Address

ADDRESS

Of III . Bro . Henry Buist , oM , Past Gr . Master of Masons of South Carolina , and Gr . Chancellor of the Supreme Council , at the Dedication of the new Masonic Temple in Charleston , on the llth of December , 1872 .

Brethren of the Masonic Fraternity , Ladies and Gentlemen , — -It is only in association Avith his felloAv that man is enabled to develop the great mission and purpose of his existence . Alone—solitary—unaided he is weak and helpless even in the

, very thought of doing good . The Avild beast roams the forest glade ready to seize his prey Avithout concert of action Avith his felloAV-beast . But man Avants not only the vigour and strength Avhich are needed to do oi-eat deedsbut he fails in the very desire

, and AA'ish to do them , unless stimulated to enterprise and assisted in labour Avith his felloAV-being . The solitary anchoret in Ms lonely hut may feast on berries and satiate his thirst at the simple spring . He may daily offer

up his penitential prayers for the . BAUI of his thoughts , and blindly hope that , in a life of inactivity and self-denial , he is doing God service , and Avinning a soul's reAvard ; hut he liA'es under a dark and dreadful

error . In fact , man in himself is Aveak and needs protection . Nature has furnished him AA'ith no innate power by natural Aveapons to defend himself from the attack of the meanest of his enemies . ^ He is born Avithout power to protect his frame even from the vicissitudes and inclemencies of

the season . Instinctively , therefore , he flies to the artificial protection of society ; and governments are created , not by the Avisdom , but by the inadequacy of those AA'ho lcok in constitutional association for the assistance and protection Avhich solitary Aveakness needs .

The records of history SIIOAV not one great event in the results of life AA'hich Avas ever accomplished outside of the system of association . Nations have been planted or destroyed , religions sustained or overthroAvn political desi fostered or

abo-, gns lished , only Avhen the leader in the great desi gn of creation or destruction has called to himself the assistance of associated power . The history of the Avorld is the history of

associations . Whether men arc intent on virtuous or on evil designs , they must congregate together that these designs may be effected . In the despotic countries of Europe , where liberty has been crushed under the absolute SAvay of some absolute tyrant

, political , associations Avorking in secret alone have ever been able to Avin any measure of freedom for the oppressed peasant AVIIO , Avorking alone , must ever have Avorked and lived in slavery . We see in the Avorld around us the

aggrandisement of Avealth , of poAver , of dynasty , Aviekhng great resources , accomplishing great results , sustained and strengthened Avithout failure or interruption for long periods . " Sometimes , vainly stretching out our hands for some of this poAver ,

which we think Ave can use for better ends , Ave feel that Ave are abandoned . No ; there are also men in this AA'orld AA'I IO devote themselves and their fortunes to justice , to truth , to charity and good works . —and these men Providence keeps up in unbroken succession . "

It is eminently true that Avhatever in the world ' s history has been the object to be gained , whatever the design men meant to carry out , if the mission on Avhich they have set forth ever Avas accomplished , it Avas simply because the men arriving at this objector moved by this desi or

, gn , labouring in this mission , have laboured together ; uniting in societies , civil , religious , or political , Avorking AA'ith one mind and Avith one accord , and thus invigorating with , the strength of the many the Aveakness of the one , and enlightening Avith the

combined Avisdom and experience of all the ignorance and darkness of each ; mutuall y encouraging and reciprocally aiding in the one combined effort , be that effort for good or for evil , for weal or for woe . And so governed by this great princile

p of our nature , a principle so unvaried and so unexceptionable in all the history of human action , that one might ahnost suppose it to be an inspiration of instinct , and not a deduction of reason or experience , Ave find in the Avorld ' s great history of ires and

enrp dynasties , of religions and policies , episodes of humbler events , springing up at every era and shoAving us men engaged in associations for particular objects not necessarily connected Avith the great career of national progress .