The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-02-26

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 20, 1908.
MASONIC CHARACTER AND
ACTION.
Address Delivered by DIR. F. A.
Macon In Masonic Hall, February
y, 1903.

Macon In Masonic Hall, February
y, 1903.
I'm the beginning Solomon chose
associates and assistants III the
great work he was to undertake, and
in their selection we not only have
unmistakable evidence of his great
wisdom, but a precedent and an eX-
ample which is now and ever has
been the foundation supporting the
Masonic order Therefore It's meet
that we should exercise our best
Judgment in the selection OF members
that we may keep inviolate the pre-
cepts and follow the example OF our
great founder, and let not our indis-
erection reflect discredit upon his mag
nificent achievements. The selection
of our members is of the greatest i'm
pOrtance to Us and our order. 1t is
I'm old conviction that he that
walketh with wise men will be wise,
while the companions OF tools shall
be destroyed. 1t is impossible to
Oycrrate the importance" OF this sub
ject. 1t is seen among men OF all
families and in schools. Two or
three bad boys have sometimes
brought great school to the very
brink OF ruin. 1t is seen i'll society.
Some men raise the morals OF all witt
whom they come into contact, whilst
the lowering influence OF others Is
equally conspicuous. There are cases
III which we cannot choose whether
or not we shall associate with GER
tain kind OF people, but we can choose
our friends and bret hren. We may
not be able at all times to escape
from influences which we know to be
hurtful; but we may at least avoid
these when we can. and we may watch
against these powers. \ slight
amount OF care may prevent poison
from entering into our lodge when it
would require great strength and
vigOr of determination to east it
out.
think that one OF the most beau
tiiul expressions OF IL cardinal virtue
is found in King SOlOmOn's explicit
confidence in his friend and cOmpan-
ion King Hiram, and but for this
confidence, it is reasonably sure that
the great temple, by which our Order
is planned, would have been but Il
languished desire OF the first Mason
for we are told that the piety OF
King Solomon seemed to have i'll
duccd him to carry out his father 5
wishes with regard to thctcmplr. but
at so low an cbb was the art of
building that the Jews did not even
know how to heW timber properly.
The King, therefore, applied to his
friend, Hiram, King OF Tyre, and
that monarch sent an architect and
staff OF skilled WOrkmen who, it is
said, made possible the building OF
the temple Probably the realiza-
ton that the results OF this trcmen-
dOus undertaking was due to conf
DENTAL friendship, inspired the great
King to the establishing OF Il broth
crhoOd for those who would be i'll
stilled with the principles of conf
dcnce and friendships as II guide iii
the building of that structure which
every one is building, each one for
himself, and it is called character,
and every act OF life is IL stone.
If day by day We be careful to
build our lives with pure, noble, up
right deeds, at the end will stand IL
fair temple, honored by God and
man. But, as one leak will sink Il
ship, and one flaw break Il chain, so
one mean, dishonorable act will for
ever leave its impression and work
It's influence upon our character.
Then let the several deeds unite to
form IL day, and one by one the days
grow into noble years, as they slowly
pass, will raise at last Il beautiful
edificc. endcaring power to our
praise. There are as many master
WOrknen i'll you us there are sepa-
rate faculties: and there are as many
blows struck as there are separate
acts OF emotion or volitiOn Every
single day these myriad forces are
bailding, building, building Here is
a great structure going up, point by
point, story by story, although YOU
are not conscious of it. 1t is build
ing that must stand. and your Ma
sonic obligations warn YOU to take
heed how you build it; for behind
every foreground of action lies the
background of character on which
the action rests and from which it
gets its life and meaning. 1t matter.
not whether it be an age. Il nation, IL
church, IL fraternity, anything which
is capable both OF being and of act
ing must feel its being behind its
acting, must make its acting the ex-
preston of its being, or its existence
is very unsatisfactory and thin.
What does it mean to you that the
French Revolution burst out in fury
a hundred years ago, unless in that
outburst you see the utterance of the
whole character of that crushed.
wrongpd, eXasperated time which
had gathered into itself the sup
pressed fury of centuries of selfish
despotism? What is it to YOU that
great refOrlner arises and sets some
old wrong right, unless YOU see that
his coming and the work he does are
not mere happy accidents, but the
expression of great necessities OF
human life and of condition which
mankind has reached by slow devel-
opment and education? What is
your brave act without Il brave ma
ture behind it? What is your smile
unless | know that YOU are kind?
What is YOUR indignant blow unless
your heart is on fire? What is all
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