The Semi-weekly Madison County Democrat. (London, Ohio) 1923-19??, 1932-07-12
MASONIC HISTORY
Delivered Sunday by w. III.
Culpeper at Corner Stone
Laying in London

eight resident Master MaSonS OF this
village, determined to form themselves
into lodge, it was then that the or
iginal corner stone of Masonry in
London was laid. The leader of this
little pioneer band of Masons was Col.
w. H. Squires, the first Master of
Chandler lodge, and how appropriate
it is that today after sc years of its
existence, we find direct descendant,
in fact a great grandson of this pio-
neer leader, presiding over this same
Chandler Lodge as Master, as the cor
ner stone for the first permanent
Ihome is laid.
The history of Masonry in London
up to this point, may be likened to the
children of Israel under Moses and
his successors until the time of the
building of Solomon's Temple. The
| Ark of the Covenant which was the
symbol of the presence of God among
them was carried into the wilderness
and from place to place until in the
year of light 1892 Solomon laid the
foundation stone upon Mount Moriah,
and the famous temple was erected as
a final resting place for the Ark of
| the Covenant So today we have wit
messed the laying of the cornerstone
upon which is to arise a temple to be
the permanent resting place for the
material effects of Masonry in Lon
don, which have been carried from
| place to place and twice reduced to
ashes, yet from these ashes has arisen
each time the spirit of Masonry to
carry on, even before the ruins of the
fire of 1929 were cold the spirit of
! Masonry had planted itself in other
quarters and resumed its labors.
Thus Masonry's answer is that if
the material effects of the builder have
been destroyed the spirit of the build
er has not Time will level our COR
ner stone as it has leveled and de-
stroyed the wonders of the ancient
world. But we shall not be left with
tiles which we erect in our souls, and
impart to others do not perish. These
are immortal corner stones: their
name is INFLUENCE and so long as
life persists they will live in our lives.
Napoleon, defeated and alone on
Elba compared himself to Alexander
and Caesar, and the three of them to
Jesus Christ. We three erected en-
pires upon force, he said and they
.crumbled. He built upon love, and to-
day after twenty centuries there are
millions who would die for him.
Masonic lodges are confederacy of
Moral Republics. Her temples, eenters
of law and order. This temple is to
be college of manhood, university
where Americanization will be foster
ed, home of brotherhood and fellow
ship, sanctuary of friendship, and a
school of patriotism and liberty.
If | read Alright the hopes and as
pirations of the builders of this temple
the blessings of God will rest upon it.
1t will be a moral and spiritual dy-
namo from whence will go out cur
rents of truth and righteousness and
when the elements of nature have re-
duced this temple to sand and frag- |
ments, the principles to which this
temple will be dedicated, will still re-
main to bless man and serve God un-
til the winds of finality shall roll up
the stars of the universe as in a
scroll, and time shall be no more.
When completed, there will be built |
within this temple an altar; upon that
altar Bible. Upon their knees with |
hands upon this symbol of faith, each
Mason must pledge his loyalty to God,
country, home and his fellow-man.
In Masonic temples, creed is op-
tional, loyalty to God and country i'm
perative. All in all Masonry is or
ganized righteousness, modified pat
riotism.
A temple in itself is no proof of vir- i
tue or merit. Most of the wondrous
structures that still amaze the ex-
plorer and archeologist, the pyramids
of Egypt, the temples and towers of
India, of Java and other ancient lands |
with all their splendor, magnitude and
endurance are but shameless testi- |
monies of an age of ignorance, bond
age, degradation and tyranny.
The first temple to emerge from the
shadow of tradition bearing the i'm
press of divinity and free from the
stain of idolatry was the temple of
Solomon upon Mt. Moriah, dedicated
to the Ever Living God 1t was the
first great work of free labor.
From this temple modern Masonry
draws many lessons, and especially
upon the building of the temple that
is to arise upon this foundation do
invoke the spirit and example of
Hiram Abif.
God does not take concern as to the |
minor things of mortals, or answer
the selfish or trivial prayer, but He
does reign upon earth-as he rules in
the remote stars. In every great moral
crisis His influence Is felt In eyerv