The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-08-19

city so long
"A looming bastion fringed with fire."
in bronze their deods are being perpetuated
lord
They live in fame that died in virtues cause"
Tho right Of secession Is forever settled
arlght which IN tbe early days Of the republic
was cherished as faithfully and guarded as
leaiousiy IN Msssachusetts and New Hamp-
SHIRE az IN Virginia and South Carolina
having submitted our claims TO the God Of
battle and having had an adverse decision. so
lar as the south rs concerned with grace she
Will forever submit. in return for desolation
ana desocratlon, confiscation aud almost ami
hllation, before the smoke Of battles had
cleared. the South-Our own SOuth-the old
tho Constitution OF our common country. and
stands as ready to-day TO defend IL "a she did
on the day Of its adoption. Slavery IL no more.
ana 10 we're better sO 10 will be the duty. how
ever OF this generation TO see that the shac-
klos OF the bond-msn are not placed on the
wrists OF the poor. That which 10 Franklin
was but a dream. TO Morse and Edison has be-
come fact; Fulton has made steam motive
power. aud IN turn electricity eupplants steam.
London is brought within easy touch OF New
} ork. IN truth and IN deed the thundsrbolts
OF Jove have been hsrnessed TO the car Of pro-
gress and are become the willing and obedient
servants OF man.
Everything hve@, dourishes and decays:
everything. dies, but nothing is lost, for the
Or nclple OF life only changes its form aud the
destruction OF one generation is the viyifca-
ton Of the next" What, my friends. has
Masonry done for the advancement Of man
Kin during all this timer What are its prin-
ciples and sacred tenets? These are the cues
tiOns propose 20 discuss. and II is for this
| purpose L appear before you.
WHAT Is MASONRY
First, what is Masonry 1t is said that "A
jew entered a Parsee temple and bsheId the
sacred fire 'Whatn said ne 20 the priest. do
VoraU1n the fra1' Not the fire. QugWnTgI
the priest, 10 is to US an emblem OF the sun
and OF his genial heat DO you, then, Wor-
ship the sun as your God? asked the Jew.
'hnOW We not that this lumlnary also is but a
work OF tho Almighty Creator? We know IT,
replied the priest, but the unculuyated man
requires q sensible sign IN order 70 form con
I ceptiOn OF the Most High and j. not me san
| the lncOmlrohenslD Die sOufc5 OF HBil'' an IN,
axe OF that Invisible being who Dlesses ana
preserves all thlngsg do your people; then,
/ reioined tho lsraelite, dlstlngush the
/ type from the original? They call the
sun their God. and descending even from
! this 10 @ baser object, they kneeI be-
/ fore an earthly frame. le amuse the
! outward but blind the inward eye; and
| while 20 hold % them the earthly We draw from
them the heavenly light. Thou halt not
make unto myself any image or likeness
How do you designate the supreme Belng2
asked the Parsee. We call MN Jehovah
Adonai. that Is. the Lord who Is. who was,
and VINO will be, answered the jew. Your
appella.iOn is grand and sublime. said the
INlhee, Dut III is awful W Cd4l MIN Il AAuti
The Pagan and tho jew looked At each other
and said. Here is at once an image and a
reality; IL is a word OF the heart Therefore
they all raised their eyes 10 Heaven and said
with reverence and love, Our Father, and
| they took each other by the hand and all
| three called one another brother.
This is freem8sOnry COevel almost wi n
time its beginning is lost in the mists OF an
tiqulty. We read in the book Of Kings: And
| il came to pass in the four hundred and elgn-
tieth year, alter the children Of Israel came
ont of the land Of Egypt IN the fourth year OF
SolOmons reign over Israel IN the month OF
Zif which rs the second month that he began
to build the house OF the Lord That Mason
rs was in existence then there can be no
doubt. Solomon himself was our hrst Most
Excellent Grand Master and this house OF
God was Quilt by NasOns. Coming down.
universal and unbroken through age II was
introduced INTO America somewhere about the
year l7O0-or rather II took form and shape
The first authority for the assembling Of
FreemasOns in America was issued on the 9TH
Of June 1880 by the Duke of Norfolk Grand
Master Of Free and Accepted Nasons Of Eng
land to Daniel Coke. OF New Jersey, appoint
ing him Provincial Grand Master OF heW
York, New Jersey and PennsylYanla. w 6lr-
GINA il appears. never had or sought Pro-
viuclal Grand Master, prefeTrlnR the method
of permitting any number OF Masons good
and true, to assemble under warrant or cndI-
ter and dispense the light and blessings or
Masonry, adherinR always, Of course. TO the
ancient landmarks.
