The Glasgow courier., 1916-12-08

power of the mighty, or the bribe of
the rich, or the needs of the poor. To
do this it is necessary for a Judge to
separate himself from all prejudice
and preconceptions. This is no easy
matter for prejudices are deeply
rooted in our natures. A Judge must
be open-minded and receive all evil
dence available in a patient spirit, res
membering all the facts accurately
and draw logical conclusions. To be
fair and impartial judge must not
leap to conclusions hastily, nor form
opinions before he has heard all,
neither must he presume crime or
fraud.
wrong and injustice once done can
never be undone.
This degree does not countenance
an easy and flimsy morality. God
may forgive wrong so far as His
interest in the wrong is concerned.
But the consequences on the wronged
party can never be corrected. But a
wrong or injustice committed against
our fellow men reacts upon the party
committing the wrong in disastrous
manner A man who commits a
wrong offends his own soul. There
can be no remittance of, or protec-
/ tion from the natural effects of our
wrongful acts. Any act that debases
our souls may be repented of, but
the injury is permanent one.
We must be just in Judging other
mems motives. We know very lit
tie of real merits or demerits of any
of our fellow citizens. We can rare
ly ever say that this man is very
good or very bad. We have reason
to believe that quite often the basest
of men leave behind them good repu-
tations because they have been skill
full in concealing their true charac-
ters. Many others make heroic strug-
giles against temptations or inherited
weaknesses and fail.
1t is comparatively easy for men to
say who in their opinion has the
cleanest hands but no man can say
who in the sight of God has the clean !
est soul.
Human justice must of necessity
be uncertain. No one will ever be
able to tell how many judicial MUIR
ders have been committed through
ignorance and insanity. One of the
greatest authorities in Masonry has
said: ut may we'll be doubted wheth-
err the administration Of human laws,
in every country, is not one gigantic
mass of injustice and wrong" Our
knowledge of Psychology, Sociology,
Criminology and Eugenics is so limi-
ted that we cannot speak that the
administration of our human laws
should be anything but crude.
We do not even know the outside
life of men. We are not competent
to pronounce judgment even on the
deeds of men. How often the world
gives US credit for virtues we do not
possess. And how frequently men
are condemned for evil which they
have not committed. How careful
we should be in our ordinary social
life not to applaud or condemn our
fellow men unjustly.
The duty of Masons. Every Mason
has been we'll and carefully instructed.
Justice is one of the cardinal virtues
of the human race. In order to be
just it becomes our plain duty to deal
tenderly with every erring brother.
One of the great lights of Masonry
teaches US that God pities every err
ing child of His. That same source
teaches us that Christ died for him,
and that even the angels in heaven
are ready to welcome him back with
JOY. 1t is our plain duty to raise our
voices in unison with all these divine
powers to assist our erring brothers,
and we have all erred, to our true
home.
We are all very busy with life's
cares and work. In this busy life it
is easy to forget. But for our own
good it is necessary never to forget
the great lesson of this degree, that
in all things and under all conditions
of life we must be just. Jesus Christ
summed up the meaning of this de-
gree in his immortal words to his
disciples in these words: "Judge not,
lest ye yourselves be judged: for
whatsoever judgment We measure
Innto othors tho sauo shall in turn