The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1918-01-03

Masonic rooms in Manchester Ccntei
on the evening Ct December 9th with
the o. T.. S. ard other friends about
rs strong, TO celebrate this Saint day
Of especial interest 70 them, this ana
all Masonic lodges being dedicated Il
the Holy Sis. John.
An exceptionally interesting pro,
gran hgd hecn prepal q consisting Of
several selections BY tie four. piee,
orchestra, composed Of Miss McClur,
/ DR. Loveioy. Waldo Race and Brother
/ u. l.. Bulkley; two violin solos b.
Mr.. Race, eornet solo by DR.. Love
JOY, and two selections by the quartet
Bros. W. II. Roberts, II. l.. Adams
w. II. Shaw and Mr.. Race Special
credit and thanks are due Miss Nc
Clure, DR.. Lovejoy and Mr.. Race who
so kindly and materially helped e
make the evening success, also tn
bretheren taking part, and the
entertainment committee, Brothers
Young, Mattison and Bulkley, who,
besides making tho arrangements.
served coffee and light rcfre Lments
at the close.
The feature of the evening was the
address Of Bro. Joseph S. Brown. who
more than lived up to his reputation
of never failing TO interest and hold
his audience. Brother Brown said in
part:
The writings Of St. John the evan
gelist, urging the cultivation of BROTH
erly love, and dealing with the great
mysteries Of the Apocalytic visions
may, in measure, account for the
veneration in which his memory is
held by the craft, but il was not until
the sixteenth century that we find any
documentary evidence Of his connec-
ton as patron saint Of the Masonic
order. Before this date, st. John the
Baptist was the exclusive patron
saint of Masonry. Since then in Ma
sonic writing and ritual the names
have been united But, be tradition or
documentary evidence far astray, it
seems eminently fitting to, once or
twice year, pause in the midst of
our business and social life, for a con-
sideration of some of the great prin-
ciples, and marvellous history of an
organization, well loved unjustly hat
ed, and much misunderstood.
Almost every crime on the statute
book has been again and again charg-
ed 10 Masonry. Nor is this attitude
dead. During the recent political
campaign in Canada, which has so
glorious a result, prominent official
Of the Romish Church charged the
great war as due to and being carried
on by Free Masonry, and in the Unit
ed States l reed only the other day in /
one of the most prominent religious
papers of December LIST, the present
years, the following clipping:
"A friend of the writer's lin paper)
was greatly shocked at learning he
was Mason. Why are you shock
ed?' The reply was, and mark you, a
reply of one Of more than ordinary
intelligence, When they meet to de-
eide who is to be killed you would
have to do it, if they told you, would
Mt your"
Hence for a moment or two, ! ask
you to consider with me a few fea-
lures of the spirit of Masonry.
1t has been well said: There are
.hree departments Of Masonry, Its
secrets, its symbols, its principles.
And theGe three from beautiful and
harmonious whole. OF these, place
The principles as the most important
IF the great trio. That Masonry has
50 long survived the shocks Of innum-
cradle assaults standing like mighty
rock beat upon by waves which are
dashed to pieces of harmless spray
upon its calm front, is due to the fact
hat its principles are precious, con-
.aining fruitful germs of right living,
which the world cannot be without and
survive. Masonry has lived for CEN
.uries, not Of its might-numbers-
,ut because it has within it germ
ruth. Monuments crumble, empires
pass away, but right is immortal and
ives. And so Masonry has lived, and
still lives because Of the sustaining
power of the right which permeates
IS principles.
The secrets Of Masonry do not stir
he deep recesses Of the soul. They
make a ripple on the surface for the
new member; but if the secrets Of
Masonry were all there is to it, it
would have persisted and been buried
mid the ruins of the grim past. The
treat tie that binds is the spirit of
Masonry.
What is the spirit of Masonry? 1t
s, in the first place, the spirit of law,
4 ohadianea IN antbority The pres-