Newspapers / Masonic Journal (Greensboro, N.C.) / April 28, 1876, edition 1 / Page 2
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■: i- ' Tliongli I've g:\zed on lovely landscape Bright and beaiitifiil to see, Yet die world contains none fresher, Fairer Ihaii I’ve viewed from thee. Scenes of beauty decls tliy margin, Varied as eacli clianging breeze; Lofty rocks frown (’er tliy wate s, Covered bv greeii slieltering tree.s Jlaiiy a ruin old and hoaiy. In its stem decay sublime, Wliispers to our heart tlie greatness Of that sure destroyer time, Sliips with snowy sails, so lately Proudly swept thy glittering breast. In true poetry of motion. Dancing o’er eacli wavelet’s crest. Oil. tlio tide of happy feeling As onr vessels toiled along, ,I«y like sunliglit o’er me stealing, I,istening to the wild wave’s song. -Iilany tints from lieaveit descending, Vow and then fell on tiie deep. Like some sparkling diamonds blending Witli the tears that sca-birils weep— Hallowing each wood and liill-top, Clianging pink, and gold and blue, ^Till tile spell of distance deepened Eacli into a dusky liue, Still, bold river, thou wert dancing Onward, onw.anl bright and free— Vearer step by step advancing To the bosom of the sea. Ah! if we would but consider That like tliee our course must end, Daily, hourly, plodding onward To that bourne wlicre tliere's no friend- Vone but Him who is to judge us Mltli a jndgetiient just and true, Wliere He cannot show His mercy But nnto tlie “chosen few.” Drones and Impostors. The number of impostors and drone.s 'that are now traveling over the country seeking M isonic aid and charity is al most alarming. They come in all gnises and under all circumstances, each one having a peculiar tale suited to his or her taste or dispo.sition. The order is so numerous that a willing ear can be found in most any locality, and the brightness ■of the applicants is almost as proverbial as they are numerous. No situation is too high or too lowly for them to assume, no disaster or misfortune so great but they have e.tperienced it. Many are too proud to beg ; they .simply desire a ■loan. Many .are away from home, help- le.ss, st.arving and destitute. Help must be given at once; the case is too desper ate for consultation or investigation—the telegraph and mails are loo slow for their pres,sing needs. “Now is the accepted 'lime—now is the hour oi their salvation.” To require any proof but an examination ■is an absurdity with them. Lodge re ceipt for dues, Lodge certificate of mem bership or diplomas are usele.s.s or have been misplaced, lost, orlel't behind as valueless. The proof of all their claims is in their heads, and their tongues are rapid on a preliminary obligation and ritnal. “Bright’’ is the word for nearly all of them. Our present number of the Jewel “shows up” many of these impostors who are traveling over the country. Not any of these, perhaps, but others, will ccme upon us '‘like a U-ief in the night,” gone, seeking charities. All this shows that our system of ex amination is defective, and our system of charity still more ao. Masons, while they must at all times act the gentlemen I and the Mason, must also turn detective, and take but little for granted ; pi'oof should he demanded. Receipts for dues and Lodge certificates go a long wmy as circumstantial evidence, and ignorant and stupid is the Mason of this enlighten ed day who expects to obtain relief -am ong strangers without a reasonable expla nation of their absence, or an expecta tion to await the action of mail or tele- ! graph. Limited Masons have not yet le.arned ; that most of them should be considered i ! drones—-useless to the Masonic fraternity I unworthy of our protection as Ma- | sons and impostors are astonished or j ndigr.ant at requiring proot outside of their assertion and the ritnal. With them it is generally the first time they have applied for help, and when in prosperity they bad given cerrek of money away to relieve their brethren ; now, in t/icir need, who could be a Mason and refuse ? Blessed to them are the ignorant and the “rusty" when they apply. We have said that our system of exam ining strangers was defective A test by the ritnal of our order is the last step for a brother examining to resort to ; let him satisfy himself on all other points: documentary evidence first—the test oath next—and then let the stranger be thrown npor. his own re.sources as to what he knows. Aid him where aid is necessary fora proper understanding of words, but let that be the last test. He is the per son to be benefitted, not yon ; Ire is the person seeking to tell what he knows aboirt Masonry, not yon ; he is the party “challenged,” not yon. Where grave doubt ari.ses let the telegrapher marls settle the question. Many of them are so fortunate, however, as to hail from “obscure corners " where mails seldom or telegraph never reaches. 