HS431 .M85
MASONIC anb
bcs
Sjioettts,
By KOB MORRIS,
LL. D.
MASONIC WRITER.
Thus life and beauty come to view, In each design our fathers drew, So glorious and sublime Each breathes an odor from the bloom Of gardens bright beyond the tomb, ;
Beyond the
flight
$*fo
ROB MORRIS, MACOT &
of time.
fork:
NO. 545
SICKELS, 430 1864.
BROADWAY BROOME
ST.
Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1S04, by
ROB MORRIS, United States for the Southern York.
in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of
New
*o3
BAKER & GODWIX,
Fbinters,
Printing-House Square, opposite City Hall,
New Yoke.
TO
GEORGE OLIVER,
D. D.,
OF SCOPTVICK VICARAGE, ENGLAND. YOUE RESEAttCHES
*Sigtort)
anb spirit
of
Have awakened new
BETTER ERA
interest
IN
IN
THE
Pasonit gjimbolisms and inaugurated a
THE LITERATURE
OF THE BELOVED
THE LAMENTED SCOTT, OF Was
MISSISSIPPI,
one of the sons of your genius, and an entire generation of Ma:onic writers lias acknowledged your preeminence.
PERMIT ONE OF THE HUMBLEST OF THE FAMILY TO LAY AT YOUR FEET THIS VOTIVE WREATH, AND TO ASF ITS ACCEPTANCE
PREFACE. Some of press,
these
pieces
have gone the rounds of the
masonic and secular,
a
for
period,
considerable
and have attracted the favorable attention of the public. have been examined
Others
whose judgment
in
in
manuscript by persons
matters of this kind
worthy of consideration.
is
The author has
recited
of them in discourses to lodges and public
These authorities seem to concur
in
admittedly
many
assemblies.
a verdict,
and to
may
be pub-
express the wish that the pieces, as a whole, lished.
Whatever
predilection
literary offspring, he
daring
an
the
author
may
feel
for
his
would not have ventured upon so
experiment as a volume of Masonic
but for these assurances of favor
;
and
if,
poems
after all,
he
has misunderstood the general expression upon this subject,
he casts himself upon the forbearance of those whose
good opinion he has so long sought
New
York, June, 1864.
to propitiate.
CONTENTS. PAGE.
The Sowing of the Seed
13
Setting a Memorial
15
The Level and the Square
17
The Goodly Heritage
19
Yearnings
20
King Solomon's Farewell
21
Quarry, Hill, and Temple
24
Fragrance of a Good Deed
26
A Parting Hymn
27
Song
for St. John's
The Obedient
Day
28 29
Disciple
Via Lucis, Via Crucis
31
The Beacon-Light
32
Voice of the Temple
33
Building the Fane
33
Hymn
35
of the Mason-Soldiers
Earnestness of Covenanting
3G T
CONTENTS.
8
PAGE.
The Fervor of
Affiliation
The Enclosure
38
Masonic Training
Ask
Seek
!
!
!
37
39
Knock
!
!
!
40
Masonic Auld-Lang-Syne
41
Tears and Smiles
42
Nunc
43
Dirnittis
Lingering Notes
The Giving of
Inscriptions for a
The
45
the Shoe
Lodge-Room
Pillars of the
Porch
46
47
48
Cherishing the Pledge
49
Let Your Light Shine
50
Brotherly Love
51
The Fire of Friendship
52
"Words of Peace and Love
53
The Pilgrim's Home
54
Hymn
56
for Consecration
The "White-aproned Brothers
57
Hours of Praise
59
The Dying Hope
61
Ono
62
Pledge to a Dying Brother
63
A
to the Orient
65
—Oral or Secret
66
Look
Prayer
CONTENTS.
9 PAGE.
The Song of
St.
John
67
Tribute to Washington
69
The Broken Column
70
A Mason's
71
Epitaph
Death, the Celestial Gate
72
Burns' Farewell
74
The
75
Crescent
Duties of the Craft
76
Verdant, Fragrant, Enduring
77
the Seat of Peace
78
Fredstole
Ode
:
for a "Winter Festival
The Quarry of
Life
79 80
The Cedar Tree
81
A Lodge Valedictory
82
Hard
Service,
Good Wages
83
Faith of the Olden Time
85
The Resurrection
87
Consecration of a Cemetery
88
So Mote
it
Be
90
A Hebrew Chant
91
Go on
92
thy Bright Career
The Freemasons' Home
93
The Dying Request
94
The
All-Seeing
Appreciation
Eye
96
97
CONTENTS.
iO
PAGE.
Leaning Towards Each Other
98
The Hour of Eleven Corn.
Wine.
100
Oil
Tribute to Robert
102
Bums
The
105
Inheritance of Friendship
106
To Masons Everywhere
A Masonic
10 g
Greeting
110
m
The Happy Hour The World-wide Recognition
The Widow and
the Fatherless
The Death of the Grand Master The
Veteran's
Lament
Washington
The Three
Salutes
The Master of the Upright Heart Masonic Valedictory
A Masonic
Symposium
The Narrow Boundary
New
Year's Reflections
Timely Warning
A
Welcome
into
4
j
The Foundation Stone
113
113 115 1
17
-.
*
~
124 125 19 g
130 132 13 o i
„
i*)
Masonry
Dividing the Tessera
HighXn The Checkered Pavement
jog
13g 14Q -,,-.
CONTENTS.
11 PAGE.
The Focus of the Lodge
143
The Decayed Lodge
144
The
146
Duelist
The Tracing-Board Fellow
Crafts'
The Teacher
147
Song
149
to His Pupils
150
Tribute to a Friend
152
The Two
153
Visits
Brother's Last Request
155
A Festival
Ode
156
Centennial
Ode
158
Grave of the Grand Master Rise
Up He :
Calleth
Thee
159 161
The Dark Decree
162
The Pursuit of Franklin
163
Monody
to the Hon. P. C.
Tucker
166
Song and Freemasonry
167
The Funeral Sound
169
Crypt in the Corner-Stone
170
Our Future Meeting
171
Emblems of
the Craft
Solomon's Midnight Visit
The
Spirit of
Union
172
174 176
The Orient
178
The Passage of Time
179
CONTENTS.
12
PAGE.
The Model Mason
180
The Loving Tie
181
The Hour Glass
The Cheerful Hour
183 at
High
XH
Knight Templar's Dirge
The
184
185
Test
186
A Dedication
188
Lines to Lexington Lodge
189
Walking Together
100
Exhortation to Charity
191
The Temple The
193
"Wise Choice of
The
Celestial
The
Perfect Ashlars
The
Last. Last
Solomon
Record
Word
195 197
198 199
;
:
MASONIC ODES AND POEMS.
)t
We is
Stffomg of
are exhorted, in that
%
Stoefc.
Volume about which an oblong square
formed in a Masonic Lodge, "to sow beside
all
waters."
lodge of Freemasons, no more than in any other society, perfect sameness in
physical, mental,
sentiment and choice.
and moral
is
In a there
While similarity
in
qualifications is needful in the construc-
tion of our social edifice, there are diversities of character sufficiently
marked among us to phrase of Luke viii.
justify the poet in offering the following para-
5-8, as his Salutatory
He that hath ears to May listen now, While
I shall tell, in
hear,
mystic words indeed,
Of a good husbandman who took
And went Some by
On The fowls of
And
his seed
to sow.
the wayside
fell
breezes borne,
air flew
down, a greedy
train,
snatched with hasty appetite the grain, Till all
was gone.
—
— ——
;
:
—
THE SOWING OF THE SEED.
14
Some
fell
And They sprouted
upon
a rock
;
greenly soon,
as for harvest, strong
and
But when the summer sun shone hotly
fair
there,
They wilted down.
Some
A But
fell
among
the thorns
fertile soil
ere the grain could raise its timid head,
Luxuriantly the accursed plants o'erspread,
And choked them But some
in the
all.
good ground
God's precious mould
"Where sun, breeze, dew, and showers apportioned well
And
in the harvest, smiling swains could tell
Their hundred fold
!
Following the ancient example, we would disseminate the thoughts
with which we are charged
in every part of the mystic work, in quarry, and temple among the tall cedars upon the floats upon the road from Joppa to Jerusalem in the crypts of the Holy Mountain, wherever, for moral and sacred purposes, the Master wields his Gavel or the Workmen prepare sound blocks and set them duly in place.
hill,
;
;
;
;
;
jetting a jUenumal.
A
Memorial
raised
is
memory of
that which preserves the
In olden times, a
or event.
by contracting
pillar, a
a person, place,
heap of stones, or a mound was
parties to perpetuate friendships.
The ancient
landmarks of Masonry, morally considered, are Memorials of the boundary lines set up by the Royal Originator of the great Institution.
The
objects most appropriate for
Memorials between Masons, are
the Tessera (of which something will be said hereafter) and the Ever-
green Sprig, the subject of the present
The
lines.
more
blematical than the former, as referring
latter is
more em-
directly to events that
formed part of the Initiatory services of Masonry, and were indelibly engraven upon the candidate's heart. The Evergreen Sprig represents the Sprig of Acacia, an oriental plant with oriental allusions ex-
plained best in the esoteric traditions of Masonry
The
instructed
mind
fastens
upon
this
of decay.
The
lessons
it
imparts, as
it
emblem.
It is
equally
it
long resists the power
falls
from the brotherly hand
grateful in fragrance as in verdure, and
and solemnity. For ages it has been wet with the tears of mourners as it mingled with the fresh sods of mother-earth upon the coffin of the departed friend, until it seems, to the fanciful ear, to whisper from its native bough the song of faith undying, and of perfect love. into the open grave, are full of pathos
We'll set a green sprig here to-night,
To
rescue,
from the days to come,
Each bright and joyous memory, That henceforth gilds
And
should occasion
A token,
room
to recall the place,
These leaves The
this festive
e'er require
will bring to clearest view,
cheerful thought
and sunny
face.
;
SETTING
16
;
;
—— :
;
!
;
MEMORIAL.
A
We'll set a green and deathless sprig
Each
leaf a
Brother's name
have
shall
And fragrant will th' Acacia bloom When one has parted to the grave When one in Temple-labors fails, And golden bowl is broken quite,
How grateful The green
to the sense will be
sprig that
we
set to-night
We'll set the sprig with every hand
Come There
is
round, and plant the deathless tree
not one in
But what Death comes There
Whose
Oh
is
is
!
band,
marked by destiny
to all
a
all this
—how well to know
beyond
life
deathless limit
this scene,
may be
read,
Brothers, in this sacred green
!
We'll set the green sprig deep in love We'll water We'll give
Nor
it
it
with sympathy
fond and faithful care,
shall a single leaflet die
And when
the last of this true band,
Death's mighty puissance shall attest,
May
those
who
follow after say,
Faithful and true, how sweet they rest
!
——
:
Ifebel anfj
re
These
lines,
%
<§rjtmr,e.
summer of 1 854, have acquired a popuby no similar production, since the "Fare-
written in the
larity equaled, perhaps,
well " of Robert Burns,
whose pathetic words
" Adieu
!
a heart-warm fond adieu,
Dear brothers
of the mystic tie,"
have opened the fountain of tears in three generations of Freemasons. Set to no less than ten distinct melodies, several of them original, and of rare merit, "
The Level and the Square "
is
sung at Labor and at
Refreshment, upon the journey, at the grave's side, in the domestic circle, and wherever else Freemasons congregate to do Masons' work or to enjoy Masons' wages.
The writer
is
not so presumptuous as to attribute this great favor
to the merit of the lines themselves, but rather to the theory
which
they present of the relation which the earthly bears to the heavenly lodge.
This theory accords with the general view entertained of
Masonry through
We meet
the historic period, at least.
all
upon the Level and we part upon the Square
"What words of precious meaning those words Masonic are
Come,
let
;
!
us contemplate them, they are worthy of a thought
In the very soul of Masonry those precious words are wrought.
