Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1910-08-02
its past history may be properly spok.

its past history may be properly spoke
EN-.
Nlts tenets are brotherly love, re-
lief and truth. 1t inculcates faith In
God, hope i'm Immortality and charity
to all mankind. II has been.aptly de-
fined to be a beautiful system Of
morals. yelled in a~llegory and illus
trated by symbols. The level inculcates
equality, the "a morality and the
plumb. rectitude OF conduct.
While on the one hand, Mason
~ has always taught the equality OF
all men, on the other, it has also re-
uuired of its members, submission TO
legal authority and fidelity To their
country. Station and honor, il has
always insisted, are 10 be attained
alone by rectitude of conduct and a
faithful and efficient discharge of du-
~. Fidelity to its teachings neces-
sarily makes q hroad-minded, con-
~servatiVe, patriotic and industrious
citizen. BY some, 1t is said, To be
a philosophical religion. 1t has never
assumed to supplant the church or
interfere with il in any way, though
doubtless the philosophical spirit of
its ritual and precepts long before the
awakening of modern liberalism,
tended to discourage bigotry and in
tolerance. The true precursors of the
Masonic fraternity were undoubtedly
the mediaeval associations OF builders
engaged In the erection of public edi-
fices. Masonry was then purely OPP
erative. From these societies are de-
rived our constitutions n her iitu-
al. her symbols and her precepts. OF
them 1t is said the atmosphere of
these societies seems at an early date
to have been favorable to liberty OF
thought and religious tolerance. Even
in the 18th century, they passed un-
der the malediction of the church. !
an atmosphere could not prove
congenial to religious rancor and i'm
tolerance. The tendency of political
apinion i'm such an association is nee
essarily democratic. and this of it.
self was sufficient to invite the hos
tility of state as well as church.
ION the rolls of its membership
throughout al its history are to be
found the names Of philosophers.
scholars and patriots. II has been
cherished and perpetuated by a de-
voted brotherhood through centur-'
Washington, who honored 1t
with his membership, said: The
grand object of Masonry is to per-
petuate the happiness of the human
race When Lafayette revisited the
land he had helped to fire., he vas
received with open arms as a visiting
brother. Truthfully does our monitors
The greatest and best of men
i'm all ages have been encouragers and
of the Art, and have never
deemed it derogatory to their dignity
level themselves with the fratern-
iy. extend their privileges and patron
IL their assemblies" Established for
the purpose of fraternal deeds of
charity and ~benevolence, it has spread
in various snaps yer the whole
Through social vicissitudes
and political revolutions, the fratern-
of Free Masons still survives,
innumerable orders more or
less patterned after It, have flour
ished f~itfully or wholly disappeared.
Surely it is q striking example of the
survival Of the fittest. In later years
Masonry has had many imitators but
equal. 1t stands without a peer.
1t is not a benefit soeiety-its aid to
the distressed is not measured by
contract, but by the extent of the
.
distress to be relieved.
When the foundations OF this great
were laid wide n deep on
our Atlantic coast, and n broad civ
established. insuring reliS-
ious. social and political freedom,
churches II schools were in due time
followed by Masonic lodges, and
halls were consecrated with
corn, wine and oil. that the brethren
might be blessed with the corn OF
nourishmet, the wine Of refreshment
and the oil of joy.
II heartily congratulate you my
brethren on the event of today. May
he temple whose cornerstone you
nave laid with such impressive cere-
monv ever be consecretad to fellow
ship and brotherly love and from "
rs q center. forever emanate Mason
e light II truth
The new Masonic building was com-
oleted and ready for occupancy in &c
.ober, 1895. A. l.. $685., when the hall
md lodge room was consecrated and
dedicated at the evening session or the
lodge of the territory. Octo-
ser It'll. the grand master, r. W Bro.