The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-06-25
MASONIC LODGES
UNITE IN A MEMORIAL SERVICE AT
ST.. PAUL's
The R~eopeninG of HaII-PIace Church
At CoIIegc-Aycnue baptist
Other Services.

The Masonic lodges or the city united
with the congregation, choir and rector of
st. Paul's Church yesterday morning in
COMMUNICATING the day which is sacred to
ST John the Baptist. Special ritualistic
and choral services were arranged for the
day. which is known i'm ecclesiastical
chronology as EST. Johns day" The sur
pliced choir rendered several additional
anthems. conspicuous among these being
Barnby's 1.-THE Sun Shall no More Give
Her Light" The chance was beautifully
decorated with a profusion of cut flowers
tastefully disposed. Rev. Lewis Brown, rec
tor of st. Paurs. was assisted by Rev.
Willis d. Engle, secretary of the Indiana
Episcopal diocese and also secretary of the
Grand Lodge of Masons. The Masonic or
der was well represented in the congrega-
ton, although the lodges did not turn out
In a body.
The day was celebrated extensively
throughout the United States. In Cincin-
natl ten lodges participated in the services
of as many churches.
The exercises at st. Paups were of a
memorial character and also had reference
TO the Masonic idea associated with EST.
Johns day" There are two days which
are commemorate by Episcopalians and
Masons-St. John the Baptist day. June "a.
and st. John the Evangelist day, Dec. q.
The rector gave a preliminary explanation
of the reason these days are dear TO Ma
sons. In Masonry the sun is an object of
symbolism. and the particular periods when
1t reaches its greatest northern and south
ern declarations at the summer and winter
zoIaffcoG nv anforfnu tha zodforal ciopc Of
Cancer and Capricorn have been appro-
priated by the order and made sacred TO
the memories of these two saints, who have
been. adopted as patrons of the order. The
21st of June is the longest day of the year
and the 21st of December is the shortest.
and these two days of these two saints are
commemorated as nearly as possible at
those times.
THE SERMON.
Mr.. Brown took for the text of his SER
mon yesterday morning the thirtieth verse
of the third chapter of the gospel of ST.
John. H must increase, but l must de-
crease" He spoke substantially as fol-
lows:
These words are appropriate to this oc-
cdsion, and they bear out the fundamental
idea of Masonry. As from this time on
ward the days decrease until we reach the
tim of the other ST John commemorated.
50 in the life Of the ~forerunner of Christ
titit was a dttlllldllOD III OIutI lIldl liz
Son of God might nave supreme worship.
There is an intimate connection between.
Masonry and religion which II is our privi-
lege TO emphasize. No church In Christen-
dom is more ready to do honor TO this fact
than that of the Episcopal faith. Wash
ington and Franklin, two of our greatest
patriots. were noted for their devotion to
Masonry, and were. at the same time.
faithful to our tenetS a century ago. Upon
Dec. 3. 1897. st. Paul's Cathedral, London,
commemorated the three-hundredth ami
versary of its founding, when the corner
stone was laid by the Masonic fraternity.
At this service 10000 Masons assembled and
signalized their adherence to the faith.
AS the greatest men upon the continent in
all departments of life counted IL an honor
TO show their allegiance, SO here in this
country our best men are noted for such
attitude. Some of our foremost bishops
have advised their clergy to enter the Ma
sonic ranks. and, while a rival church en-
deavors to keep her communicates from all
secret organizations, our church ~rejoices in
their support where the cause Is worthy
of espousal.
The character of ST. John the Baptist
Ia well be studied as illustrating the
principles of apt devotion to Masonry and
religion. He was a man of rare unselfish-
ness. and the purpose of true Masonry is
to show the utmost regard for the benefi-
cent practice of charity. When we remem-
Der the yellow fever scourge of Memphis
and Nashville, the burning of Chicago and
the deadliest hours OF the civil war, we
recall also the devotion of this order to
those demanding help. The widows and the
fatherless rise up and call Masons blessed.
The church would do well to take example
from them and exercise the same loving
care for her adherents in time of sore dis
tress. The zeal of st. John the Baptist for
righteousness illustrates the purpose of
Masonry. It's object Is to develop the high
est type of manhood; Ii believes in purity,
goodness, truth. charity and integrity: 1t
has no conception of disreputable men or
questionable ways. 1t has sometimes been
found fault with because men did not at all
times represent these elements, but, as
with the church when rightly viewed. the
fault does not pertain to the institution,
but to the man.
RETIREMENT OF MANKIND.
1.-The intention in both the church and
Masonry is TO make mankind better on
account Of the impress. The piety of John
the Baptist may typify the attitude of
Masonry toward revealed religion. The
Bible is a sacred deposit; it's lessons are
an unceasing basis for inculcation; day by
day the true Mason is taught to find in its
pages the way of life. So Masonry stands
as a bulwark against the skepticism of
our day which would be wiser than that
which has been written for our improve
ment in supernatural things.
Then as we view a day like this in
conjunction with this temple so sacred TO
almighty God, we can feel that true re-
ligion and true Masonry work for the same
ends. Manhood is the goal alike in each
department-that manhood which counts
everything in this world as worth while.
which dignifes human effort and makes IL
fit 10 one day meet the scrutiny of the
All-seeing Eye.
"As one ascends the Swiss mountains,
leaving behind him the verdure-clad mead
ows. he passes through the arid and bleak
places and at last stands upon the sun
crowned SUBMITS touched by the golden
Cfoxu Of 1apliOfnO daV Then he realizes that
what he has experienced has come to teach
him of the fitness of eternity TO correct
VIA was wrong and reward him for that
which was right So as a man uses Ma