We meet
upon the Level, though from every
The
man from
rich
his mansion,
station
come
and the poor man from his
home; For the one must leave While the other
his heritage outside the Mason's door,
finds his best respect
Floor. IT
upon the Checkered
;
—
;
;
;
;
THE LEVEL AND THE SQUARE.
18
We part upon the Square, for the world must have its We mingle with the multitude, a faithful band and true memory
due
But the
influence of our gatherings in
And we
long upon the Level to renew the happy scene.
World where
There's a
all
we
are equal,
is
;
green,
are hurrying
towards
it
fast
We
shall
meet upon the Level
there,
when
the gates of death
are past
We To
Orient, and our Master will be there
shall stand before the
we
try the blocks
We
shall
offer
with
meet upon the Level
Mansion
There's a
—
'tis
all
his
own unerring Square.
there,
but never thence depart
;
ready for each trusting, faithful
heart There's a
Who
Mansion and
a
welcome, and
a multitude is there,
have met upon the Level and been tried upon the
Square.
Let us meet upon the
Let us meet and
let
Level
then, while laboring patient here
us labor, though the labor be severe
Western Sky the signs up our Working tools, and
Already in the
bid us prepare
To gather
part
Hands round, ye chain
Oh what words
We meet
upon the Square
the bright,
Square below,
to
!
fraternal
!
We part upon the !
faithful Masons, in
;
meet in heaven again
of precious meaning those words Masonic are,
upon the Level and we part upon the Square
!
:
;;
;
;
Ciw (§0obfo Pottage. The Psalmist, expressing the hope of his calling, of the resurrection, and of life everlasting, cries aloud, in an ecstacy of gratitude, " The unto me in pleasant places yea, I have A goodly and afterwards, in recounting his former experience, he confesses that God has heard his vows and has given him the heritage of those that fear His name.
lines
have
heritage
fallen
;
;"
Oh what a goodly heritage The Lord to us hath given
How blest
!
the brotherhood that pledge
Their Mason- vows to heaVen
!
"We sing the mystic-chain that binds These western realms in one
Such loving
No
hearts, such Liberal minds,
other land has known.
Five thousand lights in Mason-halls,
Are gleaming on our eyes Five thousand emblems on the walls, Tell
whence the gleaming
And when
is
the portals ope, to pass
The humble
seeker
in,
The voice of prater pervades And proves the light Diveste
the place, !
On every hill our brothers lie, And green sprigs deck the knoll Their
fall
brought sorrow to the
But triumph
to the soul 19
eye,
;
!
YEARNINGS.
20
Our orphans lighten many a home, Our widows' hearts
are glad,
And Mason-light dispels the gloom And comfort finds the sad. Thus link
from shore to shore,
in link,
The mystic chain
wound
is
Oh, blended thus forever more,
Be
And
Mason-spirits found
while the heavens, on pillars sure,
Of Strength and "Wisdom
May
stand,
brotherhood like ours endure,
"Where Strength and
Wisdom blend
f
gwntiwjs. Brothers,
The
And
this
poor heart Where'er
Though I
when
o'er
my
head,
silent dust is spread, its
quiverings shall forbear,
my body lie,
far the
grave away,
would, dear Brothers, be remembered here Brothers,
when tender
Around me
And
speak of what
!
sighs
shall arise,
I did, or fain
would
do,
Such honest, truthful words,
As Masons' tongue I
affords,
would, dear Brothers, have rehearsed by you /,
;
;;
—
:
ping jSolmram's Jtebwll. It is
not
difficult to
conceive what the parting words of Solomon to
his Temple-builders must have been, nor
preserved
The
it,
is it
strange
if tradition
has
in the main, faithfully.
upon which the
was given, we are informed, " in writing by the Spirit," to King David, and by him transferred to his son. This gave the stamp of Divinity to the structure. All the after-plans, secondary to the original, were necessarily in accordance with it so that the Royal Builder might well adoriginal plan
architects drafted,
;
vise his
workmen
in the spirit of the following lines
King Solomon
sat in bis ivory cliair,
His chair on a platform high,
And
bis
words addressed,
Through the
To
a
Band of
Listening "West,
Brothers nigh
Through the West and South, These words of truth,
To
*'
Te
a
Band
of Brothers nigh.
Builders go
!
ye have done your
The Capstone standeth
From To
sure
the lowermost block,
the loftiest rock,
The Fabric
is
secure
From the Arch's Swell, To the Pinnacle, The Fabric is secure. 21
work
—
;
22
;
;
king Solomon's farewell. " Go,
crowned with fame
And many
!
old time will
pass,.
a change will bring,
But the Deed you've done,
The
circling sun
Through every land
The moon and
will sing
;
stars,
While earth endures,
Through every land
"
Go
build like this
The precious There's
will sing.
from the quarries
!
vast,.
stones reveal
many
a block
In the matrice rock,
Will honor your fabrics well There's
By
many
a beam,
the mountain-stream,
Will honor your fabrics well.
"
Go
build like this
Each
!
strike off
with
superfluity
With
critic eye,
Each
fault espy,
Be ZEALOUS, FERVENT, FREE
By
the perfect Square,
Your work prepare Be zealous, fervent, free.
;
skill,
; ;
;
;
;
!
king Solomon's farewell. "Go
build like this
!
to a fitting place,
Rear up the Ashlars true
On
the Trestleboard
Of your
Master's Lord,
The Grand Intention view In each mystic
Of the
line,
vast Design,
The Grand Intention view.
"
Go
build like this
The joinings
With
!
and when exact,
scarce appear,
the Trowel's aid,
Such cement spread,
As time can never wear Lay thickly round, Such wise compound,
As time can never wear.
" Go, Brothers
Spread
thus enjoined, farewell
!
o'er the
darkened West
Illume each clime,
With Art The noblest
sublime,
truths attest
Be Masters now,
And The
as
you
go,
noblest truths attest
!"
23
—— :
ptt,
<®uarrn,
The well-known expression cal
:
——
foemplc.
aiitr
in the caption suggests, in the symboli-
language of Freemasonry, those various departments of mystical
labor in which the speculative craftsmen are employed. To declare one's attachment to his friend, " in quarry, hill, and temple," is to confess a friendship independent of time, place, and circumstances.
The
ties of
Masonry, accepted in the presence of Deity and under the
Divine sanction, are of this nature, and.
in a
good man's heart,
soluble.
Thine in
Quarry, whence the stone
the
For mystic workmanship
On By Though
is
drawn
Jordan's shore, Zarthan's plain,
faint
and weary,
thine alone.
The gloomy mine knows not The heavy
toil
a ray
exhausts the day
But love keeps bright
The weary
And
Thine on
heart,
Pm thine without decay.
sings,
the Hill
whose cedars rear
Their perfect forms and foliage
Each
And Of Masons'
deathless leaf,
love the
Thine when
fair
graceful shaft
emblems
are.
a smile pervades the
heaven
Thins when the sky 's with thunder riven
Each echo
swells
Through answering
My Mason
prayer, for thee 2-1
hills,
"'tis
given.
indis-
;
—
!
;
QUARRY, HILL AND TEMPLE. Thine in the Temple, holy place
Where
silence reigns, the type
With
And mystic
My Mason's
line,
love I do confess.
Each block we Cemented
of peace
grip and sign,
raise,
that friendship grows,
firmly ne'er to loose
And when
complete,
The work we Thine in the joy
greet,
my bosom
knows.
— —
Thine at
the midnight in the cave
Thine in
the floats
upon
the
wave
By Joppa's hill, By Kedron's rill, And thine when Sabbath rest we
my
Yes, yes, dear friend,
Pm thine until and after death No bounds
control
The Mason's Cemented with
have.
spirit saith,
soul
a Mason's faith
!
25
— ;
6000
Jfrajgrana 0f k
Many
;
!
g^tr.
years since, a poor sojourner through the wilds of Texas
paused at a farmhouse on the lonely banks of the Brazos, to
die.
The owner, a Freemason, discovered the Masonic claims of his guest not too late to make the mystic tie available. All the consolations of brotherly sympathy and attendance were freely bestowed upon him, and when these could avail the pilgrim no longer, his remains were tenderly consigned to maternal earth, the generous planter reading the Masonic service and covering in the precious dust, alone
Long years
when
I
had sprung up upon the river banks, a Masonic lodge was established there. The hall was built, and the Mount Moriah upon which it was erected was the green knoll beneath which the stranger's bones are mouldering Moreton Lodge, No. 72, at Richmond, Texas, yet (1855) stands to perpetuate " the fragrance of a good deed !" afterwards, and
On hallowed ground
those walls are reared
That roof encloses
A
a populous village
in
spot to Masonry endeared,
To
Zion's Mount, akin
Since Zion's Temple
is
bereft
And Judah mourns his God, No holier site on earth is left, Than
For
this our feet
here, inspired
have trod.
by
truest faith,
Relief a Brother gave
Upheld
And
a wanderer unto death
blessed
him with 2fi
a grave
:
— ;
A
;
—
; ;
PARTING HYMN.
27
Aye, -with a grave whose portals closed
To
that majestic song,
"Which has to the fraternal host,
Brought deathless hopes
so long.
The Eye Divine approved 'Tis
graven
And when
as
with
the noble act
This fond desire we
That
all
we read
feel,
our mystic work and word
Thus modeled well may
And
the deed
steel
so the
be,
Temple of our God
Rise fast and gloriously
%
!
farting pgntn-.
Refreshed with angels' food
To
serve
Trusting,
when
To
Thy
share
we
go,
Thee in thy work below Sabbath-rest
is
given,
richer joys in Heaven.
Then, bind our willing souls in one
Confirm the Covenants here begun
Each day those vows more sacred Cemented
in eternity.
be,
— — ;
Sflnjg; for These
lines
have been
;
; :
St. $,ojm's gag.
set to music
Ended now
;;
by Professor Henry Tuckev, of New York.
the Masons' labors,
Past the travel and the
toil
Gather in ye loving neighbors, Share the Corn, the "Wine, the Oil Brethren now, of each degree,
Come in harmony and Happy meeting,
glee
Gentle greeting, 'Tis the
joy of Masonry.
Spirits of the blest departed,
As on
earthly
Where They
are
faithful-hearted,
to share our labors
Though They Love
ways they roam,
met the
are here with
come
;
we cannot
their forms
unites us with its
cement
Truth inspires the Masons' breast
Ever
faithful, ever clement,
Thus our doctrines we
attest.
Thus we come of each
degree,
Come in harmony and Happy meeting,
glee
Gentle greeting, 'Tis the joy of
Masonry. 28
see
you and me.
— —— ;
%\t The
;
;
<§kbW gxgdpk
ancient historian, Jamblichus, describes with unction, the cir-
cumstance that forms the basis of the following piece.
The two travelers, therein named, were disciples of Pythagoras, whose system of secret affiliation, if it was not Freemasonry, at least exhibited the benevolent features which make up so large a part of it.
A Brother,
bound
In sickness
And
the last rites of nature own.
ere the trembling spirit passed,
He on
a Tablet faintly traced
—a spiral Thread —an emblem of the Sun
Some mystic
A A
alone
stranger care from stranger hands,
Did But
for distant lands,
fell alone,
Square
lines
Chequered Band, that none could read-
And then his work and life were done. And stranger care from stranger hands, Gave him kind
Full
many
And
burial in the sands.
a year swept by, swept by,
the poor stranger was forgot
While on an
olive column, nigh,
That Tablet marked his burial spot And many gazed at Square and Thread,
And many
guessed, but none could read. 29
—— —— :
; ! ;;
;
-30
THE OBEDIENT DISCIPLE. But then a sage Disciple came,
Of one whose wisdom
filled
the land
Himself right worthy of the name
The
thoughtful head
He looked upon
And
It
and ready hand
the mystic lines,
read the Tablets fdl designs.
spoke of one long passed before, In quest of truth, like
him
sincere
Of one gone onward, never more To
And
delve in mines deep hidden here
solemn was the lesson traced
Lo Pilgrim
His your fate at last!
