The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-05-14

At the Knights Templar exercises al the Masonic Temple yesterday evening Right Eminent Past Grand Commander Russell M Cunningham of Ensley deliver ed the following interesting address:
 In this practical age the practical mind- ed are wont to ask wherein is the virtue of organizations who have an ideal for their standard and a supposed revealed dispensation for their creed.
 That the vast majority of human effort Is directed for the betterment of man. s material condition. and not his spiritual. is undisputed. The motto of the age is the ''reai' and its philosophy is the '.ma- .terial." For the development and utiliza- tion of all material things such phil osophy and such purpose are necessary. As result of mans material ambition there been such a high state of industrial development and commercial exchange. The animal, vegetable and mineral king doms of all attitudes, through the in- mon property of individual communities and even of the individual.
 Never before in the worlds & history were the occident and the Orient in such close relationship in the enjoyment of their respective resources. As a result of this material aspiration the ambition of na- tions Is the acquisition of empire and the extension of their commerce. The right of dominion inherited by the natives is sac rifice in the interest of this ambition. The history of the past demonstrates that when a civilization, or a nation, devotes its whole energies in material develop ment and purpose that the spiritual ideal becomes lower and lower and the moral status more and more degraded.
 Man Is a trinity-having a body, mind and soul. If one of these absorbs all the energies of the individual unit then the other two have no fod upon which to subsist and go into .degeneracy from in- activity and starvation. The body repre- sents the material, the mental, the intel ol md hn onttl fba a n purpose should be to promote a corre- spending growth and development in all these. If he exercises and feeds the body alone his mind and soul become dead and inactive and he approaches very nearly the status of the brute, although the en- vironment of the body may be of the best and highest type of physical perfection. supplying all the physical senses with all things which pleased and gratify them. If he fosters and cultivates the mind alone he may become an intellectual giant while his body staryes for natural food and is clothed In rags, and his soul. hay him as an active factor in his life. If he fosters and cultivates the soul alone he may reach the highest state of moral per lection and spiritual beauty, while his body and mind starve for food and knowl- edge.
 That principle within us which is the receptable of spiritual impression aiio from which flows the currents of spirit
 
 physical something which we call the soul. It therefore follows that the food and exercise suited for the body or the knowledge and culture suited to the mind are not suited for the food and exercisC of this immortal principle. Its food is ! faith, its function hope, its fruition spirit ual emotions It. therefore. follows that there must be something upon which il shall ground its faith. inspire its hope and create its emotion. A thing susceptible ol demonstration requires no faith; realiza. tion which can be obtained by physical effort properly directed requires no hope An enjoyment that proceeds from the possession of material things affords nc spiritual emotion. It, therefore, follows that man has always had an ideal stand ard, the support and attainment of which constitute the essential of speculative moral philosophy or religious creed. This ideal or speculative philosophy contains three fundamental or primary principles to wit: A God, a revelation and prophet or human representative.
 In this way has arisen many theologies revealing many different gods and contain ing many differences in teaching. Among these prophets or representatives in hu- man form was Jesus of Nazareth, son oi Mary The theologic account of his con ception, of his mira acleS. resurrection and ascension are not capable of practical demonstration or scientific induction. Be- lief in these require faith. His theology was entirely contrary to the expectation and desires of Israel in that he failed tc establish an earthly kingdom by restor- ing Israel to it's lost estate. Instead he taught a spiritual kingdom for the at tainment of which certain well defined rules and regulations were laid down for the observance of mankind, the primary and essential of which Is belief that He was the Son of God who came in the world in the form and body of man and dying as an atonement for the sins oi men.
 We thus have a spiritual conception. a sinIeSG life innocent death mlr4C- ulous resurrection and a still more mi raculous ascension of the resurrected body as the great events in the life of Him who gives name and character 10 the Christian religion. A religion that recoS- nizes only one God who is the father oi all. and mankind as his children constitut- ing a vast brotherhood, Is not sectariar and recognizes no single prophet
 A moral philosophy based upon the pri' mary and fundamental conceptin of the fatherhood of God and the brotherhood of man is without the limitation of the teaching of any particular prophet ol creed. This moral philosophy finds it's best exemplification in the principles of an cient symbolic, eapitular, cryptic and Scot tish Rite Masonry, especially the latter It therefore follows that the ancient Ma sonic rites are wholly non-sectarian These rites do not exclude the followers of any particular creed whether Chris tian. Mohammedan, etc provided, the the applicant believes in God the Father and man the brother. The part that these prin' ciples have played in the history of the past in the reformation of morals. the broading of the rights of humanity, the overcoming of prejudice and hatred. the promuigation of liberty, in the establish ment of justice, in the recognition of the laws and facts of nature, and in the gen eral enlightenment of mankind, thus ere, ating a broad and liberal conception oi God the Creator and of the relations ol men as brothers. etc. it is not the pur' pose on this occasion to speak.
 Knight Templarism embraces the
 theology of a particular prophet Jesus of
 Nazareth. Although Its members are
 limited % Royal Arch Masons 1t aecepts onlv such as believe in the Christian creed It therefore, follows that all those who do not believe in the Christian religion are excluded from the Templal Brotherhood. Originally militant order | having for its purpose the restitution oi
 the Holy Land which was in the hands ol | the intidels 1t is today a speculative ordel 1 protesting and teaching the principles O. | Christianity. It excludes from its mem bership no Royal Arch Mason whatevel | H.. zal al1t tarNRNN NaIaVn