The Yale expositor. (Yale, St. Clair County, Mich.) 1894-current, 1909-01-01
AN INSTRUCTIVE SERMON.

to sermon by Rev. II. d. Lawrason
in commemoration of st. John. Rev.
Lawrason preached most interesting
and instructive sermon of which we
give brief synopsis below. The M.
+. choir and Mr. and Mrs. Farr Scott
favored the audience with number of
excellent selections.
"Text--Mathew $40 Except your
righteousness exceed the righteousness
of the Scribes aud Pharisees We shall in
no case enter into the Kingdom of
Heaven.
A word about st. John the evange-
list, whom we commemorate today,
would be appropriate. His apocalypse
from which read scripture lessen
REV. BILLED is eminently masonic in
character. He presents his theme
through the means of symbolism.
The text that have announced is a
record of the words that Jesus uttered
to his disciples Of whom St John was
one. This text is appropriate today
because of the fact that righteousness
is called into discussion. The Scribes
and Pharsees were the best informed
and most influential among their peo-
pie Their righteousness was depreci-
ated because, while they held in mind
low one. They made the higher one
void and justified the lower by their
casuistic teaching.
The Church and Freemasonry are
institutions that have stood side by
side in their influence on past history.
They have often been at variance with
each other, but have always held points
of agreement. In their life amid the
darkness of ignorance they have both
met persecution, but today both stand
almost wholly free from this. In some
religious quarters there is yet prejudice
against Freemasonry, but American
Literature is almost wholly free from
it. One English critic, Heckethorne,
along with his criticism pays a high
tribute. He says "Of true Freemason-
ry, Freemasons as rule know moth
ing. Genuine Freemasons are liberal
minded and enlightened men, devoted
to the study of nature and the progress
of mankind, moral and intellectual;
men devoid of political and religious
prejudices, true cOsmopolitans."
The late Bishop Potter of New York
wrote in 1901, "Freemasonry however,
is, as | view it, a great deal more than
a mutual benefit association. In one
sense, wild and extravaganza as words
may sound, it is the most remarkable
and altogether unique institution on
earth. Will you tell me of any 9TH
er that girdles the world with its fell
lowship and gathers all races and the
most ancient religions, as well as our
own, into its brotherhood Will you
tell me of any other that is as old or
older; more brilliant in its history; more
honored in its constituency; more pict-
uresque in its traditions? Today it
lies in the hand of modern man, largely
as an unused tool, capable of great
achievements for God, for country, for
mankind, but doing very little. For
one | believe that the circumstances
may easily arise, when the highest and
most sacred of all freedom being threat
ened in this land, Freemasonry may
be its most powerful defender, unity
ing all minds and commanding our
best citizenship. -. Under such circum-
stances fellowship in it should be re-
garded, more and more, as sacred
privilege, for which our best youth
should be trained and to which they
should be advanced step by step thru
preparatory forms and degrees.
The Church and Freemasonry agree
in the fundamental principles of belief
in God, the immortality of the soul,
and the Bible. But | want to direct
the attention to the practical point of
agreement, to which these fundament-
al principles reach and my text espec-
tally emphasizes, namely, the ethical
life.
The Church has emphasized theology
or the doctrines which haye treated
about God and mans relation to God.
Freemasonry has on the other hand
emphasized ethics or the best life of
man as expressed in himself and in his
relations to other men. But / claim
that these are two sides of the same
thing. For the theology that does not
result in good morals is vain. This is
the view of scripture. So also the eth
les that have not theological principles
for its foundation cannot be kept true
to the square and the plumb and will
not stand. This can be established
logically and exalts the ethics of the
Bible.
Then this is the word that | must
say. 1t is in this point that we may
prove the value of an institution. The
institution, whose teachings being re.
ceived, results in true morals or the
righteousness that exceeds" is the one
to rely upon. And 1 will say to you
Masons, hold to your fundamental
principles and practice your beautiful
system of ethics and you will prove
yourselves good men and Masons, no
BILE in this life and the inhabitants of
eternity"
Wood For Sale.