
which has enlisted the best of talent in
the past and present As a result Of
these Investigations, the truth may be
now imperfectly discerned, and is found
to lie between the extremes, on the one
hand, of writers Jealous of the cause Of
free masonry, like the Rev. Geo. Oliver