Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Oration,
solve tho problem how wo can best employ tho vast resources of tho universe—physical , mental , and moral—for the use of man . No institution framed by man , and perfected by the wisdom of centuries , can bo known by intuition . Capacity , intelligence , and virtue must exist ; and where these are wanting , it can never be fully comprehended . The seed , however rich it may be , if planted in a barren
soil , will fail to bring forth fruit . It is no disparagement to any one thab he has been compelled to enter life with scanty opportunities ; but tho future lies before him , aud he deserves littlo credit if ho fails to make tho most of that . The fruit of the grafted tree is as rich as tho seedling whence tho germ was taken , but tho flavor of tho crab is nofc changed by cultivation . The dangers to tho prosperity of our
venerable Order cannot bo overrated , if left to the conceit of ignorance , the madness of prejudice , or the blindness of obstinacy . Tho ancient landmarks aro nob to bo lost sight of , nor must we ignore tho counsels and teachings of our venerable sages . Valuable thoughts on any subject comfe only from thoso who have pondered them , and no one is a safe counsellor unless he possesses extensive knowledge
or much familiarity with his subject . Our sacred trusts are safe only when left within the capacity of intelligent minds—and even theso will ncod all the prudence which vigilance can guard , all the integrity which enlightened conscience can bestow , all the devotion of selfsacrificing fealty , and all tho sympathy which great hearts can give .
Speculating visionaries may conjure up doubts as to tho merits of our institution , but if tho members aro tanghfc tho knowledge of its principles , and tho observance of its duties , then will the public heart be kept sound , and tho public head clear , against both well-meaning and unfair criticisms .
"It is the mind that makes the body rich , And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds , So honor peeretb . in the meanest habit . What ! is the jay more precious than tho lark Becanse his feathers are more beautiful ? And is tho adder better than the eel Because his painted skin contents the eye ?"
When the train has thundered along through the darkness of the night , bearing its human freight in safety over mountains and across the valleys , around rugged cliffs , over dark chasms and streams and floods , as it halts at the station ten minutes for refreshments , the passengers eagerly crowd out to seize a hasty repast , and let ns be charitable enough to anticipate that they will return satisfied and
refreshed . Bnt in tho meantime somo cautions individual , with hammer in hand , passes along under the coaches and clinks each wheel to test its soundness . His practised ear detects the slightest defect , but if the sound ring is heard , ho passes on with satisfaction . So it may be tho wisdom of precaution for ns from time to timo to clink the ancient walls of our fair temple , and if tho sound ring is
wanting , if mistaken zeal has introduced unsound material , ifc must be plucked out and thrown among the rubbish . Vigilance in guarding well tho outer gates , as well as fidelity to the trusts committed to our care , will preserve tho noble edifice , and prevent its becoming an asylum of ignorance . As virtue is preferable to vice , so is knowledge
to bo preferred to ignorance . The rays of light aro more congenial than tho shades of night ; none but the depraved in heart clioose darkness rather than light . And when life ' s cares press heavily , when bodily and mental relaxation is sought , it will bo found in society ; and if not found in a society formed for mutual fellowship , it will bo sought in more sinful and depraved circles :
" To view alono The fairest scenes of land and deep , With none to listen and reply To thoughts with which my heart beat high , Were irksome ; for whate ' er our mood , In sooth wo love nofc solitude . "
Whatever wo may say of Masonry—of its social benefits , its pure principles and elevated moral standard—its distinguishing and grand characteristic is charity . The brethren of this jurisdiction , who , since our last Communication , havo responded so liberally to tho cry of distress as it came up from the plague-stricken cities of the South , have demonstrated anew that tho lessons of the Order have not been taught
m vain . Our brethren of the South saw the poisoned cloud of desolation and death settle down in its awful gloom over their fair laud . Tho more timid fled in consternation from the impending gloom . Others , with noble fortitude and manly heroism , remained to care for the sick and bury the dead , until they , too , fell victims to the wrath of pestilence . High and low , rich and poor , succumbed to the merciless sweep
of desolation which no human skill could arrest . When their busy streets had been deserted , and the sick or dead filled almost every home , and their land was one vast Ramah of weeping and lamentation , then came the wail of despair and the cry for help—help to care for the living , help to bury tho dead . And ifc came nofc in vain . Liberally as the charitable citizens of our great commonwealth responded to
