The Bottineau courant., 1905-06-30
GOOD SER MON
Preached to Masons on
Sunday by Rev. White
HAS LIBERAL VIEWS
In Learned and Eloquent address the M.
E. Pastor aims telling blows at Bigo-
try and Cant.--History of
Masonry.

Last Sunday evening about forty
mbers of the Masonic lodge of this
city together with few, visiting
mem bers met in the lodge room and
marched to the NJ E. church in a
body. A special address was delivered
by the Rev. G. E. White touching
the origin, history and extent of Ma
sonry. Like all his sermons it was
an able, fearless and convincing argu-
ment and was much enjoyed by all
present. He spoke as follows:
The true history of Masonry like
the history of nation has its prehis-
toric as we'll as it's historic era. In
its prehistoric era Masonry has been
traced step by step from one organiza-
tion to very remote period.
The East has always been consid-
cred the birth place of masonic light
and mystery. There the ceremonies
of initiation we're first established !;
there truth was first veiled in allegory
and the dogma of religious teaching
impaired by symbol. From Egypt
the land of the winged globe the
land of science and philosophy; peer
less for stately tombs and magnificent
temples; the land whose civilization
was old and, mature, before nations
since called to empire had name,
this system of symbols were dissent
mated throughout Greece :<and Rome
and to the Empire Of the seas. giving
rise by intermediate steps to the mys-
terious association called Free Masonry.
IS Nor need we consider this strange.
For all religions have been born in
the cradle of Egypt and have come to
as out of the NEUROLOGICAL past. The
Mosaic Conception of God and the
Tabernacle which was but a proto-
type of King Solomon g Temple with
it's parapharnalia. were largely bor-
rowed from Egypt and colored by
Egyptian thought and ideas. Every
form of religion, and ancient mystic
symbolism came from the East and
its mode of teaching has been pre-
served till the present day. All these
families of the human race Egyptian
and Jew, Mohammedan and Hindu,
Chinese and Christian have their re-
ligious and fraternal societies. and
alike they come from a common
source
We have contented ourselves that
we had monopoly upon God, and the
only religion to the exclusion of all
others whatever they might be. But
when we compare these vast systems,
we are astonished at their perfect agree
ment in the essentials, and their dis
agreement in non -essnrialst are no
greater than our denominations differ
ences, neither are those differences
any more destructive in their influ-
ence., As q western people, possess
ing the spirit Of aggressiyeness and
enterprise, we have thought that we
possessed the whole earth. But China
and the land of the Mikado have
shown, and will show us a few things.
This same spirit Of egotism has
largely colored our religious notions
of men and things. God has spoken
to men and nations in all ages and
climes. He has not specially endowed
any part Of the human race, over
against another, to give one light and
another darkness. II God has en-
dowed one part of the race with the
religious faculty then he has endowed
all. That man is religious creature
there is no question. That religion
is constitutional element Of man 8
nature none can dispute. It is
equally natural for man to be relig-
ious as it is to think, for to think
deeply is to: think religiously, there
fore it is equally natural for human
TO worship as it. is for man to eat.
Now if this religious instinct is a self
evident fact in the experience Of the
race, and it is; then it is not as we
have been led to believe Israel's
God, but Gods Assyria, as we'll as
Gods Israel. He is not q localized
God dwelling exclusively in the Taber-
nacle Of the wilderness, or the Temple
Of Jerusalem. It was the same God
that was the author Of those noble in
centives that inspired the Egyptian
/ priests to form their brotherhoods,
that inspired the founders Of the.
Christian Church Or the Mohammedan
faith !; SO that Mohammedanlsm and
judaism, Confucianism and Christi
anity and all the religions sof the
world, is but the dominati tion of tbe
religious element, projecting itself II.
divers directions, manifesting the
different stages Of religious advance
nsnt. 'T'''' s'--,'' '''s's