THE FIRST LODGE
In 17N. at Norfolk, the first lodge in. this
State was chartered under warrant from
the Grand Lodge Of Scotland. On the 6th OF
May, l717, five Of the eight constituted lodges
then in Virginia by their TepresentatYe
met in convention at Williamsburg and drew
up code OF laws and regulations for their
government.
They presented the name of Brother George
| Washington To be the hrst Grand Master OF
MssOns in Virginia which honor he decllneu'
FftHI n
teristic Of bis life as a Mason and man:
First. never having been Master or Warden OF
a chartered lodge, he did not DeneVe ne was
eligible TO election; and second ms duties as
Commander in Chief Of the Continental Ar
ME, were such as 10 wholly demand his al
teution His decision being made known
the Grand Lodge was organized by the unan-
imOus election Of NOrshlpful Brother JOhn
EaIr. p NJ OF williamsburg Lodge No. 6, as
Most Worshipful Grand Master
on the Goth of No ember, 1856. our lodge
was chartered by Edmund handoipn. the nIs'
Attorney General of the United states, pa,
triOt Of great ability aud learning ana GRAND
Master al the time In virginia. me centen-
Dial OF which event, as the most OF you know.
we celebrated IN q truly ,IfalerhAl anu Nh
sonic way at Bon Air on the 2Jth OF NoYem-
Masonry in America and Virginia has had
its ups AMI downs. its days OF prosperity ana
az sore trial but all praise and thanks 10 the
Supreme Architect Of the Universe, can
fruthfullv proclaim to-day that 10 is stronger
and more efectual FOR good man ever before
in its history. It's glorious principles; WHICH
are always the same. are u ana shali forever
beresfter be- the most powerful agencies Tor
man intellectual and moral advancement.
and Justly entltle asonry 70 p4Hco
in our hearts second ohy, 70 tne
cred tenets are immortal; they nave survived
the shock OF empires perennial ana unhylhR'
gathering strength with the ages tney are
dearer 10 the heart OF man man ~ nc no. no.
,,,or,t NJ THAR trsf DrOmul gatlOn. hen tho
late civil war came, with All Its cruelles ana
hard hips when brothers arm was rhlsei
against brother and the fair nelds OF virginia
were a camp and continuous battle Rfouhu'
Masonry like some angelic SOeur soraphlue'
was among the dead and dying, Wheihtr 10, ioi-
lowers of Lee or soldiers OF HTalil' DiuuIHs
no the broken wounds WIN, nntilh8 hah lii
ever guided by BrOtherly Love- iellel anu
Trutb: whether amid the stern alarums OF
war or the gentler times OF peace IN nseu'
sorrow. sickness or any other adversary; Ma;
sorry dispenses charity with an equal ana
impartial hand.
40. Il.
The history of No "a Lodge Is so closely IN
teI.wovrn with the history of Manchester that
fbe mention of the one is the suggestion OF
the other When our hrst corner stone va
laid Manchester had only been Town corpo-
rate for a lew ears. Her most prominent
citizens have been mem ers or TINS IOlse.
many OF whom attained 10 hstlncuoni All OF
whom, with few exception nave adorned
their several walks IN life. with an honesty OF
nuruOse and a fidelity 20 church ana stale
which is the very crown anu glory OF true citl-
In he year.ls24, when the Marquis DE la
Tavette who may well be descr1Dec as the
Patron SAINT of American independence US
lied America Tor the last time. he was tender
ed a reception IN the city OF hlchmond' a.
which John Marshall presided, the orator OF
the day being thar nrm hepnbheah h4 t9e n
our own Worshipful lrother DR. James Hen
91~sop Maefer Of Manchester Lodge, No. u,