Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1897-09-30

this city Is no more and the rock hills
on which it rests have ceased to be.
They are invisible, immovable, and as
imperishable as God and man. They
are fire proof. They cannot be des-
troyed by cyclones, nor do they waste
by any slow process OF decay.
"Since we are here to day to lay found
atoms, let us go in orr thinking little
beneath the outward forms and cere.
monies OF this hour in search OF their
deeper and larger meanings.
"First, on what unseen realities does
this corner stone rest? We appear to
Law IL on foundation OF earth, but 1t
rests on foundation more immovable.
II rests on the fatherhood of God and
the brotherhood of man. Masonry is
opposed to materialism. 1t believes in
the supremacy of spirit. 1t believes
that matter Is but one Of the manifest
atoms Of spirit 1t teaches the unity,
personality and fatherhood of God.
H. teaches that every man owes person
al obedience and allegiance to God.
Masonry rests on the vital relations
that exist between God and man, and
between man and his fellow man. 1T
has been pushed up by human need
and is an expression OF human need.
The institutions that endure, and grow,
and bless mankind do not rest on texts,
or arguments, or arbitrary commands,
but on human need. Whatever helps
man, whatever harmonizes and de.
velops man, is divine ordinance.
From this standpoint, Masonry Is dis
vine institution Its divinity consist
not in its age, it's secrets or its mys-
teries, but In the service it has rendered
to the race and to civilization. We
thus lay this stone on the foundation
OF noble Masonic history. This stone
is mortared and buttressedb by the lives
of noble men men who believed in
God and served their day and genera
ton us valiant soldiers Of righteous
ness.
Second, what do we place this stone
here for +? Why invite people to como
here to take part In this ceremony
Why not let the builders go on with
their work without this gathering?
There are many reasons. Masonry Is
true to the best interests Of society. 1t
stands for the betterment of man in all
his relations 1t seeks to develop man
in his social, intellectual, moral and
spiritual relations. One Of the greatest
needs of this time and OF all time is
better men. Masonry tries to meet
that need 10y seeking to develop better
men. 1t Is important that the people
should know that this Is the work of
Masonry. You build on this stone
temple that Is to be dedicated to the
service of man. 1t is to be used for the
of mans social nature.
NJ 4 hat lot
cial being and has social needs. This
temple is to be used AS one means of
meeting those needs In this community
and should stand here rs u monument
of sociability.
masonry seeks to develop mans in,
tellectual nature. 1t symbolically
teaches him to make his ascent into
higher and better manhood by way of
the sciences II seeks to develop the
reason and make him accurate in his
thinking. Itshows man that he should
enter into the mysteries of numbers
and into the mysteries of qualitative
and qunntitative relations. 1t teaches
that by the aid of the sciences man
should seek to read the wonders and
mysteries of the universe. Masonry
has no war with science, but teaches
every brother that he should be dis
ciple of it. 1t seeks to pass man from
darkness into light and raise him to Il
higher plain of life. 1t teaches that in
telligenco Is one of the great corner
stones OF character. This, then, Is to
be temple of intellectual culture.
"Masonry teaches that man should
not only be true to himself, but also to
his fellowman. 1t teaches man to be
truthful, honest and upright in all his
dealings with his fellows, to be indus
trious, pure and temperate in his own
habits. Hence, this Is to bc temple
of morality.
"But it Is not enough that the nom
bers of the brotherhood be social, cul-
be devout and religious. He should be
II man of prayer, Il student OF the Bible
and ono who seeks to live its teachings.
He should seek to cooperate with God
in the extension of the kingdom of
righteousness. This, then, is to he Il
temple of spirituality.
"Masonry teaches man to sympathiHe
with the poor, the unfortunate and the
distressed. 1t takes the man who has
faced tho foes of life and who has been
Scared and torn on the battle fields of
adversely, atlliction and misfortune it
takes him by the hand and calls him
10y the tender name of brother. 1t puts
about him the arms of sympathy,
cheers him and inspires him with the
hope of "A great future. II brings com
fort and consolation to tho orphan and
the widow. This, then, is to be tenn
pie of philanthropy and brotherly love.
"Masonry teaches man not only to
love his home and his fellow man, but
also to love his country. No man can
be true Mason and bad citizen, or
false to his country for the sake of pri-
vate gain. The Masonic love of coun-
try does not consist in hating other
countries. 1t is above sectionalism and
class hatred. Tho brotherhood in
cludes people of all races, natonalitics
and climos. 1t is elective vet cosmopol-
itan and democratic. II is the friend
of liberty and the foe of oppression and
despotism. Hence this temple Is to be
the home Of the best citizenship and
the widest patriotism.
"Masons, like all the rest of sensible
mankind believe IN clevating woman
kind. They are men who believe in
woman's rights, her right to think and