An Oration.

Bim for His mighty works , and Ave are thereby also moved to exercise those moral and social virtues Avhich become mankind to observe as the servants and the children of the Great Architect of the world .

The tun verse is the temple of the Deity wh om Ave serve : wisdom and strength and beauty are about His throne , as the pillars of His waUs : His wisdom is infinite ; His strength is omnipotence , and beauty stands forth through all His creation in symmetry and order .

He has stretched forth the heavens as a canopy , and the earth Ho has planted as a footstool ; He illuminates His pavilion Avith the stars , as with a diadem , and in His hand He holds forth majesty and glory ; the sun and moon are messengers of His AAull . and all His IaAvs are concord .

, A Mason sitting as the member of a lodge , claiming these emblems as the testimonies of his order , ought at that instant to transfer his thoughts to the august scene Avhich is there imitated , and remember that he then appears professing

himself a member of the great temple of the great universe , to obey the IaAvs of the Almighty Master of all , in whose presence he seeks to be approved . " Some , too , have seen in the Avorking of our Masonic lodgesand the connexion of

, the three Craft degrees , a striking figure of the progress of human life , and of the birth , growth , and development of the individual man .

The great luminary of all creation rises in the East to open and enliven the day Avith a mild but genial influence , and all nature rejoices hi the appearance of his strength and glory . * He gams his meridian lustre in the South

, _ invigorating all things Avith the perfection of his ripening qualities , and W-th departing strength he sets hi the West to close the day , leaving all mankind at rest from then- labours . This may not inaptly be said to be a

TOe of the three most prominent stages in we life of man—infancy , manhood , old a S ; The first distinguished by the blush oi innocency , is as pure as the tints which g'kl the Eastern portals of the day , the "eart rejoices in the unsuspecting innocence its OAvn happier aspirations , and fears " ° deceit because it knows no guile .

Manhood succeeds , the ripening intellect arrives at the meridian of its pciAvers , Avith matured experience and chastened hopes , let us hope , consecrated to the service of God and the Avelfare of mankind . At last old age approaches , man ' s strength

decays , his sun is setting in the Avest . Enfeebled by sickness , boAved doAvn by bodily disease , he lingers on till death closes his eventful days , and happy is he if the setting but peaceful splendour of a useful , a Avellspent , a virtuous life , gild his departing

moments with the gentler tints of religious hope , and close his short career in peace and happiness , and heavenly love . " NOAV whether or no , we adopt these and many other like applications of our well knoAvn signs and symbols , there can be

Httle doubt , but that there is ever abundant room for thus adapting and spiritualizing all the solemn ceremonies and all the symbolical tokens of Craft Masonry . And if thus , Ave Avould seek to enter into and apply Avhat Ave so often hearand

, perhaps listlessly take part in , Ave should throw both life and interest into otherAvise mere formal utterances , we should , I am bold to say , find meaning in much Avhich

hitherto has seemed unintelligible to us , and discover order and arrangement in traditions and statements which once appeared indistinct and confused . We should , moreover , be able to realize the better , the true inner teaching of our Avonderful system ,

Avhich though veiled in allegory and only illustrated by symbols , has yet a voice of harmony and certainty , of Avisdom and of improvement , for all AA'ho AA'ith courage and perseverance will but seek to lift the veil . With the opening of this neAV lodge then

, and by the help and labour of the brethren its members , let us hope—that Masomy may abound and flourish here—in all its excellence and purity , and moral power . But Masonry can only abound and flourishlet us never forgetso long as

, , Masons remain true to themselves , to the high and holy principles of their order , so long as they all , with one heart and mind , endeavour to conform to old regulations and unflinching to abide by the long established landmarks of Freemasonry .

It is indeed through the outward machinery , Avhich our lodge system and our lodge ceremonies supply ready to our hand , duly observed and faithfully set forth , that We as true Masons can develope . . and illus-