Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-08-30

interferes not with mans religious
opinion; its voice in religion is, "Let
every man worship God according to
the dictates :of his own conscience;;"
which IL, in reality, the only way In
which He can be truly worshipped.
But it is remarkable fact that under
its glorious and overspreading banner
are found diversity of opinion blended
into a unity of sentiment. Men of the
widest differences of opinion in matters
of religion and politics-two elements
which, in the hands Of extremists. give
rise to the greatest troubles in the FAM
lily and in the State-are there blended
and cemented into a common brother
hood in which the hands of true fel-
lowship is given, and heart beats love
to heart. In this cementation lays the
sublime beauty of Free-masonry. In
what other institution of man do we
see these necessary results 80 truly and
beautifully realized? Free masonry,
being the product Of human genius,
meets mans highest natural wants
and aspirations. Grounded in his na-
ture, it also harmonizes with it. These
principles of its superstructure are
mans, and the institution Itself is but
the naturalization of the highest and
purest principles Of being. Hence it
meets his wants and desires. The ma
terial fabric Of the institution was laid
over 1000 years before the birth Of
Christ, but the principles Of its consti-
tuition are co-natural with the human
mind. Free-masonry Is perfected hu-
manity. I mean not, by this phrase,
to place it above the Christian religion.
This I could not do. Christianity came
from Christ, who came from Heaven.
1t is not, strictly speaking, Of the earth
and therefore earthly. It is the gift of
God to man. Masonry is of man. AS
originally created man possessed the
principles, ,inwrought, which gave birth
to the institution. 1t is the mere prod
uct of his Unborn conception of the
beautiful in human morals, unaided
by the Christian religion in the imme-
diate person of Christ. 1t is the high
est attainment of pure human thought
on moral themes-the perfection OF
natural religion. The advent Of the
Christian religion did not destroy the
cherished principles of Free-masonry.
It is an observable as we'll as remarka-
BILE fact that for one to be a perfect Ma
son he must be Christian. There is
implanted in man a natural love of un-
ion, friendship, justice, honor, virtue,
faithfulness and truth. These princi-
pies embodied may be called mans
natural religion. These principals are
so embodied in Masonry as to make a
practical application of them in every
day life. May it live long to perpetu-
ate these noble principles to the latest
posterity.
Many are the attacks upon Masonry.
Some hold 1t in contempt on account
of it's secrets. 1t Is said to be secret in
and, in consequence Of which,
can not be right and ought not to
be respected. It's secrecy is, in a great
measure, it's stability and the founda-
ton of its prosperity. Many of its
great beauties are some Of its deep se-
crets. Rob its of its secrets you rob it
of its beauty. These secrets of Mason
~ are what many condemn but all
would like to see. The religion of
J Jesus Christ, Is in limited sense, Sc
cret; and should men be taught to disre-
spect it on that a ccount? He who would
understand it, must par
take Of it. The operations Of the spirit
of God in the heart Is known only by
those who have received it. Sad Is the
fact that to the great majority of man.
kind, it is a profound secret; and those
who partake of it, must do SO on condi-
tion. Masonry says to all, "Come;;"
but there are conditions upon which to
come. All who comply with these
and requirements may par
take freely of her benefits, secrets and
beauties. God, Himself, is the secret
Of all secrets. We comprehend Him,
and, indeed, comprehend Him not.
HE moves in mysterious ways, His
wonders to PERFORM" and the myster-
ousness of His being only solicits our
more profound awe and reverence. |
The human mind is q secret. It works !
N solitary secrecy; it plans in secret.
Man is a miraculous secret. "He is
and wonderfully made" The
union of the material with the spiritual /
IN man, and the simple production OF
volition, are all profound and undis-
,overabl secrets. But who would de-
,troy his own body, or curse it, because
ne knows not the secret of its creation
md of its most common movements!
But there are many things which tend
% destroy or to injure the good name
md fair fame of Free-masonry. Many
here are who bow at her altar without
the indweIling elements OF
-,,a Masonry and bv their had morals