The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-07-25

All! sacred history informs us that
hundreds Of years before the Temple
was built. before Jerusalem was
dreamed OF: before advancing civiiixa-
ton had -ievelsd the original growth Of
Mt Moriah, that on the very site OF
the temple. there was tragedy Of I'M
finite concern to the world-the Trag-
edy Of Faith.
In the days when God yet walked
and talked with men. He promised to
an old man and childless wife. SON.
under seemingly impossible conditions.
But faith balks not at the impossible,
and the old man joyously believed his
God. In the gift of the SON was the
promise Of q posterity as countless as
the stars and innumerable as the sands
of the sea.
ise OF blessings to all the nations OF
the earth. And when the child had
come: whom. by all the filial arts OF
endearment. he had entwined his life
into his fathers life; when the ten
drills or paternal and flial affection
had so interiaced and interwreathed
each other as to make father ana son
inseparabie. God appeared to Abraham
again with the command, Take now
thy son. thine only SON. Isaac. whom
thou lowest. and get thee into the
for q burnt Offering upon one of the
mountains which will tell thee of.
This fearful. heart-rending. awful.
supreme test, was the Gethsemane OF
Faith, without the soothing comfort
and strengthening consultations that
angels rendered in the Tragedy of
Love; but Faith supported by Fidelity,
that goes to death for duty. believed
that God was able to raise Isaac from
AauS H..fA al hA mr. r,nfa n
him and Abraham. IN the stiffness OF
the woods and the solitude of the
mountain offered up his son.
What tongue can tell. what hand can
write. what mind can conceive the In
estimable blessings that grew from
the suspended sacrifice. the Tragedy
of Faith. on that mountain crest!
Revealed Religion the knowledge Of
the true God: His Fatherhood; the
promise Of Immortality; the prophecy
of q glorious resurrection and assur-
ance of eternal life with God!
Let the centuries with their changes
pass. and at the same place, now a
city. q mart for thousands with the
most magnificent most splendid. most
beautiful buildings in all the world,
and within Its walls IL enacted the
Tragedy Of Fidelity!
Out Of this tragedy who can tell the
blessed results!
Free Masonry with its higher ideals;
Morality sublimated; Benevolence sys-
tematized; Charity organized!
Let O thousand years roll away into
the ocean of receding Eternity and
near the spot. in the same mountain,
another tragedy shocks the world
the Tragedy of Love!-where God. In
INFINITE love for man, offers Els only
Soni ~
"A Trinity of Tragedies.
SO we have In Jerusalem a trinity
of tragedies. on interlinked by place,
so intertwined in principles, so inter-
laced with purpose, that Isaac, Hiram
and Jesus are inseparable; the OFFER
ing of Faith being typical Of the Of
fering OF Love; the offering of Love
antitypical of the Offering of Faith; the
intermediate Offering Of Fidelity adds
lustre to both. and we have the exaita-
ton of Sarall's son; the idealization of
the widows son. and the apotheosis of
Mary's SON!
Oh, we came from Jerusalem and in
tragedy was our BIRTH
And when we went forth, our migra-
tions covered the continents; our wan
derings measured the earth; our jour-
neying circlei the globe.
We went forth with no politics, but
patriotism; with no creed but right
eousness; with no incentive, but duty;
we went to all places; to an coun-
tries, to all peoples to all tongues.
The pioneers Of progress, the sappers
and miners of civilization. we crossed
It's boundaries and entered the jungles
and the desert, carrying light wherever
man was found. The handmade alike
of church and state. we were by turns
cajoled and transferred; by turns
antagonized, opposed. oppressed, perse-
cuted
Uninfluenced by nattery, unswerved
course, for our mission was flight and
liberty and love; uniting men into
brotherhood by the cement Of love.
relieving the distressed wherever found
advancing the Banner Of Truth
throughout the world.
We fed the hungry. clothed the
naked. ministered to the sick and visit
ed them that were in prison.
We raised the fallen. cheered the
faint and led the blind.
"As lately. Brethren. from the lodge I
came,
Warmed with our royal orders purest
flame,
Absorbed in thought, before my ravish-
ed eyes.
1 saw the Genius. Masonry. arise;
A curious hieroglyphic which he wore
Ahub III avs hohNat eAtV oe-SA w NSAAAAsN
bore:
On one side was divine Astraca placed.
And mild eyed Charity the other
graced:
Humanity. the general friend was
there
And Pity. dropping the pathetic tear;
There, too. was Order; there, with rosy
mien,
Blithe Temperance shone and white
robed Truth was seen.
There. with a key suspended to his
breast,
Silence appeared; his lips his fingers
with these. soft warbling an instruc-
tive song.
Sweet music, gayiy smiling, tripped
along.
Wild laughter. clamorous noise, and
mirth ill-bred,
Crhe brood of Foily) at his presence
fled.
The genius spoke-'My son. observe
my train.
Which of my order. different parts
explain.
Look up. behold the bright Astraca
there;
She will direct thee how to use the
square.
Pity will bid thee grieve with those
who grieve.
While Charity will prompt thee to
relieve