Evening star., 1923-06-05
SOUL OF MASONRY
MOVES PRESIDENT
IN OPENING COUNCIL
ExtoIIs High Purposes of Fra
ternity in Welcome Ad-
dress at Keith's.

President Harding, declaring that
sometimes men band together for
| mischief to exert misguided zeal"
told the Imperial Council. Mystic
shrine. today that he liked the
highly purposed fraternity, because
1t is our assurance against menacine
| orsanization." and conspiracy"
Welcoming the forty-nipth annual
session of the council at Keith's The
ater on behalf of the nation. the
President. who himself Is a noble of
Aladdin Temple of Columbus. Ohio.
| branded wrongfully guided associa-
tions as conspiracy" but hopefully
predicted that so long as twenty
millions of Americans are teaching
loyalty to the flag. the cherishment
| OF our inherited institutions and due
| regard for constitutionality authori-
ty, and the love OF liberty under
ture is secure"
Danger to Resublic.
1t was natural. the President said
for men to band together for mis-
chief, to exert misguided zeal, to
vent unreasoning malice, to under
mine our institutions. This isn't
fraternity. this is conspiracy. This
| isn't associated uplift, it is organized
destruction. This is not brotherhood,
it is the discord of dfsloyalty and a
| danger to the republic"
Speaking to a body of picked repre-
| sentatives of the Shrine. who also are
members or the higher orders of. Ma
1 sonry, either the knights Templar or
Ancient Accepted Scottish Rite. the
President extolled the beauties and
the uses OF fraternity. but also warn
ed against it's abuses.
Reiterating the thought which the
' President has several times put forth
| in addresses to fraternal gatherings,
he expressed the wish that some
how we could have fraternity among
nations as 1t is taught in America
| among men,"
just Dealing.
Il do not mean to employ sign, grip
and password" explained Noble Hard
ing, which afford an appealing mys-
/ terry to our relationship but the in
sistent demand for just dealing, the
respect Of right of others, and the
| ideals of brotherhood recited in the
! Golden Rule, and the righteous fell
| low relationship which every man
| knows his God approves"
Then solemnly the President added.
Under such a reign of fraternity
| cruel human warfare will never come
| again"
Taking occasion to dispeI what he
| considered were false Impressions
| sometimes circulated about fraternal
| organizations, President Harding ad-
| mitted with what "watchfulness and
care" he had exercised in taking the
various oaths of Masonry. and ven-
| tured to say without fear. of break
| ing faith, / have never encountered a
tlesson, never witnessed an example.
| never heard an obligation uttered
| which could not be openly proclaimed
\ to the world.
Uplifting Relationships.
More" the President added. 'if the
| lessons taught were needed, the OBJ
! legations. read were assumed, If the
! relationships urged were adopted.
men would be Infinitely better in
| their human relationships
Referring to the abuses of fra
| ternalism, the President said they
could no more be avoided than the
Hypocrisy which teaches how beau
tifully.. worth while is honest re-
ligion."
"a President would not be ethical"
I he explained, concerning abuses, 'if
he related fraternal appeals to which
I he must turn a deaf ear. L will have
Uontinued on Page TO- Column g.