The Chief Corner Stone.

THE CHIEF CORNER STONE .

LONDON , SATURDAY , TULY 23 , 1866 .

A S ERMON PREACHED BEFORE THE BRETHREN OP THE C OUNTY OF MONAGHAN , ON ST . JOHN ' S DAY ., 1866 , IN THE PARISH CHURCH OF

SCOTSHOUSE , By the RET . DR . ROBOTHE 3 I . "And have ye not read this Scripture ? The Stone which the builders rejected is beeome the Head of the Corner ; this was tho Lord ' s doings , and it is marvellous in our eyes ;"—St . Marie xii , 10 , 11 .

These words , expressed in the plain but forcible language bf operative Masonry , I have chosen as being very suitable to form the basis , the foundation of my subject on the present occasion ; they were used by Christ himself , Avhen addressing the

Jews in the parable of the vineyard ; and they show the propriety of inculcating principles by the types and figures of Masonry . Jesus Christ , who possessed divine 'knowledge , AVIIO came from heaven to redeem the world , AVIIO had all wisdora ,

and all the poAvers of language at his command , thought proper in this plain and beautiful language of Masonry , thus to introduce himself to the Jews of that time . The parable of the vineyard , from which the text is taken , referred to the Jewish nation at large , and more especially to their rulers

and teachers , because they neglected their duty , and Avere unfaithful to their trust . But God sent prophets to call them to repentance , and to remind them of the promises of a Messiah Avho Avas to come . But instead of " repenting and doing

works meet for repentance , " they apprehended the servants of God , and treated them as enemies . Notwithstanding this , the Lord thought proper to send his only and well-beloved sou , supposing that they would "reverence hint . " But Avhen

they saw the Son , the Saviour of the Avorld , they said amongst themselves , " This is the heir ; come , let us kill him , and the inheritance shall be ours . " "When our Lord had spoken this parable , he made this enquiry , " When the Lord , therefore , of the

vineyard cometh , what -will he do unto those husbandmen ? They say unto him lie ¦ will miserably destroy those Avicked men , and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen , which shall render him the fruits in their season . " To bring

this admission home to their consciences , and to leave them without excuse , he called their ttention to a passage of scripture contained in

Psalm cxviii , the 22 nd and 23 rd verses : — " The Stone which the builders refused is become the Head Stone of the Corner ; this is the Lord ' s doings ; it is marvellous in our eyes . " I feel it to be my duty in addressing you , my friends of the

royal craft , Avho are assembled on this anniversary in the temple of the Lord , to declare unto you , and to this congregation , the whole counsel of God ; and I feel happy in being appointed to preach to you on i / the present occasion , althoug'h I cannot but Avish it had fallen on one more

skilled in the science of Freemasonry . However , I gladly avail myself of this opportunity , in all simplicity and sincerity , to exhort you not merely to perform ' your Masonic duties Avith freedom , fervency , and zeal , but , also , I exhort you , by the

mercies of God to perform your Christian dittiesto look for salvation to Jesus Christ , " tho Head Stone of the Corner , " to secure for yourselves by his merits , and through a lively faith in his blood , immortality in mansions not made with hands ,

eternal in the heavens . Seeking the assistance of the Divine Spirit , I purpose to bring the text before you under the folloAving heads : —I . To show that " the Stone which the builders refused , " is the Lord Jesus Christ himself . II . That he " is

become the Head of the Corner . " III . That "this Avas the Lord's doing , snd it is marvellous in our eyes . " And , in conclusion , I Jjshall make such practical remarks on the text , and on your Masonic Institution and duties , as the subject and

the occasion may require . First , then , the Scripture quoted by Christ was doubtless that recorded in the 118 th Psalm , 22 nd and 23 rd verses : " The Stone which the builders refused is become the Head Stone of the Corner ; this is the Lord ' s

doing , it is marvellous in our eyes . " In many parts of Scripture , God has been pleased to speak in the symbolical and significant language of operative Masonry . Three times in the Old Testament and six times in the New Testament , is the text

referred to . Even the Jewish Rabbies , and the learned of all ages , acknowledge that it expressly refers to Christ . I need not multiply texts on this subject , for if , after the abundant proofs Avhich may be found in the Prophets , the Evangelists , and

Apostles , any human being , AA ho has heard , or read , and digested them , hesitates to make a full belief in the Lord Jesus Christ , " the Stone which the builder ' s rejected , " then , I say to him , " neither would he be persuaded though one rose from the dead , " II . I remark that the Lord