!
Awe-struck, yet wiser now, he strayed In solemn silence from the spot
Repaid
the debt his brother
made,
And Eastward journeyed on Yet never on
life's
his lot
shifting wave,
Lost he the lesson of that grave.
How
weighty
is
the charge
we
give,
Brethren, in this short history read
To
bless the living
while
ice live,
And leave some tohens when ice're On life's broad Tablet let us trace Emblems
to
mark our
dead
burial-place
I
!
Bm
Wm
i^uris,
! !!!
!
;
Cruris.
"The way of light is the way of the Cross," is one of those anmaxims which hoth in rhythm and reason commends itself to the favor of every reader. The entire System of Freemasonry is an illuscient
tration of
How
it.
sad
Grave are our
to the
The cold form
of one
feet slowly tending,
whom we
loved, on the bier
What sighs swell our hearts while above him we're bending, And shudder to think we must part with him here Ah, gloomy
is life
when our
friend has departed
Ah, weary the pathway to travel alone There's
little
remaineth to cheer the lone-hearted
Oppressed with the burden, " the loved one
But glad from
Though
Hope
the
feet
homeward
gone
I"
tending,
death's cold embraces our Brother restrain
springs from the hillock above which we're bending,
And
whispers " Rejoice
Death's midnight
The pathway
Then
Grave are our
is
patient
is
is
sad,
!
dark but
we wait
you
shall
meet him again
but there cometh the morning
till
its
ending
is
nigh."
the glorious dawning,
That's told in our emblems of 31
life
in the
sTcy !
;
re
;
;
;
;
!
|taaarn:-!p0jri
A city set upon
a
hill,
Cannot be hid Exijosed to every eye,
it will,
Over surrounding plain and
An
And
vale,
influence shed,
spread the light of peace
afar,
Or blight the land with horrid war.
Each Masons' lodge
is
planted
so,
For high display
Each
is
Life's
weary wanderers,
a Beacon-light, to
The
better
To show by
How
Be
perfect
this
way
ties is
show
as they go,
of earthly love,
the
Lodge above
your willing task, dear friends,
While laboring here
Borrow from Him who kindly
lends,
The Heavenly Ladder that ascends
The higher sphere
And
let
the world your progress
see,
Upward, by Faith, Hope, Charity.
;
:
Bam
of
Ik Cemple,
The Voice of the Temple
the tidings of Love,
!
That speaks of the Master who reigneth above "
His Glory, His Glory, in the Highest who
And Good-will to man " Come
is
the burden
dwells,
it tells
!
Brothers, in chorus
Prolong the glad tidings,
No
duty so sweet as the hymning of
God
His faith each professing, His knowledge possessing, Exalt each the blessing His grace hath bestowed.
§ttHbm0
%
Jfmx*,
The cry of Nehemiah, when, on his return to Jerusalem, he saw the Royal City lying " heaps upon heaps," has, in every age, echoed upon the heart of the moral
builder.
Oh, the world in ruins
!
oh, the
wrecks of humanity, lying about us on every hand, and crying aloud for the Master Builder, who alone can reconstruct the edifice so fearfully cast
down
!
Come, Comrades,
Our Mason-hearts
let
us build
!
*
are filled
"With fond solicitude and keen desire, f
While musing
Whose The
stains of
o'er these heaps,
every ashlar keeps
bloodshed and the marks of
fire
!
|
—— — —
—
—
:
—
—
BUILDING THE FANE.
34
"What though some voice would say
"Leave Salem to decay
!"
§
Our Mason-hearts were not instructed thus Let's
work
for Salem's Lord,
And, Comrades, be assured
The God of Heaven, He
will j^rosper us
||
With goodly Sword and With Trowel Each hand
is
bright,
in the right,
sanctified to God's
Let's build,
!
employ
:
IT
nor doubt that soon
This weary labor done
Our Mason-hearts
*
Come and
—Nehemiah, 1 1 sat
let
ii.,
will feel the
Builder's joy
us build up the wall of Jerusalem, that
!
we be no more
a reproach,
IT.
down and wept, and mourned, and
fasted,
Nehemiah,
and prayed.
i.,4.
They slew with the sword young man and maiden, old man, and him that stooped for age, and they burnt the house of God and all the palaces with fire. X
2 Chronicles xxxvi., 17, 18. § Sanballat
said, \
What I
is
and Tobiah and Geshem laughed us to scorn, and despised us and ye do ? Nehemiah, ii., 19.
this thing that
answered and said unto them, " The God of Heaven, He
therefore,
we His servants
^ Every one with one held a weapon.
will arise
of his
Nehemiah,
and
build."
hands wrought
Nehemiah,
in the work,
ii.,
will
prosper us,
20.
and with the other hand
iv., 17.
** They sang together by course in praising and giving thanks, and
all
the people
shouted with a great shout, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid.— Ezra,
ill.,
11.
,
Jgmtt of
%
!;
;
;;
;
—
"
|$las0it-S0ltrbrs.
In camp, hospital, and on the march, the " Friends of the Square in the Union armies, were wont, during the campaigns of the fall and winter of 1863, to enliven the sad hours by singing this " Hymn of
Henry Tucker's
the Mason-Soldiers," as arranged to Professor
War
equaled melody, " "When this Cruel
met from every
Brothers,
Over."
is
nation,
Far away from home,
Men
of every rank and station,
Round
this altar come.
Bring your hearts, so
full
of feeling
Join your hands, so true Swear, ye sons of truth and honor,
Naught Chorus.
shall sever you.
—War's dark cloud will vanish Joy to East and
West
,
Oh, Brothers
Though
the land
is full
Masons, Masons
still
of weeping,
are blest.
Come, forgetting every sorrow,
Level bring and Square Leave
all
;
trouble to to-morrow
Each the Compass bear Pass the
Wear
Trowel the
o'er
each discord
Lambskin white
Brothers, one
more happy meeting,
In our Lodge to-night.
un-
—
36
;
!
—
:
EARNESTNESS OF COVENANTING. In the circle here extended,
Shadowy forms appear
With our Dead
loving spirits blended,
ones, ah,
Dead on many
how
dear
a field of battle,
Lost to friends and home,
Yet
in Mason's love surviving,
Round
When
We And
this altar
to distant
come.
homes returning,
shall say farewell,
shall cease the tender yearning,
Now
our bosoms
feel
Prattling lips and sweet caresses,
All the joys of home,
Will bring back the loving
Round
(Siartusimss 0f Never
circle,
this altar come.
will I
€obmmtm%>
break the Covenant,
Plighted, Brother, with thee
One between To
now
us stands, attesting
the fervor of
my vow
In his name, above his Promise,
By
his honor, for his cause,
Here's
my
hand, the Lord confirm
I will surely keep
my vows
!
it,
!
—— ; ;
;
n Jftrta 0f
:
;!
;
gjEliattoii.
The privilege of association in a harmonious, strongly-cemented band of Masons, is a thing to be coveted. Exiles from home, deprived of the long-accustomed pleasures of the lodge, have been known to express their yearnings for re-affiliation in language not less forcible
In the military camps, these lines sung to the
than
this.
air "
A Life on the
Ocean Wave," are very popular.
A place in the Lodge for me, A home with the free and bright, Where jarring chords
And Not
the darkest soul
agree, is
light
here, not here is bliss,
There's turmoil
and
there's
gloom
My spirit yearns for peace Say, Brothers, say,
My
feet are
And my
there
room
weary worn,
eyes are
This world
is
dim with
tears
is all forlorn,
A wilderness of fears But
tliere's
one green spot
oeloio,
There's a resting place, a home,
My
spirit yearns to
know
Say, Brothers, say, is there
I hear the orphan's cry,
And I see I
the widow's tear
weep when mortals
And
none but God
is
die,
near
room
!
common
:
———
;
!
THE ENCLOSURE.
38
From sorrow and
despair,
I seek the Mason's
home,
My spirit
yearns to share
Say, Brothers, say,
room
there
is
I
With God's own eye above,
With Brother-hands
below,
With Friendship and with Love.
My pilgrimage I'll And when
go
in death's embrace,
My summons Within your
it
come,
shall
heart's best place,
Oh, Brothers, oh give
me room
CIjc (Bwdsmwct.
From me to
thee, from
Each whispering
me to
leaf a missive be,
In mystic scent and hue to say
This green and fragrant spray In emerald green and rich perfume,
To teach
And
of
Faith
that
mocks the tomb,
link the chain Fidelity,
'Twist, Brother, thee and
me
!
In distant land, in olden time,
The Acacia bore the mark sublime,
And Of
told to each discerning eye deathless constancy
— !
;;
MASONIC TRAINING. So
may
these green leaves whisper now,
Inform the heart, inspire the vow,
And
link the chain Fidelity,
'Twixt, Brother, thee and
Oh
when you bend
Ladies,
!
The cradled
And bless A man of
me
above,
offspring of your love,
the child
whom
you would
se
truth and constancy,
Believe, there is in Masons' lore,
A
fund of wisdom, beauty, power,
Enriching every soul of
man
"Who comprehends the mystic
Then
train your
Lay deep the
boy in Mason's truth
cornerstone in youth
Teach him to walk by
To
plan.
;
virtue's line,
square his acts by square Divine
The cement of pure
And Then
;
love to spread,
paths of Scripture-truth to tread will the
To honor
Touth
to
manhood grow
us and honor you.
;
;
Jab
I
; ;;;
; ; ;
;
Sk&ll ghurcklll
Ask, and ye
shall receive
Seek, ye shall surely find
Knock, ye
shall
no
resistance meet,
mind
If come with ready
For
all
that ask, and ask aright,
Are welcome
to our lodge to-night.
Lay down the bow and
spear;
Resign the sword and shield Forget the
art's
of warfare here,
The arms of peace For
all
that seek,
Are welcome
to wield
and seek
aright,
to our lodge to-night.
Bring hither thoughts of peace Bring hither words of love Diffuse the pure
and holy joy
That cometh from above For
all
that knock,
Are welcome
Ask
help of
and knock
HrM
that's
Seek grace of Him
Knock
aright,
to our lodge to-night.
patiently, the
high
that's true
hand
is
nigh,
Will open unto you
For
all
that ask, seek,
knock
Are welcome to our lodge
aright,
to-night.
!!
Htas0nk
A
;
;
—
!
^itltr-Sanjg-Sgiu.
whose ceremonies and language extend so far into anmay justly claim, more than others, to be the conservator of old things. Nowhere are aged men so prized as in lodges of Freemasons. The models of lodge furniture, to the society
tiquity as those of Freemasonry,
smallest piece, are of ancient patterns, and their lectures and their songs, and their hopes, all breathe the spirit so well expressed in the
Scotch phrase, " Auld Lang Syne." in the gatherings of the Craft,
The following
may
lines,
with significant gestures.
We
do not sigh
Nor Yet
for pleasures past,
fondly, vainly pine
let
us give one
To Auld Lang With
memory
Syne.
Gavel, Trowel, Guage,
With
Level, Square,
we work,
and Line
Come, join the Chain of Love, and sing
Of Auld Lang Syne For Auld Lang Syne,
my
For Auld Lang Syne Ah, who
dear,
;
like us can sing the days
Of Auld Lang Syne
'Twas sweet when evening's shadows
How bright
fell
our Lights did shine
Down from the
East to hear the words
Of Auld Lang
Syne. 41
much used
be accompanied in recitation
;
!
