The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-01-12
AN ADDRESS ON MASONRY.
Bro. Darling Of Orange, Mass, the Guest of
Howard Lodge, r. 4 A. M, Of Wintcrport.

Howard Lodge, r. 4 A. M, Oh wintorport.
WINTERPoRT, ME-, Dee. 81, 1904 Two
of "your people," j. E. Darling and wife of
/; Orange. Mass. were last evening the guests
OF Howard Lodge, F. and A. NJ, and Eastern
Star chapter at the installation of officers of
these bodies for the ensuing year and much
pleasure was derived from the able addresses
OF Bro. Darling and his gifted wife, Mrs.
Darling's beautiful original copyrighted
| poem upon the death of President McKin-
ley called forth such enthusiastic applause
| that another of her original poems was rem
| dered. Bro. Darling and his wife have been
| in this section for more than a week visit
| ing relatives of Mrs. Darling, who are quite
| numerous in this vicinity, and have been
the guests of her sister, Mrs. j. w. Kelley,
whose pretty house and stable have been at
the disposal of her popular visitors. Last
Friday evening our beautiful Masonic hall
never held more joyous or better dressed
assemblage. The banquet was specially
deserving of praise and the service was fine.
Bro. Darling and his wife have been extern
sive travellers in both this and foreign coun-
tries. His address upon this occasion was
in part as follows:
"Proud am l, my sisters and brothers,
to stand before you this evening as an
advocate of the splendid truths of Ma
sonic doctrine. l am also proud Of the
fact that | am an honored member of the
highest Masonic Lodge in the United
States. In my opinion the noble institution
| of Free Masonry, my brethren, gives man
footing among men such as no other Or
ganlzation obtains have demonstrated
IN %icfo ts1,,
life Of extensive travel, both in this country
and Europe. There is, my brethren, in
free Masonry, a wonderful development of
thought, eliminating, as it seems to me, in
the teachings OF the order-a development
in which every degree has it's contribution
to make and each becoming richer in mean
ing because Of that which it presupposes
The entered apprentice opens his eyes upon
scene that bewilders him. He has heard
words IN which are familiar truths, and I'M
iamlllar suggestions that set him to think
ing. From the lower ground where he
stands with the first working tools in his
hands he looks forward to the next degree
with the attitude of one who feels that what
he mas already obtained is pledge of more
precious truths to come to him by using
these crude implements according to the
tradition of our craft. The lights of Mason
| ry seem to leave their places about the altar
aud arrange themselves in a long line down
the vista Of the future, and as each new de-
| gree is reached he feels himself absorbing
more and more of their radiance When
| hrst the light penetrated his blindness it
came as glad shock of sunshine and he
felt that he was in the full glare
of splendid truth. But he soon learned
! that his progress was to be much like that
OF railroad tram passing through d noun
| famous country with all alienation of dark
| tunnels and brilliant landscapes. He found
himself as his masonic experience went on
| passing through different periods of history,
surrounded by strange people and hearing
| strange languages. He was taught by
| symbolism that continued to increase in
mysterious significance as country after
country and age after age surrounded him
with Its added conditions and thoughts lie
was taught at the outset to stand with
bowed head and realize that he was in the
presence Of God, but his name he could not
to use the means that God had given him
ana trust his guide. Later he came to real
lie why that name was lost to him. Sin
had Kept man apart from God. How could
a man who had lifted his hand to take the
| life of brother man learn to speak the
name of the Father, where that name, in it.
| self, was revelation of the deepest truth
| OF his being? How could a man who had
no sympathies beyond his trade and calling
| ana the people to which he belonged, speak
with Intelligence the name of the Universal
| Father? But when at last his lips had
! learned to speak the mystic name that con-
veys to reverent ears the wonders of Gods
| being, his heart had already been soltened
| by bitter SORROWS He had been pilgrim
alone In strange land. Three civilizations
had surrounded him in turn with cond-
tons that he now knows grew up I'M
der the protection of God. Three Ian
guages. assist him to voice the Great Truth
Three brothers joined together by three
fold tie OF spiritual kinship feel the truth of
the DIVINE providence as no one of them felt
I In. "A = I,
| institution of Free Masonry they toiled to
erect the most splendid earthly temple the
sun has ever shown upon. Thus far my
brethren many of you have followed me
and seen before you a changing scene of
familiar ritual, although you may not have
yet graSped the lesson that it teaches tend
ing toward our development spiritually.
others OF my hearers, no doubt, who are
not OF the craft, have seen the truth quite
as clearly from another standpoint, for Free
Masonry, my friends, while it is in itself
an organic development dating from the
first building IF the temple, is also retiec-
ton OF religious history, history which is
an open book to the scholar and more open
still to the devout reader of Gods word.
And so, my friends, feel that can speak
to you all, and with all the earneStneSs at
my command invite your attention to the
great lesson of masonic doctrine, because
az OF you, in different degrees and from
dlferent Standpoints, have this evening been
thinking upon this intensely interesting
subject My brethren it seems to me that
we should all ask ourselves these questions:
what good has our masonic experience been
10 US? Has it helped US to conquer bad
haolts and purify our lives? Has it caused
us TO cease bearing false witness and made
US more Just and charitable? Have we in
deed more fraternal feeling one towards
another and a deeper sympathy for the er-
ring and unfortunate? Has it helped us
practice. virtue and temperance-in word,
IN an things? Has our masonic experience
spirltualiZed us and made us better men and
good citizens? If we can, my brethren,
answer these questions in the affirmative,
then with us Masonry has succeeded in its
mission. If we cannot do this, then in our
case it has proved failure"