The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1902-11-07
SPEAKS ON MASONRY
PRESIDENT RoosEvELTs AID
DRESS IN PHILADELPHIA.
Anniversary Of George Washington's
Apprenticeship Into the Masonic
Fraternity-Praise for the
Order and It's Works.

philadelphia, Nov. 5.-President Roose-
welt was the principal guest today at the
sesaui. centennial anniversary celebration
by the Grand Lodge of the Most Ancient
and Honorable Fraternity of Free and
Accepted Masons of Pennsylvania Of
George Washingtons apprenticeship into
the Masonic fraternity.
The President was also the orator of
the occasion. He arrived in this city over
the Pennsylvania Railroad shortly after
IL o'clock and was met at the station by
Grand Master L. A. Tennis and the Re-
ceItion Committee of the Grand Lodge.
Carriages were in waiting and the Presi-
dent was escorted to the Masonic Temple
where the exercises began at noon.
The celebration was exclusive, being
limited to one representative from each
subordinate lodge in this State, together
with the members of the Grand Lodge
and its committees. Grand Master Ten
mis- delivered the address Of welcome,
Charles A. Gallagher. NJ. W., Grand
Master of Massachusetts. responding.
President Roosevelt was then introduced.
He spoke as follows:
mo man can be insensible of the honor
of addressing a body like this on an &C.
casion like this. l should think that ev-
ely man would be a better man for hav-
ing been here today. I thank you. indeed,
for having given me the cha1c Of being
present. / can speak with a freedom
here that it is impossible anywhere else
and with a certainty of not being misun-
der stood. 1t seems to me that that which
this country needs more than everything
else, is not only to preach but to practice
the virtues we try to realize through Ma
sorry and to show to the memory of the
greatest Mason that ever lived, Wash
ington, the homage of deeds. not merely
words.
"One of the things that attracted me
SO greatly to Masonry that l hailed the
chance of becoming a Mason, was that 1t
really did live up to what we, as gov
eminent, are pledged to-of treating each
man on his merits and as man. When
brother George Washington went
into a lodge of fraternity ne
went In to the one place in the
United States where he stood below
or above his fellows according to the Of
fetal position in the lodge He went into
the one place in the United States where
the idea of our government was realized
as far as it is humanity possible for man
kind to realize a lofty ideal
And / know that you will not only
understand me but sympathize with me
when / say that great though my pleas
ure is in meeting you here as your guest
in this beautiful temple and In meeting
such a body of men as this, that ] am
now addressing. l think my pleasure
would be even greater in going into some
little lodge where l meet the plain. hard
working men-men who work with their
hands and meet them on a footing OF
genuine equality not false equality, but
depending on each man to be decent
man and fair dealing Mason.
Each one of us naturally is interested
especially in life as he sees from his own
standpoint. Each one of us that Is worth
his salt Is trying to do his share in work
ing out the problems that are before all
OF us now at the beginning of the
twentieth century. And so does any
man in public life whatever his position
be- If he Is interested at heart, he has
the desire to do some kind of substantial
service for his country. He must realize
that the indispensable prerequisite OF sue
cess under our institutions Is genulneness
in the spirit of brotherhood. Masonry
should make and must make eacn man
who conscientiously and understandlngiy
takes IN his obligations the best type or
American citizenship because Masonry
teaches his obligations to his fellows IN
practical fashion.
ar is a good thing to read the Declare
ton of Independence every Fourth oil
July. 1t is good thing to talk OF what
washington and his fellows did for us.
But what courts most Is how we I'VE UP
10 the lessons that we read or that we
speak of. Lessons Of brotherhood, nrst