Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1892-03-30
OF ELDER NICHOLSON
The Teachings and Practice Of Ma
sonry as Applied to Real Life.
rcosr1surD from LAST WEEK.

sonry as Applied to Real Life.
CONTINUED FRoM LAST WEEK.
Iwant now to talk for short time about the
Altar Of Masonry. for 1t 10 an important SYM
boil The altar is where Masonic light lie first
received, and at it on Bonded knees, we learn
some of the most important lessons and valu-
able truths that can be learned by man.
Brethren how sweet the memories that cluster
around that altar. There we were bound by
ties stronger than three fold cord There the
mystic chain first bound our hearts and there
we first felt the pleasure of dwelling together
in unity; around the altar we may assemble,
away from the marts of business and weary
tread mills of earth. Coming from the wales
of obscurity and the high stations OF life TO
meet on one common level as brethren. Rest
ing upon this altar are found the Holy B1Dle
square and compass, which are symbols OF
the highest importance. II by the light OF
divine truth we square our actions and meas
ure them by the square Of virtue, while with |
the compass We circumscribe our desires |
and keep them within due bounds with all
mankind, but more especially with our breth- |
rem. life becomes a mystic poem woven of
flesh and sp irit. garnished by the fingers of
love and rhythmic with the truth. The Holy
Bible from its central position in the lodge
pours forth refulgent rays of divine truth
| upon the east west and south. To it we look
| as the divine source from which are drawn the
sublime lessons OF our order. Therein Is found
| a lesson of the power of the love of country
and kindred. as taught by Queen Esther. the
fairest of queens, and one of the noblest OF
women. Therein is found a lesson of the love
of a father for q Maynard child. as set
forth in the story Of the prodtgal son. There
in is found a lesson of the loye of q wife and
daughter, as taught by Ruth. Therein is found
q lesson of the love and mercy of the Great
Grand Master of the universe as manifested In
the gift of His own son. But perhaps the most
pleasing and forcible lesson. excepting the
direct lesson Of the manifestation of the Faith
er's love is that taught by David and Jonathan.
This is a lesson of brotherly love, that passion
which springs up in the hearts of strangers
and binds them with its silver cords, strong as
bands of steel that the fingers of time can new
er unoose.
l Let me illustrate this lesson. There is a
charming tradition connected with the site
, upon which the Temple of Solomon was erect
= ed which fifty illustrates the spirit of love
g which our order teaches The q ound uponwhich
: the temple was built ts saidto have been owned
g in common by two brothers, one of whom had
Q | family, the other had none. On the spot wa
r sown a field of wheat. In due time the grain
v was harvested and gathered into separate
Q shocks, and ON the succeeding evening the ell
t der brother said to his wife: my younger
l. brother lives alone without a companion, aat
d no one to assist him in his labors, or reward
J. him for his tolls, while God has bestowed uDoI
me a wife and children to bless me. l viii
y therefore by way of compensation take of oul
8 sheaves and place them with his without hi
10 knowledge. The younger brother being act
g. uated by like motives, said within himself
" My elder brother has family to support while
l have none; will contribute to their suppor
n by taking of my sheaves and secretly adding
D. them to his
d. Judge of their mutual surprise, when tn
i following morning they found their shocks un
diminished. This course of events transptre'
r. for several nights, when each resolved Ia hi
lg own mind to stand guard and solve the mys
It. terry They did So and on the following nigh
nj met each other half way between their respec
o1 tive shocks with arms full of golden grain.
Dc Upon ground hallowed by such association
as these the magnificent temple was erected
es Masonry has been ever since then engaged Il
nd teaching brotherly love, relief and truth to tn
ed nations of earth. Here is a lesson of charity
ge and Masonry teaches this, and though it ma
tie not be found in its perfection among the craft
ct- 1t is held up as the sublime IDEAL ana the neal
ut err we approach this ideal brethren, the bette
p men and masons we will be. Masonry is a pei
p- feet system; but it has no time to stop TO 81
es que with mole, still less to teach a blind ma
ys color. If you wish to cross tho mystic rive
a. into the green pastures and unfading flower
ey fields of Masonry, open your eyes, unsto
your ears and come out into the full orb OF da!
ed Come where faith, hope and charity are III
er- principal rounds Of Jacobs ladder, by whic
ID all good masone hope to arrive at that starr
ice decked heaven, whose columns are wisdom
AZ strength and beauty. But some one is read
III to say if masonry ia 80 grand, so elevatin
H. why not throw open her doors and let Il
DC world come in? Allow me to reply: Masonry
We thing of itself. 1t belongs to itself ar
err guards its own principles with untiring Wig
I'D lance. And its members are taught not
lty herald their good works tt
1t world but that their charity should be like Il
ios cooling moisture from the Sylvan fountai
borne by the breath of the morning to the su
arc rounding flowers, giving them life and beaut
III yet no hand is seen, no voice is heard save e
are song of the fountain. Here again some Of
enI says you exalt masonry too high. We rep
we ugan-we have no time to argue with me
the or teach blind man color; but while l exs
ge' the principles of masonry to so high stan
az ard, do not claim that every MEMBER OF
'h- craft has been true to those principles, or a.
ned "a oonsis,ent ,vith his soIemn vows Nav V,
'ng lily; but let me say to you there is not chur
oid- hut who+ hos its bvnoorites not q dogma b
ESQ has it's recreants. not a doctrine but has
ana false believers And 80 it is not strange If N
pc eonry has it false brethren. But the COUNT
felt only proves the genuine, and false bro
er Is no more mason than a hypocrite is
CHRISTIAN. True, the mystic brotherhood
'rt. had its reverses and it's enemies in all ag
zee. and even in this bright present, there are
ra- few Nebuzaradans who would gladly destr
md our sacred temple and drag the craft ir
captivity. But masonry is a primary for
and sustaining principle in the grand syst
of morality and civilization which encirc
the the world. and has nothing to fear from o
av- side assaults. whatever danger there is
;,h the order now is from within; but there
@ none that can not be avoided by closely
Jay serving the important duties which owe
Wn each other all the relations of life, well
ife- to the world at large Brethren. while we
light t. dwell upon the scientific and histo
,ro- aspects of masonry, we should not forget I
"a. it has also n practical every day significaI
A'0' that must not be neglected. And as we g
Iou with rupture at the glittering beauties OF
lcf- snow capped mountains we should not v
Dad rough feet crush the shrinking flowers in
mt. pleasant vale. Let us remember breth
re that we live in practit oil age. The temple
which we walk 10 the busy turning world.