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VOL. 1.
GIlEENSBOllO, JJ. C., FRIDAY, MARCH 3,1876
An Extensive Masonic Library.
NO 25
Among the collectors of Vlasonic wont's
E. F. Bower, of Keokuk, Iowa, holds a
loading place. We see it stated that his
collection now amounts to nearly 4000
volumes, including many rare books and
documents bearing upon the character of
cur Institution, which have been procur
ed at no inconsiderable outlay of time and
money. A Brother who recently visited
this Library gives a brief description of
the same in one of our exchanges, affirm
ing that itcontains almost a complete col
lection of all the ancient arid modern
■works and periodicals ever published on
the subject oi Freemasonry. Brother.
Lower is declared to be an enthu.siasic
Masonic scholar and collector, a subsciber
to every Masonic magazine and paper
in the English langauge, and a ready pur
chaser of any choice and rare works that
may relate to the origin, history or char-
.acter of the Institution. It is a matter of
rejoicing that this Brother has both th
means and inclination to engage in the
work of collecting such a Library, whicli
must tend in many ways to the diffusion
of Masonic light and knowledge. Wo
wish that others might be incited to a
similar course.— Rcpositury.
The Trestle-Board.
ever from his labors
So also, tile .speculative Mason is call-
B'l upon to examine faithfully the trestle-
work laid before him; he also has a
biiildii.g to erect, and the designs, cor
rect in every ilstail, have already been
furnished him by the Grand Architect, in
whom there i.s neither variatdeness not
.shadow of turning. The “Sacred Writ-
ings reveal all that is ueee.ssary for him
to know in order to fit himself for a life
The Hermit of the South Moun
tains.— A story comes from Burke conn
ty which savors very much of the roman
tic and vividlv recalls the tales of the
fifteenth and sixteenth centuries. About
two years ago a man with rather a foreign
look and peculiar dress, but possessing
unmistakable evidences ot culture and
refinement, passed through the town and,
going into the South mountains, purchas
ed a small tract of land in one of the
most hidden and inaccessible defiles, and
there built a mi,-erable little log cabin.
In this he has since remained, only
emerging to administer to the needs of
the indigent and sick around him, and
to supply his own meagre wants. Those
of his rustic neighbors who have had the
audacity to invade his sacred premises,
assert that he lives in the rudest style—
to use their own words—“sleeps on boards
wTh mighty nigh no kiverin’ and don’t
take but one bait a day.” Nothing
whatever can be learned of his history,
■lie especially avoids the society of wo
men and it is said that on one ocoasiin
when a woman crossed his fence and
.started toward."" his hermitige, forbade
her entrance, and burned the rails which
came lu contact with her dress as she
crossed. Bometimes letters are sent to
him, and sometimes money, which he
uses for charitable purposes. He is an
invaluable friend to the poor who abound
in that region. Recently he sent to
Morgiinton a handsome watch, a clock
and a large music box to be exchanged
for medicines and other things to supply
iheir wants.—Landmark.
Our ancient Brethren, hy their ze-il
and attachment for the institution of .Ma
sonry, have given it a perinanenev that
no other human institution ever has, or
ever will, claim. It posses.se.s at this day
a solidity which excites the wonder of the
civilized world ; for those who have been
connected with the B’raternitv are well
aware that there is no part of the lialii-
table globe where Ma.sons cannot be found of usefulnes.s here, and secure for himself
to carry out the broad principles end ex- perfect bapj.iness hereafter, and the Sa-
tend the rights and benefits appertain- cred Writings he must ever regard as
tug to those to whom of right they may the trestle-boa-d upon who.se pages are
belong, and those who as yet have never fonnd ail the designs for his future guid-
seen the light of Ma.sonry, find it almo.st ance. In vain may he seek for a scheme
impossible to account for the absolute of philosophy that w.11 enable him to bear
strength of the institution, in every age with fortitude “the shafts and arrows of
and dime, and nnder every known form outrageous fortune" which attend him
of goveinuient. iiom the oraiRe to the grave. In vain
It IS an old adage, and a true one, th..it may he look in any oiher direction for
the sun never sets upon the institution of the i.ri
Masonry, and how it is that the Christian,
the Israelite, the Moslem, and the Budd
hist, one and all can greet ea- h other as
Brethren, irrespective of their separate
religious creeds, their nationalities of
their political views, all of which mav be
as different as the poles asunder, can
hardly be understood hy the profane,
who have never been permitted to enter
the interior of the Temple. Brethren
may meet each other, coming from a score
or more different places, each of whom is
erring riile.s by which every just
and upright Mason should be governed.
Flere, and iiere alone, be finds designs
that are absolutely faultless, and govern
ed i).' them, lie oarinol but grow wiser and
better day by day, until at the close of his
earthly carter bis work is accomplished.
