Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1903-09-28

r
nicely lighted and Valley Lodge is
certainly to be congratulated on its
hume and equipment and its bright
prospects for the future. That it may
continue to prosper and prove a
power for good in the community is
the siLcere wish of every visiting
brother.
w. r. Rangers Address.
The true design of the Masonic institu
tion and the high ideals of its devotees
have too often been hidden in the shad
ows of strange misconception or the gloom
OF ignorant prejudice. The teaching of
priceless truth is still "unto the Jews
stumbling block, and unto the Greeks
foolishness." One need not be a Mason
rightly TO judge the dignity, power and
service of Masonry. True it is that he who
has knelt at the Altar OF Masonry in the
glow of its radiant light will receive new
revelations of truth, new visions of beauty,
new appeals for noble sentiments and new
inspiration for worthy living, not given to
the world. Our ceremonies, developed
through long ages as illumination or ex-
preston of the cardinal elements of essen
tial life, rich in beauty, imagery. and SYM
bolic meaning, and growing in winning
charm and inspiring cheer with the pass
ing years, have mystical power to touch
the hearts of seekers of more light and
higher life, to refine their highest feelings,
to ennoble their worthiest purposes and to
impel them to righteous conduct. And
yet, anyone, though not an initiate, if he
seek a knowledge of Masonry with SINGER
ity and sympathy, may learn of it's great
principles, its true design and tendency,
its vast service to the race, and its benef-
cent power. Masonry in the larger part is
not secret institution. 1t invites knowl-
edge of it's principles. Not only does it
seek to illustrate its genius and vindicate
its principles to the Craft, but it also aims
to impress the world at large with favor
BILE opinion of its design and tendancy.
Its truth comes from the great Source of
Truth, and is universal truth. Only part
of its precepts are spoken by the instruc-
tive tongue to the attentive ear to be lodg-
ed in the faithful breast under the seal of
secrecy. Only it's finer relations are hid
den within the mystic bond of fraternity.
And its fraternal life is only hid from one
agai lst the time when he shall live the
life of the brotherhood. Masonic truth
and life and action are too large to be con-
fined to the tyled recesses of lodge rooms.
Its influence is too great for its energy to
cease with the lives of its members. A
kingdom within the hearts of men, it linn
its not its borders with the enrolment of
the rite. It's knowledge, once confined to
! the initiated, has gone forth to all the
world and the world has grown more and
more Masonic.
While the conscious aim of Masonry has
been to benefit its votaries, as evidenced
by it's origin, history, life and tendency.
essentially its grand aim and tendency is
the betterment of the human race. He
who keeps a firm hold on this central Ma
sonic idea will avoid confusion of thought
and misjudgment. Through long years
of progressive Masonry it's ideals have
risen with the realization of higher life
and a nobler fraternity. AS its benefcent
influence extends more and more beyond
the lives of its members, so its ultimate
universal brotherhood. The ideal of the
true Mason is to do good to all men.
The Mason is builder, but of struc
ture not made with hands. The unseel
house of spiritual Masonry is risen ant
recreated race-a redeemed humanity. TIL
aim of Masonic effort is fifty expressed il
the words of a master builder:
, "Build thee more stately mansions, o M
soul,
AS the swift season roll!
Leave thy low-vaulted past!
) Let each new temple, nobler than the last
=, Shut thee from Heaven with a dome NOR
vast,
! Till thou at length are free,
Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's un
resting sea-"
But the temple is not yet completed
The sound of the gavel may still be hear
, by the spiritual ear as it fashions tn
3 rough into the perfect ashlar. The trowt
! still spreads the cement of brotherly Low
r and affection which binds living stone t
Z living stone in Gods grand temple of hu
manity. ALI are masters and workmen
the great and good work--a work that we
outlined on the trestle- board of our d
. vine and Supreme Grand Master even be
Q fore time began. And to each Mason, fc
j. the raising of men, ever is sounded til
! call to work while it is day; for soon til
q night cometh when no man can work.
y Misconceptions of Masonry, though LEI
: common and serious, today, have bee
many, various and harmful. The EXPIRE:
sion of such extravagant notions as that
is an organization for evil, or that it is a
, old form of devil-worship, or that its ritz
= are blasphemous, hardly prompts an il
J. dulgent smile from a Mason, so conscioI
; is he of the worthlness of Masonry. NJ
/, does he have much fear for the effect
}. such false expression on the public so a
sured is he that the good repute of Mason
=. ry is firmly established in an intelligel
public opinion. He knows that the ain
. of Masonry are good and not evil; that I'll