Year: 1874

OF Grand Master Brother S8muel
H. Owens. of Missouri. delivered
at the dedication of the new hall, at
st. Joseph, Missouri, june "a:


"Dissensions, hroils, and even
separation may occur within the
church; parties may arise and hold
their sway for a time, and then, like
all things human. pass away and be
forgotten: empires may fade away,
and governments may change, but
amid all these scarcely q ruffle is
seen upon the calm surface of Ma
sonry. But surrounded by all these
discor dant clements of creed and
of party, she gently insinuates her
self Within the notice of all, and
kindly and sweetly whispers in their
ears that delightful language of the
old Psalmist, uttered through in
spiratoa three thousand years ago:
Behold how good and how pleas
ant it is for brethren to dwell to
gether in unity With these grand
and holy words emblazoned upon
her banners, and engraved upon the
very heart of the institution, she
goes forth, not defantly, but hum
bly, and dependept,y to do battle
for the right, and in her own quiet
way, to organize a grand army of
soldiers under this banner. pledged
not to destroy, but to emeliorate
the condition of mankind-not to
estrangc and ALLEVIATE brethren, but
to unite them in bonds of friend
ship and unity, for the general hap
piness and prosperity Of their race.


Before this talismanic motto of
FREQ Masonry, borne by its grand
army of millions, throughout every
portion Of the habitable world, dis
cord and strife are trampled into
the dust, jealousy and selishness
are thrown to the winds, and unity
and true companionship, and broth
erly love, are firmly established
upon thefoundations Of eternal and
everlasting truth. This is nc fancy
picture of the imagination, drawn
by me, to fiatter and to please, but
it is the true legitimate result and
consequence of the proper carrying
out of this great principle of Free
Masonry.


And 1 here repeat, that whenever
it fails to produce these grand,
beautiful results-this happy bring
ing together of men, and uniting
them in one common object, it is
because q great and culpable mis-
take has been made in the material
used. It is want of capacity to
appreciate tho great object of the
institution, and desire on the
part of the individual to use its
unity for his own selfish, and per-
haps secular, or even political pur-
poses. For these purposes, Ma
sonary always disappoints the par
ty who seeks to use her. And my
brethren, let me say to you, that
whenever You hear a party cay he
is disappointed in Masonry-that
it is not the thing he expected it
was-set this sentence down as true
as gospel, that Masonry has refused
to be used by that party for some
selfish and ignoble purpose. Such
men occasionally impose themselves
upon the brotherhood and receive
the degrees, but they never become
Masons. For few months they
are seemingly Jealous and active
members of the order; then their
visits to the lodge become like an
gels visits to this sinful world


They have failed to use the institu-
tion for their mercenary purposes.
Finally, some old brother, whose
hair has grown white in the work,
and whose shoulders bear the
marks of many years of service in
this great struggle of truth against
error, meets this brother and speak
thus: s.Why, my brother, I have
not seen you at the lodge of late"
The young b other answers: mo, 1
have not lately. 1 am disappointed
in Masonry 1t does NOT como up
to interpretations. The brethren
do not ssetick' TO each other as I
think they ought, and I do not
think as much of the institution as
thought would 1 am disap-
pointed disappointed, and think 1
won't go back any more"


Now listen to the response of the
old, white-haired brother, who had
accosted this thing" He rever>
emily uncovers his head; ;his few white
hairs fuit.r in tie gentle wind his
wrinkled and palsied old hands are
clasped tremblingly together; he
turns his eyes piously to heaven
and says: "Oh, Father and God,
thank Thee In behalf of Masonry
that this man before me is disap-
pointed" Now hear the sound
that comes like a roaring of many
waters-like the distant murmur-
ing of the thunder. From millions
of tongues all over the world,
wherever the language of man is
spoken, or the simplest intelligence
is found-comes the grand Masonic
response to the old brothers pious
thanksgiving $50 mote it be,
amen," Let all join In the swelling
response to the old veterans pious
invocation-so mote it be, amen.
Thank God that he is disappointed
Thank God that all such as he are
disappointed In Masonry. He has
failed to use this grand old insti-
tuition, organized for holy and
benefcent purposes, TO further his
own selfish and Infamous schemes.