TEARS AND SMILES.
42
The 'Prentice knocked with trembling hand, The Crapt sought Corn and Wine,
The Master In Auld
stood,
Lang
and nobly
fell,
Syne.
"With step so true, with form upright,
We
drew the Grand Design;
'Twas well we knew In Auld
A
Lang
tear to them,
" to square the
the early dead,
Fond memory would
We
work,"
Syne.
consign
dropped the green sprig
o'er their
head,
In Auld Lang Syne.
And
the
till
To join
Master
the
call us
hence
Lodge Divine,
Let's sometimes give a grateful thought
To Auld Lang Syne
1
rmb Smiles.
Cjears
The
tear for friends departed,
The
faithful
and true-hearted,
Cast midst the rubbish of the silent grave, Is
changed
to smiles of pleasure,
While trusting that our
A glorious Resurrection-day
treasure,
will
have
—
;;
;;
|Jmt£ ghmttis. Craftsman of the past generation, that,
It is written of a venerable
having lived through
all
the trials and reproaches of the Antimasonic
period (1826-1836), and maintained his membership
first
in one lodge
and then in another, 'as the contiguous lodges successively gave way under the pressure, he came peacefully to his death-bed at last, and, smilingly
said
the
to
" Now, Brothers,
who thronged
friends
me have my
let
demit
about his bed-side,
!"
In the oldest system of Masonic ethics extant, it is distinctly averred that " every Brother ought to belong to a lodge." The practice of non-affiliation so
as unmasonic.
"
common
at the present day, is thus
Death alone should sever
Now
lodge-affiliation.
dismiss rue, while I linger,
For one fond, one dear word more
Have
done
I
Is there
Have
I
my
wronged
One by deed, Silence speaks
Nunc " Let
my
?
score
blow
or word, or
my
full
go, I crave
my
!
wages
long I've toiled
Never once through work days
my
?
acquittance
me go
I've suffered,
Never once
?
in all this circle,
dimittis, let
me
Long
labor fairly
aught against
idle,
apron soiled
In the Chamber, where the Master "Waits with smiling to bestow
Corn, and wine, and oil abundant,
Nunc
dimittis, let
me go
!
stamped
:
——
;
;
NUNC DIMITTIS,
44 " Let
me
go, but you
must
tarry,
Sixth day's close has come
Till the
:
Heat and burden patient bear ye
While you're absent But
a little for the
far
"Waits alike for each of
Mine
is
Nunc
from home
;
summons you
;
sounding, spirits wait me, dirnittis, let
" Oh, the
me go
!
Sabbath-day in Heaven
!
Oh, the joys reserved for them, Faithful Builders of the Temple,
Type of
blest Jerusalem
!
Oh, the raptures of the meeting
With Strive
the friends 'twas bliss to
Nunc
dirnittis, let
Hushed that
Faded Gone the
To
know
no longer to detain me,
is
voice
me go !"
its
fond imploring
that eager eye
soul of labor wearied,
repose eternally
But the memory of
his service
Oft shall lighten up our woe, Till the
hour we
"Nunc
too petition
dirnittis, let
me go !"
!
—
Sfttfgttmjj
None
;!
—— ;
Dtocfas.
more graceful
of the ancient Masonic legends are
or convey
a more charmingly esoteric meaning, than that which assures us there is for
an hour after the Brethren disperse from their lodge-room a
mysterious echo of sounds fraternal in tone,
made
which may be heard
there, weird, lingering,
up, in fact, of all the brotherly expressions
and divine acknowledgments that have passed about the group through the entire convocation It is affirmed by those who have the gift to understand it, to be charming beyond expression, and that the last note, as it dies away upon the ear, is the echo of that spirit which !
filled
the soul of our Patron Saint, the Evangelist John
Lingering notes the echoes Soft
— " Love
stir,
and sweet, these walls along
Softly, sweetly,
they concur
In the pleasant tide of song Night-birds cease their plaintive lays Listening to the
hymn
of praise.
Angels gliding through the
On
celestial
hymn
Pause, the sacred
Fold
their
air,
mission bent,
wings in
to hear
—
soft content
Join their notes divine to these,
Hymning Masons'
Now the
solitary
mysteries.
room,
Peopled with a countless throng
Now
the stillness and the gloom
Kindle with the tide of song, Filling our delighted ears
Music of three thousand years
i
!"
—
;
40
; ; ;
;
THE GIVING OF THE SHO Every Emblem pictured
On
there,
the ceiling, wall, or floor
Gavel, Trowel, Apron, Square,
Column
—
Door
rent or open
Blends a light and yields a tongue,
To
this softly-lingering song.
Now the
anthem
dies
One by one the
away
voices cease
Birds resume their wonted lay
Angels on their mission press
But the
latest note that
In the mystic song
Take
this pledge
!
Of that truth that
is
moves
Love's
it is
!
a token
ne'er
was broken,
Truth which binds the Mystic
Tie,
Under the All-Seeing Eye. Take
By
this pledge
this type
!
each ancient Brother,
bound every other
Firmly, so that death, alone,
Rent the bonds that made them one.
Take
this pledge
Though
!
no pledge
so holy
the symbol seem but lowly,
'Tis divine
!
It tells
of One,
Of the rain-drops and the
sun.
! ;
NSCRIPTIONS FOR Take
this pledge
!
!
!
LODGE-ROOM.
A
the token sealeth
All the judgment-day revealeth
Honor, Truth, fraternal Grace, Brother, in thy hands I place
!
EAST. Erect before thee,
A hand upon thy "Word, We thus adore thee And
swear to serve thee, Lord
WEST. So mote
be
it
Speaks the
And
echoes,
A deep
"
—each murmuring word
soul's earnest,
from
Amen,
its
so
deep accord,
inmost
mote
it
sea,
be
!"
SOUTH. Ye
faithful,
weave the chain
Join hand in hand again
The world
is filled
!
with violence and blood
Hark
to the battle-cry
Hark
to the answering sigh
Come weave
!
!
the chain that's blest of
man and God
!
47
;
f xUars
Sfct
An
of
%
—
;
f ortlj.
innovation upon the Masonic landmarks
is like
removing one
of the emblems from the Pillars at the entrance of the Temple.
It
Every instructed brother will set himself resolutely against such an act, remembering the declaration in the ancient books of our Order " It is not in the power of any man or body of men to make innovations in the body of Masonry." In this lie the is
Masonic
sacrilege.
:
strength and the establishment of the Order.
The Old
is
better
By which To bind
And
:
is it
not the plan
the wise, in by-gone days, contrived
in willing fetters
man
to
man,
strangers in a sacred nearness lived
Is there in
modern wisdom aught
?
like that
Which, midst the blood and carnage of the
Can calm man's
And join
No
!
disrupted friends in love again
for three
plain,
fury, mitigate his hate, ?
thousand years the smiles of heaven,
Smiles on whose sunbeams comes unmeasured joy,
To
this thrice-honored
Cement have been
given,
This Bond, this Covenant, this sacred Tie It
comes to us
full
laden
:
from the
:
Tomb
A countless host conspire to name its worth, Who sweetly sleep beneath th' Acacia's bloom, And
there
is
nought
like
Then guard the venerable Protect
See that
it,
its
Masonry on
relic
well
Masters, from th' unholy
emblems the same
earth.
hand
;
lessons tell
Sublime through every age and every land 48
!
!
!
;
—
——
!
;
CHERISHING THE PLEDGE. Be not
a line erased
the pen that drew
;
These matchless tracings was the Infinite
God
Wisdom
49
will preserve intact the
Cjjnhbinij
%
Pen DrvrNE
;
knew
best for mortals
Grand Design.
Jplebge.
During the Civil War, the question, How far the Masonic obligaarms against their country, has perplexed many. The following Ode is proposed as the ancient and sure solution The Ancient Charges, it will be found, leave no of the difficulty. tions extend to those in
doubt upon the subject. would be criminal here to omit to state the fact that through all the strife which has deluged the land in blood, while other bonds and covenants have been nullified, the Bond of Freemasonry has remained
room
for
It
intact
Dear Friends of the Square
Though broken and torn
Bemember the vow
We would cling, Then
raise
up
God
With mine join
us cherish our faith, !
—we swore unto death
hand and to
Though war blow
We
;
let
every other
heart, to a
the
left
Brother
hand
the other the blast, and with death strew the land,
swear to be true to each Brother
The East lends The South
his light,
The West gently They teach
though the world
shines in glory
is
!
at
war
and beauty
smiles o'er fields drenched in gore
to each
Mason
his duty
!
!
!!
LET
50
war's dust
Craft
is
The Page of our History
us fold
let
is brilliant
honor to hold
!
land
o'er the
!
it
with light \->
it
Great God from thy Throne view Thy Gavel must heal this disorder Send Peace
—
unsullied as yet
and blood
Let's swear thus in
! !
OV R LIGHT SHINE.
Y
The Badge of the
From
;
the nation at strife I
give Refuge and Life
!
Be Thou Lord our Saviour and Warder
Then
raise
up
to
God
With mine join Though war blow
the
left
the other
hand
!
!
the blast, and with death strew the land,
We swear to be true to each Brother
tA " Let
"
The
fiojjt ^™*>
four
your light shine," the Master
To
bless
light
benighted
and truth
my
said,-
man Spirit shed
Are yours to shed again."
We come,
oh Lord, with willing mind,
That knowledge Enlighten
And
us,
glad
to display
by nature
we
!
blind,
will obey.
—
God
one
By
one Spirit lighted, by one
To
:
—
:
by one Saviour saved,
By
created,
"We're taugbt in the
!!
;
mark
wisdom our
cherish the spirit of
engraved,
spirits
approve,
Brotherly love.
Love, love, Brotherly love
This world has no spirit like Brotherly love.
In the land of the stranger we Masons abide, In
forest, in quarry,
on Lebanon's side
Yon temple we're building, its plan's from above, And we labor supported by Brotherly love. Though If the
The
the service be hard, and the wages be scant,
Master
prize that
When the
accept
we
And
our hearts are content
have
Temple's completed, in
Yes, yes, though the
Though
it,
toil for, we'll
week may be
the temple be lofty,
it
above,
Brotherly love.
long, it will end,
the keystone
will stand
the Sabbath, blest day, every thought will remove,
Save the mem'ry fraternal of Brotherly love.
By By
one
God
created,
day —come, —come, brothers, away brothers,
'tis
one Spirit lighted
"With Beauty, and Wisdom, and Strength to approve, Let's toil while there's labor in 51
Brotherly love.
;
Cjr*
Nothing
in the
Jfe
;
;
0f Jfrimtrsbtp.
Masonic institution
is
more
practical or
more
grate-
the sensibilities of the traveling-brother than to find, as he will
ful to
whose constitutional duty welcome and accommodate visiting brethren." This makes the circle of the Order complete, for every well-informed brother has a claim and a right to the hospitalities of lodges wherever he may in every lodge in this country an officer
do
" to
it is
travel or work.
The
following lines represent the sentiments of grati-
tude which such an one
may
that broad and unreserved
Men
be supposed to feel upon the reception of welcome peculiar to the Masonic system.
of the bright inheritance, oh true and loving band,
Who,
linked in chains of Masonry, around this altar stand,
Bright
let
the fire op Friendship burn and warmly let
For a stranger from
a distant land
The Acacia blooms
would join your
in every clime, the
circle
it glow,.
now.
Broken Shaft doth
rear Its
mournful form in mystic guise, and meets us everywhere
The Gavel About the
rings o'er land
and
sea,
globe, as here it speaks,
yon Emblem speaks the same,
the Universal Name.
And why ? because One God we have in whom alone we trust He made us all, Our Father made us all of kindred dust The same green Mother Earth, the broad, the generous he gave,
That feeds us while we
live
and gives us when we
die,
a grave.