the call for aid , it will be found that none responded with more alacrity and liberality than the members of our Order . As a citizen of our State , I feel an honest pride in the patriotism and glorious achievements of the seventy-five thousand soldiers who , in tho hour of their country's peril , left their peaceful homes and followed the flag of their country through the perils of war , on land and sea , until
the last enemy of Freedom had laid down his arms . And I feel almost an equal pride in the manifestations of sympathy and charity by our citizens , and especially by the brethren of this jurisdiction , toward that same people , when the " pestilence that walkoth in darkness , and wasteth at noonday , " was desolating many a cheerful home , and brooding like an incubus over the land—more deadly than war ,
more terrible than the wrath of man . Wo felt the tender throbbing of the mystic chords which bind us together—chords which even a fratricidal war conld not sever—and great hearts full of sympath y heat in unison with their brethren in distress . Thus may ifc ever be . Let us fail nofc to cultivate the cardinal virtue , charity—" a charily which sufrbreth long , and is kind ; which vautitcth not itself , is not
Oration,
puffed up ; doth nofc behave itself unseemly , and which thinkoth no evil . " And now , brethren" Oar toil is o ' er ; tho timo has como When we must say farewell—Each one to seek his cherished home , Where all his loved ones dwell . "
In theso brief remarks I havo not sought to explore nnknowu fields , or even to present now thoughts . If littlo of originality is found in them , it must be remembered that Masonry is not now . It reaches its soft hand of love and charity down to ns from the centuries of fche buried past , whoso records aro obscured behind tho dim twilight of tradition . Wo clasp the invisible hands of thoso whoso forms and
history are covered by tho mists of darkness of pre-historic times . Attention has been directed to somo of tho dangers thafc may besofc ns . Wo aro aware that there are persons of social and moral standing who seek to level tho walls of our noble edifice . From them wo havo littlo to fear . Wo have moro cause for alarm within tho templo . Ifc is said thafc there is found in tho rugged mountains of the far
West a most beautiful lake , whose waters of unfathomable depth are surrounded on every side by perpendicular rocks , rising thousands of feet abovo tho surface below . Storms may come , winds may blow , but thoy disturb nofc its rest . Tho fierce tornado which sweeps across the plain , destroying everything in its course , fails to produce even a ripple upon its ever-calm waters . Thus securely shall our Order
be guarded if we observe a strict adherence to tho cardinal virtues , If our bond of union is not relaxed ; if ignorance and indolence are alike discouraged ; if fidelity shall guard the outer gates ; if tho spirit of brotherly love shall animate each heart , and we teach and practise sound doctrine , theso shall be tho walls that shall guard us from tho
criticisms and attacks , from what source soever , as securely and as everlastingly as are tho waters of tho mountain lake . Then , too , will the mists that hover over us be cleared away , and ifc may be said , " Peaco has been within our walls , and prosperity within cur palaces . "
United Grand Lodge Of England.
UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .
rriHE following is the husiness to he transacted in Grand JL Lodge on Wednesday , 3 rd September 1879 . 1 . The Minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the 1 th Juno for confirmation . 2 . Eeporfc of the Lodge of Benevolence for tho lasfc quarter , in which are recommendations for the following grants , viz .:
—A Brother of the Lodgo of Freedom , No . 77 , Gravcsond £ 100 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of tho Eleanor Lodge , No . 1707 , Edmonton 50 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of tlio New Zealand
Lodge of Unanimity , No . ( JO ! , Lyttolton , New Zealand ... ... ... ... ... JO 0 0 A Brother of tho Caveac Lodge , No . 176 " , London 100 0 0
The Widow of a Brother of tho Phoenix Lodge , No . 257 , Portsmouth 100 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of tho Lodge of Asaph , No . 1319 , London 50 0 0
A Brother of the Maybury Lodge , No . 969 , London 100 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of the Alfred Lodge , No . 310 , Oxford M ) 0 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of the Stortford Lodge , No . 409 , Bishops Stortford 100 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of the Pcntal pha Lodge , No . 971 , Bradford , Yorkshire 50 0 0
3 . REPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES .
To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Mason * of England ,. The Board of General Purposes beg to submit a Statement of the Grand Lodgo Accounts , afc the Meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 15 th day of August instant , showing a Balance in the Bank of England of £ 5 , 183 Its lid ; and in the hands of tho Grand Secretary , for Petty Cash £ 75 , and for Servants' Wages £ 96 15 s .
( Signed ) JOHN B . MONCKTON , Tfetsident FREE . UASO . VS' 11 ML , LONDON , W . C . 19 th August 1879 .
