The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1907-10-17

arena, they builded in the subterran-
( can streets, mausoleums, crypts nd
tombs which even today excite not
only the wonder but the admiration of
those who are fortunate enough to
view them.
/ In the transition, when the old civ
/ ilization of Greece and Rome passed
away, and the barbaric splendor of the
/ beginning of modern rule began, Free
Masonry was making its changes and
| adapting itself to conditions that it
might not lose its power, but trans
form the rude, unlettered Goth, Frank
and Alleman into the cultured. re-
fined, civilized Briton, German and
Frenchman of today
These races detested the degenerate
Greek and Roman civilization and
shrank from accepting either science.
| art or literature from its hands. There
were two elements who labored for
the safety and the continuation of let
tiers and literature. the leaders OF the
Ecclesiastic forces of the Christian
Church and the Masonic fraternity.
both of which adapted themselves to
| this period of transition.
Scattered upon the European con-
tinent, at numerous points of interest,
we see the castles they designed and
builded century after century and then
defended by force and arms.
Many transformations came. and
the fraternity of Masons changed with
them, ever holding fast their ancient
landmarks, their splendid philosophy,
their intimate knowledge of architect
ure, their code of morals. and the
great principles underlying their ex-
istence
In the dark period known as the
Iron Age in Europe, they penetrat-
| ed the gloom and at least established
the light which gave to modern Eu-
rope the doctrine that all men stand
equal before God the Father. There
were many stubborn battles, there
were some defeats. and many victor
les, but out Of it all was liberty, civil
| and religious.
There is not, in all modern history.
an important event in which the Free
Mason has not done his part nobly.
| There have been times when they. and
they alone, could stand against the
i current of the tide and bid defiance TO
the powers that We're. Throughout
the Great Reformation in Europe, in
the supreme day of that great trans
formation of governments and condi-
tons of men, the flower of the nobil-
ity of imperial Germany, led by such
! Free MasOns as Won Hutton and Won
Sickingen, stood ready - cast their
| lives and fortunes with the man who
stood alone for what he deemed right.
When London, stricken by the
/ plague, was swallowed up by the
flames of the great contlagration and
| her people left homeless and desti-
tue, Cperhaps the darkest picture Of
English history where was the
I strength and succOr which bridged
the dreadful chasm? It lay with Sir
Christopher Wren then the Grand
Master Of Masonry in England, who
not only rebuilt the city in its pres
ent magnifcence. bat saved the lives
of the citizens by his appeal for aid
to the brothers of the Kingdom
/ Ii was during this period that Free
/ and Acceptedy Masons began to have
! an existence separate and apart from
/ Ancient Free Masons, who labored in
masonry and practiced the arts OF
architecture, and gradually there was
a new environments which lead the
votaries Of the Craft to the practice
/ of morals and PHILOSOPHERS which had
long been taught, devoting themselves
| entirely to mental and spiritual labors
instead OK the material work Of the
ancients.
When the Great Frederick, alone
and unaided gave battle to five of
the chief nations in Europe, and after
! seven years of war was victorious,
himself and his leaders in war and
/ peace We're united by closer bands
| than those of sovereign and subject.
They were united by the secret and
mysterious ties of Free Masonry, to
which Frederick had become at
/ tached' with an enthusiasm rarely
ever shown by any man.
! The same may be said of Napoleon
the Great, who in his uneXampled
and Incompatible victorious marches
subdued the continent of Europe un-
til the frost and snow rose superior
to him. Napoleon gathered around
himself men, whether they were of
high or low condition, and bound them
as fraters for the attainment of his
great design.
There are many magnificent pic
lures of men and events that
are singularly Masonic. We find
J them in every rank and condi-
ton of life, as is evidenced by
the one scene which | present to your
view, that of the peasant who a cen
fury and quarter ago, in the hal
lowed precincts of his lodge, chanted
a song which will be immortal
Who has not heard; who will ever
/ forget the ryhthm, the beauty and
sublimity of the lines Of Robert
Burns, when he said:
BY yonder hieroglyphic bright,
Which none but Craftsmen ever saw
! Fond memory on my heart shall write