Those ot the F.ateriiity who value
Masonry for its signs, tokens, pass words,
glittering insignia and jewels, have but
a faint conception of its utility and value,
tor these all perish with the using. It i.s
the heaven born principles of the Craft
nnabie to speak a single word of the Ian- that never die-these will survive so long
gnage used by bis companions, and yet as time itself shall endure, and it is these
they instantly recognize each other as principles alone which has perpetuated
Brethren, readily fell implicit confidenco the institution and made it the admira-
in each other, and by the mystic language i tion of the whole civilized world It is
of the Craft, receive or grant tho.se privil.j a comparatively easy thing for the ne-
egesthat Masons good and true in vari- ophite to learn, parrot-like, the technical
ably have the right to demand
The usages of the Craft, all over the
world, are universal in their character.
Every nation adopts the same unerring
law, and it makes no difference whether
our Lodges are held within the palaces of
kings or in the deep recesses of the fo" est,
among the Indian tribes, as men and Ma
sons we bow with reveience to the same
protecting power, and work out all our
designs from the same trestle-board.
The operative Mason, before he pro
ceeds a single step in the erection of the
temporal building which he is on the point
of I oi.structing, examines with great care
the trestle board that is placed before
him. The designs have all been drawn
by a master workman, fully acquainted
with ail the minute details of his profes
sion. Not a single point, however slight
it m.ay be, has been neglected. Not a
point has been over-looked; the plan,?
are absolutely perfect, and may be fully
relied upon. If carefully followed, with
out the slightest deviation, the building
will be corrected in all its parts, and
readily pass inspection ; on the contrary,
if the workman deviates from the design.s
laid down upon the trestle-board, the
building may, and probably will, be re
garded as worthless, while the workman
himself will have derived no benefit what
laiiunage of the Craft; it involves the
study of years for him to understand and
practice its sublime teachings, v.-ith pleas
ure to himself, and honor to the Frater
nity.
The speculative Mason should, under
no circumstances whatever, permit him
self to lose sight of the trestle board bv
which every act of his future liie should
be governed. We should never lose sight
of the fact that virtue and vice never
stand still even for an instant. We eith
er advance or recede as each successive
day rolls over our heads we aie either
better or worse than we were yesterday,
and while constant praettee of Masonic
virtues makes us rank higher in the e.?ti-
matimation of our Brethren a>id fellows,
and securss to ns the approbation of
Heaven, a neglect of them impairs our
usefulness here, and destroys our hopes
for happiness hereafter.
It is to be regretted that the sublime
prin.-iples of our ancient brotherhood
should be so imperfectly understood.
Masonry was never meant to be comfined
to our Lodge rooms. There we teach its
commendable virtues, but it is when wo
are brought into d.aily contact with the
world around us that those virtues should
be practiced. To be tr-ue as steel to our
Creator, our country, our neighbors, and
selves; to be honest, just and charitable :
to live under the tongue of good report—
these are the duties we .are called upon
to perform; and if we would perform
them aright we should never lose sight
of the t.restie-board which has been hand
ed us in good faith as the rule and guide
of our life.
What opinion should we enteitain of
a master mariner who should deliberate
ly throw hie chart overboard, and at
tempt to navigate his vessel siiccessfuliv
to her port of destination ? Could we re
gard him as much better than a lunatic :'
And yet, the man who claims to be a Ma
son, while absolutely disregarding the
trestle-board that has been placed in
his future Masonic instruction and ad
vancement, must be looked upon as far
more culpable. Without that trestle-
board he is powerles to understand the
beautiful designs with which it is expect
ed he should be familiar. He may pos
sess the shadow, but the substance is for
ever beyond his reach.
The operative Mason dares not deviate
from the plans laid down upon his tres
tle-board, because he knows by doing so
the building upon which he is at work
will prove untenable. His object is to
perform bis work successlully, so that his
building, when completed, may be perfect
in all its parts and ready for occupanct'
by its owner.
Does it never occur to the speculativu
Mason that his labors will at some time
terminate? That this state of existence
is but the prelude of another, to which
we are all hastening ? Here we have no
abiding place, we are merely workmen,
preparing for ourselves future habitation-..
The trestle-board is before us, every de
sign our eyes rest upon is absolutely per-
lect, but do we follow those de.sign.s I'
Have we absolute and implicit confidence
in the Master-builder, or do we at time-
deviate from His designs, and work with
nntemperod mortar after our own plans '.'
If so, whe.i the Craft are called from la
bor to refreshment, by 'whatearlbly light
do we demand wages not our due—wag
es we have not fairly earned ? Let everv
honest Mason ask himself the question,
and if after due trial .and strict examini!-
tion, he finds that he has deviated frotn
any of the designs laid before him, ler
him commence at once to tear down hi-
defective work, to trust implicitly to the
plans of the Master-workman in future,
and endeavor, by every means in hi.-
power, to do his work faithfully in strict
accordance with the plans he finds hud
down upon the trestle-board, and tbn-
secure to himself the reputation of a fin
ished workman in the opinion of hi-
Brethren and fellows, and what is of
far greater importance, the approbatioi
of tho Grand Architect, by whom hi-
work will be ultimately inspected, wheii
time shall be merged in the glories ot
etoniity. So mote it be.
This one line fills O’ut this p.sgm
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