Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-09-20

and again and again. In it some OF the
kings of judah and of Israel stood proud
and triumphant. and some were murdered
there. Within its sacred walls men wor-
blasphemed the holy place by unholy
usage.
Originally dedicated to the worship Of
Jehovah by the Jew-under an emperor of
the Roman empire it was profaned by the
idolatry OF the pagan. Again 1t was the
spiritual home of the gentle Jesus OF NaZ-
areth and his followers. And today, on
the site where it stood. there stands the
Mosque of Omar And from its loftiest
peak the crescent guides men TO the wor-
ship of the Mohammedan God.
THE history Of human life is like the
checkered story of that temple. In the
life of nations and of races and of indivd-
ualS. too, there has ever been that same
mixture of the good and the evil. But
through the great maelstrom of human
existence since the building of that tenn
pie. there has flowed from it a current of
tremendous influence on the lives of men.
THE material temple is gone, the stone
has crumbled, the marble is crushed
and the great bronze columns of joachim
and BoaZ have tottered and fallen-and
for centuries the bat and the owl made
their home i'll the wreck and the ruin;
but from the building of that temple
there has come down through the years,
through the decades. through the CEN
turtles. an influence for good TO mankind
!.
ever across the tides OF human woe and
human want, and human weakness and
human hopes.
Masonry's High Ideal.
Our craft stands for the brotherhood
of man. Out of the ages there has been
evolved no higher ideal. No time, no
country. no religion has offered humanity
higher purpose or a nobler plan.
THE religion of Moses prophesied
Messiah who would be brother to men.
The founder of the Christian faith. by
every act of gentle human life. con-
tirmed that purpose to be the noblest
ideal and the only way to uplift hu-
mainly.
And the followers of signs, the square,
the level and the plumb line. Do you
imagine that because they are simply
to lead men to higher thought and nobler
deeds?
Go ask the SCARED veteran to tell you
the story of his countrys flag. A SYM
boil? Yes But with power to bind men
together and to lead them on 20 danger
and death.
And now how has Masonry done it's
task, the task to which it set Itself so many
centuries ago? j submit that it Is lncon-
testably true that because of the institu-
ton of Masonry the world is less selfish.
and cruel and hard. and unkind than it
would he had the work of Masonry been
left undone. ! maintain that by its power
for 2ood 10 men the fallen have been
lifted, the weak strengthened and the
strong made stronger yet. ! contend that
hearts are warmer and homes are pu er
because. of its vital force among the chill
dren of men.
1T has not completed it's task. but it
has done it in part. Wherever its influ-
ence has been felt. in every land where
ii has hourished. it has made lighter the
burden of the widow and the orphan; it
l.. la1 hA al Dt y,tt fnv
the poor and the unfortunate; it has
quelled the anger and driven the hate out
Of many human heart; 1T has helped
the tired toiler and the traveller on his
shielded the innocent; it has given
strength to the frai: it has lifted the
fallen; il has helped to cleanse the at
mosphere Of social life. II has protected.
il has fostered, it has sanctitied. 1t has
halloWed the purity of the home-lhe
home. the very warp and wool of domestic
JOY, the corner stone Of our liberties, the
bulwark of our civil government and the
! type of all the joys which humanity hopes
will come when this life is done
You have done we'll. then, my brother
Masons, to build this beautiful temple
mere III the heart of your nations capital
And you do we'll TO meet together tonight
| in solemn but joyous assembly to dedicate
TINS house-not TO the goddess of beauty.
though in very truth you have a right
TO boast of its beautiful architecture: not
10 the goddess of wisdom. though true
wisdom will be learned in the secret con-
ciaVes that will be held within its silent
chambers; not to the glory of your an
Gent order. of which you are Justly
proud but you and l now dedicate this
temple 10 that for which your order has
stood I'm the annals of the past that to
which II pledges itself as its future tas
We dedicate this house to a bToader
clearer view of God. the universal Father
and TO holier love among men,
Visitors Look Over Building.
The entire building was then llum;.
mated. Visitors inspected it from cellar
! to roof. Many were the concentrations
passed upon the beauty, the comfort and
the conveniences of the structure for the
uses to which it is to be applied.
"a lnGna clnsed lis