;
!
;
WORDS OF PEACE AND LOVE.
;
;
53
We build a common Temple too, the lofty and the low, We bring the same heart-offerings and in common homage bow Our Tracing-Board
the same designs in every clime has given,
And, serving the same Master, we expect the same bright
Heaven.
Then
let
Where
the stranger have a place within your mystic band,
eye responsive answers eye, and
He knows your Word,
hand
unites with
hand
he knows your Sign, he asks no better
grace
Than with you
here to
sit
awhile and greet you face to face.
Peace in the lodges where you work be heaven's boon to-day Peace, Peace;
—
it
is
the yearning prayer the stranger's heart
would pray
And
could they hear
Prom
it
from the land and from the rolling
every Mason's lips would
Moths Now, while
at
come the
$ ma
cry,
Jfabt.
aitir
the Thunder-peal of battle
is
heard,
Earth with the trampling of legions
is stirred,
Turn from the
from above,
Battle, Brothers, take
Words
op Peace and Love
Hands, never weary in charity
!
vow now
Hearts of consolation, bide ye the
!
Tongues rich in sympathy, oh take from above
Words
of Peace and Love.
sea,
So mote it be
!
!;
—
;
the pilgrim's home.
54 Blood
like a river flowing,
Tears, bitter
—
weeping
oh,
smokes
o'er the plain
who can
refrain
Stay, stay the slaughter, Brothers, stay this distress,
Words of Peace
Speak the
!
Thus speaks the Trowel, Brothers, thus speaks the
Thus speaks the Compass and Symbol Divine Each bears
message on the white wings of Peace,
its
Bids
all
warrings cease.
re
^pilgrim's
In the " Life in the Triangle," night, of nity,
who
Line,.
;
which
this
Ode forms
is
Jtome,
described a Masonic Burial at
a part.
Four members of the
frater-
resided in an intensely antimasonic community, had discov-
ered the body of a man upon whose garments was seen the mystic emblem of the Order. This they had carefully enshrouded and provided
with a
coffin.
they took
and the
it
At
night, with every precaution against interruption,
graveyard and interred it, with the songs and the circuits prescribed by the time-honored
to the village
signs,
Bear him home, his bed In the
stillness,
Day has
is
made
in the shade
parted, night has come,
Bear the Brother to his home Bear him home.
—————
; ;; !
!
;
!
HOME.
THE PILGR
Bear him home, no more to roam, Bear the tired Pilgrim home
Forward
Home
!
all
his toils are o'er
where journeying
is
no more
is
here
Bear him home.
Lay him down
his
;
bed
See the dead are resting near
Brothers they their Brothers own,
Lay the wanderer gently down Lay him down. Lay him down
let
;
nature spread
Starry curtains o'er the dead
Lay him down
;
let
angel eyes
View him kindly from
the skies
Lay him down. Ah, not yet
Where
for us the bed,
the faithful Pilgrim's lain
Pilgrims weep, again to go
Through
life's
weariness and
woe
Ah, not yet
Soon
'twill
come,
Soon the end of Strangers here,
if faithful here,
all
we
our care
seek a
Home,
Friends and Saviour in the tomb Soon
'twill
come.
55
;
56
— ;
!
;; !; :
;
!
HYMN FOR CONSECRATION. Let us go, and on our
way
Faithful journey, faithful pray
Through the
sunshine, through the snow,
Boldly, Brother Pilgrims, go
Let us go.
€onsumtxan,
Jptimtt for
Lo,
God
is
here, our prayers prevail
In deeper reverence adore
Ask freely now he !
His
will not fail
largest, richest gifts to pour.
Ask by
these
Ask by
the memories of the past
Emblems
old and true
Ask by His own Great Name, His every promise there
Ask Wisdom
!
'tis
And
'Tis
strength as
his
grace the Temple
Lord God most
for lo,
cast
the chiefest thing
Ask Strength, such Ask Beauty from
is
God may
Throne to spring
we
high, our
shall build.
Lodge we
veil
consecrate with ancient care
Oh let thy Spirit ever dwell, And guide the loving Builders
here
!
yield
—
—
§r0%rs.
Cftt Wfyik-xijiixan&b
said unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white and whence came they ? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and hare made them white in
And he
robes,
the blood of the
Lamb.
him day
Therefore are they before the throne of God, aud serve
and night in
his temple
;
and he that
sitteth
among them. They shall hunger no more, neither shall the sun light on them nor any heat.
on the throne shall dwell
thirst
any more
;
neither
For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them unto living fountains of waters and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes. Rev. vii., 13-17. ;
Come cease from your labors, Ye white-aproned neighbors,
And Tell us
We
answer
my
words
who are ye t
are friends of humanity,
Hating profanity, Spurning
all
vanity,
Children of peace
Men who
can
—
feel
All our own need of kindness,
And
bless the
Great God,
Who hath lightened
our blindness."
—— —
58
THE WHITE-APRONED BROTHERS. Tell us, what do ye ? "
By
precept, example,
We're building a temple, Fair, lofty
and ample
For Him
whom we
serve
Following the plans
That our Master doth give
"
us,
And amply repaid When His servants receive
us."
And
?
what do you work with
The Gage and the Gavel, The Plumb, Square and
And
then as
we
Level,
travel,
The Trowel we holdSkillfully these,
As
first
we're inducted
Obediently these, In the
Tour "
way
timbers,
The blocks
And
we're instructed."
what are they
that
we
?
quarry,
timbers so heavy,
Our hands shape and
carry,
Those ashlars are men
Rough
;
ashlars they are
But hewed, marked and garnished,
By
precepts divine,
Our task
will be finished."
;
;
;
; !
HOURS OF PRAISE. Your
when
resting,
59
is it ?
We look for no leisure, "We
sigli for
no pleasure,
"We covet no treasure, Till
Saturday night
—
"Wages and joys,
And
a rest without breaking,
Wait In the
for us then,
home
that we're seeking."
gxrars
jof
|)rais*.
Morn, the morn, sweet morn
is
springing ;
In the East his sign appears
Dews, and songs, and fragrance flinging
Down
the
new
robe nature wears.
Forth from slumber, forth and meet him
"Who too dead
to love
and light
?
Forth, and as you stand to greet him, Praise to
Hut who
giveth night.
Noon, the noon, high noon
is
glowing
In the South rich glories burn
Beams
intense from
Heaven
are flowing
Mortal eye must droop and turn.
— ——
;
:;
;
!
HOURS OF PRAISE.
60
Forth and meet him
Of the groves Kneel to
is
while the chorus
!
nowhere heard,
Him who bendeth
Praise with heart
Eve, the eve,
eve
still
o'er us
and willing word.
is
weeping
In the West she dies away
Every winged one They've no
life
is
sleeping
but open day.
Forth and meet her
!
lo,
she lends us
Thrice ten thousand brilliants high
Glory to His name
who
sends us
Such night-jewels from the
Death, pale death, to
From
all is
sky.
certain
the grave his voice comes up
" Fearless raise
Find within,
my gloomy eternal
curtain
hope "
:
Forth and meet Him, ye whose duty
To
the
Lord of Life
is
given
He will clothe death's garb with beautyHe will give a path to Heaven.
;
Cl>*
;
!
—
gging Pcpx.
Algernon Sydney was executed on the scaffold, Dec. 1, 1683. Having ended his devotions, he placed his head, unassisted, on the block. Being asked by the headsman, according to custom, " Sir, will you rise again ?" he answered promptly and unfalteringly, " Not till the general Resurrection
On
!
Strike on
!"
the verge of Eternity, calmly surveying
The
dark-rolling waters that threatened beneath,
The martyr op liberty ended
And
his praying,
patiently waited the signal of death
His head on the block, but his
spirit
away,
In the land where the tyrant shall forfeit his sway.
The words of
his lips,
how undaunted and
cheering
They spoke of a victory grand and complete They told that
whom
this mortal,
despots were fearing,
Though conquered by wrong, was the conquerer "
The grave cannot hold me
From
How
the
worm and
feel that this
the darkness of nature
Shall rise to
ties
that have
the
!
yet
won
strike on !"
spirit departing,
bound
it
so long,
tenement we are deserting,
new
glories thro'
The grave cannot hold us
From
the dust shall be
mighty that hope, when the
Must sunder the
To
!
worm and
!
Jesus the Strong
the flesh shall be
the darkness of nature 61
!
!
won strike on
!
!
;
;
;
!
62 Ah, yes
and each flaw that the eye has detected,
!
While occupied here
Renewed by the same These Temples shall
The grave
shall
all
From
the
Then
cheer Brothers, cheer
A brief
—
!
The grave the
be
this flesh shall
the darkness of nature
for
won
stbike on
!
why should
afford,
!
death alarm us
though a moment they harm
glorious reunion thro' Jesus the
From
erected,
separation the monster will bring
His pangs will
A
hand that
be made perfect in love
hold us
shall not
worm and
be covered above
glorious
shall not
hold us
worm and
—
us,
King
this flesh shall be
the darkness of nature
!
won
strike on
!
In the eleventh chapter of Nehemiah, the expression " Ono, the valley of Craftsmen
"
occurs,
which forms the subject of the following
lines:
Where Is't
The
is
the true heart's
Mother-Lodge ?
where, perchance he earliest heard frightful voice,
from rocky ledge,
That told a horrid deed of blood Is't
where his vision
And hands
?
earliest saw,
enclasped that
Golden Thing,
The symbol-crowned, the wondrous Law, Noblest creation of our King
?
;
PLEDGE TO No though
:
—
DYING BROTHER.
A
in fancy he
:
!
may
turn,
In pleasing reminiscence back,
As happiest
To
hearts at times, will yearn,
tread again youth's flowery track,
The
true heart's
Where
To draw
And
Mother-Lodge
found
is
truest, fondest hearts conspire
love's deathless chain around,
kindle up love's deathless
Methinks that
here,
fire.
dear Friends, must be,
Ono, the Craftsmen's happy Vale,
And
you, true Laborer, brave
The Master So
let
me
and
free
in the peaceful dale
fancy and
when bowed
In daily adorations due, I will entreat the Masons'
To
God
bless the Craftsmen here,
We'll lay thee
and you !
down when thou
shalt sleep,
All tenderly and brotherly
And woman's
eyes with ours shall
weep
The precious drops of sympathy We'll spread above thee cedar boughs
Whose emerald hue and Shall
make
thee
deem thy
A balmy bed and not
rich perfume resting-place
a tomb.
63
;
64
PLEDGE TO
:
;
;
DYING BROTHER,
A
That teeming breast which has supplied
Thy wants from
earliest infancy.
Shall open fondly and supply
Unbroken
rest
and
sleep to thee
Each spring the flower
roots shall send
up
Their painted emblems toward the sky,
To bid
thee wait, within thy couch,
A little longer patiently. We'll not forget thee,
To work
we who
stay
a little longer here
Thy name, thy
faith,
thy love shall
lie
On memory's page all bright and And when o'erwearied by the toil Of
life,
our heavy limbs shall be,
We'll come and one by one
Upon
And
clear
lie
down
dear mother-earth with thee.
there we'll slumber
by thy
side
There, reunited 'neath the sod
We'll wait, nor doubt in His good time
To To be
feel
the raising-hand of
God
!
translated from the earth,
This land of sorrow and complaints,
To
the ALL-PERFECT
Whose Master
is
LODGE ABOVE the
King of
Saints.
—
;;
% f00k
%
to
;
!!
§xxmt
Yes, in yon world of perfect light,
The wearied
No
soul at last
may
rest
higher, farther, wings its flight,
Brought
There
is
to the glories of the East.
the long-sought boon divine,
And worthy When evening The day
Who feels
is
of the painful quest
shades of
dawning
decline,
this truth in fervent heart,
May know his
last
How joyful from the When
life
in the East.
calls
hours are his best West to part
the Master
from
the East.
