The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1895-07-25
MASONIC ADDRESS.
Delivered by Rev. J. c. Wright,
June oath, 1895.

vi TIC uiyotlC ics-hiSut loyuuy
have we been welcomed to the EN-
joymelts OF this occasion by my
friend and brother who has just
taken his seat. On this charming
June day, and under these happy
bowers, we are gathered In the in
terest of the oldest brotherhood of
our land. We have been thrilled
with the heavenly music. This
lovely eplace reminds me of the
Sylvan groves of Grecian story,
where the wood-n. apis gather, in
moonlight evening, to perform
their phantom dances to the music
of Apollo. Nations and peoples
have had their festive days. The
Jews have their feast of the Pass
over, the feast of Tabernacles, and
the feast of Purim The Greeks
had their feast Of Olympia, and
the Romans their Saturnalia. The
patriotic Americans have their
Fourth of July, and Christians
have their Christmas and their
Easter. Masonry has two festive
days in the year, in honor of its pa,
iron Saints, st. John the baptist,
and st. Sohn the evangelist. We
are here on this June 9th. in honor
of st. John the baptist. Ancient
mystic rights were hidden away in
Egyptian temples and represented
in Hieroglyphics known only to
the initiated. Proserpine, the beau
tiful daughter of Ceres, was stolen
by Pluto and carried away to his
internal regions. The disconsolate
mother wondered over the land in
search of her lost daughter, when
she came to Elensys, near Athens
where she was Hospitality enter
tanned, and where she taught the
Greeks agriculture. In her honor
the Eleusynian mysteries were
founded, into which all honorable
Greeks might be initiated. There
were degrees in this order, to the
highest which, only those, who had
accomplished the greatest achicv-
ments were permitted. Not to be.
long to the order was disgracefu
to Greek. At the dawn of Chris.
family, the Essenese were secret
order of brotherhood in the Holy
land. A .virtuous life was required
of those who entered this order
They were the patrons of morals
industry and education, and re-
CURED upright living Of their mem
bers. There is traditional history
known only to Masons reaching
back to the building of King Solo
mons temple. The builders Ofthal
magnificent structure in order iC
their. Own protection and pleasure
organised themselves into broth
erhOod. The laborers were divided
into three classes. First, those who
were serving an apprenticeship
They were burden bearers only, and
received no wages. They were
called entered apprentices, and
were admitted to only limited de-
gree of the mystic rites. A second
class were known as Craftsmen
They did the work of building, and
received wages, which according t.
the Holy Book, consisted of corn
wine and oil. Being organized into
II Brotherhood, they were called
Fellow Crafts. They were admit
, ted to an extended knowledge O
the mystic rites. A third class who
superintendent the work as master
builders, were called Master Ma
sons. They received extended
wages, and the highest honors il
the mystic rites. These were OPP
erative Masons, bound together IN
to brotherhood, by mystic tie'
much after the order of Labor
Union of today. 1t is claimed by
our order, and there are valid argu
ments to support this view, which
cannot now mention, that for cen.
turtles this organization flourished
After the Roman Empire had con
CURED the Eastern world, the Ma
sons were such law-abiding citizens
that they obtained the favor of tn,
Roman Government, and as to
ken of that favor, they were re
LEV ed of tribute, or were made fire,
Hence they were known as Free
Masons. Afterware, they becam,
patrons of education and the arts t,
such an extent, that men of othe
professions, then Architects, de
sired and sought admission int,
the order. The were finally accept
ed, and the order was no longe
5 confined to operative Masons only
|, They were then known as Accepte,
= Masonc Hauca o,r mama Apcian