Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-12-07

1
business and it would be presum-
i ing on good nature for him to
proceed with the address which he had
intended, but all were willing to re-
main until morning, if necessary, to
j listen to him, notwithstanding the
lateness of the hour. Mr.. Perry made
one OF the most eloquent talks ever
i listened to in our temple. The PILOT
will not even attempt to give synop-
sis of it, more than to say that it was
along Masonic lines and was replete
| with beautiful thought. While Mr.
Perry talked for over an hour, all were
anxious for him to keep on.
letter from past master S. ii.
Alban, who was not able to be present,
the PILOT publishes in full, viz:
i Kindliest greetings to the Wausau
Brethren on the recurrence of Past
Masters Night. These festive occa-
sions serve to emphasize our enjoy
ment of Masonic intercourse. Masonry
always presents the bright side of
life. 1t paints the silver lining on
every cloud. In it's temple there is
no room for the pessimist. 1t aims
to secure the best for every man. Yet
1T is not always easy to obtain the
! best. Like the wheat and the tares
the good and the evil are commingled
This OF course means moral conflict
With us, as with other institutions,
life never is at rest, nor can it be nor
should it be until millennial peace
shall settle down upon the world.
! 1t cannot be denied that a general
outlook reveals much that is discour-
aging in the world at large. There is
! much evil in both public and private
4 y q re Ilnfa laaf
| nightmare which at any time may
scare away our rest. Computation
staggers at the enormous holdings
that yenality claims, the sole right TO
which is title by larceny. And as we
| contemplate the evils that beset the
world, the conclusion is inevitable
that there is ample room for reforma-
| tiOn.
1t may be truthfully said that
Masonry is not primarily q reforma-
| tory institution. 1t was not built as
dispensary to deal out remedies for all
the moral, civil, political and domestic
Ills that men are heir to. In short,
it does not meet the demand of a GER
tain local politician in Wausau in the
good old times. This gentleman was
All old resident, well known througout
the county, and was afflicted with
political aspirations. These he sought
to materialize through atfiliation with
the Greenback Party. He was per-
Sistent and eloquent in spreading the
propaganda of that celebrated organ
ization. One day he came into the
office where | was at work and
launched out his fayorite subject. |
After listening for some time to his ora
tory, said:-"Joe, what do you fellows
want any way ~ With the dignity
of an emperor he drew himself to his |
full height, stretched forth his hand |
impresSively, and in a voice full of !
earnestness and dynamic force, ex-
claimed: swell, sir, we demand indem- |
nifty against futurity !" | was con- |
strained to admit that the party to |
which | belonged could not meet that |
requirement
But while Masonry is not, in a strict |
sense, missionary in its origin or |
nature, 1t is In one sense reformatory |
1t considers men as they are, admits |
them to its fold, and by precept and |
example, seeks to make them what |
they should be. While it does not |
accord membership to evil men, it |
aids and encourages other associations
and agencies that are militant and |
that which has been made good.
Nor should we be satisfied with |
any inferior degree of goodness. While |
our convictions are definite and posi- |
tive, a man is not known by his creed, |
but by the manner in which he full |
fills and applies it. What we do, not |
what we think, is the Masonic criter- |
ion. No man should be like a guide |
board, always pointing the way and |
never going himself. The true motto |
is ''up and doing" Progress is the |
watch-word. When progress ceases,
decay interyenes and stagnation and |
and extinction follow. Always some |
thing better is the true theory of |
Masonry. Its goodness is cumulative |
There is enough to go around, no |
matter how large may be the conf
stituency.
We have all shared literally i'm the |
good things dispensed by Masonry. |
We all appreciate, and, ] trust, have |
aSsimilated its sentiment, its philos- |
ophy, its faith, hope, and charity. |
And these have not been mere abstrac- |
tions. They are intensely real and |
practical. And | think, if we read |
our experiences Alright, we shall find /
that the more we have entered into |
the spirit of our Order, the better |
and stronger our characters have |
grown, and the more anxious We have |
become that others should be of our |
household. Now, here is thought |
which seems, more than Others, TO
illustrate the goodness and the wide |
ness of Masonry:-Howeyer much has |
been done there still is more to do. |
Its possibilities are limited only by
the capacity of mankind as beneficial
ries. Hence, Masonry never can reach |
the end of possible usefulness. Every
morning the true Mason finds his
days work laid out for him. Each
succeeding day he may, if he will. |
improve on his former work He is
always standing on the threshold of
] better life.
And there is better life for US all
here and hereafter. Brethren. | be-
lieye we are finding that better life.
| Let us strive not only for that better
| life, which is for all who earnestly V seek
| il. bat for the best there is in it. There
is no need of our taking less than the
best, no reason why the Mason'S
share of life's joys and triumphs
should not be ample We have the
golden key that unlockS the worlds
treaSure-houSe, and our access to the
temple is not impeded by refractory
locks or marred by grating hinges. IL
needs but the gentle touch of truth
TO reveal TO us the richest treasures
of our Craft. and simple obedience TO
our tenetS viii enable us TO make the
best use of them.
1t is pleasant TO realize that in our
Masonic homes good work, true
work, square work is being aeon
plished. 1t is gratifying to believe
that each of us has shared in that
work. Let us not be remiSs in our
further labors. Time is passing swift
| lv for us all. Some of US are nearing
1.-THE last sunset Let us all 50 live
that whoever is first called TO pass
Through the gates into the city
may be able TO reach out a helping
hand as We approach. and SaY 10 Us