Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1889-07-07
SOMETHING OF ITS HISTORY.
The Great Truths Which Underlie This An
Gent Order.
NOTES OF THE |. 0. 0. F. LODGES
Masonry.

no more. Masonry ministered OF the
birth of the nation and rocked the cradle
of liberty. As the K spublic has increased in
territory, in wealth and population; as it
has grown in wisdom and learning, it has be-
come broad and liberal, intelligent and
cultured. Masonry has grown with its
growth and strengthened with its strength.
In the march of time Masonry keeps step
with the world.
Whether we date the origin Of this
sublime fraternity at OF previous to the
building of King SOlomon's Temple,
whether we derive it from the College OF
Artifcers of Ancient Rome, or trace it
down through the Stonemesons of the
Middle Ages, whether it originated in the
Ancient Mysteries, OF descended from the
Knights Templar of Old, it is not our
purpose here to inquire. But be it of an
Gent or modern origin, we believe il to be
one of tbs Oldest institutions existing IN
che world. The generations that have
gone before us have pro6ted by it, and we,
their successors, should not only follow
their example, but feel grateful to them
for their precious inheritance. The doc
triues taught in Masonry are a belief in
God, the Immortality OF the soul, and the
resurrection Of the body. These are
strongly enforced by symbols in every de-
gree of the craft, and explained in man
ner known only to the initiates. The
human heart dwells on and delights in
ceremony and mystery, and it is an esiab'
lished fact that nothing conveys informa-
tion so readily or impresses 1t
so wildly in the human mind as symbol
ism. With its simple creed, Masonry goes
quietly on its mission, and unfurls i's ban
ner to the human race, wherever 1t Is
found, from Greenlsnd's icy mountains
to India's coral strand, from Afric's sunny
fountains"-to the more temperate zone of
our own beloved land, no cline, nor race,
nor color, nor religion is exempted.
! Naught hut the atheist, the 6ondSmdR and
the uRrortky are refused. All people have
been and can be its vOtaries, and around
ts sacred altars are to he found the Chris
tian and the Jew, the Hindoo and the Chi
nese, the Mobammedsn and the Savage.
In its mystic circle all distinctions vanish,
and all meet upon the level; neither birth,
nor rank, nor genius, nor religion, nor poll
tics has any preference there, but gathered
around one common altar, all can sub
scribe to its simple articles of faith, aud
Join in united prayer and praise to The
Great Architect of the Universe, Our
Father who art in heaven" and who Is
the same, yesterday, to-day, and forever.
Masonry inculcstes morality, brotherly
love and charity, bat the greatest of these
is charity-not that chsrity which vaunteth
itself and consists simply in giving, but
that charity which gives with humility,
which deals gently with brothers. fail
ings, which forgives distresses of o needy
brother, comforts the widow and the
orphan, and binds up the wounds OF the
ell cted.
Masonry, like all other institutions, has
it's opponents and revileTs, bat in
stead of destroying it they have
united and strengthened its members; no
human institution has gone through
what it has experienced. 1t has eeen the
rice and fall of cities, the crash of empires,
and the extinction of nationalities, has
endured the dungeon and the fsgg t
mas suffered the torture Of TIE in
quisition-all fer the principles here
/ inculcated But as the Holy
Bible stands to-day as it always has, the
rule and guide of our faith, so stands
I Freemasoury to follow in its precepts, and
will stand 50 long as time lasts. We have
no replies to make to our enemies; their
| ignorance is doubtless bliss TO them, bat
silent and sublime workings of cur frater-
nifty will attest its virtue and its inno-
cencs. The number of great and good men
among the different religions, statesmen,
warriors, poets and otherg, who have
swelled the ranks of Masonry from time to
time, is a sufficient refutation thereof.
To the list could be added scores Of men
ia every station who have adorned and
bstued for our glorious fraternity. There
Was the Duke CT Sussex, who for thirty
wears presided over the Grand Lodge OF
England; Sir Christopher Wren, the great
architect Burns, the poet; Sir Walter
Scott, the great novelist; Lord Nelson
/ Thomas Moore, Sir Isaac Newton, Sheri-
dan, Fox, John Locke, the Duke OF Well
/ irgton, the Bishop of Peterborough, Ne
| poleon Bonapsrte, Charles Nv, King of
Sweden and Norway, Goethe, Mozart, etc
| In cur own country we point with pride
| to a Washington, Lafayette, franklin,
Warren, Henry, Clinton. Jackson, Henry
Clay, Lewis Cas-, Bishop Hopkine, Gen
Hancock, and the martyrsd president
James A. Garfield. These, and men like
these, are the men who have built up Ma
sonry. The mighty temples of antiquity,
sculptured mountains Of stone, hewn from
the everlasting adamant, that reared their
grand and magnificent forms towards the
clouds. and which seemed built for eterni-
ty, in few centuries crumbled to dust.
Their majestic ruins speak to US with sad
elCqueuce of that stalwart former race
thar built them-built them doubtless in
the belief that they would be as everlast-
ing as the hills, and perpstuate their fame
to the remoteet bounds of time. In their
powerful msgnifcsnce they tell us of the
ambition our older Brother in that far
away olden time, TO speak through their
works to the coming race.
Though all earthly things must fade
away forever, the spirit OF man is i'm
mortal, and love and truth are eternal.
These are the teachings Of nature, of re-
vealed religion, and of Masonry, and
brethren, may our light so shine before
men, that others seeing our good work,
NAV glorify our Father which is in
heaven, and we not cease from well-doing
nor rest from our lsbors till corruption
shall put on interruption, and this mortal
shall pat on immortality, when the reign
Of the blessed Emmanuel, the Prince OF
Peace, the great captain of our salvation,
shall be universal and eternal.
III. Z.
ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER.
Wheeling Union Chapter, No. /, hold
their monthly convocstion on Monday
evening, when work will be had in some
of the deg ees. A full attendance Of the
Lcnr,lnaninns is dssirsd at the meeiinr.