NOTE . —Tho " Irecmasons' Calendar and Pocket Book" for 1880 will be published earl y in November next . Secretary of Lodges willing to subscribe for copies of tho Calendar are requested to notify to the Grand Secretary tho number they will respective ! v require . The Calendar Committee direct the attention of Master .- ! of r . nrln-na
and Principals of Chapters to tho necessity of communicating to tho Grand Secretary any chaugo in the day or place of meeting of Lodges or Chapters , so soon as tho resolution for cltectimr such change shall be confirmed . —Tide Book of Constitutions . ppfJI , 92 . na '
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Oration,
solve tho problem how wo can best employ tho vast resources of tho universe—physical , mental , and moral—for the use of man . No institution framed by man , and perfected by the wisdom of centuries , can bo known by intuition . Capacity , intelligence , and virtue must exist ; and where these are wanting , it can never be fully comprehended . The seed , however rich it may be , if planted in a barren
soil , will fail to bring forth fruit . It is no disparagement to any one thab he has been compelled to enter life with scanty opportunities ; but tho future lies before him , aud he deserves littlo credit if ho fails to make tho most of that . The fruit of the grafted tree is as rich as tho seedling whence tho germ was taken , but tho flavor of tho crab is nofc changed by cultivation . The dangers to tho prosperity of our
venerable Order cannot bo overrated , if left to the conceit of ignorance , the madness of prejudice , or the blindness of obstinacy . Tho ancient landmarks aro nob to bo lost sight of , nor must we ignore tho counsels and teachings of our venerable sages . Valuable thoughts on any subject comfe only from thoso who have pondered them , and no one is a safe counsellor unless he possesses extensive knowledge
or much familiarity with his subject . Our sacred trusts are safe only when left within the capacity of intelligent minds—and even theso will ncod all the prudence which vigilance can guard , all the integrity which enlightened conscience can bestow , all the devotion of selfsacrificing fealty , and all tho sympathy which great hearts can give .
Speculating visionaries may conjure up doubts as to tho merits of our institution , but if tho members aro tanghfc tho knowledge of its principles , and tho observance of its duties , then will the public heart be kept sound , and tho public head clear , against both well-meaning and unfair criticisms .
"It is the mind that makes the body rich , And as the sun breaks through the darkest clouds , So honor peeretb . in the meanest habit . What ! is the jay more precious than tho lark Becanse his feathers are more beautiful ? And is tho adder better than the eel Because his painted skin contents the eye ?"
When the train has thundered along through the darkness of the night , bearing its human freight in safety over mountains and across the valleys , around rugged cliffs , over dark chasms and streams and floods , as it halts at the station ten minutes for refreshments , the passengers eagerly crowd out to seize a hasty repast , and let ns be charitable enough to anticipate that they will return satisfied and
refreshed . Bnt in tho meantime somo cautions individual , with hammer in hand , passes along under the coaches and clinks each wheel to test its soundness . His practised ear detects the slightest defect , but if the sound ring is heard , ho passes on with satisfaction . So it may be tho wisdom of precaution for ns from time to timo to clink the ancient walls of our fair temple , and if tho sound ring is
wanting , if mistaken zeal has introduced unsound material , ifc must be plucked out and thrown among the rubbish . Vigilance in guarding well tho outer gates , as well as fidelity to the trusts committed to our care , will preserve tho noble edifice , and prevent its becoming an asylum of ignorance . As virtue is preferable to vice , so is knowledge
to bo preferred to ignorance . The rays of light aro more congenial than tho shades of night ; none but the depraved in heart clioose darkness rather than light . And when life ' s cares press heavily , when bodily and mental relaxation is sought , it will bo found in society ; and if not found in a society formed for mutual fellowship , it will bo sought in more sinful and depraved circles :
" To view alono The fairest scenes of land and deep , With none to listen and reply To thoughts with which my heart beat high , Were irksome ; for whate ' er our mood , In sooth wo love nofc solitude . "
Whatever wo may say of Masonry—of its social benefits , its pure principles and elevated moral standard—its distinguishing and grand characteristic is charity . The brethren of this jurisdiction , who , since our last Communication , havo responded so liberally to tho cry of distress as it came up from the plague-stricken cities of the South , have demonstrated anew that tho lessons of the Order have not been taught
m vain . Our brethren of the South saw the poisoned cloud of desolation and death settle down in its awful gloom over their fair laud . Tho more timid fled in consternation from the impending gloom . Others , with noble fortitude and manly heroism , remained to care for the sick and bury the dead , until they , too , fell victims to the wrath of pestilence . High and low , rich and poor , succumbed to the merciless sweep
of desolation which no human skill could arrest . When their busy streets had been deserted , and the sick or dead filled almost every home , and their land was one vast Ramah of weeping and lamentation , then came the wail of despair and the cry for help—help to care for the living , help to bury tho dead . And ifc came nofc in vain . Liberally as the charitable citizens of our great commonwealth responded to
