St. Landry democrat., 1884-01-26
MASONIC ADDRESS.
By GRAND CHAPLAIN HERMAN G. DUNCAN, AT
THE LAYING OF THE CORNERS ToNE OF THE
BAPTIST CHURCH IN oPELoUsAs.

THE LA11NG ok The COMMISSIONS. OF THE
BAPTIST CHURCH IN oPELoUsAs.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
The placing of this stone here is no unmean-
ing office. IL is laid here not TO he left alone in
cold isolation, but to be IN part a resting Mace
on which structure shall arise.
We represent here to-day, those of us who
have laiu this stone the ancient order OF Free
masons. The work OF our craft OF old was to
expend time and labor in the deyising of noble
buildings aud in the execution of such designs.
The continent OF Europe is dotted all over with
the stately and ornate monuments of the skill
and cunning OF our ancient Observation-Disclosures
where the name OF the great Architect OF the
Universe has been placed, temples made rich
with every skill OF human BRAIN and heart and
hand for the greater glory OF God and for rhe
which the public business of the several civic
communities might be transacted with proper
convenience.
Let il be distinctly proclaimed this 6ay that
Freemasons as an organized fraternity have
lost none of the spirit that animated the brains
of their fOrefathers, nor none Of the love for
f1od and man that held their hearts, and we
home none also of the skill that Law in THAR
hands for the execution OF the designs we lay
tlpon upon our rrestle boards. For we. as they
have set for ourselves the WoI of rearn sfrIS
tures though they be now If different sort
/ from those Duiit LII the olden time.
| FreeInas0ns have set themselves to the task
nf eleyating themselves in life and of making
the moral edifices OF their lives, ornate and
beautiful. They exist as an fbFganizaflon fnr
the good or the community, for the elevation
of its moral tone, for the making OF it complete
in ali its parts and for the adapting of it in the
hest ways for the promotion of the good, the
Iapniuess and the welfare of mankind. We as
seIst the necessity OF foundation stones. certain
definite, fixed, determinate principles, npUn
winch men ought to build their lives we
teach by such ceremonies as this of to-day that
men should not live aimlessly, but rather that
from the very beginning they should make for
themselves q sure foundation, and to that
hat pIa Elaff,,
should underlie and support every act oil the
body polite.
certain ceremonies. They were not nnmean-
M, Won have seen that the SQUARE was an
nIied IA this stone and the correctness of its an
lrles Only tested. By this we proclaim that the
principles that should underlie a mans life
on chi to be square with every good rule and
abie 10 bear the most crucial of tests
You have seen that the level must run along
npOn this stone. By this ceremony we teach
that men shOnld in their living be level and fair
without inequality or partiality; SO true in
every way that their actions shall all hormonize
and present fair surface.
You have seen the plumb applied TO this
stone There swings for each of us the great
line of the Master Architect, and none of our
structures will stand against the storms and the
tempests or the Yieissltudes of life but those
that are in line with His Will.
JJpon this stone there has been scattered the
corn of nourishment to typify that in this house
where the name OF God shall be, true nOurish-
ment shall be found, s0laee for the Wearied
and the hungry sOnls-a food that shall be for
MANY the very staff OF life, for It's continual re-
ward and strengthening.
JTuon this stone there has been poured ont
NJ, do our tasks in life in a perfunctory and
heavy way, Iuaking it but a head mill exis-
tence Let the merry heart give tone to the
busy hand, and let the work Of life be ever done
with cheerful VigOr.
TJDou this stone the oil of joy has been pour
ed 1T is i'll the wall of the Amounted One, in
the temple of Him who is the Great High Priest
of heaven and earth. This ceremony holds al
SO another important teaching. 1t is the work
oil the Great Priest that we shall be doing here
in this place. The work Of building up ones
self too is work for which you and ! are
anointed The Master has appointed the tasks;
and the. Master has given to each of us the
grace for the doing OF those tasks.
Another matter OF which we ought to take
notice is that corner stones are laid III tie foun
6iation of buildings. They are not placed in
them when nearing completion.
III lis in youth, in the beginnings OF our lives
that we should be laying our corner stones,
not in age when eTF lives are well nigh finished.
1t is necessary that we should have certain
well defined principles laid out for ourselves in
the very beginning OF our IlVes, when we frst
20 outint0 the world to make our fortunes and
to erect the structures of our lives, Our moral
edifices. It Willnot do to wait until age comes
on to settle upon what principles our lives
ought to be built. A foundation is not built to-
d finished structure, and no more can the cor
ner stone of ones life be laid with any proprie-
ty in age. In an especial and very emphatic
manner, therefore, does this ceremony of to-day
press home these truths upon the young men
and the Young women here about us.
Such are a few Of the many things that this
ceremony of to-day means Sncl are few of
the principles of the sermon in this stone Let
ii preach them! as you go about the streets
and pass this way let this stone speak the elo-
ent speech that is in it, let 1t tell you OF these
Things. and be needing its admonitfons.
Let the foundations of the goodly and the
beautiful life, the moral structure that shall be
the admiration of your fellows be laid III
youth, sauarely, level and plumb with the
Masters fine. Let that structure rise from such
a goodlY beginning and then it shall be crowned
and anointed, not alone with the substantial
fruits of toll but also with the pleasant things
OF life and with those that an0int life's crown
and make it beautiful in its completed gran
deuP,