New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-02
DEPARTMENT
CONDUCTED BY THE GRAND LIBRARIAN OF THE
GRAND LODGE OF THE STATE OF NETWORK
DOES 1T PAY?

When a young man enters our portals ana
masses through the degrees and looks around to
see who has preceded him. and counts the many
gray boards and silvered heads and he Is asked
does Masonry pay he cannot answer from expert
ence but 1t is natural for him TO turn to the
veteran and inquire has it paid; and what
says the veteran? Does it pay? Has it paid
you? Does Masonry make up for the many
hours spent away from home and family, for the
many sacrifices made, for the many dollars
spent in it's cause for the hours of labor ana
work In Masonic quarres-has it paid for all
this? And the wrinkled face Of the veteran
brghtens. and with glistening eye, with his hama
upon his heart. he exclaims, aye Thousand
times 1t has paid, not in gold or silver Out III
the JOY Of doing good to others, in the kno"ieds
of having performed ones duty, in the feehhs
Of having relieved the distress of sunerlhg
brother, of having helped tho WIDOW anu INC
orphan, in often having encouraged ana steaoleu
a lettering an erring brother. or brought MIN
back on the path of duty and righteousness
and finally in assisting as others VIII ASSIST III
the last committal to mother earth or our de-
parted brethren-aye. all this has paid thou-
sandfold.
And ii has paid in more and other ways 100
for friendships formed around the sacred aita'
of Free Masonry are more elevatlng ana more
lasting than any other. Business brings US
acquaintance. but the lower rate OF 80 or the
rival house will turn him thither. We become
acquainted with neighbors, but they move away
end are lost sight Of Even the friendships
formed in church are lost by changes Oh creeu
and change of years, but there is no change in
Masonry 1t is the same to-day as 1t was yes
.erdav or a century ago, and as it will be the
ever. we make our friends our brothers, second
only to those Of our family. We love our brother
as ourself not in spite of his faults. but with
!. his faults we'll knowing that man in his pest
estate is full Of fOibles and errors SociaI III our
mature and social in our organization, we eatneI
An our lodges with warm heaTts. Wl,n clo ~
sn,rts 10 listen to the holy word, to listen 10 the
most eleyating truths and elevating doctrines
and 20 go out again into the outer W0rIu WIN
better impressions and encouraged by the leacn-
ings Of the craft, which teaches us 10 thlnh
Kindly of our fellow-man. to think more of the
heart and less OF the head. TO give ana 10 Jake
and all this pays, pays in It's softenne influence
in our betterment ana IN tndt u OtHeis ""0i''
we love and esteem.
It is true that occasionally we stumble over an
unworthy brother, one with mercehary hotiEeI -
who tries TO use Masonry for his own se!1lsh
ends or even within the inner circle WITHIN our
own lodge Poor weak human nature Will snow
itself and the selfish and mercenary VIII nav
the ascendency for q while, but only FOR a very
short time The great good sense OF the IRA
ternity at large invariably prevails, ana the
speculator in Masonry is spurned, is sat upon
and despised, and usually drops out unnotlceo,
unmourned and unknown to the great bulk Oh
the good brethren. This cannot be helped among
so large a number. There were only tWeiVe ol
them Of old, and yet one proved JUDAS, hehce
We must expect that in spite of our teaching' IN
spite of all the good contained in the craft d
black sheep. a sore spot, Will sometimes appear
b,t the bodv itself is so healthy. so Thoroughly
clean that il must and does vastly oVerpaiance
and overpower all that ..s.o,a %
II paws. brethren, it pays thousand1oiu 10
try 10 become better and better.