The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-11-01
lNTERESTINGl
ADDRESS.

Address delivered by Robert c.
Frsim, Esq, OF Washington Lodge
No. |. OF the Masonic Fraternity OF
the State OF Delaware, in the Ma.
sonic Temple at Whining ton, Del.
Oct. 80. A. y. 1901, on the occasion
of the presentation by said Lodge
of 10 solid gold past masters jewels
to the 10 surviving past masters OF
said Lodge.
Most Worshipful Grand Master,
Master Of Ceremonies, Masonic
Brothers. and our lady guests.
We are convened on this prese Mt
occasion for the performance of a
duty that is one oil much more
than ordinary character For this
purpose we are assembled in this
Temple which ls dedicated to free
masonry this evening. We are
here. at this time. for til. purpose
of conterrins upon YOU. my worthy
and exalted brothers OF Washington
Lodge. a token OF the very high re.
gard and esteem that you, by dill.
gence. earnest work and faithful
performance OF your every duty IN
this Lodge, have conscientiously,
as Masons, have honoraoly won.
bv YOUR zeal. devotion, aud earne st
work, that you each have perform
ed in Washington Lodge, OF which
you and have the honor q being a
portion thereof.
There is an ancient and true az
ION which is "that no man Is quail.
flied to govern, who has not first
learned to obey. This, coupled
with another axiom which is that
meritorious acts should be suitably
rewarded, are nowhere more fully
exemplitied thauthey are IN lodge
OF Free and Accepted Masons.
You. my brothers, like all other
true and worthy Master Masons,
were compelled to commence your
masonic labor at the lowest round
of the masonic ladder.
Masonry is progressive science
and it cannot be attained to any
degree Of perfection but by the de-
vo,ion Of time, patience, labor and
strict application TO study and
indomltable industry.
No man can have conferred upon
him the proioundest hcnors III the
masonic fraternity, until his broth.
ers are assured that he is amply
and fully equipped for the work by
earnest, Jealous and ardent labor,
in the first and second degrees Of
Masonry, and has learn to observe
secrecy and morality.
The progress OF a Mason 8 eXpe-
ricnce is gradual You, my broth.
ers, to whom a reward OF merit on
this present occasion is proper ly
and Justly about to be presented by
this Lodge, could never have cross.
ed the threshold of d Lodge of Free
and Accepted Masons. il you had
not first gained tie reputation OF
honesty, morality, and strict integ-
rity in the community in which you
dwell, and also othat you were firm
| and steadtast believer in the doc
trincs and rrecepts Of the Chris.
tian religion. based and founded
on the teachings OF Gods Holy
Word.
And your names would never
have been enrolled among the ar
chIvcs of a Masonic Lodge as Il
Mason, if your application to have
conferred upon you the mysteries $
OF Free Masonry, had not been ac-
companied by a good masonic re-
port.
No man IS ever solicited to become
| a Mason. If a man has an earnest
wish to become and desire to be.
come Mason. he must OF his own
free will and accord, ask that he
may be rmitted to become mem
ber OF this ancient and honorable
Fraternity.
All OF us who are here assembled
this evening. VINO have been ad.
vanced to the degree Of Master Ma
son and who are present, have as
cended to that sublime step in Ma.
sonry, except our lady friends,
wives, widows and daughters oI
Masons, who have been especially
invited to be present to witness the
ceremonies on this occasion.
Masonry at its origin, and through
manv centuries, was solely ocCupl-
ed with labors, in which women do
not participate. The instruction
aud work of Masons in tie LodS e
room are only suited to the male
sex, CON sequentlv women have nev-
er been admitted TO the Masonic
Fraternity, as members and no
woman can ever become mason,
There is however no organization
of men in the world that has a
higher regard for woman than the
Masonic FRATERNITY and Oh occa.
sions like the present one, it affords
me great pleasure to invite the
wives, widows, and daughters OF
brother master masons 10 partlci-
pate with us.
Every person. who has received
the sub,imc degree OF a Master Ma
son, has taken precisely the same
step to reach that exalted position
as all others of that degree have
done, who have passed up this way
before them, The exalted position
my brother, TO which you have at.
talned in This lodge, has been gam.
cd by faithful, earnest and persis-
tant la Dor.
ENTERING this lOlrc AZ an enter
ed apprentice Mason, you had TO
be properly clad 10 perform your
la boriOus work,