1 Charity is the ground-work of Freema- | sonry. “Charity is twice blessed—-it j ble.sses him that gives and him that re- | oeives.” But it is wicked to give to the j unworthy. It is aiding vice and crime ; and wrong and lazineas. It is stealing ! from the mouths of the hungry, the dis tressed, and the worthy. Masonry as yet cannot take in the whole human fara ily “for charity’s sake.” Her substance is limited, and her family is too large to seek those who have gone out from among them and those who have never- entered her fold. Masonry i.s a reality, and poor is he, and poor and worthle.ss the Lodge that does not strive to take care of its own household. It is only bv intelligence th at we may expect to ward off impostors an d drones. | “Light” is needed in very many of onr ! Lodges, and it is har-i to tell which is : entitled to the most sympathy or rebuke: - r.he Lodge that is too li.rtle.ss, worthless ■ and cold to give anything for charity or; intelligence—or the Lodge that is so si u- ; pid and ignorant as to be the prey of impostors and droires. The latter, how ever, has a right to some consideration, while the former has not even a ghost of an apology.—Masonic Jewel. Profanity. The extent to which the vulgar and ! vile practice of cursing and swearing is ' carried is truly appalling, and I am pain ed to say that the practice prevails to a | fearful and alarming extent even amongst the member.* of the Masonic fraternity.! This is a practice alike shameful and dhs- ' graceful. A-S Masons, we are taught never to mention the name of Deity, but with that reverential awe which is due from the creature to the Greater, and at the mention of whose name we should with reverence most humbly how. The Holy Bible, that great light of Masonry, proclaims in tones o! thunder, and says, "Thou shall not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh His name in vain.” That great light, we are taught, will guide ns into all truth ; if so, then its mandates must he obeyed. Bwearing, oi the u.se of prolane lan guage in any manner, is not genteel ; it is not manly ; it is not Ma.sonic vSwear mg is low ; it is vile; it is degrading. It has never been received as a recommend ation from any one; it is harsh to the ear of the refined ; it is repugnant and sljocking to the ear of the pious and god ly. Cursing and swearing never made a man -wiser ; it never made a man richer; it never made a m.-.n happier ; it never made a man better, or brought him any honors. Cursing and swearing is a bigii offense against the institution of Freema sonry, and no Mason can indulge in its practice w'ith impunity : whenever he does so, be lays himself liable to Masonic discipline, and should be dealt with ac cordingly, The Freemasen who cnrse.s and swears is a blight and a curse to the institution ; and as the dignity and honor of the institution dejiends upon the mor ality ami good reputation of its members, I entreat and exhort you as a friend and brother, one who has your interest and the interest and good reputation of the institution at lieart, to refrain from the vulgar and horrid practice of cursing an.l swearing. Live and act accf-rding to the sublime teacliings of our ancient and hon orable institution, then yon will be pure and upright, as God has designed you should be. Finally, my brethren, be ever guarded, and "'swear not all.”—C. W. H.vmisfab, in Masonic Review. Sound Doctrine. With questions of State, or tbeadrain- isliations of governments, and with re ligious sects, or their peculiar creeds, our institution, in its sphere of duty has no part or lot, Tolerance tow’ard all and bias toward none are, its cardinal princi- ple.s of be ief and action—leaving every brother free to act according to the dic tates of his own conscience, only requir ing him to be loyal to his country, true to his fellow me.i, and obedient to his God. But we are deeply concerned in that which affects character and stability oi governmeiits, and the peace and pnritv of churches in their effects upon the hap piness of mankind. The advocates of peace, we have avowed before Heaven that the sword shall /lOt devour foiever; that toleration shall be the practice, as it i.a the rule in this free land; and that art and science shall receive that protection and encouragement which they so emi nently rerpiire in their struggles with a worldly spirit. But tliese, and a myriad of other moral end.