Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-03-18
FORT WORTH, TEXAS, SUNDAY, MARCH is, 1894.

Mhat II the meaning OF that stonei
For what does IL staua1
While we carnot assert II "a fact,
yet We have the best possible reasons
for believing that his custom was ".
tahlishod 10y the Masonic fraternity.
Masonry Is Of prehistoric and pnetra.
ditional origin
The Chinese classics arc the oldest rec.
orsls upon the faee OF the earth They
I extend back more than 400 Years be-
l fore the birth Of Christ. They are full
Of quaint Masonic expressions and con-
{ tain many distinct illusions TO the en-.
/ hlems of MASONRY.
I Confudus. the great Chinese philoso-
/ phcr, centuries before the Christian era,
: wrote: That which men would not
Y have done unto themselves thcy should
abstain from doing unto others. This il
/ the rule " acting by the square" And
again; f'Meu should apply the square
4 aud the pcompasscs hsnrativcly to their
1 lives and the level aud the marking line
also, " they would walk Ia the straight
and even path NJ wisdom and coniinc
themselves within The bounds Of honor
and yirtueH
/ can appeal with confidence 10 every
/ Mason here for confirmation OF the
statement, that the author of thcsc lines
was Master Mason. They are OF dccp
and far reaching Specification 20 the Ma
sonic mind, The pyramids of Egypt have
tons OF thcm are that ihcy were built
with divine aid.
Within the present century hidden
vaults have been found Ia them contain.
ing symbols and emhloms Of Masonry.
BY common confession, among we'll
Informed persons, Masonry Is the oldest
institution upon the face Of the earth,
Its forms aud ceremonies have been
observed mud prncticcd In every age Of
which we have any knpwlclgc.
Marx yon, do moi claim that the Ma
sonic fraternity has always existed un-
der the Same name and with the same
form Of government No Of today.
Such is not the casc,
Or ancient brethren were operative
Mnsins
We Of today nrc speculative Masons.
BY operative MnsOns mean that tiry
were. enlyaged in the business oi erecting
buildings They were practical Masnua.
rs speculative Niasons mean hat the
fraternity " now engaged IN the more
noble and glorious work Of building hut
man character
We Of today huild spiritual things
Our ancient brethren began by build
They built for dime we built for eterp-
iiy.
FNOm surveying che perfection and
symmetry Of nature, man was induced TO
attempt 10 pattern after "; and thus
NNNNAAfNNWAfa wv NIHl ~ llNlNlN NAiNfAN'Nf
sprang into cXistcnoe.
The wlscst and best men devoted their
time aud talents "a its study, Many AN
Client ruins attest ito high state of per.
/ fecil0n 10 which they attained.
The Ainsons WIRE the most Intelligent
and learned men upon the face of tbs
For their protection they organized
themselves into societies, which existed
under difercni names aud with different
ceremonies, hnt always with The aninc
Rymbols aud principles until thr huildiue
OF King Solomons temple. whom, as Ma
sonic tradition informs us. they were or
ganizgd by King Solomon Into one body.
II IL impossible to trace the history OF
Masonry 10 eonrectci munncr In fact
Il may be said that masonry has no his
1 tory,
I II ls essentially traditional
Tie ritual OF our lodge work has mover
I been reduced TO writing.
II h work OF memory,
n The attentive ear receives the s0lnt
4 from the instructive tongue, aud the So
Z craa Of Fmeiuuaunry are safely lodEet
: IN the repository Of fhc faithful breast
A Again, Il u contrary To Masonry Il
! boast Of is achieyemonis.
X We are taught thar silence and cireum
T. sneciion best becomes us. especially whol
y IN the presence Of the enemies of Ma
y no reasons. growing ont Of persecution
y from church and state for much Of thi
" silence have passed away, hut the 70
" suits have remained, and ~ conee
4 Wencp tho outward world ID today II
y, darkness AZ To many matters Of Ma
y sonic history which are well known 10 al
= intelligent members Of the craft
y While Il would be- impossible for an
4 one 10 write a history " Masonry, 80
:; we Gnu 500 abundant evidences VI lie "a
y istenee and work IN all ages VI whic
" xpa hnvp EuuWlnflle.
&c have neither The time nor the dlap0
" sitlon 10 defend Masonry from. The erltl
cisms OF rs encmics
They judge ns by our faults and no
by our virtues,
h. Sir Isnac Newton, benjamin Franklin
George Washington, aud hundreds az
ie thousands " others among The world
rtfntoat bnncfnctOfA, would nuyor hhY
- been devoted Mnsons II our cermnohio
were meaningless aud our principles o
A. bad tendency
m may be d mnitar Of surprise 10 tl
nf unlnitiatcd 10 learn that every Masnni
% lodge IN Texas Is dedicated TO The meu
es ory Of the holy SANS John;
r. This " done hccnuse Saint John N
he Baptist and Saint John che Evangclii
he we're nombors Of our order. md we .
NJ MasonH delight 10 honor their memory
th j trust, worshipful master. that al
~ not guilty al q breach ~ Masonic 81
II, gnette Ia making .hs fact public, ~ bot
er ef thesa worthy brethren have long sins
Id anewerel the summons from the gran
IL warden OF heaven, there y 10 danR'
ia thnt they ar either ~ them viii
a. turned out NJ the church on account
N Tho fact that they were MasonH
OF But Masonry does not found iis clni
ne a. moral organization 10 The Fuppo
~: which Il has received from tie Rrci
,e- mon Of tho earin. They were more hO
on ored and benefited by their eonnectlt
Ter with IL than they ever conferred HON
or benefits uyon Masonry
De-. II n IA princinre which commend
I'd TO the intelligence and hearts Of men
ng These principles arr based upon etcfli
In They are 80 broad and Just and easl
be understood that we have no scots o.
W. denominations among ue.
m Chriatianity has 0ne God and tho
lm sand different altar.
ra. Masonry has one God and but o.
a. altar.
10 once a Mason, always Mason. ~
= or pour, siri or web, drunk Or sober
lat always q Mason
"a fasonry haa never appealed 70 chur,
~. ar rfafe Tor support, but has successful
II. ryifhstood persecution from both
Masonry has never drawn sword
IN, H. defgnsp. not even 10 the smiling on
~ thr ear " d high priest,
-. All Of her victories have been those
IN. Ali Of her triumphs have tended
rards fhe elevation ~ the hrfnnu race
"a. T7ie first three gieps 10 Masonry r.
IA, resent fifth. hope and charity, ieaelin
Ion Fnifh IL God.
81. Hope for Immortality a.,