Akron daily Democrat. [volume] (Akron, Ohio) 1892-1902, 1902-02-24
UPRIGHT
60
Life Of George
Washington
Was In Keeping With
Freemasonry.
Rev. Edward G. Mason's Address
to the Craft.

Hore than $50 members OF Akron an(
Adoniram lodges F. & A. NJ, attended
the special service at the Universalis
church, Sunday evening, when thu
pastor, Rev. Edward G. Mason deliv
cred his famous lecture, Washing
ton, Christian and Free Mason," which
has attracted the attention of Masons
throughout the country and brought
to Rev. Mason letters of highest com
mendation from such men as the Hon
Chauncey NJ. Depew.
The Masons were in regalia and Rev
Mason also wore the apron, the badge
of Masonry.
This discourse was an oratorical tri.
umph for Rev. Mason and may be ia
vorably compared with Henry Waiter
sons Grafton on the second great Amer.
ican--Abraham Lincoln.
Said Rev. Mason: "As a minister and
as Freenlason, | am proud that
George Washington was Christian
and a member of the Masonic frater-
nifty. The principles in accordance
with which he ordered his life are
taught both in the church and in the
lodge room OF our order. Love of
country, purity of personal life, fra
ternity of spirit, unsefish devotion to
the welfare OF his fellow men-these
are Christian virtues and they are
Masonic virtues. Like Christianity,
Freemasonry is in the world not to be
ministered unto, but to minister. And
thus it is when some sadly misguided
phiianthropist, who through ignorance
OF the noble principles and beautiful
spirit of Freeinpsonry regards it as Il
sort of device pf', the evil one to lead
men astray, alkfsrdeavors to curtail
its influence, hes is striving (albeit
vainly) to marrow The sphere of benet-
cience OF one on the worlds most etil-
clent instrumentalities for benelitting
and uplifting hnmanity.
II do not pIacethese institutions, the
Christian church and the Order OF
Freemasons, on the same plane.
only claim that Masonry SO far as it
goes, is Christian in principle. When
our exalted brother, Washington, gave
himself heart and soul TO the cause OF
freedom, when lie refused to return
malice for malice; when in an age of
RIGHTEOUSNESS and worldliness he led
IA life as spotlessly pure as Sir Gala
had's, he was being true alike to his
Christian and hisNIasonic obligations"
Rev. Mason in the course of his lee
ture, made the startling declaration
that when traitorous general lay
sulking in his tent and Washington
swept into the field and with a nigh
ty oath ordered the men on to the COM
bat, that the great General was not
profane, but his words were rather
trumpet call of one of Gods prophets.
and were AS truly pious as even the
prayers he humbly offered up to the
Arbter of the destinics of nations"
Rev. Mason spoke in severe denuncia-
tlon of the iconoclast who "sneaks
behind the scenes of past centuries and
triumphantly energies to declare that
some cherished hero or heroine Is but
a stage Illusion" This man." declared
Rev. Mason, lis hardly less worthy Of
eXecration than would be the sacrileg-
Gus vandal who had dug up and ex-
posed to the unholy gaze of gaping cur
losityseekers the carnal relics of the
great Shakespeare.
ut is to the eternal glory of George
Washington that neither the icono-
elastic properties of time, nor the icon
oclastic tendencies of modern histor-
ians, have been able In more than a
hundred years to destroy or dim the
lustre of his fame"