The Northwest enterprise. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1931-1952, 1940-07-05

Hbthysus gnufE every SKY anu IN
every land were found traces of
their work. Upon the colossal tenn
pies u India are sculptured their
peculiar signs. In the deep shade
Of the tangled forests Of Central
America. upon the heather temples
there are seen the emblems of
Frcssmasonr1. BuiIdcd so long ago
were they, that their makers are
forgotten and their objects I'M
known, and the bold explorer
stands astonishcd to find there.
sculptured on arch and column,
In transcept, and in nave, the same
symbols which are used In Masonic
lodges of today.
Authentic h'story informs us
that the grand old monastaries.
cathedrals and abbeys of England
and the continent were the work
OF these men. They were superin-
tended and erected by men who
were banded together and Travelled
from place to place, working wher-
ever they found employment. These
were the operative Freemasons of
that time. An ancient work saws:
They spoke foreign tongue, and
worked with such precision and
dispatch as to be the wonder of
the peasantry. In case of difficulty.
these workmen were as one. and
could distinguish one another in
the dark as well as in the light"
They probably admitted some of
the Englishmen to a knowledge of
their mysteries, for a charter was
granted by Athalstane, the Saxon.
authorizing the Masons to meet
annually at York, and in the year
926 a Grand Lodge was formed at
that place. The appellation "An-
cient York Masons" was derived
from this memorable convention
held ten hundred and eight years
ago.
Temple Destroyed
The dynasty of Solomon contin-
ued not long in power. The temple
erected with so much labor and
expense was destroyed by the AS
syrian. 1t was again rebuilt and
again destroyed, and this time so
completely that not one stone was
left upon another, and the founda-
ton thereof was leveled with the
ground. The house of Israel has
fallen from it's grandeur, but the
memory of its old glory is not
forgotten. While masonry has ceas-
ed to be an operative institution,
! and the implements of the craft
are no longer employed in actual
labor, they have become symbols
of speculative truth, and speak to
the mind of laws and duties the
observance of which will render
our lives pure and harmonious and
our characters firm and symmet-
rical. We do not regret the change.
1t was modification demanded by
the progress of civilization and the
improved conditions of society.
Masonry A Divine Plan
Throughout the world Masonry is
today doing a nobler work than
when its ancient craftsmen builded
their stateliest columns. The Ma
sonic institution itself is more won
derful than any edifice which it
ever constructed from the perish
able materials of earth. It has an
unspoken language older than any
living language of Christendom.
1t has survived wars and revolu-
lions, and is now silently ascend
ing TO loftler planes of usefulness.
1t looks to the heavens for its mo-
del, and its work initiates the Di-
vine Plan of Nature. AS the sun
draws in vapory tributes the mois-
ture from the ocean, as the invi-
sible winds carry it in clouds over
the globe and distributes in re-
freshing showers the liquid trea-
sures of the skies, in like manner
Masonry draws its strength and
resources from the deep sea of
human sympathies, and employs
them to redress the wrongs and
relieve the sorrows of humanity
Dane