Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1911-04-27


truth has been employed. Nor is
this use confined to secular history,
for God himself set the bow in the
cloud to teach man a lesson; the
whole Scheme Of salvation is outlined
and typifed iu the Tabernacle erected
by Moses in the wilderness; and
the use of things visible, as object
lessons, was a favorite method of the
Master to inculcate truth. For the
invisible things of God are clearly
seen, being understood by the things
that are visible.
And as Masons (Giblim) were
builders, they naturally selected tools
with which they were familiar TO in
c~ulcate wise moral and spiritual truths.
Thus the square to teach square deal
ing the plumb to walk uprighty be-
fore God and man ; the level, that all
are equal in rights the gavel to break
off evil desires and habits the lamb
skin, or white apron, to live clean,
pure lives: and so on al infnifUm.
One symbol of ours has been much
criticised by anti-masons as teaching
salvation by works. l refer to what
is termed Jacobs Ladder" Let us
take a look at a ladder and see how it
may be used as an object lesson. 1t
is a means at ascending from a lower
to a higher plane. 1t has rounds by
which we ascend from position to
another above. 1t is a gradual
ascent. We suspect this is their real
objection. Quoting from Rabbi Har-
rison: Religions aim and end is
not to turn out wooden men, men who
stand in a row-automata. For us
no religion made
easy-charactef in six weeks-spiritual-
ity guaranteed. Els biHaef Elm Talent
sicA in der .SfiUe, Dorh Elm Ch0raker
in dem .Strom der WtH.-Goethe.
Character is a life work, and possibly
an eternity's advancement. Para
phrasing Paul: We all with unveiled
face, rejecting as a mirror the char
acter of the Lord Jesus Christ, are
transformed into the same image,
from character to character, even as
from the Lord the Spirit. And thus :
First the blade, then the ear; after
that the full corn in the ear; and Sc
60 on to perfection.
But let US get back to the ladder.
Let these rounds stand for virtues and
you have the Masonic Symbolism, a.
faith, patience, temperance and So
forth. The three principal ones
faith, hope and charity, teaching faith
in God, hope in Immortality arc
charity towards all mankind. Brothc,
Paul once took a look at this ladde
l and he there found: ~''patience
kindness, gentfosity, humility, cour
! tesy, unselfshness, good temper
! guilclessness, sincerity"
: Love envieth not" the success O
others, but rejoiceth in their prosper
ity. Only one thing should a Maso,
, covet-the large, rich, generous spiri
which envieth not.
V love vaunteth not itself, is nc
pulled up,' and therefore boasts nc
u of what / hare Aone. ''Thinketh n
" evii." 1t not only will not imagin
u and invent evil, but is SO disposed t
Is give the benefit of doubt that evil SUI
. mise is foreign to it.
y "Iove is not easily provoked" Som
u one has said, ''that the peculiarly
= ill-temper is that it is the vice OF tn
virtuous," Compare the "Prodigal
with the "Elder Brother" Whie
was the greatest sinner? Take
&c square look at that elder brothe
'e standing outside his Fathers doc
C Read on his brow pride, anger, crue
~, sullenness, un.charity, seii-right
'e business. Gle was angry and woa'
I'd -. ;, >, The soene closas 49,;