Year: 1862

the proudest of the race, meet Upon heriet3


ell and part upon her square. ....a.
Is Masonry inimical to Religion? Whs


then have the purest Of her ministers WORT


the lambskin and labored to promote he,


welfare. Is it baneful to our political III


stitutions Why then were many Of tht


sons Why did Warren die on Bunke,


Hill, or Washington suffer at Valley Forge


Franklin, Marshall, jackson, Clay, and


host Of trorthies, have sat in her lodges


and WORT! her honors. Submitted to thu


one great test, "By its fruits shall We know


it, it stands vindi:atcd and sustained be
fore the world.


1t is sometimes charged that Masonry.


is exclusive in bestowing its privileges, and
it is sometimes asked II Masonry is what
it is claimed to be, why not give it to the
world. l answer, that 1t is given to the
world. All men, may share its advantages.
The door of Masonry, like the door of Par
adise, is wide open, and he who will enter.
may. 1t is not closed against the humblesl.
man that lives. Let him knock at the door,
Of Masonry and it opens to receive him. He
may enter and survey its beauties, and taste
its delights to his hearts content. Strange
as it may appear, let any man attempt il
and he will find no obstacle interposed, nor
a condition annexed to his admission. The
path leading to the door of Masonry, is sim
ply the way of virtae and honor, and the
wayfarer may pause and enter her courts,
or, he may pass by on the other side. Vile
men sometimes, assuming the garb of vir-
tue, gain admission through her open doors.
1t would be we'll if it was sufficiently cS.
elusive, to bar it against all but truly good
men.


But says another, Masonry is secret. But
| say Masonry is no more secret than the
fresde circle. 1t is true, it is not a tell tale,
nor does it strew its pearls before the swine
in the highway. Go into her halls and you
may there learn her mysteries and find
written beneath every symbol the mystic
meaning it contains. The whole design of
the institution you will find dclineatcd on
its treste board. You will find it there
laid down, that whoever would be Mason
should learn to practice all the private vir-
tues to avoid all manner of intemperance
or excess to be industrious in his profess
sion and true to the master he serves. He
is to eat no mans bread for naught. He
must employ his leisure hours in studying
the arts and sciences with diligent mind,
that he may the better perform his duties
to his Creator, his country, his neighbor;
and himself lie must cultivate the virtues
of patience, Of meekness, of self denial, Of
forbearance, and learn to command himself;
and govern his family with affection and
dignity. He must live at peace with his
brethren and all the world lie must ste
cor the distressed, and put the misguided
traveller on the wav, and never shut his car
unkindly against the complaints Of the hum
blest of the human race. A good Mason will
obey those set over him in authority how
ever inferior in worldly rank or condition.
The great and good Washington, during
the whole war of the revolution, sat in
lodge presided over by one of his own SOL
dier:. A good Mason is peaceable and
quiet citizen, ever conforming to lawful au.
thority, and striving to promote the intcp-
ests of his country


Finally, Brethren, let us remember that
to be good Mason means to be a good man,
that whatever is wrong, or ignoblc, or un-
manly, is unmasonic; that no higher en-
comium can be pronounced on any man,
than that he was a perfect -Nasvn, for the;
perfect Mason is the perfect man. Let us
then as Masons, so travel here on the level
of time, that,


'Whcn order shall cease. and when temples decay,
We may each fairer columns immortal survey"