The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-08-14

overcome these dlfhc IltleS and
endure to the end and come
forth from these sufferings, like
true gold from the refiner's fire.
then, indeed. will our spirits be
"well formed, true and trusty"
and worthy to "offer unto the
Lord an offering of righteous
ness" "
After the corner stone has
been tested then the elements
of Masonic conservation, corn,
wine and oil are poured upon
| it. Before money came into
use, corn, wine and oil consti-
tuted the wages of labor. Corn
is the emblem of nourishment;
wine is the emblem of refresh
ment; oil is the emblem of JOY.
David enumerates them as
blessings and says: Wine
which maketh glad the heart of
man, and oil to make his face
to shire, and bread which
strengthened mans heart" p"
By pouring corn, wine and
oil upon tie corner stone Ma
sonry teaches that nourish-
ment, refreshment and Joy are
the rewards of labor faithfully
performed.
Masonry has no welcome, no
smiles. no place for the sloth
full or the idle man; but on the
contrary, teaches that labor il
not only the condition of hap
piness but is also the necessary
! requisite of physical. intellect
u | and moral progress. But
Masonry teaches other and
) more important le sons by
pouring corn. wine and oil upoll
the corner stone. Corn is ali
J emblem of the resurrection: al
though, when planted. it de
= Gays, yet it comes to life again.
: and brings forth more abund
ant fruit.
ST. Paul makes Il beautiful
t allusion to this. He speaks OF
the seed of grain which, being
: sOwn, first dieth and thel
/ quickeneth, and from this he
shows how this mortality OF
: our bodies shall assume immOr-
tality, how this corruption shal
: put on interruption.
Wine is the emblem of thai
inward and abiding comfort
| that peace which passeth un
derstanding, that spiritual JOY
with which the heart of MAJ
who faithfully performs his du
ties shall be refreshed.
: We are told in the 10Th chap
: ter Of Genesis that when Jacol
was about to die be called hi
children around him an
blessed them. He promised
Judah that. as a reward for his
faithfulness, his garments
should be washed with wine
and his clothes in the blood O
grapes.
The corn which Masonry
pours upon the corner stone
! points beyond the grave to tn,
breaking light of the resurrec
= ton morn. The wine which Ma
l sonry pours upon the corner
! stone is symbOlical of the i'm
mortal refreshments whicl
Z shall be received by those wht
J, are permitted to enter into tn,
Il celestial lodge over which tn,
! supreme architect of the uni
. = verse presides.
i Oil is the emblem of pros
: perity. of happiness and O
. joy. 1t was the custom among
the ancients to anOint with OF
every person or thing destined
u for a sacred purpose. 1t indi
Gates a dedication or setting
apart for "a holy purpose.
We are told in the 2Sth chap
: ter of Genesis, when Jacob haC
the vision in which he saw all
t gels ascending and descendins
+ a ladder reaching from eartI
i to heaven, that when he awok,
i he set up a stone at the place
F.; and poured oil upon it and thu.
Ii consecrated it as an altar t,
o God.
u When Masons pour oil upol
Il the corner stone they symbolic
Il ally teach that men should ded
T; lcate their lives to the servic,
u and worship of the Most High
$ AS oil is the emblem of hap
Il piness, prosperity and joy i
t further teaches US that N tn,
s service of that God, in whom
y :, III Al.,cc..c. i. 4 4