Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1907-07-05

upon a belief in Christ. Ancient
Craft Masonry whose history
autedatesC Christianity BY Centuries
demands of its votaries no de-
claration of a belief in any sDeci.
6c faith, either Jewish. NOLAN
medsn or Christian but contents
itself with requiring of those who
seek admission into its rankL. a
belief in u Supreme Being aud an
adherence to the moral virtues
There must then. nv brothers. be
some reason for this seeming
anomaly because, and | commend
this sentence to every young
student of Masonry because
there is nothing in either form or
substance in Masonry but what
has a logical meaning and signii
canoe even though to the careless
observer that meaning or signi6-
canoe seem hidden. And this
leads ME to suggest that there are
few who even strive to ind the
meaning of that great land mark
the substitute Worldwide in
itself seems meaningless and silly
but when understood, conveys a
beautiful and harmonious greet.
ing. Originally, Lodges we're
dedicated to that eminent patron
of the Craft. Solomon, King of
Israel. Tradition says, that such
was the rule from the building OF
the first temple to the Babylonish
captivity and that from then until
The coming of the Messiah they
were dedicated to Zerubbabel the
builder of the second temple; that
from the time of the destruction
of the second temple by Titus
. thev were dedicated to st. John
the Baptist; that owing to The
many massacres which attended
that event, FrpemasSOnry sunk
into decay and but few lodges
Z were able to hold a legal meet
: ing. At a general meeting of tn
craft, held in the city of Benjamin
it was observed that the principa
reason for the decline of Masonr'
was the want of a Grand Master
They therefore deputed seven o
" the most eminent members of tn
= craft to wait uDon st. John. tn
Evangelist. who was at that tim
Bishop of Ephesus and reques
y him to accept that high place
, He returned answer that thong
well stricken in years (being W
. wards of ninetv) vet having bee
en- initiated INTO Masonry in the earl
part of his life he would accept
He therefore completed by h
Ter learning what st. John the Bap
lists effected by his zeal and thu
+ drew what Freemasons term
line parallel" ever since whic
E time in all Christian countrie:
lodges have been dedicated to tn
SITS. John.
n. Whether the tradition b
IL founded upon facts or not when
no Lodge of Mlsons is once dedicate
ba it is set apart for the inculcatiC
,sp of those virtues and principl
ia which are the foundation of a tru
No life and of which the two to whc
No lodges are dedicated, are such
mt ting examples as to we'll be chos,
20 as patron saints.
ON And so we come to the charact
ON of the man whose festal day. '
~ celebrate. st. John the Bapti
of The day set apart for this celebI
Ter ton which has low become ge
nd eral amongst tn, masonic frater
on ity. 1t is difficult in dealing W
re. any historic character or incide
to bring the subject down to t
Md present time and thereby intens
ee- interest therein. For years
his studied American history a
i'm therein learned Of the fame
if Revolutionary heroes. Pa
ON Revere, Samuel Adams and Jo
DE Hancock but they seemed far
ow moved from nv own little wor