Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-04-19

Vh0 WOrkerS IN DOtn uelQS nave many alIDS
in common, and are often found laboriDg
on parallel lines of duty. have quoted
the above text for purpose, as you have
already OWNED. You have completed and
caused to be dedicated to Freemasonry
this noble structure: now, if you mean
anything by this house which thou art
In building" and, especially, if you truly
mean anything by asking that this house
be dedicated to the cardinal principles of
our order, then, indeed, you must walk
in the 'ancient charges" and follow the
landmarks transmitted from our Masonic
fathers. Thus doing, you will be we'll
equipped with potent weapons to resist
wrong. to defend right, protect the weak
and helpless, alleviate misfortune, power
ty, intemperance and other evils, and dis
seminate somewhat Of worth and benefit
to men and women, to the community
and to the State. 1 have neither time
nor inclination to read to you our Masonic
decalogue. purpose here and now some
thing more than ''glittering generalities, "
even though they be frought with truth.
1 would make my theme and message
more pointed.
Masonic tenets place before you grand
ideal for conduct and action. Somebody
has written, "the space between what a
man is, and his ideal, is his opportunity. -
You each can readily See our Masonic
ideal. We shall best improve our oppor-
tunity by reducing to minimum, for
absolute perfection mortals cannot at
tain, the distance between our actual
selves and our ideal. How may we sue
ceed, in some particulars, I am con-
strained to suggest.
| %oo hoe ;hr 80, 70 Io
justly, love mercy, feed the hungry,
clothe the naked, to be pure in home,
!. faithful to family, to be correct in de-
pertinent, exemplary in habit, loyal to
truth and justice, to be a foe to oppres-
sion and a friend to mankind as children
of one common Father whom we honor
and reverence.
There is no room in our mystic circle
for the incorporate, the untruthful, the
dishonest the licentious, the profane.
We would not, we should not, have our
good name tainted by such members. We
seek to make in every community better
husbands better fathers, better sons,
trustier men, worthier citizens.
To accomplish these results, in good
measure, my brethren, "c)me now and let
us reason together"
The grand master then referred to some
of tie cardinal principles of the order in
a most interesting manner, in conclusion,
saying:
And lastly; nor does Masonry con-
flict with the duties of citizenship. The
Judge, juror, witness in court, the citi
zen ruler, official or voter can find no
warrant in our law or ritual for the
slightest disregard of the rights of neigh
Dor or townsmen. nor disloyalty to society,
state or nation, because he is Mason /;
quite the contrary of this and because he
is Mason, one is under special obliga-
tions to adhere to those fundamental
principles of justice, equal rights and in
tegrity, which are the glory and safety of
society, of the state, of the naticn, as well
as of honor and protection to tho in
dividual The comm on law, and
Masonic law as well, are in full
accord upon this all important, far reach
ing proposition, namely, that the rights
and privileges of every man are bounded
on all sides by the rights and privileges of
his neighbors, and by line clear and
straight, and to that line we must hew.
I need not enlarge upon this suggestion.
''There is something grand in living
Just beyond which opens to us
The divine:
In our dealings with each other.
| Conscience never more to smother,
Loving God and one another,
You and L."
} In short, my brethren, in all
your Masonic lines of life and Ia
Dor, give this people, these your
noighbors and fellow citizens, less of
, tinsel and more of the pure gold of Free
, Masonry. Your pretensions are guaranty
, that we have something of worth and
benefit to men and women and to the
: community and the State. See ye to 1T that
the voice and deed are in more perfect
harmony, yielding to this town beauti-
full and bountiful products. from out our
storehouse And not alone will your
lodge and your neighbors reap what OF
benefit from such action, but. individually
Won will not 90 unrewarded. The good
qualities of Masonry, like that of mercy.
are not "strained They bless him that
gives, and him that takes" The Persian
2 author. Saadi, tells story Of three sages,
!, one from Greece, one from India. and the
, third from Persia, who debated this ques-
tion: (Which is the greatest of all the evils
, that afflict humanity The Greek said,
z cold age oppressed with poverty" the
5 teacher from India maintained tnat
t pain with impatience' is still worse
! while the Persian bowling low before the
King, made answer, "The greatest evil
t King that can conceive. is the couch OF
death without one good deed to light the
S darksome way"
The air we breathe, the sunshine we
5 enjoy, are not greater necessity to the
physical man, than is the exercise OF
charity to the true Mason.
"That man may last, but never lives;
{ Who much receives, but nothing gives;
Whom none can love, and none can thank;
Creations blot, creations blank"
In other words, my, brethren, | charge
!. : you that, "giving all diligence, you add
to our faith, virtue; and to virtue
: knowledge; and to knowledge, temper.
. ance, and to temperance patience and
u to patience, godliness; and to godllness'
brotherly kindness aud to brotherly Kind
ness, charity For If the thing be in you
. and abound, you shall neither be barren
= nor unfruitful.
=. Two practical suggestions and L am
= done. The duties pointed out In this mes
sage as indeed, all the duties OF Masonry