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Article THIS GRAND EDIFICE. Page 1 of 2 Article THIS GRAND EDIFICE. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
This Grand Edifice.
THIS GRAND EDIFICE .
An Oration hi / 111 fid . Wordiipfid and lieverrtul 11 ' . fi ffonp'r , lefare the Grand Loch / e of Illinois , Stli Oc ' ober 1 S 85 . WE cling to the memories of the past , and treasure their souvenirs as sweet remembrances of the days
of boyhood ; some of well-known friends or the triumph of some grand princip le . One holds the old family Bible , though tattered , torn , and thumbed by the use of many years , as the grandest trophy from the circle of the old
home . Every rend of the leaf , blot upon the page , ot soil of the cover , ha * perhaps a history fraught with precious memory , that carries him back to the days of childhood , and doubly endears it to tho heart of the possessor .
Notions guided to impulses of loyalty to country , or devotion to patriots , and prompted by gratitude for the great works of their leaders , erect monuments in stone , or carry their memory down through the ages in the oft told
tale of father to son . Tho society organisations of men , not unlike tho individual or nation , have their mementos , monuments and treasures . They are thoughts , princi ples or legends ; bnt as such aro as tangible as the monument
in stone , or as the brilliant gem . Coequal with iho society existence , they are as inseparable from it as brother is from brother , and have blended themselves into its constitutional elements .
Masonry , not an exception fo this fact , has in her teach ing these mementos of thought ; in her history those of fact ; and in her symbols those of principles ; none of which allow of doubt because of their well authenticated
character . But tho great memento abont which there has been much doubt aud argument is that of antiquity , and whether legend or history , it has almost become a part of her being , and by some is thought to be a vital principle .
and firmly holds the hearts and minds of men--possesses tho thought of the thinker—demands tho attention of the student , and gives full power to the enthusiast . It is not our object to-day to attempt , a solution of the mystery ,
nor a destruction of this long cherished thought by showing that Masonry has uo antiquity , but to divert , the mind from considering it as a cardinal principle , essential to iho well-being of the Order , and to direct the mind to the ln ' o'h
and noble principles of the Order , and try to show that however prccions this thought may bo fo many , that there aro princi ples in our ritual calculated to do much more good among men , and to which all our thoughts should be
turned ; that these principles are calculated to claim the attention of the greatest thinkers , and that the morals of Masonry—hi gher than her antiquity—aro abreast with the greatest moral teachings of ancient or modern times
Hence that mere antiquity , though a claim of honour , is the feeblest sho can make for tho attention of the great and thoughtful . That if she has a high standard of purity
sho may occupy her place among men as a great moral agent , fit to be accepted by the great and good everywhere .
Antiquity is the idol of our reverence , but not the ground of our love . We love not the father merel y because he is old , btit because of the fatherly love and devotion to his child when in maturer years and robust strength he spared
not the ability of his manhood in rearing tho boy for battling with the hardships and turmoils of his later life , and now in age revere the name of father and honour his silvery locks because they , as the companions of his
wrinkled brow and furrowed cheeks , are the marks of many a hard-fought battle for his boy . So we honour Masonry , not because she is old , bnt if old , because her hoary hairs are- the marks of the many conflicts of her
earlier life . Heuce mere antiquity is not a vital princi ple to her perpetuity , nor has it the force of the grand truths that she must and ought to teach . Her greatest force ia found in the authorities from which she draws her moral
power , the Bible and her symbols . These are of far greater power than the distinction of her supposed ancient founder . Yet there are many who deny these , and decry her purity of morals . But ho who has been within her
folded doors , knelt by the side of her altars , drank in the grand truths taught b y her symbols , listened to the reading of her sacred lessons , felt , the inspiration of her work , who
has unfolded the leaves of the sacred volume , or sat beneath the drippings of his loved sanctuary , knows that the morals taught by the silvcry-tongued orator of the pulpit
This Grand Edifice.
¦ •; nd I hose around tho Masonic altar , are drawn from the •ending of tho same divine word and from symbols known for their high standard of purity . The opinions of men as to the age of Masonry vary so
much that several important periods of time are claimed as the one of her birth , and finally three distinct theories have strong advocates ; the days of Solomon , the incorporation of the Guilds , and the early English Lodge . But what are
tho facts as concerning her internal evidences ? That throughout her entire ritual she commemorates events from almost every age of the world , from many years before Solomon to a period more than two thousand years after
his time ; that these events and symbols of all these ages aro blended to ono beautiful whole , conveying lessons of importance to assist man in the conduct of his moral life , and that upon this basis she has builded herself into a fabric as beautiful as she is grand .
But with all due deference to the objector to the idea of antiquity , we must acknowledge that the first theory is substantiated by some of Freemasonry ' a internal evidences ;
that she has some of the ancient Jewish ideas , and that there were ancient nations having organisations whose members recognised each other by words , signs and
grips . The main presumptive evidence is the constant reference in all the degrees to the building of Solomon ' s Temple , and the constant intimation that his workmeu were organised .
