Sermon.

Him to visit the nation over which he governed with pestilence , because under the impulse of pride and vain glory , he had decided to number or make a census of the people . " Aud when the angel of the Lord stretched out his hand upon Jerusalem to destroy it , tbe Lord repented him of the evil , and said to the

angel that destroyed the people , "It is enough , stay now thine hand ; and the angel of the Lord was by tha threshing floor of Araunah the Jebusite . " At once , then , you will observe this motive which induced King David to make choice of the threshing floor as a site for the fulfilment of his most anxious

vowbe-, cauae ou this site the hand of the destroying angel was stayed , and the progress of tbe pestilence arrested . From this date , active gratitude and deep-seated repentance tended to impel King David to fulfil this vow ; and as the first and immediate step towards the fulfilment , what could be more obvious than the

attempt to secure that portion of land for a site which had already become consecrated to the very purpose proposed , being already , as it were , a pillar set up by God's baud as a token of His forbearance and mercy

towards His people . It will not occupy much more of your time to he put in possession of the conclusion of tbe narrative . The threshing-floor marked out providentially as the site of the proposed temple was the property , not of King Davidbut of another individualwhohaving

, , , heen pricked to the heart and troubled iu spirit by tbe perception of the Divine judgments which had lieou hanging over Jerusalem , would have thankfully devoted , without any price at all , tbis threshing-floor as a dedication to the Lord , and iu veneration for the cause and object to ivhich it was about to be set

apart . But not thus the generous and noble-hearted monarch ruled it ! With an earnestness , touched almost with jealousy and indignatiou , King David gave for answer , Shall I give unto the Lord that which has cost me nothing ? aud he bought the threshing-floor , a . 3 the narrative informs us , for six hundred shcckels

of gold . Such was the platform or ground of deni . ircatioa , from which arose that stupendous temple made consecrate to tlie worship of the Lord Jehovah , v / liich was the astonishment and admiration of the

world at large through many succeeding generations , aud such were tho circumstances of interest and importance which gave occasion to the undertaking . Th ? temple , it is true , was not completed during the lifetime of King David , and if there had been no cause iii the Divine counsels to prevent tbat , the time necessary to have completed so extensive a work would not have permitted it ; but the records of the Sacred Law do not fail to testify how large a portion of the . material for the execution of tho work was

collected by King David during bis lifetime , and how deeply tlie vow was engraved on his heart , and , according to his power , zealously and devotionally acted upon , to tlie last hour of his-existence . Aud now , my brethren , ire have selected tbis text iu order to bring to your minds the origin of that

stupendous erection upon winch so much riches , labour , and time were spent , and amongst whose builders our Order was first established , which has continued through thousands of years , even unto tbis day , Though mighty nations have fallen away , generations upon generations of men have come ancl gone like the mi ghtv billows of the ocean of events ivhich

have swept over the sands of time , leaving no trace behind . The temple was in itself the most beautiful structure that ever graced the earth , and a type of all the great moral virtues which should adorn and guide the daily lite and conduct of men . There were great riches dedicated to Almighty God , beauty of structure worthy of the Great Architect of the

Universe , hy whose power it was directed , a type of that great temple unseen , not made with bauds , only inferior to the great and wondrous work of his own creation , the heavens and tbe earth . Within its walls reigned peace . The glory of God and the good of men were the purpose of its being . To you , who are initiated into the mysteries of our Craft , it will not be difficult to trace the connection .

As we have before observed , masonry has stood cue test of ages , and so long as its principles remair inviolate , it will stand for ages yet to come . It has withstood many , many persecutions , and though its lights may for a time have been obscured , yet througl its virtues they have again and again shone fort ! with lendent lory . How abortive have been tht

resp g attempts of the great ones of the earth to amrihilatf it . Aud even in our own time how absurd appeal and really are tbe ravings of those mighty power * against our ancient fraternity , how empty thei : threats , how foolish their frenzy , how ignorant of thi ! true meaning of our doctrine are those who have no

hesitated to launch maledictions and excommunications against us . Bui , my brethren , thank God , the Great and Mighty , we stand uot as other men stand by power aud riches , but by virtue , charity , and brotherly love . David selected as a site for the temple a p lace in itself ignoble . Our lodges , though

held in lowly places aud upper rooms , are at once made great and glorious by their consecration . Our virtues adorn tbem , and our practice of those virtues gives them g lory . So it is with every true Mason . He is iu himself a temple of the Most High , so long as he walks in the lig ht and practices oi' his calling . It is

truly said that every good man is a Mason at heart , and it is said with equal truth that every Mason is not truly a good man , for no doubt there are many who are only Masons in name and not in practice . It is required of every one who has been admitted into our Order that he should practise every moral and -social virtue ; that he should contemplate the

Volume of the Sacred Law , considering it the unerring standard of truth and justice ; that he should regulate bis actions by its precepts , and practise the important duties it inculcates both to God , to his nei g hbour , and to himself—to God , by never mentioning His Name but with that awe and reverence

which are due from the creature to his Creator , by imploring His aid in all lawful undertakings , aud by looking to Him in every emergency for comfort and support . As a citizen of the world , he is enjoined to be exemplary in the discharge of his civil duties , maintaining the good order of society by due obediand

ence to the laws of the State iu which he resides , by ever paying due allegiance to the sovereign of his native hind ; as an individual , to practise every domestic and public virtue—prudence to direct him , temperance to chasten him , fortitude to support him , aud justice to guide him—to practise benevolence and charity , and to indelibly impress upon his heart the sacred ' dictates of truth , honour , and virtue .