Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1896-12-11


i>ible sunlight. in which The mipd
may wander and contemplate trui /;
It Is that sunwariDth which fills al d
pervades all human hearts, causing
them to beat in love aad u olson; il
rs the sentiment Of mutually sympa
thiziug mines, for
Man is one,
And he hath one great heart. 1t j.
thus we feel,
With a gigantic throb athwart Il g
sea,
Each others righ's and wrongs, thus
are we men"
This free, all embracing spirit has.
nevertheless, visible body. an ex
ternai phasis, namely, the Masonic
symbols, ceremonies aud forms
FreemasoUry is no mere super fetal
visionary idea, no Utopian scheme or
fieeting shadow, no misty phantom
OF the brain, it assumes a positive
form and shape, and enters into the
outward world visiblv ard audib!v.
actively and effectively. lis symbols
are mostly borrowed from a, Chi &C
ture, which scieice teaches us a
strict obedience to the rules ard
laws of morality, as sure aad relia
BILE, as 1t l. embracing of the world
and Humanity. II is a distiugu:s b
ing popularity of Freemasonrv, that
reaches it's doctrines in symbols and
ceremonies, and not in words, The
balls of Masonry are halls of images
iuto which the Mason can enter, con
templaiing aud rejecting upon The
objects which meet his view. The
ceremonies, usages aud customs of
Masonry are so many living images
which likewise invite contemplation
and IL Election The visible embJdi
ment of the spirit of Masonry has
the great advantage that the spnit
presents to our comprehension not
IN barren ideas or words. but i'm. Ev.
ing shapes. o, particular impor
ttuce are our Musou:c cerernoui,s $.
our living symbols, because tn
require not only cont, mplaiiop, but
also action and imporiance-thrl
lay claim to the whole man, rrQuir
irg of him deeds aud actions. The
symbolic forms and ccrcpionies ne.
ceSsaIlly reqnir" "A place whore they
can be prrforp' d and p;' iced; no
less do they require initiated nd pts
who understand the symbols, who
renectingly contemplate them, who
N teach their ;rue meaning and
perform the ceremonies. The con.
secrat'd place for the symb .Gcal
repres ntaiion Of the split OF Ma
sonry Is III the lodge Iele 10
members Of the fraternity unite in
love, striving ih noble emulanon to
fulfill the duties of love toward the
Masonic AIT, AID ;oNmd the Lreth-
re", The hre,hen uuit1 in a lodge.
aie q symbol Of the fraternity hourd
IN 81 cdoin ard IN love The lodge
is ihe living union Of lie body ard
soul Of Flcemsonry. if Masonry
was doctrine Taught ouly Ia works.
then any could real, stady and
thi"k for himself at his home; bat
being doctrine e symbols, it. lie
qnires place whers those symbols
may be presented and where the
symbolic ceremonies and usages may
be practiced The members of a
lodge have therefore double duty
imposed on them; first to practice
the Masonic art, that is, the symbol
lc representation OF the spirit of
Masonry; secondly, practically TO
perform among themselves the du-
ties taught by the Masonic doctrines
No real, jealous Ereemason will
shrink from this double activity; he
will rather be an industrious atten
dant at the lodge meetings, aud
eheerfuliy assist in promoting the
fraternal social life. 1t is certainly
true that one can be Mason with
ont being visitor or even a memb. r
of lodge. but only in the sense
that he cherishes within himself the
spirit Of Masonry. The fundamen.
tai ideas and principles of Masonry
can entirely exist without lodge
not so FreemasOnry; for this re
qaires Masonic practice of the art
within the lodge. in fraternal inter
course and fellowship with the breth
ran NacOOio SaJo.1,o,o