The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1889-01-24
WHOLE NO. 24S
FaEE MASONRY ABLY DEFENDED.
A LECTURE DELIVERED BY REV.
E. 5. BURFORD.
The History, Aims and Objects Of the
er..ObjectiOns to 1t DissIpated
and Logically Explained.


and Logically Explained.
Memphis Avalanche.
A large congregation assembled last
night at Calvary Church, corner Sec.
ond and Adams streets, to hear the
lecture OF Rev. Il. 8. Burford on the
subject OF Masonry. After the usual
service of song and prayer the resSr.
end gentleman, taking his text from
first chapter and third verse OF Gene
sis, {" God said let there be light and
there was light" and from the third
book of Job, second chapter and tenth
verse, | also will show my obedience"
proceeded to explain the objects OF his
discourse TO be to enlighten those who
were uninitiated in the mysteries ot
Masonry, were walking in outer dark.
ness to disabuse the minds OF those
who were laboring under misconcep.
tions of the aims and objects OF the
order, and to encourage and enliyen
those of the fraternity who were pres.
ent. He had never affiliated with any
Of the lodges in this city, but held
'lemit from Whitman Lodge rs of New
Orleans, and would visit local lodges
when the future offered him an oppor.
tunity.
! Addressing himself particularly 10
those who were hoodwinked into be.
ieving false and falIacious assertions
concerning Masonry, he reviewed the
history of the order. IL was an an.
rient one AS old, Cr older, than any
liner organization now in existence.
H. existed from the earliest dawn OF
civilization, in principle, at least, and
It MAS something worthy OF note that
while the Christian religion had se.
cured votaries in only portions of the
world, Masonry had spread everywhere
Ind to every nation France, Ger
many, Italy, Persia, Japan, equatorial
Africa, and everywhere that civiliza-
;ion or standardization existed, Ma
sonry was found, and was found eXer-
cising the same benefcent Influences
as in our own country. II had orig
mated and found birth in the necessi.
Ties and conditions OF mankind, where,
owing to the feebeness OF the individ.
ual, the law of our nature required
that men rAust associate for mutual
protection and relief, and no matter
how high the intellectual ship may
ride on the tide of progress and ad-
vancement, every one must feel the
need of companionship and counsel in
!, the more important wants and affairs
of life. The family relation, with all
its blessings and benefits, was not all.
! sufficient. Other organizations and
) associations have been found necessa-
! ry, and Masonry can trace an unbro-
ken record back to the FIRST founds-
: tons OF moral society.
: To the oft repeated charge that Ma.
3 sonry, in its nature, is inimieal aud
t antagonistic to political compacts and
: established religion, he asserted that
the pages Of impartial history and the
experience OF intelligent men furnish.
ed ample confutation TO all such claims.
: The Mason was faithful to his country,
' chivirous and true TO his God. As.
Sertions are easily made, but OF no
force unless backed up by indisputa.
ble evidence. Masonry comes not be-
!, fore the world as religion. Masonry
knows that God alone can be the an.
! thor OF religion, aud it cannot be es-
tablished by man. To be Mason Q
man needed many qualifications. He
cannot join the order while minor
. he must be Of manhood's years; moi
> can he secure admission If he Is Z
hotard. He must have his faculties
!, mature and possess good moral char
acter Not religion, but philan-
=, thropic and benevolent 0rgani
zstion, the sublime objects O
which challenge admiration al
the other courts investigation
=" In so fsr ~ the principles are con
,-rnins il ) 10 = dark lantern or Sc
- ret ORGANIZATION from which dangei
.tnuld he apprearndpd, and he founC
:" ii surprising to see the pSIpable lRcI
9 oiint. lligence which EXITS concerning
this ancient order. 1t has lived lonj
and It's davs of usefulness have beer
many, not because Of any secret cabals
but because at its virtnous inheren:y
Anything worth life. he asserted wOul'
live. Truth IS mighty and will pre-
vail, and Masonry. like any othe
truth, needs no defense. II IL Arm
fixed and immntable, and the angr
waves of persistent opposition an
prejudice break harmlessly at its fee
There were secrets connected wit
Masonry, and these he proceeded t
defend. Was everything that is ,
ed necessity secret therefore harmful
q. Was there not secret caucus held i
roe Nashville the other day for the pm
Nv pose of agreeing upon the nominatio
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