Join hearts and hands in union dear Jesus has sanctified the test ; Life's chain is only
To join
broken here
forever in the East.
Mourners, your tears with gladness blend Joy, Brothers, joy, our faith's confessed
The grave
will yield our parted friend,
When we
with him approach
the East.
——— ; ;
fkamr— #ral There
No
is
And
g>tml
ox
move
by the pleading
eye,
registered above.
Each mystic sign
By hand is
is
prayer,
of Mason given
Each gesture pleads
And
;
a prayer unsaid
lips its accents
'Tis uttered
;
or imprecates
observed in heaven.
The deeds
that mercy prompts,
Are prayers in sweet disguise
Though unobserved by any
here,
They're witnessed in the skies.
Then In
at the altar kneel
silence
make thy prayer
And He whose The plea
very
name
is
Love
will surely hear.
The darkest road
is
light
"We shun the dangerous snare,
When
heavenly hand conducts the road,
Eesponsive to our prayer.
— ;
!
%
How blest is Where
How
d
Sang
the
Si
$0^
home
the Brotherhood come
!
charming the time and occasion
1
The love that was bom, In the heart of Saint John,
Now warms up
the heart of each Mason.
It is you, Sir,
and you,
Friendly Brothers and true,
No
matter what
On
may be your
station
the level our way,
"We are equal to-day, For
I, Sirs,
with you,
am
a
Mason
This love that was born,
In the heart of Is the
St.
John,
bond of a charming connexion
Through good, and through It abides
And makes
with us
us thanh God wdre a Mason.
When in the Lodge And the officers set, 'Tis
met,
of duty and pleasure the season,
Ah To The
ill,
still,
!
gladly
the
is
given
Father
in Heaven,
praises devout of each Mason.
!
THE SONG OF
JOHN.
ST.
When labor is done, And the Brotherhood
gone,
Do yon think that our secrets we No no, 'tis the joy
blazon
?
!
Of our mystic employ, That we
tell
them
to none but a Mason.
For 'tis this we do learn, From our patron St. John,
The pride of
this
charming occasion,
That the tongue that
And Is
conceals,
never reveals,
THE VERY BEST THING FOR A MASON
Then Lady and "While
we
Sir,
stoutly aver,
In our Secrets we'll never work treason,
The
rules
we
profess,
Are the same that did grace
Our patron
St.
John, the Freemason.
And while to his name, We may boldly lay claim, To
his graces we'll cling
And
till
death's season,
then to the bourne,
Where
his spirit has gone,
We'll hie us like every good Mason.
:
&xxhnh Ho
!
;
;
— — ; !
to Wi%sfyngtmx>
Brothers of the mystic Tie,
Come round me if you please Lay down the gavel and the square, And let the trowel cease The work may stop a little while— The Master While
I
will not blame,
from memory sing of one
Eight worthy of the name,
A true old-time Freemason Whose name was Washington Of
!
every superfluity
He did his mind divest He would not set a timber up Unless
it
was the best
He plumbed, and
squared,
His blocks, and
Then turned
And
set
his apron
and leveled well
them
true
;
Master-wise
spread the mortar due
This true old-time Freemason
Whose name was Washington
When bloody war
!
at foreign hands,
His country threatened
sore,
He thought it right to take the And guard his native shore
sword,
— — ;
;
;
—
;
THE BROKEN COLUMN.
70
He s':ood where He struck for
bravest hearts are foundliberty
But when the conquered foemen sued,
A man of
mercy he
This true old-time Freemason,
The
Upon
his
glorious "Washington.
Apron was no
stain
His work had no defect
The Overseer accepted There was nothing to
all,
reject.
He lived in peace with God and man; He died in glorious hope, That Christ, the Lion, Judah's pride,
Would
raise his
body up
This true old-time Freemason, Ottr
Brother Washington.
Cjre "
His
Work
§rohm Column.
was not done, yet
Mourn ye and weep,
his
Column
for ye cherished his
is
broken ;"
worth
;
Let every tear-drop be sympathy's token, Lost to the Brotherhood,
His
lost to the earth.
Work had been planned by
a
Wisdom Supernal ;
Strength had been given him meet for the same
Down
in the midst he is fallen,
and vernal
Leaves hang above him and whisper his fame.
;;
A
His
Work was
Swiftly
and
;
mason's epitaph. to Build
;
71
on the walls we beheld him
truly they rose 'neath his hand;
Envious death with his Gavel has
felled him,
Plumb-line and Trowel are strewn o'er the land.
His
Work thus unfinished
Master of Masons,
to us is entrusted
give strength
we
entreat,
Bravely to work with these Implements rusted, "Wisely to build
the Temple's complete
till
ton's
!
(Bpxtapjj.
His epitaph a Mason true and good, Sincere in friendship, ready in
relief,
Discreet in trusts, faithful in Brotherhood,
Tender in sympathy and kind in
On
grateful
memories his name
is
grief.
writ
His genial heart our hearts did kindle up
We drew
our inspiration from his light
And buoyancy from Mis
—
toils are
ended
Our Master
;
his all-buoyant hope.
we must labor on
:
for a little longer calls
Our hands
to duty at the rising sun,
Our hearts
to rest
when
evening:
shadow
falls.
————
72
DEATH, THE CELESTIAL GATE. But
'twill
Be upon
be ended soon
may
;
hearts like his to
lie
our reward
secure
;
Like him to enjoy the favor of the Lobd,
Whose
grace
is
boundless and whose promise sure.
gmtjj, tin Celestial (Safe. By the pallid hue of those Whose sweet blushes mocked By the fixed, unmeaning eye,
the ros
Sparkled once so cheerfully
By
the cold damps on the browBy the tongue, discordant now By the gasp and laboring breath, What ! oh tell us, what is death !
By the vacancy of heart, Where the lost one had a part By the yearning to retrieve Treasures hidden in the grave
By
the future, hopeless
Wrapped
By
all,
as in a funeral pall
the links that rust beneath,
What !
oh
tell us,
what
is
death/
—
;
!
———— ;
LESTIAL GATE. By
the echoes swelled around,
Sigh and moan and sorrow-sound
By
the grave that, opened nigh,
Cruel, yields us
By
no reply
the silent king, whose dart
Seeks and finds the mortal part,
We may know,
no
human
Can inform vs what
breath
death !
is
But the grave has spoken loud
!
Once was raised the pallid shroud
When When
the stone was rolled away the earth, in frenzy's play
Shook her
pillars to
awake
Him who suffered for our sake When the vail's deep fissure showed All the mysteries of
God
Tell us, then, thou grave of hope,
What
is
" Mortal,
He
that breaks thee
from
my
up ?
chambers dim,
Christ arose, inquire of him !"
Hark, unto the earnest
Notes
celestial
make
cry,
reply
" Christian, unto thee
'tis
!
given
Death's a passage unto Heaven !"
73
!
;
"
; !
gums' JwrfwII. sung by Professor John
Baker, the vocalist, there
C.
in Burns' celebrated
Never
Ode
that
is
is irresistible.
since 'neath the daisies laid
Burns joined the cold and tuneless dead,
Were
those sweet lines, his noblest flight,
Sung
as
you sung them
They bore They
And
us,
fancy -winged, above
inmost soul with love
thrilled the
tears confessed "
As sung
Ah what
o'er last night.
so well, last night,
a thing
;
The fond Adieu "
is this
by you.
to spread,
That binds the living with the dead,
And makes them As
one fraternal throng
you, last night, so justly sung
How
blest are
The Masons'
And
we who
rightly claim
heart, the Masons'
name,
see " the Hieroglyphic bright
Of which you Then
as
sung, so well, last night
you journey sweetly sing;
Let craftsmen hear that tuneful thing
No
better can the
Than
pen indite
those sweet words you sung last night.
a pathos
! ;
; !!
: ;
!
THE CRESCENT. And when your own High
75 has come,
XII.
And craftsmen bear you, weeping, home, May loving friends your requiem write Like those grand words you sung
last
Addressed to Crescent Lodge, No. 402, City of
Growing, Growing
still
Still in living stones
Some on
earth,
and some in Heaven,
Where you may While the Moon "
in ntjmbers,
of strength
arrive at length
its
horns shall
Crescent " be your motto
Growing, Growing Light
still
still
in
fill,
still
wisdom,
breaking day by day,
Sacred light from yonder volume
Leading to the perfect way
While the Moon "
its
horns shall
Crescent" be your motto
Growing, Growing Still
in that
still
fill,
still
in honor,
good men pursue
Honest reputation gilding
Every gracious deed you do
While the Moon "
its
horns shall
Crescent" be your motto
fill,
still
night
New
York.
—— —
!
!
! !
;
;
DUTIES OF THE CRAFT.
76
Growing, Growing
Drawing
daily
still
still
in goodness,
toward Heaven
;
All the emblems glowing 'round you
For that very purpose given While the Moon
its
horns shall
" Crescent " be your motto
Growing, Growing
May
'Till
—Men of " Crescent,"
your growing never cease,
While there Or
:
fill,
still
is
a vice to chasten,
a sorrowing heart to bless
your fullness you shall see
Dawning on Eternity
gwtus 0f To
the
€mit
afford succor to the distressed, to divide our bread with the in-
dustrious poor, and put the misguided traveler in the way, are duties
of the
craft, suitable to its dignity,
and expressive of
its
Come and let us seek the straying, Lead him to the Shepherd back Come, the
traveler's feet betraying,
Guide him from the dangerous track Come, a solemn voice reminds us Come, a mystic
fetter
binds us
Masons, here your duties
Hark
lie,
the poor and needy cry
usefulness.
!
VE
P.
DAN
T
,
—
;
;
!;
FRAGRANT, ENDURING.
Come and
help the worthy poor
Starving for the needed bread
From your
well-replenished store
Let the fellow-man be fed Bounties
To
God
to
you supplieth
the poor he oft denieth.
Come where sorrow has
its
dwelling,
Comfort bring to souls distressed
To
the friendless mourner telling,
Of the Rock
What would
that offers rest
Come, to us the
Band
be but for heaven 2
life
Word
is
given.
of Brothers, every nation
Hails your bright and orient light Fervent, zealous,
free,
1
your station
Calls for deeds of noblest
might
—the world of sorrow Act—your will end to-morrow. Seek
is full
life
fefrmtt, Jfragrmtt, feSmnttg, Green, but
far greener is the
Faith
That gives us victory over death.
Fragrant, more fragrant That buoys our dying
far the
spirits up.
Enduring, but the Charity That Masons teach
will never die.
Hope
77
—
——— !
JfrtCrsioI*
Far away
Where man
And
!
:
:
%txi of |)*aa. straying,
is
gory, his visage begrimed,
hates his fellow, betrayed and betraying,
nature alone breathes a spirit sublimed
There's a
Fountain whose flow sweet
Embosomed Each
all
%
where the savage
in the West,
His war path
:
!
in hills such as
as nectar inviteth,
Eden adorn
:
sip of its waters to Friendship inciteth
And Peace
is
the song that
its
song-birds return.
There met, drops the Savage his hatchet and arrow, There met, breast to breast, joins in fondest embrace
From the song-birds the foemen sweet carolings borrow, And war paint the waters wash out from each face The
hills smile
—
around
'tis
the approval of Heaven
Their light catches, glances in every eye,
And speaks of a host of foul insults forgiven, And pledges a Covenant that never can die. The Lodge
is
a Peace-fount
!
come, Brothers, and taste
Overflowing with sweetness, to you
A Rock Its Its
Foundation
given
—what ages have placed
it
Covering, the starry-decked arches of Heaven.
