Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-12-27

delighted with the festival OF their
gods, and unwilling to part with those
delights, and therefore Gregory Thau-
matuegus, who died in 265, and was
Bishop of NeOcaesarea, to facilitate
their conversion, instituted annual fes-
rivals TO the saints and martyrs. Hence
It came to pass that, for exploding of
festivals of heathens the principal fes-
rivals of the Christians succeeded in
their room-as the keeping of Christ
mas with joy, and feasting and play
ing, and sports, in the room of Bacchin-
ALA and Saturnalia; the celebrating of
May Day with flowers, in the room Of
the Floralia, and the keeping of the
festivals to the Virgin Mary; John the
Baptist, and divers Of the apostleA in
| the room of the solemnities at the NJ
trance of the sun into the signs on the
Zodiac, in the old Julian calendar"
At one time St. John the Baptist was
exclusively the patron saint of MasOZ-
~, the name Of st. John the Evangelist
having been introduced subsequent TO
the Sixteenth century, and his festival
! celebrated on the 9th of December. 1t
believed by many Masonic writer's. that
Masonry is rather of a symbolic than
of historical character proof of which
conclusion has been previously given,
we think, by it not being found in its
ritual in the earlier periods of its his
tory. In one of the old ceremonies Of
the last century, reference is therein
made to the two Saints John in the
dedication services of a lodge, in these
words why were lodges dedicated
to St. John the Baptist? Because he
was the forerunner of our Savior, and
by preaching repentance and humilia-
ton, drew the first parallel of the Cos
pei. Had St John the Baptist any
equal? He had, st. John the Evangel-
list Why is he said to be equal to the
Baptist? Because he finished by his
learning what the other began by his
zeal and thus drew a second line par
allel to the former; ever since which
time FTeemason's lodges, in all Chris
tian countries, have been dedicated to
one or the other, or both. of those wOr-
thy and worshipful men" The mystic
rious nature of the Apocalypse, the
mode of instruction adopted by st. John
the Evangelist to that practiced by the
Fraternity, made him worthy the posi-
ton he occupies in our order. No Ma
son can venture much on the tutelary
care Of saints that have passed to that
bourne from whence no traveller re-
turns" and therefore, we must turn
our thoughts to the constant admOni-
tion of this patron of Masonry in his
epistles, to the way in which TO become
a saint on earth to- the cultivation Of
brotherly love, and TO the relation Of
things to come. IF 81. John was a de-
fender of our principles. and he is so
recognized by our Fraternity to-day.
then certainly it is only natural that we
study his life and writings TO the dis
covery of what our principles were in
his day or what they were when our
brethren chose him worthy to be a pat
ron of true holiness. He was the dis
ciple whom Jesus loved. 1t was he
who presented to the world the Won
derful gospel of love opening with IN
the beginning was the word and the
word was with God, and the word was
God. All things we're made by him,
and without MIN was not anything
made that hath been made. In him
was life, and the life was the light Of
men" AS his words come rolling down
the centuries and reach our ears, what
comfort they bring to our souls to-day.
For God so loved the world, that he
gave his only begotten Son that who
soever believeth in him should not per-
ish but have eternal life" Talk about
the fatherhood of Cod and the brother
hood of man, and then be satisfied with
Of 70 W Wit
the spirit that led Judas to betray his
master to DEATH and the builders TO re-
ject and cast among the rubbish the
chief cornerstone. On that day that
Christ said to the women of Samaria:
THE hour cOmeth when We shall Meth
er in the mountain nor yet at Jerusa-
lem worship the Father, but when true
worshipers shall worship him in spirit
and in truth. " was founded the true re-
ligion of humanity-the eternal and
universal religion Of Freemasonry-ir-
respective of nationalities, doctrines
and dogmas. The love of God as the
type of all that is perfect, love for fell
low men. and charity for all-this sums
up the doctrine of Freemasonry. Be
We, therefore, perfect, as my Father
which is in heaven is perfect, and love
thy neighbor as thyself" On these
commandments. are we not told, hang
the law and the prophets? Shame.
/ then. upon that cowardice in Masonry
that is ashamed or abashed to deal
Justly with the truth as is given to the
world by its God-giyen patron saint,
John the Evangelist. Listen TO his
words as he speaks TO the true Sons
of Light" Behold what manner of love
! the Father has bestowed upon us that
we should be called the children Of God,
and such we are Trust God, then, my
brethren. Trust Him as you did when
YOU started on that dark and perilous
Journey. You remember it? There is
no sin but He has a pardon for it; no
sore but He has salve for it; no griev-
Gus sorrow, but He,has comfort for it;