There is no history to show an organisation of any society •it that time and place , but there is strong internal evidence in the facts connected with that enterprise to show that those workmen woro organised for systematic labour ; hence
a bare possibility of a society organisation , for no leader of any great enterprise could havo furnished vast relays of workmen , alternating several times a year ; arranged them ' under different overseers ; divided the work according to
its character and tho ability of his workmen , without a systematic organisation . To doubt this is to doubt the most authentic Jewish and sacred history . So-called legendary Masonry assorts that after tho
Temple was finished the workmen sought labour in other lands where they had mutual protection by words , signs and grips . It further intimates that such labour could not be had in their own land . The Jews were not an
architectural people , hence could not give employment to these workmen . They may have known of societies having signs for mutual recognition—they tended to a close union among themselves ; hence these may be strong enough for
the presumption , but history does not prove it . A little further in the ritual of ceremonies we find the legendary description of the country whero the memorable tragedy was enacted , and the mention of the routes of travel and
commerce . Here " the brow of the hill " is true to history , and tho " acacia" true to the products of the country . Then the place of the attempted embarkation of the
criminals wa ^ on a regular line of travel into Ethiopia , and also between tho cast and west , between Greece aud Babylon . These being true , it is not impossible that impatient men might have demanded of their great leader and tho
possessor of facts important to them that he violate his high trust by acceding to their wishes in order to save his life . If these aro true , yet it is not for the purpose of establishing antiquity , but for a more important purpose .
For here , the leader of alt these men was one of untarnished honour and unsullied character , who regarded that honour and his hi gh trust of more value than life ; hence he lays down the one rather than violate the other , teaching us
that hononr is of more importance than life , one of the truths God often teaches . Viewing these presumptive evidences and this noble a ^ t of heroism side by side , and weighing them in the scale of moral justice , to which
should we give the greatest honour , the hoary hairs of our Order ' s age or the grand action of this noble hero ? There are difficulties , however , to this theory , because the
blending of the facts of ancient and modern history m different parts of our ceremonies and teachings would seem to destroy this whole idea of ancient age , unless it can be shown that the modern are innovations upon an ancient work .
There is a peculiar beauty in this blending of the ages , in showing the power and character of Freemasonry ' s growth and the lessons learnt of the different periods of the world ' s history :
1 . The Apron , one of the most beautiful emblems , leads ns back to the time when Roman youths were invested with the robes of honour that made them manly citizens of the great Ilepublic ; to the ph y lactery and robes of the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
This Grand Edifice.
THIS GRAND EDIFICE .
An Oration hi / 111 fid . Wordiipfid and lieverrtul 11 ' . fi ffonp'r , lefare the Grand Loch / e of Illinois , Stli Oc ' ober 1 S 85 . WE cling to the memories of the past , and treasure their souvenirs as sweet remembrances of the days
of boyhood ; some of well-known friends or the triumph of some grand princip le . One holds the old family Bible , though tattered , torn , and thumbed by the use of many years , as the grandest trophy from the circle of the old
home . Every rend of the leaf , blot upon the page , ot soil of the cover , ha * perhaps a history fraught with precious memory , that carries him back to the days of childhood , and doubly endears it to tho heart of the possessor .
Notions guided to impulses of loyalty to country , or devotion to patriots , and prompted by gratitude for the great works of their leaders , erect monuments in stone , or carry their memory down through the ages in the oft told
tale of father to son . Tho society organisations of men , not unlike tho individual or nation , have their mementos , monuments and treasures . They are thoughts , princi ples or legends ; bnt as such aro as tangible as the monument
in stone , or as the brilliant gem . Coequal with iho society existence , they are as inseparable from it as brother is from brother , and have blended themselves into its constitutional elements .
Masonry , not an exception fo this fact , has in her teach ing these mementos of thought ; in her history those of fact ; and in her symbols those of principles ; none of which allow of doubt because of their well authenticated
character . But tho great memento abont which there has been much doubt aud argument is that of antiquity , and whether legend or history , it has almost become a part of her being , and by some is thought to be a vital principle .
and firmly holds the hearts and minds of men--possesses tho thought of the thinker—demands tho attention of the student , and gives full power to the enthusiast . It is not our object to-day to attempt , a solution of the mystery ,
nor a destruction of this long cherished thought by showing that Masonry has uo antiquity , but to divert , the mind from considering it as a cardinal principle , essential to iho well-being of the Order , and to direct the mind to the ln ' o'h
and noble principles of the Order , and try to show that however prccions this thought may bo fo many , that there aro princi ples in our ritual calculated to do much more good among men , and to which all our thoughts should be
turned ; that these principles are calculated to claim the attention of the greatest thinkers , and that the morals of Masonry—hi gher than her antiquity—aro abreast with the greatest moral teachings of ancient or modern times
Hence that mere antiquity , though a claim of honour , is the feeblest sho can make for tho attention of the great and thoughtful . That if she has a high standard of purity
sho may occupy her place among men as a great moral agent , fit to be accepted by the great and good everywhere .
