The Lamar register., 1922-04-19

items chronlcllnR the news ol Hui-
ders, robberies, and the violation of
law generally, showing a great de-
cadence of society in that respect. In
regard to the so-called Prohibition law
it is not considered seriously and its
violation is treated as joke by the
public generally. This is wrong and
the contempt that is engendered in
the maintenance of law in this re-
spect, speedily spreads to the mainten-
ance of laws relating to human life,
and to property. So bold has this
criminal element become that it at
tacks our government, and we find
that the government to maintain the
safe transmission of the mails and to
protect the lives of its mail clerks on
the trains is compelled to maintain
guards heavily armed taken from its
Marine forces. in the same cars that
carry the clerks and mail. Such
state of affairs could not have occur
ed before the Great War, and it dis
closes a reckless criminality prevail
ing. that to the thinking person is ap-
palling.
The maintenance of society and the
promotion of its welfare, as has been
seen, depend upon much beside the
law. Even in its original and more
humble role of preserving the peace,
the law was by no means the first in
importance. The germs Of legal in
religions, and religion and morals held
men in check while law was yet in
its infancy. Beginning as one, relig-
ion, morals and law have slowly diff
ferentiated into three regulating and
controlling agencies by which right
and justice are upheld and society is
made possible. In many respects their
aim is common, in many respects they
cover the same field, and among some
peoples they are still confused, in
whole or in part. But today among
enlightened, peoples, they stand as
three great systems; with their own
aims, their own fields, their own or
and their own methods;
each keeping down the atavistic ten
dencies toward wrong doing and priv
ate war, and each bearing its share in
the support of the artificial social or
der, by maintaining right and justice.
Religion governs men, so far as it
is a regulating agency, by supernatur-
al sanctions; law by the sanction of
the force of organized society; moral
lity by the sanction of private consci-
ence, fortified by public opinion. Each
therefore, to be able to employ its
systematicly and effectively
in maintaining society, must be direct
ed or welded by an organization. Ac-
we find the church giving
regulative and coercive force to relig-
ion and the state taking over and put
ting itself behind the law. But what
is behind the third of these great
agencies? What and where is the or
ganization that gives system and eff
to the regulative force Of
morality, sometimes called Public
Opinion?
Here is the post of the Masonic or
Ter. World wide; respecting every
honest creed, but requiring adherence
20 none; teaching obedience to states,
but confining itself to no one Of them;
It looks to religion on the one side,
and to law on the other, and standing
lpon the solid battle-ground of the
Universal moral sentiments of man.
xind, puts behind them the force of
tradition and precept, and organizes
he mighty sanction of human disap-
oroval of all wrong doing. Thus Ma
'onry is working hand in hand with
'hurch and state, in organizing the
of social progress; and
therefore it is our duty as Masons and
Knight Templars in the decadence of
social progress that has obtained dur
ng and since the great world war, to
uphold the state in the enforcement
'f law and to uphold religion by re-
specting it as the great agency of
good
1t is one of our principles that