The Republican journal., 1910-06-30
A Masonic Address.
BY Grand Master Ashley A. Smith

BY Grand Master Ashley A. Smith.
Grand Master Ashley A. Smith of po,
fast attended the 5Oth annivarsar,, De ae
Nezincot Lodge, No. 1Ol F. & A. NJ ~
Turner, Maine, June 18th, and Delivered
an eloquent and inspiring address n
spoke, in part, as follows:
1t is my privilege and pleasure. first of
all, to Gring to you the cordial and fro.
ternal greeting of the POP other Masonic
lodges holding charters under the Grand
Lodge OF Maine, and the best wishes for
continued peace and prosperity from The
%, 1928 Master Masons, who are enrollad
in honored membership in these Mason;c
bodies throughout the State of Maine
They rejoice with you, TODAY. in vo,,r
semi-centennial observance.
The oldest and largest of the fratern.1
orders, numbering more than IL 000 1
lodges in all parts of the world, and an.
rolling more than million of men in its
membership, Masonry has been and is
no small factor in ushering in that dav
sung in undying numbers by the great
Laureate of England
"When the war-drums throb no longer. and
the battle flags are furled,
In the Parliament of Man and the Federation
like to think of Masonry, as a great
world-power that makes for interna.
tional righteousness and universal peace
This honorable Masonic fellowship vo,,
will find, with it its three great iichts
upon the altar, in all the civilized nations
OF the world. Beneath Southern palm or
Northern pine, under polar or tropica]
skies, in the small islands of the Pacific
seas or in the mightiest empires of the
world, the affairs of Masonry stand dedi-
Gated to the Eternal God, to the holv
Saint John, and the fellowship of human
kind. In all lands, and in Masonry, there
are no points of the compass; good men
and true are trying to square their ac-
tons by the square of virtue and walk on
the level of time toward chat undiscov-
cred country from whose realms no trav-
eler returns Well NAV we take those
words of the uncrowned laureate as a
Masonic motto:-
EAST is East and West is West and never the
twain shall meet,
Until the two stand presently at Gods great
judgment seat:
But there is neither East nor West. Rorder nor
Breed nor Birth,
When two strong men stand face to face tho
| they come from the ends of the earth. y
And from the ends of the earth strong
men OF this fellowship come wearing
| that emblem of innocence, that distin-
gulshed and distinguishing badge of a
Mason, the lamb-skin or white leather
apron.
The man who wears this apron and is
not inspired by the wearing of it to a
better and nobler manhood is the most
serious menace to our institutions TODAY.
1t was said of old time by the Master of
Galllee that "a mans worst foes are
those of his own household" and our
greatest enemies to-day are not those
critics and censors without; not the op-
position of any nation or hierarchy, but
those few for whom Masonry does not
inspire larger character and a nobler
conduct. The comradeship of true Ma
sonry never yet found its incentive in the
wine-cup or the glorifcation of sensual
Indulgence. Masonry teaches men to
overcome the gravitation of their physi-
cal nature; to resist the tyranny of those
physical appetites which uncontrolled,
tetter and debase our life, but controlled
render the highest service to mankind.
AS long as men of strong and virile
manhood, of sterling integrity or noble
character shall hold aloft the banner of
this Masonic order, thus long are we as
sured OF its widening influence and it's
permanence among the forces that make
for righteousness, for character, for
good citizenship, yea, even for Christian
living
For centuries to come, and in genera
tons yet unborn, shall Masons the wide
world over read the words and rehearse
the works of our three ancient grand
masters: Solomon, king of Israel; his
friend and co-laborer in the great work
OF building the temple, Hiram king of
Tyre, and that other Hiram, the widow
son, sent to King Solomon, who counted
his life as naught in the defense of his
integrity. These men, our honored op.
eratlve masters, laid the foundation of
ancient Craft Masonry, and we, today,
are inheritors of their work-the old
principles, the ancient landmarks and
secrets are committed to our charge, and
our obligations to keep them are sacred
and binding upon US. Fealty and fidelity
is ours to our God, our country, our
neighbor and ourselves. We are urged
to a never-failing observance of that
Golden Rule, Love thy neighbor as thy
self, we are asked to make ourselves
tit building stones of that Temple ap-
proved by the great Master Builder,
ITO act upon the square, keep tongue
OF good report, maintain secrecy, prac-
tice charity"