The Newtown bee., 1908-07-17

CHURCH, SANDY HOOK, JUNE
 2l, 1908.
 "He hath made everything beautiful in it's time; also he hath set eternity in their heart. yet so that man cannot find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end.
 These are the words of our Mo st Ex- cellent King Solomon, who was not only the wisest man of Holy Writ, but a great man, having many gifts. He was a true philosopher; a man of scientific spirit; a naturalist; and a poet: By the grace of God he was king Of men in the highest sense; and above all per- haps, he was a lover of nature, in the divine significance of that phrase. It ie natural therefore that he should have interpreted all life out of the heart of that wisdom which the Lord had be- slowed upon him in answer to his pray CT at Gibeon :-"Give thy servant therefore an understanding heart to judge thy people, that may discern between good and evil, for who is able to judge this thy great people" |
 And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness Of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. And Solo, mons wisdom exceled the wisdom of all the children of the east, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; y * |" and his fame was in all the nations round about. And he spake three thousand proverbs; and his songs were thousand and five. And he spake of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even unto the hys- sop that springeth out of the wall; he spake also of beasts, and of birds, and of creeping things, and of fishes. And there came of all peoples to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, who had heard of his wis dom."
 We believe that this wisest of men was freemason; and the founder of ancient craft masonry as to the es- sential principles ot the institution as we know it. But whether he was, or was not, this we do know, that the landmarks of our noble order are found in the Holy Scriptures; and that the history and symbolism of the Temple of Solomon furnish the plans, mater ials, and spiritual suggestions for our speculative and practical works. Therefore, whether we regard free masonry as embodied in the Church of God, as part and parcel of the inspired record of His ancient people in Pales- tine; or simply admit that the princi- ples we teach and practice as social, moral, and benevolent fraternity are borrowed from the word of God. does not matter very much. for if we ap- propriate the Word of the Most High, and profess to do any part or portion of His work, then we are bound by every consideration of honor and love, to labor according to His plans, and in His Spirit. To borrow from His word, and work in His name, and not do His will would be the sin of sins which can not be forgiven.
 Solomon was real philosopher. He had enthusiasm for the truth. He sought it as a true lover seeks the presence and companionship of his one and only beloved. He longed for knowledge and wisdom that he might rule and judge the people of Jehovah, the Chosen seed of Abraham, in whom all the world has been blessed. And he was true philosopher, as every good mason is, because the theory and plan of life grew out of his faith in God. He believed in truth. he prayed to the Supreme Architect of the uni verse, he received the spirit of wisdom from on high. and he was obedient to the will of the King eternal. No man can be real mason without that living faith in God, which prays, and works in sweet accord with the divine plans revealed in His Holy Word.
 That Our Most Excellent King Sol- omon was a mason in heart, mind, and spirit we are we'll assured. He sees clearly that there is divine plan and purpose in all things. He does not think at random; he is not in doubt as to his manner of life; there is no confusion as to duty, privilege, and the end of it all. Eccleslastes, or the Preacher, as the book is called from which our text is taken, was evidently written in the maturity of his manhood, if not in old age, and presents the conclusions of all his most wonderful and varied experiences; and beside all this wis dom to start with, he had learned some things just as we all do, through the mistaken views of life. But his first thought, and last thought, and best thought begins and ends with God.
 "He hath made everything beautiful in its time; also he hath set eternity in their heart, yet so that man cam ct find out the work that God hath done from the beginning even to the end. " The Creator is the Supreme Architect of our lives. Everything in this world is beautiful, and adapted to our use, education, and happiness; but it is not just for this present world that we are here; He hath set eternity in our hearts; the hope of the life eternal IS planted in our spiritual nature; we want to live forever; we long to know more and more about God and of His marvellous works. We are to go on and on learning more and better; but at best we cannot find out the meaning of the infinite Father by the study of His works; the spirit of Truth must help us to enter into the secret things of eternal life.
 The context gives a more complete ideal perhaps, of all that is in his mind: "For everything there is a season" he says "and time for every purpose under heaven; a time to be ! q