The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1914-01-16

brotherly love and affection and is based
on the fatherhood of God and brother
hood of man, regardless Of sect, creed,
opinion, or country from which a man
halls. Brethren, in this connection,
find | can't improve on the lessons
taught in this book (Blue Lodge Text
Book, and ! cite you to just a few that
appealed to me as especially appropri-
ate here; listen to what we get in the
third section of the lecture of Entered
Apprentice degree:
Its covering is no less than a cloud
ed canopy or starry-decked heaven,
where all good Masons hope at last to
arrive, by the aid of the theological
ladder which Jacob in his vision saw,
ascending from earth to heaven, the
| three principal roads Of which are de-
nominated Faith, Hope and Charity,
| which admonish us to have faith in God,
hope in immortality, and charity to all
mankind. The greatest Of these is
Charity; for Faith may be lost in sight;
Hope ends in fruition; but charity ex-
tends beyond the grave, through the
boundless realms of eternity. The
principal tenets Of our profession are
Brotherly Love, Relief and Truth.
by the exercise of b~rotherly love,
we are taught to regard the whole hui
man species as n family; the high and
low, the rich and poor; who, as created
by one Almighty Parent, and inhabi-
tants of the same planet, are to aid.
support and protect each other. On
this principle Fremasonry unites men
of every count y, sect and opinion, and
conciliates true friendship among those
who might otherwise have remained at
a perpetual distance.
"To relieve the distressed is a duty
incumbent on all men, but particularly
on Masons, who are linked together by
an indissoluble chain Of sincere affec-
ton. To soothe the unhappy, to sym
pathize with their misfortunes, to com
passionate their miseries, and to restore
peace to their troubled minds, is the
great aim we have in view. On this
basis we form our friendships and es-
tablish our connections.
Truth is a divine attribute, and the
|, foundation of every virtue. To be good
: and true is the first lesson we are
, taught in Masonry. On this theme we
| contemplate, and by its dictates en-
, deavor to regulate our conduct; hence
while influenced by this principle, hypo-
crisy and deceit are unknown among
+ US, sincerity and plain dealing distin'
euish US, and the heart and tongue join
in promoting each others prosperity.
1.-THE cardinal virtues are Temper,
ance. Fortitude, Prudence and Justice.
r Brethren, | know of no institution
other than ours, that is founded on such
O noble and sound principles. Brethren,
: If these lessons, and others like them,
were gwen more consideration, and TAX
q en- more to the heart by each individual
n brother and made to apply to himself
we would not only have a stronger ant
n better lodge, and better Masons, but i
a would also make for us a higher type o
citizenship. With the new year let u
- be more fraternal between ourselves
"a more friendly with the outside world
9 let US be more charitable towards on
fellow-m men not only with our purse
!. but with our tongue; let US visit tn
sick and distressed when called on L
do so and do all we can to tighten thei
:. burden Of sickness, or distress. TO keeI
y alive interest in lodge meetings | rec
- ommend, when we have no work to dc
" that we have readings from some geo
' Masonic history; several Of these ar
=. owned by the brethren, and am sur
:. we can have easy access to same.
va Brethren, WI will appoint some con
nd mittees tonight, as required by our BY
"a laws, and l am going to ask the men
od bers Of those committees to feel ths
they are sharing the responsibilities {
all the lodge with its officers, and TO fe'
"a, it encumbent on them to act on all o.
10 ~casions up to their responsibilities.
he Brethren, there are less than . doze
ny members Of our lodge alive tonigh
H. that were members when ! was MAJ
lat a Master Mason, and in the course
ity human events, we elder Masons W
Of pass away, and the younger generate