Law,
Its
its
it is
'tis
inscribed in yon holiest
Chain, every link
is
Behold on the right hand and Behold in the East
is its
Volume
Man its Column Plan
the soul of a left
hand
marvelous 73
!
I
it
I
;;;
;
0ta
Wimhx
for n
:
gtstitoaL.
Friends ever dear, begin the opening lay
Chant ye of joys that none but Masons know Heart answering heart,
Gain from our
love's secret
rites a blessing e'er
Love reigneth here Hate has the
Bleak blows the wind
:
the
fire
go.
rule without, here.
the sky with angry storms,
Glares on the traveler as he fire,
we
;
display,
—Love reigneth here
But love reigneth
Here genial
power
along;
flits
of Friendship warms,
Here gleams the eye, here tunes the jocund song
Love reigneth here Bleak storms
:
Love reigneth here
may blow
But Love reigneth Sadness and care "Tis
Here
but a
all is
—our
strife,
calm
;
without,
here.
life is full
of these ;
a turmoil at the best
our walls
we build
Here one short hour the weary heart
Love reigneth here
;
in peace
may
;
rest.
—Love reigneth here
Sadness and care without,
But love reigneth
here.
——— — !!
)t
($immr
rjf
;
;
JJife.
Darkly hid beneath the quarry,
many
Masons,
a true block
lies
Hands must shape and hands must Ere the stone the Master
—measure —polish
Seek for
it
Fashion
it
carry,
prize. it
it
Then the Overseer
will prize.
What though shapeless, rough and heavy, Think ye God his work will lose ? Raise the block with strength he gave ye Fit
it
for the Master's use.
—measure —polish
Seek for
it
Fashion
it
Then the Overseer 'Twas
will use.
for this our Fathers
Through
life's
it
it
banded
quarries they did roam,
Faithful-hearted, skillful-handed,
Bearing
many
Noticing
a true block
Fashioning
For
home.
—measuring —polishing
their glorious
Temple-home.
—— ——— !
%ht €fimx
&m.
In the lawn that graces an aged Mason's residence, stands a Cedar Tree, planted in 1836, "for masonic purposes."
hand that placed it there to furnish sprigs strong enough to do the Master's Work still
at an age
planted
it
Still
the withered
of evergreen for burial use is at each
Lodge meeting, and
passing the Psalmist's utmost computation, he
waits patiently for the day
when
its
Droops thy bough, oh Cedar Tree, Like yon dear, yon aged form
Droops thy bough in sympathy,
For the wreck of
life's
sad storm
Sad, indeed, his weary age Lonely, now, his princely
And
home
the thoughts his soul engage,
Axe of winter and the tomb
'Twas for
this,
I
oh Cedar Tree,
Verdant midst the wintry
strife,
'Twas for this he planted thee
Type of an immortal
life
That when round his grave in Brothers in their
From
Art
tears,
combine,
the store thy foliage bears,
Each may
cast a portion in
who
limbs shall be bared of
their foliage to bestrew his coffin.
!
—
!; ;
!
82
!
;
LODGE VALEDICTORY.
A
Lo
;
lie
!
comes, oh Cedar Tree,
Slowly
o'er the frosted plain
Pauses here the signs to
see,
Graven with a mystic pen
How
!
does each some hope express
Lighter gleams the wintry sky, Lighter on his furrowed face
Smiling at the mystery
Soon to
rest,
oh Cedar Tree,
Soon the veteran
be borne,
shall
There to sleep and patiently
Wait
Thou
He
the resurrection-morn
shalt perish
from the earth
in sacred youth revive,
Glorious in a better birth
Truths like these the emblems give.
% Good-night
From
!
IW&0* Ualcbktonr.
the spirits of the blest and good,
these dear walls go with
you and abide
In hours of sorrow, hours of solitude,
Or when
the hosts of melancholy brood,
And cloud your mind, may angel-spirits glide Prom the White Throne and give you great delight Dear
friends,
good-night
:
—
!
!
— !
!
!;:
;
HARD SERVICE, GOOD WAGES. Good-night
good-niglit
!
and joy be with you
!
all
May sickness never blight, nor poverty May slanderous breath your spirits ne'er appall May no untoward accident befall, ;
But
things prosperous and
all
May morning
Dear
Good-night
friends,
Tou
heavily,
is
good-night
—when the laboring breath Him who gave, He strong to save,
and unto
yield the spirit, be
Who
;
and when the shadows of the grave
!
Close in around you,
Draws
happy be
suns rise on you fresh and bright
our Guide and Saviour unto death
Then may dear
friends
To
say,
and heavenly hopes unite
good-night
Partr Sorbite,
Bow
6000
^Magts.
the back, ye Brothers, dear
Pinch the
flesh,
Come, while every workman
View
the City
!
To
!
!
the burnt and shattered Gate
repair it is your wish
Bow
!
sleeps,
heaps on heaps
See the Temple desolate
Lo
!
the work's severe
the
Back
!
?
and Pinch the Flesh 1
— —— — !
84
!!:
;
!
!
!
!
HARD SERVICE, GOOD ffAGES, Bow
the Back
!
—
'tis
hopeful toil
Yours the Corn and Wine and
Emblems
Oil,
of reward, shall be,
Plenty, Peace,
and Unity
Pinch the Flesh
!
—not long you wait !—
Standing in the Golden Gate,
Lo
your Lord
!
!
and
"Wages rich at your
in his
hand
command
Cheer to those who, long and
Meet and
toil at Sion's
Cheer and Courage
!
late,
Gate
— See
!
on high
Beams the bright All-seeing Eye See
!
work goes bravely on
the
Wall and Gate and Tower Grasp the Trowel Cheer
By
!
won !-
the Hieroglyphics ten Strength,
and Beauty's plan ;-
the mystic Features seven
Surely
By
are
—Wield the Sword
—And trust in Sion's Lord
Wisdom,
By
!
!
;
by the Master given
the Covenant-woven faith,
Strong in
life,
and strong in death
;
Every hope of foeman crush
Bow
the
Back
!
and Pinch the Flesh
;
;
0f
Jfaiilj
%
!
— —
:
;
#Ifrm Citra.
me tlie Faith my fathers had, When home-worn ties they cast,
Give
In stern contempt forever back, Like chaff upon the
blast.
These prayers, lip-measured, leave
As
icy foimt sends icy
No No
passion bidding nature fire
warm
struck out to
There's nothing here to
me
Give
the
The hopes
chill,
Faith my
start,
the heart
make me glad fathers had.
A patriot now is bought For price
me
rill
and
sold,
—but render me
that braced the hearts of old,
My fathers'
Libekty.
What's fine-drawn speech and wordy war
A candle-ray to freedom's star The hand The
to hilt, the
sword abroad,
flag to heaven, the heart to
God,
These are the tokens I would see Give
me my
Give
me my
No
artful
fathers'
Libekty.
fathers'
walk below
mind was
theirs,
To compass kindred hearts about, With treachery and snares
—
;
; !
;;
FAITH OF THE OLDEN TIM
86
No
nets of artifice they spread
To
lure the innocent to tread
Life's blessings Life's fear
how
they freely shared
they boldly met and dared
A blameless life,
a death sublime,
These were the things of Olden Time.
Give
me
the friendships that entwined,
The upright trimks of yore The
tendrils that so sweetly vined
A beauty and a power. My heart is With Has
sad to think this earth,
all its joy,
lost the
The chain of Has
lost the
with
all its
holy, holy love,
path our fathers trod,
The path that led them up
Oh
mirth,
chain our fathers wove,
to
God.
then bring back the palmy days y
Of innocence and
When
truth,
honesty was in
its
prime,
And selfishness in youth. When man allowed to man his place, When probity unbared its face, When justice poised an equal scale, And faith sang through the dying wail Away an age of care and crime, Give me the days of Olden Time L
!
&Ij£
The
:!
!
lUsitradkm:.
Craft in days gone by,
Drew from The mightiest
their Mystery,
truths
God
They whispered
ever gave to
men
in the ear,
Bowed down with solemn "
—
!
The dead, the buried dead
fear,
shall live again !"
Oh wondrous, wondrous word No other Rites afford This precious heritage, this matchless truth "
Though gone from weeping
Though
in the dust
Our Friend, our Brother,
And
we,
who
he
renew his youth
shall
hand that
The token of our
;
thrilled within our grasp faith,
Unchanged by time and death
And
;
breast to breast his faithful form shall clasp
But who, oh Gracious God
The power
Who
!"
yet remain,
Shall meet our dead again Shall give the
eyes,
lies,
shall afford
with Omnipotence
What morning To
shall
?
break the tomb ?
Star shall rise
chase from sealed eyes
The long-oppressing darkness and the gloom
?
— —
CONSECRATION OF
!
!!
:
;
CEMETERY.
A
Lo, at the Mystic shrine
The answer
Lo where "
all
Divine
!
the Tracing-Board doth plainly
tell
Over the horrid tomb,
The bondage and the gloom,
The Lion of the Tribe of Judah
shall prevail!'
Then hopefully we bend Above our
And
sleeping friend,
hopeful cast the green sprigs o'er his head 'Tis
but a fleeting hour
The Omnipotent hath Power,
And
he will
raise
our Brother from the dead
In each cold bed a mortal
The Silent Lodge
is
sleejjs
here
!
Pale death an awful vigil keeps,
Through
all
the changing year.
What tears have wet these grassy mounds What sighs these winds have heard Oh God, have not the piteous sounds Thy
pitying
bosom
stirred
!
1
!
CONSECRATION OF
;
!
;
;
;
CEMETERY.
A
man thus die and waste away And no fond hope be left
Shall
Is there
no sweet confiding ray
For bosoms
From
each cold bed a form shall
When
rise
the great hour shall come
The trump
shall
And wake
No
all bereft
shake the upper
skies,
the lower tomb.
weeping then, no tear nor groan,
For these around us spread
A shout shall reach the yery Throne From
the long-silent dead.
Then hush our
hearts,
be dry each
"Wake, oh desponding faith
And when
our Saviour shall appear,
"We too shall conquer death
On
tear,
!
these llest
!
Graves let sunbeams pour
Their balmiest influence
On
them, let each reviving shower,
Its gracious pearls dispense.
O'er these llest Graves each gentle breeze Its
heavenly whispers breathe
O'er them, the foliage of the trees
A crown of
verdure wreathe.
89
:
;
SOMOTEITBE.
90
Bound
these blest
Graves at dead of night,
May angel-bands combine, And from their Mansions ever Bring something
From
these blest
May
Jtjdah's
That we
For
shall
oh,
Graves
Lion
bright,
Divine.
may hope
meet these dead
hour,
revive
tell
we loved them
Then come sad
And
all
we
alive,
well.
lay us
down
calmly wait his word
Blest are the dead, our spirits
Who knew
own
and served the Lord.
Bo Boh So mote it be with us when
it
ge.
life shall
end,
And from the East, the Lord op Light And we, our six days' labor fully done, Shall claim our wages at the
So mote
That
it
be with us
:
that
Master's throne.
when
the Square,
perfect implement, with heavenly care,
Shall be applied to every block
No
shall bend,
fault shall see our
we
bring,
Master and our King.
;;
So mote it be with us
The
little
;
HEBREW CHANT.
A
Have yielded
:
little
:
to the
91
that though our days
Master's
praise,
we have builded may be proved
To have
the
So mote
it
marks our
be with
first
tjs
:
Grand Master
we
are but
loved
weak
who cau speak But sweet is our communion while we live, And rich rewards the Master deigns to give. Our days
are few
;
our
trials
!
Let's toil then, cheerfully, let's die in
The Wall
in
wondrous grandeur
They who come
And
they and
Lonely
is
after shall the
we
receive the
Sion, cheerless
Shekinah has
left thee,
Winds sweep around But trumpet,
hope
riseth
up
;
work complete,
wages
and
meet.
still,
thou desolate Hill
thee, familiar their tone,
timbrel, song are gone.