Antiquity is the idol of our reverence , but not the ground of our love . We love not the father merel y because he is old , btit because of the fatherly love and devotion to his child when in maturer years and robust strength he spared
not the ability of his manhood in rearing tho boy for battling with the hardships and turmoils of his later life , and now in age revere the name of father and honour his silvery locks because they , as the companions of his
wrinkled brow and furrowed cheeks , are the marks of many a hard-fought battle for his boy . So we honour Masonry , not because she is old , bnt if old , because her hoary hairs are- the marks of the many conflicts of her
earlier life . Heuce mere antiquity is not a vital princi ple to her perpetuity , nor has it the force of the grand truths that she must and ought to teach . Her greatest force ia found in the authorities from which she draws her moral
power , the Bible and her symbols . These are of far greater power than the distinction of her supposed ancient founder . Yet there are many who deny these , and decry her purity of morals . But ho who has been within her
folded doors , knelt by the side of her altars , drank in the grand truths taught b y her symbols , listened to the reading of her sacred lessons , felt , the inspiration of her work , who
has unfolded the leaves of the sacred volume , or sat beneath the drippings of his loved sanctuary , knows that the morals taught by the silvcry-tongued orator of the pulpit
This Grand Edifice.
¦ •; nd I hose around tho Masonic altar , are drawn from the •ending of tho same divine word and from symbols known for their high standard of purity . The opinions of men as to the age of Masonry vary so
much that several important periods of time are claimed as the one of her birth , and finally three distinct theories have strong advocates ; the days of Solomon , the incorporation of the Guilds , and the early English Lodge . But what are
tho facts as concerning her internal evidences ? That throughout her entire ritual she commemorates events from almost every age of the world , from many years before Solomon to a period more than two thousand years after
his time ; that these events and symbols of all these ages aro blended to ono beautiful whole , conveying lessons of importance to assist man in the conduct of his moral life , and that upon this basis she has builded herself into a fabric as beautiful as she is grand .
But with all due deference to the objector to the idea of antiquity , we must acknowledge that the first theory is substantiated by some of Freemasonry ' a internal evidences ;
that she has some of the ancient Jewish ideas , and that there were ancient nations having organisations whose members recognised each other by words , signs and
grips . The main presumptive evidence is the constant reference in all the degrees to the building of Solomon ' s Temple , and the constant intimation that his workmeu were organised .
There is no history to show an organisation of any society •it that time and place , but there is strong internal evidence in the facts connected with that enterprise to show that those workmen woro organised for systematic labour ; hence
a bare possibility of a society organisation , for no leader of any great enterprise could havo furnished vast relays of workmen , alternating several times a year ; arranged them ' under different overseers ; divided the work according to
its character and tho ability of his workmen , without a systematic organisation . To doubt this is to doubt the most authentic Jewish and sacred history . So-called legendary Masonry assorts that after tho
Temple was finished the workmen sought labour in other lands where they had mutual protection by words , signs and grips . It further intimates that such labour could not be had in their own land . The Jews were not an
architectural people , hence could not give employment to these workmen . They may have known of societies having signs for mutual recognition—they tended to a close union among themselves ; hence these may be strong enough for
the presumption , but history does not prove it . A little further in the ritual of ceremonies we find the legendary description of the country whero the memorable tragedy was enacted , and the mention of the routes of travel and
commerce . Here " the brow of the hill " is true to history , and tho " acacia" true to the products of the country . Then the place of the attempted embarkation of the
criminals wa ^ on a regular line of travel into Ethiopia , and also between tho cast and west , between Greece aud Babylon . These being true , it is not impossible that impatient men might have demanded of their great leader and tho
possessor of facts important to them that he violate his high trust by acceding to their wishes in order to save his life . If these aro true , yet it is not for the purpose of establishing antiquity , but for a more important purpose .
For here , the leader of alt these men was one of untarnished honour and unsullied character , who regarded that honour and his hi gh trust of more value than life ; hence he lays down the one rather than violate the other , teaching us
that hononr is of more importance than life , one of the truths God often teaches . Viewing these presumptive evidences and this noble a ^ t of heroism side by side , and weighing them in the scale of moral justice , to which
should we give the greatest honour , the hoary hairs of our Order ' s age or the grand action of this noble hero ? There are difficulties , however , to this theory , because the
blending of the facts of ancient and modern history m different parts of our ceremonies and teachings would seem to destroy this whole idea of ancient age , unless it can be shown that the modern are innovations upon an ancient work .
There is a peculiar beauty in this blending of the ages , in showing the power and character of Freemasonry ' s growth and the lessons learnt of the different periods of the world ' s history :
1 . The Apron , one of the most beautiful emblems , leads ns back to the time when Roman youths were invested with the robes of honour that made them manly citizens of the great Ilepublic ; to the ph y lactery and robes of the