The Wisconsin tobacco reporter. (Edgerton, Wis.) 1877-1950, 1921-12-02

| ment must De the problem OF the mason
| in this city, both individually and as
a body, or the institution fails to meet
| the responsibility with which it was
charged when chartered as lodge.
For instance, my brethren, the future
| of this country and of the world de-
ponds on the childhood of today. Do
you think that, as Masons, you have
fulfilled your mission and met your
responsibility in Edgerton if there does
not go out from this building an in
fuence which shall never rest until SO
far as lies in its power every child in
Edgerton shall be given the chance to
develop physically and mentally to the
maximum of his possibility? David
Grayson in his story, "Hempheld,'' thus
describes education:
Education is the ability to use i'm
mediately and for any purpose, all the
strength of mind and body"
Without a proper environment there
can be no full development. If there
be a child in Edgerton whose environ
ment prevents his fullest development
and you have knowledge thereof, and
| you fail to use the utmost of your in
| dividual and combined strength to gain
| for him the opportunity for that devel-
| opment, then you are remiss in your
| duty as Masons and unfaithful to the
trust reposed in you. | bring this to
you as an example merely of the ne
ceSsity for the practical demonstration
of the principles of Freemasonry by you
as integral factors in the towns moral,
intellectual, and spiritual advancement.
And if you have properly absorbed the
teachings of Masonry, if your education
| therein has been success, then Will
| it be possible for you to use Immediate
ly and for the lifting of your community
| to higher vision all the strength of mind
and body which you may possess. And
| this action on your part shall not be
| from a sense of duty, nor simply as
| recognition of responsibility, but from
| the fullness of the inspiration which
| comes to the true Mason that he is one
of the agencies by which God performs
| his work on earth.
What a glorious thought is this, my
| brethren: that we are agents of God IN
serving humanity, in carrying His will
and purpose into execution. 1t lifts us
| into a new atmosphere, opens before
us new avenues of effort, and chal-
| 1enges our fervent devotion! If we are
| faithful to that thought, in every rela-
| ton of life we shall come to be known
as better men because we are MaSOnS.
With this as our ideal the church which
| claims us as affilaints shall find a more
earnest and faithful member in each
| of us by reason of the inspiration which
we here receive. The community shall
| learn to lean with confidence on us in
the amelioration of distress through the
continued practical application of the
| principles of Masonry in our daily life.
| The world shall be uplifted towards
harmony with the design of the Creator
| as a result of our constant searching
| of our Masonic Trest1e Board for His
plan for humanity.
Aloft into the blue dome we look
at night and behold the consultations
moving along the pathways of the sky
in perfect precision, obedient to the
| Divine Law of Harmony. The power
| and majesty of God stand revealed to
| us as these spheres swing along without
collision throughout the vast universe.
| To that same harmony God constantly
| calls us and the voice of Masonry in
| sists that it was the purpose of the Al
mighty that man should so dwell in
| peace and in harmony on earth Upon
that basis the spirit of federation is
dominant in this institution, until neither
| religious creed, political differences,
nationality distinction nor racial dlvl-
| sion shall separate us. 1t will thus be
| seen that true Masonry cannot become
| the aid to any movement which shall
| have for its purpose an attack on any
mode of worship or any race of people.
In its teaching of liberation it must not
itself become bigot.
If, then, the dominant note of Ma
sonry is love of God and your fellow
men; if, them its influence shall widen
| until it encompass and touch and quick
en- into hope those whom distress or
| misfortune has stunned into discourage
| ment; if, then, it stands on the pima
Gle of conscious desire to serve, God
| in his work on earth, there shall be no
| room for se1hshness, intolerance or dis
| cord. Masonry must be constructive.
| 1t must be one of the forces of evolution
| of human thought into closer spiritual
relationship with the Maker And this
building is not worthy the sacrifice
which you have made unless it shall
prove sanctuary in which the soul
| shall develop into that closer relation
| ship with God and find its duty to all
mankind, whether they be Masons or
| not.
| | urge upon you, my brethren, that
| each day of your possession OF this
structure, each day that those who come
after you shall claim it as their Ma
sonic home, because of your living of
Masonic principles light shall go forth
from here into this community. Re-
member, there is no negative influence
in this world You shall be either for
the good of the community or for its
detriment. Your inaction shall as pos
itively tend to halt the fruitage of your
labors as your action shall be to har-
vest it. Out from here you will go to
your several paths in life. Take your
Masonry with you and so live that all
who come in contact with you on each
! day as it follows your yesterday shall
know that your contact with this in
| stituion has made you better man.
Nor fOroet that the A 1rniOhty has