Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-12-29

ing, bedecksd with stars; but this gives
you no conception of the inner giories
and sacred treasures Of that most holy
place, where chsrubim with extended
wing cover the mercy-seat and whose
incense burns beth day and night
upon the holy altar. From this vast
field 80 beautifully OVERLAND with gems
Of thought, I will select q single word
for my subject tonight: The "No. s."
This number pervades u where
ritual. From the ground floor to the
very summit of our royal art, the
MasoH's attention is continually di-
rected to this peculiar. this mystic
number. The whole of this grand
system of morality was originally in
cluded in three degrees. These three
included everything from the founda
ton stone in the northeast corner to
that curious arch so wonderfully bound
together by that priceless though re-
jected Keystone.
There were three grand Masonic
pillars; three principal supports; three
grand masters;three principal officers,
three great lights; three lesser lights;
three ornaments; three movable and
three immovable jewels;three principal
rounds to the spiritual ladder; three
essential human senses; three flights
to the winding stairway; three princi-
pal tenets; three stages of human life
and three emblenls of death; three
great and important duties and var
ious others, ti,rees peculiar and signiii-
can't, the mention of which, with their
explanation, can only be made in the
tiled recesses of the Lodge.
Tonight I desire to talk to you
about one of these threes-that is.
about the 'Three great duties you w
to God, to your nelghbor and yourself;
for if these be duly observed and faith
fully kept he Masonic life will be per-
feet and complete. The God we wor-
ship has three essential attributes
Omniscience, Omnipotence and Omni-
presence, He is the triune God-lhe
Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,
before whom the angels and the q CHI
angels bow and worship, crying Holy,
Holy, Holy.
Tee ancient Hebrew did not dare
to pronounce this name. The High
Priest alone could do this and he only
once q year on the gre t day of Atone
ment in the Holy of HOLES. 81 APP
peared unto Apraham, unto Isaac and
unto Jacob by the name of God AL
mighty but by my name Jehovah was
I not known among them?" Does
this not impress us IS important and
suggestive? Free Masonry with all
its degrees Is a beautiful and harmon
ious one. 1t is the same substantially
to-day that it was three thousand
years ago. It is the same In the ral-
ace of the Orient that it Is In the wig
wan of the wild plains of the west.
1t unites men of every country, kin
dred and tribe into one common
brotherhood, for one supreme pur-
pose. From the commencement of
our Masonic life, with the:rising of the
.un In the east till 1t sets In the west,
ending In death and the grave, the
sole inquiry Is. Light, more light,
further light; the pure, the beautiful
light, the everlasting light that radi-
ates from the holy altar of the inf
mite In that Lodge beyond the skies.
However varied may be its teachings,
however diverse its ways, whether 1t
be along the rough and rugged roads.
whether equaring aud numbering the
stones in the quarries, or wandering
In darkness amidst difficulties and
dangers-indeed, whatever be the
journey, we are travelling to that for
eign country and to that supreme
moment where to each u of us will
come the command, present your
work" In view of this, permit me Ia
ask how are you observing and per.
forming these great duties? What Of
that Supreme Being whom, as q Mason,
you are to esteem as the chief good:
Who Is He?
Lift up your heads, oh! ye gates,
and be ye lift ed up, ye everlasting
doors, and the King of Glory shall
come In. Who Is this King of Glory
The Lord, strong and mighty; the
Lord mighty In battle. He is the
King of GLORY! My brother, after
kneeling upon the mosaic pavement,
after travelling the winding stairway
after witnessing His power over death
and the grave, dare you, either at re
freshment or when at labor, name thai
great anne except in supplication or
in praise? Do you claim to De . Mason
| and profane the name of Him who IL
and was and ever shall be-who, with
| His right hand spread out all space
| and flied it with worlds and suns and
| systems-whom the sun, moon and
stars obey, and under whose watchful
eye even comets those arrange anG
| erratic wanderers of the sky, measure
| their orbits by strict geonietric rule:
Whatever you do, wherever you go
that all-seeing eye is upon you. II
never slumbers or sleeps. eff you
| take the wings of the morning and fly
to the uttermost parts OF the earth Ht
Il there"
Beyond that dismal. rayless night
OF everlasting woe;
| Beyond the realms OF life and light,
Or ken Of human lore;
In oceans depths; on mountain height;
Beyond arch angels wondrous flight,
Where e'er you are, where e'er you go;
Our God In there to Judge the right.
NV brother, the duty you owe 10 you
| neighbor il equally as bind'nE and i'm
| portant. In this direction the bound
| airy line of your conduct Ii from the
| east to the west, and between the NORTH
| and the south. '.Ths,u shalt love th,
neighbo- as thy self" 10 from the Boob
| of the Law. You are not to sully Hi
| good name by Islander; you are not t.
speak evil Of brother, neither befor,
| his face nor behind his back. In al
| things you are to judge with candor
| reprehend with justice and admoni.t
In friendship. Remember, he. Ii yoIl
brother. As to yourself, be what Goc
| intended-a brave and upright man
| peaceabie, sober, honest and good. Th'
| good Mason 10 one to whom the bur
densd heart may pour out Its cares ane
Its sorrows with full ASSURANCE Of find
ing sympathy. He may not be learn
| ed In the arts and ~scieneee; he MAJ
not WELD power from high official po
sition; he may be ignorant and obscure
his raiment shoddy, his food coars'
and his home . hut, but IN bis grasI
h the true grip of kindness and IA bill
| heart the tenderness and affection Of I
woman. His walk ID according 10
plumb line and his whole life an exac
square Of truth and virtue. He Ia in
epired by no hope Of fee or reward; 4,
his inspiration 70 love and charity ant
his reward the consciousness ola well
spent life. such . man no bride Cal
seduce, no danger deter, no p~leasur'
diasuade from the faithful discharge O
tkh-&AD~lkAA Auffo~ ~hsoh ha n1roa O.