-, are by us advanced ordy by moral means and the power of associated effort, directed through the proper and legitimate channel. For oth er ends and other objects, connected with the tenderest offices of Immanity and the better feelings of our nature, we point not boa.stingly, but truthfully, to our past history. When did the storm and the tempest devastate—when did conllagra- tion rage fiercely and wildly—wneii did famine and pestilence send forth their sad wails upon the laden breeze—that they did not meet -with a response as ready as the need was imminent, and as. great as was the extent of the want, from the large, warm heart of Masoni-y, which paused not to inquire into questions of clime or social condiiion, of religious or political belief?—[John L. Lewis. Indiana. Masonry was first introduced in Indj. ana while it was yet a Territory, and when there were but few settlements ii the wilderness. The first Lodges in the State were organized at the old towns of Vincennes, Lawrenceburg, Switzerlaiul Rising Son, Madison, Charleston, Brooh- ville, Salem and Corydon. lo 1817, del egates from the various Lodges met at Corydon, and org.anized the first Grand Lodge of the Territory of Indiana. They there laid the foundation for the present Grand Lodge of the State, and prepared rules and regulations for its government Many of the pioneers of Indiana, and those whos.e names are most prominent in its early history, are found in the records of the Grand Lodge. Atnoiui these are General Johnson, S. C, Steven.s Abel C. Pepper, and Christopher Har rison. At this time there were not more than three or four hundred Masons in the State. The city of Indianapolis has now more than three times that number. Among those most prominently connect ed with the early history and work of Masonry in that State were John Tipton, who represented the Stale in tie Senate of the United States; Caleb B, Smith, who was a member of President Lincoln's cabinet; Jonathan Jennings, at one time Governor of the State ; A, C. Downie, now- one of tlie Judges at our Supreme Court; William Hacker of Shelby ville, an his torian of the order, and still an earnest worker in the fraternity ; General Gro ver, who died at Logansport last sum mer, and Charles Fisher, of this city, who has been for more tiian twenty years Grand Treasurer of the Grand Lodge. The first Grand Lodge meeti-ig in Indian apolis was on the 28th day of December, 1828. But thir'y feeble Lodges were represented. The old Grand Lodge hall was commenced in 1848, and was completed and dedicated in 1851 to the purposes for which it was erected. The building was 66 feet on Washington I street by 110 on Tennessee, and three I stories high. At the time it was erected it was considered one of the fine.st build- ! ings in the city, and a fit representative I of the fraternity. During the last sum mer this building was demolished, and i the new massive Temple erected in its ■ place.—N. Y. Courier, \ Bro. Rob. Morris, LL.D., we learn is I now in California, engaged in visiting " the Lodges of the Golden 8tate, belore a i number of which he has recited his ini mitable Masonic poems and delivered Masonic addres.ses. Bro Morris was j made a Mason in 1841, and the thirty j yeais that have elapsed since then have I been with him exceedingly busy "'ncs- He has composed 350 odes and poemn, written and edited some sixty volumesoi I sterling Masonic literature, edited ever '■ so many Masonii; magazines and newspa pers (some of which too soon came to an ■ untimely end) and delivered some 10,- ' 000 orations, addresses and lectures. He has visited Europe, Asia and Afii- ca as a Mason, and is now engaged on a tour of the world. True, he originated the Eastern Star degree, hut we forgi'a him for that, and other discretions, in view of the genera) benefit to I reemason ry that has attended the most ol his forts. We cordially wish him heaUhani happiness, and a fraternal welcome wherever he may visit the Craft. Acy stone. I A soldier came to Gen. Thomas and told him that a piosition of the enemy might be won with the loss of some P" wen; on which the General .sadd • ; will you be one of them? -The sohmti I was silent.
Masonic Journal (Greensboro, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 28, 1876, edition 1
2
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