the call for aid , it will be found that none responded with more alacrity and liberality than the members of our Order . As a citizen of our State , I feel an honest pride in the patriotism and glorious achievements of the seventy-five thousand soldiers who , in tho hour of their country's peril , left their peaceful homes and followed the flag of their country through the perils of war , on land and sea , until
the last enemy of Freedom had laid down his arms . And I feel almost an equal pride in the manifestations of sympathy and charity by our citizens , and especially by the brethren of this jurisdiction , toward that same people , when the " pestilence that walkoth in darkness , and wasteth at noonday , " was desolating many a cheerful home , and brooding like an incubus over the land—more deadly than war ,
more terrible than the wrath of man . Wo felt the tender throbbing of the mystic chords which bind us together—chords which even a fratricidal war conld not sever—and great hearts full of sympath y heat in unison with their brethren in distress . Thus may ifc ever be . Let us fail nofc to cultivate the cardinal virtue , charity—" a charily which sufrbreth long , and is kind ; which vautitcth not itself , is not
Oration,
puffed up ; doth nofc behave itself unseemly , and which thinkoth no evil . " And now , brethren" Oar toil is o ' er ; tho timo has como When we must say farewell—Each one to seek his cherished home , Where all his loved ones dwell . "
In theso brief remarks I havo not sought to explore nnknowu fields , or even to present now thoughts . If littlo of originality is found in them , it must be remembered that Masonry is not now . It reaches its soft hand of love and charity down to ns from the centuries of fche buried past , whoso records aro obscured behind tho dim twilight of tradition . Wo clasp the invisible hands of thoso whoso forms and
history are covered by tho mists of darkness of pre-historic times . Attention has been directed to somo of tho dangers thafc may besofc ns . Wo aro aware that there are persons of social and moral standing who seek to level tho walls of our noble edifice . From them wo havo littlo to fear . Wo have moro cause for alarm within tho templo . Ifc is said thafc there is found in tho rugged mountains of the far
West a most beautiful lake , whose waters of unfathomable depth are surrounded on every side by perpendicular rocks , rising thousands of feet abovo tho surface below . Storms may come , winds may blow , but thoy disturb nofc its rest . Tho fierce tornado which sweeps across the plain , destroying everything in its course , fails to produce even a ripple upon its ever-calm waters . Thus securely shall our Order
be guarded if we observe a strict adherence to tho cardinal virtues , If our bond of union is not relaxed ; if ignorance and indolence are alike discouraged ; if fidelity shall guard the outer gates ; if tho spirit of brotherly love shall animate each heart , and we teach and practise sound doctrine , theso shall be tho walls that shall guard us from tho
criticisms and attacks , from what source soever , as securely and as everlastingly as are tho waters of tho mountain lake . Then , too , will the mists that hover over us be cleared away , and ifc may be said , " Peaco has been within our walls , and prosperity within cur palaces . "
United Grand Lodge Of England.
UNITED GRAND LODGE OF ENGLAND .
rriHE following is the husiness to he transacted in Grand JL Lodge on Wednesday , 3 rd September 1879 . 1 . The Minutes of the Quarterly Communication of the 1 th Juno for confirmation . 2 . Eeporfc of the Lodge of Benevolence for tho lasfc quarter , in which are recommendations for the following grants , viz .:
—A Brother of the Lodgo of Freedom , No . 77 , Gravcsond £ 100 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of tho Eleanor Lodge , No . 1707 , Edmonton 50 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of tlio New Zealand
Lodge of Unanimity , No . ( JO ! , Lyttolton , New Zealand ... ... ... ... ... JO 0 0 A Brother of tho Caveac Lodge , No . 176 " , London 100 0 0
The Widow of a Brother of tho Phoenix Lodge , No . 257 , Portsmouth 100 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of tho Lodge of Asaph , No . 1319 , London 50 0 0
A Brother of the Maybury Lodge , No . 969 , London 100 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of the Alfred Lodge , No . 310 , Oxford M ) 0 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of the Stortford Lodge , No . 409 , Bishops Stortford 100 0 0 The Widow of a Brother of the Pcntal pha Lodge , No . 971 , Bradford , Yorkshire 50 0 0
3 . REPORT OF THE BOARD OF GENERAL PURPOSES .
To the United Grand Lodge of Ancient Free and Accepted Mason * of England ,. The Board of General Purposes beg to submit a Statement of the Grand Lodgo Accounts , afc the Meeting of the Finance Committee , held on Friday , the 15 th day of August instant , showing a Balance in the Bank of England of £ 5 , 183 Its lid ; and in the hands of tho Grand Secretary , for Petty Cash £ 75 , and for Servants' Wages £ 96 15 s .
( Signed ) JOHN B . MONCKTON , Tfetsident FREE . UASO . VS' 11 ML , LONDON , W . C . 19 th August 1879 .
NOTE . —Tho " Irecmasons' Calendar and Pocket Book" for 1880 will be published earl y in November next . Secretary of Lodges willing to subscribe for copies of tho Calendar are requested to notify to the Grand Secretary tho number they will respective ! v require . The Calendar Committee direct the attention of Master .- ! of r . nrln-na
and Principals of Chapters to tho necessity of communicating to tho Grand Secretary any chaugo in the day or place of meeting of Lodges or Chapters , so soon as tho resolution for cltectimr such change shall be confirmed . —Tide Book of Constitutions . ppfJI , 92 . na '