The Newtown bee. (Newtown, Conn.) 1877-current, 1897-06-25
Litchfield County News
WATERFOWL.

REV MR. CUNNINGHAM PREACHERS II
THE MAsoNs.
Last Sunday being that nearest s
Johns, the Baptist day, in accordance
with their usual custom, the members O.
Fedral lodge, No II, F. 6 A. M, marched
in body to Christ church where thu
chaplain of the lodge, Rev FL. N. Gun
bingham, delivered a sermon appropri
ate to the Ascension. He commenced
his discourse with few words of wei
come to the members of the lodge anC
hoped so long as there was a lodge Of
Masons and a church this custom oil
turning out together to worship would
be kept up. He said that st John the
Baptist was the patron spirit of Ma.
sonry. Probably because he knew best
how to limit his desires and keep his
passions within due bounds; to keep q
strong hold upon himself so that the
lusts of the flesh might not run away
with his better or spiritual nature. But
st John the Baptist was not the only
saint whom Masons looked upon as
their patron. There was another more
loving than the stern Baptist, st John,
| the Evangelist, and from his words the
text was taken. beloved let US love
one another for love is of God" The
preacher said that it is we'll for us to
have those precepts Of brotherlY love
impressed upon US repeatedly, not only
for the good which we ourselves derive
from them but that they may be im-
printed indelibly upon the minds Of the
younger generation. In doing this,
what are to US precepts become laws to
future generations. But precepts and
laws are not enough. The great Master
of the Universe has said, ''you must be
perfect even as your Father in Heaven
is perfect" No amount of precept Is
sufficient. Rome had some of the grand
est precepts, but Rome went to pieces
because of her rottenness. The China
man repeats to his fellowman good pre-
cepts, still the religion Of Confucius Is
dead. The Pharisees were loaded down
with good precepts but it is to these
OA"O CSSNS hoS SdAAs NOC uAbS yOu
scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites."
This insufflciencV of precepts as means
of salvation or soundness applies not
only to the case quoted above but In our
own home, our lodge, our town and in
church. We find painful illustrations
of this fact in the fraternity. We hear
the unworthy extoll the beauties of
brotherly love when there is no love in
their hearts. Hear them speak of the
beauty Of morality when even in the
lodge they may be planning how they
can break the laws laid down for them
by the lodge. In the church as we'll az
in fraternal organizations we find
that jealousy and envy come in. When
we stop and look into our own hearts
we fluid how far short we have come of
fulfilling the duties and precepts laid
down by us in our ritual. These are the
Inconsistencies OF life. Yet St John
says beloved let us love one another
for love is of God" lii leaving us this
command st John is only following the
example set him by his Great Master,
Christ, who said to all those common
people who came to hear the Sermon on
the Mount, just such people as we meet
every day, just such people as you and
[ are, "Be We perfect even as your
Father in Heaven is perfect" Why has
this been repeated so often by the apos-
ties? Again and again has 1t been reit-
Grated. How is it? In the religion of
Confucius and even in our own ritual we
are apt to take different course from
that of Jesus. We take account of
action. Jesus takes account of
heart. He says not so much do this or
do that, but be! "Be We perfect" The
Scribes and Pharisees did perfect things
yet Jesas called them hypocrites. 1t is
not enough that you should say in your
lodge love one another. It Ia vital
part of your faith which you must carry
out In your every day life. 1t may be
hard for US. There may be some of
whom we feel that it is impossible for
US to love. But If we only remember
that love is of God and that we must first
love Him, then the rest will come. Thus
and thus only, can we of the Ma
sonic fraternity carry out into the world
the love of God which Is also the love
of our brother, and so abide in the
fruits Of the spirit.