Joyous was Sion on that glorious day,
When Israel beheld Heaven
all
thy Temple's display
sent a token approvingly
But temple,
altar,
cloud are gone.
down,
!
;
;! !
;
!
;
:
GO ON THY BRIGHT CAREER.
92
Foemen of Sion The brand
uplifted the spear,
to thy Temple, the chains to each frere
Pilgrims and strangers, thy children yet mourn,
But foemen,
fetter,
Spirit of Sion,
brand
are gone.
oh hasten the day,
When
Israel shall gather in matchless array
Lord
build thine
!
For temple,
altar,
60 Go on
altars,
thy people return,
cloud are gone.
0tt ibtr
§ngbt
Carter.
thy bright career, brave, faithful heart,
Prayers of the faithful every step attending
Go
spread the triumphs of the Mystic Art,
Wherever knee
to
Deity
is
bending
Raise up the landmarks, long in rubbish hidden
I
Rear high the Altar on Moriah's brow
Denounce
And
all
Light,
Crush
all
teachings by our rites forbidden,
more Light, on yearning
hearts bestow.
things that obstruct the cause of truth
How grand, how noble is the sacrifice How worthy of the brightest dreams of !
To build
a
House
youth,
like that within the skies
Oh when we lay thee, mourned-for, 'neath the sod, And cast the green and fragrant bough of faith,
How cheerful
can we give thee to thy
Whose works
defy the utmost power of death
God
!
Wliere hearts are
And
love
Bright
spirits
And
warm with kindred
beams
free
eyes,
hover always there,
that's the
home
the Masons prize. !
the peaceful
The home of love and
To
fire,
from answering
The Masons' Home
How
!!
!
gladly does the
light
home
and joy
Mason come
share his tender, sweet employ
All round the world, by land, by sea,
Where summers burn The
exiled
And
Mason turns
or winters chill, to thee,
yearns to share the joys
The Masons' Home The home of
!
light
we
A weary task, Is all
But
home
!
and love and joy
There's not an hour but I
And
feel.
the happy
would come
share this tender, sweet employ
a dreary round,
benighted
man may know,
here a brighter scene is found,
The
brightest scene that's found below.
The Masons' Home
!
the blissful
home
Glad center of unmingled joy
Long
as I live
And
I'll
gladly
come
share this tender, sweet employ
I
t
——
:
!
!
—
THE DYING REQUEST.
94
And when the hour of death shall come, And darkness seal my closing eye, May hands fraternal hear me home, The home where weary Masons
The Masons' Home
To
request of General
last
New
York,
is
embodied
The veteran "
And
all
Lay
let it
it
our sweet employ
Morgan Lewis, Grand Master of in these lines
sinks to rest
upon
my
crumble with
;
breast,
my
heart to dust
Its leaves a lesson tell
;
Their verdure teacheth well
The
everlasting greenness of
"
Through
With I've
my
and
ten,
dying men,
The symbols, loved of Have changed, have this
trust.
three score years
failing,
wept the uncertainties of
All save
!
*§vmg liquet
}t
in
I
beyond the tomb
to find
The end of
The
home
faithful hearts eternal joy
How blest
Masons
lie
the heavenly
!
life
and time
1
yore,
lost their
power,
emblem of a faith sublime.
—
—— — ;
!
!
THE DYING REQUEST. " Things are not as they were
The Level and
;
the Square,
Those time-worn implements of love in
The
95
truth,
incense flowing o'er
The Lamb-skin
chastely pure,
Bear not the inteqjretation as in youth.
" Their
moral
they lose
lore
;
They mind me but of those
Now in
death's chambers
I see
The charnel I cannot bear then*
"
who
their teachings
knew
—they but breathe
them
But
this,
airs
of death
saddening forms to view.
O
symbol bright
Surviving age's blight,
This speaks in honey-tones, unchanged, unchanged
In
it
read my youth, my manhood's truth,
In
it I
In
it
bright forms of glory long estranged.
" Green leaves of
summer
Blest type of Paradise
Tokens that
Of
there's a
these take
world
soon shall
see,
good supply
And, Brothers, when
Lay them upon
I
skies,
!
my breast
I die,
to die with
me I"
;
—
;
—
;
THE ALL-SEEING EYE.
96
They're crumbled
'Twas done.
He
now
ashes too
lies in
Yet was that confidence inspired
in vain
Ah no, his noble heart, When death's dark shades
depart
With them in glory
re
There
?
shall spring forth again.
gil-Smng
%*
is
an eye through blackest night
A
vigil ever
A vision of
keeps
;
unerring light,
O'er lowly vale, o'er giddy height,
The Eye
that never sleeps.
Midst poverty and sickness
The
lain,
outcast lowly weeps
What marks the face convulsed with pain ? What marks the softened look again ? The Eye that never sleeps. Above the
far
meridian sun
Below profoundest deeps,
Where dewy day
Where
scarlet
his course begun,
marks
The Eye
his labor
done—
that never sleeps.
—
— — ; ;
;
; !
;
APPRECIATION. No
limit
bounds
No
th'
Eternal Sight
misty cloud o'ersweeps
The depths of
hell give
Eternity itself
is
The Eye Then
rest
we
The
What
97
up
;
their light
bright that never sleeps.
calm, though round our head
life-stomi fiercely sweeps
fear is in the blast
In mightier Death
The Eye
!
An
!
what dread
Eye's o'erhead,
that never sleeps.
Jlprmatiott. 'Tis
good
To know For
to feel ourselves beloved of
that
others'
all
weal
is
But treasured up
men
our anxious cares and sighs
given not in vain,
in grateful
memories
How light the toil for those we fondly love How rich the wages grateful spirits prove !
But when those men
By bonds
are
Brothers, strongly bound
indissoluble, sweet
and
true
;
When gratitude springs out of sacred ground And prayers are mingled with the praises due Ah then, toil is no burden, gifts no load !
We have full recompense for what's bestowed.
—
;
98
!
!
;
—
LEANING TOWARDS EACH OTHER. 'Tis thus
with you,
my
Friend
!
the voice of
all
Yields willing tribute to your high deserts
But from the Craft there comes a stronger
From
call
that Great Brotherhood whose chain begirts
The broad world round,
Whose
price
is
Long may you
To show
the grateful wages
Honor and whose live in
come
favor Bloom.
Bloom and Honor, long
the Christian in the Mason's guise
In Strength Omnipotent
may you
!
be strong
In "Wisdom Heavenly may you be wise And when to Death's dark portals you shall come May Jesus banish all the fear and gloom !
The jolts of
life
many,
are
As we dash along The ways
And
are
the track
rough and rugged,
our bones they sorely rack.
We're tossed about,
We're in and
We make
out,
a mighty pother
would be
Far
less
Our
pains, if
Would
we
lean towards each other
!
—
—
!
!
LEANING TOWARDS EACH
!!
OTHER.
Behold that loving couple, Just mated for their
What
life
care they for. the joltings,
That happy man and wife
The
!
may jump, heads may bump,
cars
Their
And jostle They only
And
one another,
smile,
try the while
To
lean towards each other
"Woe to the luckless pilgrim,
"Who journeys
all
"Well said the wise "
Two
better
is
alone
King Solomon
than one
!"
For when the ground's Most rugged found,
And great's the He cannot break The
pain and pother,
sorest shake
By
leaning towards another
There's not one in ten thousand,
Of
all
the cares
But what, Might If
we mourn,
if 'twas divided,
easily
be borne
we'd but
learn,
"When fortunes
LofC.
turn,
99
——
!
— —
!
THE HOUR OF ELEVEN.
100
To share them with a We'd prove how good's
Brother,
Our Brotherhood,
By
leaning towards each other
Then, Masons, take
my
counsel
The Landmarks teach you Share
all
the joltings
As down
the track you go
Yes, give
and
Of every
shake,
With
And
all
take,
the pain and pother,
thus you'll prove
Your Mason's
By
The expiring words
so
fairly,
love,
leaning towards each other
of a zealous
Mason were
"
High Eleven
'Twas at the hour, when laborers cast
A wistful eye to heaven, And
near the South the fervid sun
In glory shines
eleven.
A skillful man with cheerful toil His morning tasks had driven
He
smiled to see the glowing sun
Proclaim the hour
eleven.
;
\"
——
;;
;
;
THE HOUR OF ELEVEN.
A faithful frere, To him
the
of
all
the
band
meed was given
'Twas not in indolence he gazed,
Or smiled
eleven.
to see
His Master's work had
That youth and
Unswerving
From
faith
zeal
no charm
had given
had buoyed him up
six to high
But worn and
lost
eleven.
spent, he
Nor could delay
till
needed
rest,
even
He felt his task was nearly done, And smiled to see eleven.
And
soon the stroke high noon announced
His entrance into heaven Prophetic proved that upward gaze,
That
smile, that
word—eleven.
101
:
— —
;;
;
mi
mmt.
Com. It is the Master's
;; !
province to communicate light to the brethren.
They come from many a pleasant home
To
clo
the Ancient
With They
And
Work
cheerful hearts
they come,
and
light
leave the world without, a space,
gathering here in secret place,
They spend the
social night
They earn the meed of honest
Wages
Upon
the sacred Altar
Ah many
lies,
a precious sacrifice
Made by The
toil,
of Corn, and Wine, and Oil.
these
working men
passions curbed, the lusts restrained,
And hands with human gore unstained, And hearts from envy clean They earn the meed of honest
Wages
of Corn, and
toil,
Wine, and
Oil.
They do the deeds their Master did The naked
clothe, the
hungry feed
They warm the shivering poor
They wipe from fevered
A Brother's joys and As One had done
eyes, the tear
griefs
they share,
before
They earn the meed of honest
toil,
Wages of Corn, and Wine, and
Oil.
;,
;;;
;
!
;;
103
Show them how Masons Masons know, The land of
strangers journeying through,
Show them how Masons
And
admiring
let
How
love
spirits see
reaches Masons' charity
From
earth to heaven above
Give them the meed of honest
Wages Then
will each Brother's tongue declare
How bounteous his wages And Your
toil,
of Corn, and "Wixe, and Oil.
are,
Peace will reign within
walls with skillful hands will grow,
And coming
generations
Your Temple
is
know
Divine
;
Then give the meed of honest
Wages
Yes, pay these
Let none
men
toil,
Wine, and
of Corn, and
Oil.
their just desert
dissatisfied depart,
But give them
full
reward
Give Light that longing eyes
may
Give Truth that doth from error Give them to
know
the
Lord
Give them the meed of honest
see
free
!
toil,
Wages of Corn, and Wine, and
Oil.
——
!
is
uprising on Scotia's far
Day's labor
is
;
gums.
Crtlmtc to gobcrt The sun
;
hills,
opening, the Grand Master wills,
But Lodge-lights
are
gleaming in cheerfulness
Afar in the west, where
we Masons
yet,
are met.
There's song for the tuneful, kind words for the kind, There's cheer for the social, and light for the blind,
But when we,
uprising, prepare us to go,
With one thought and
Adieu.
feeling we'll sing thy
A melting farewell to the favored and bright, A sorrowful thought for the sun set in night,— A round to the Bard whom misfortunes befell, A prayer that his spirit with Masons may dwell. When freedom and harmony
bless our design,
We'll think of thee, Brother,
who
And when gloomy The
loved every line
clouds shall our Temple enshroud,
voice of thy music shall
come from the
cloud.
Across the broad ocean two hands shall unite,
Columbia,
—
Scotia,
—the symbol
is
bright
The world one Grand Lodge, and the heaven
above,
Shall witness the triumph of Faith, Hope, and
And
thou, sweetest Bard,
Thy jewel,
when our gems we
Love
enshrine,
the brightest, most precious, shall shine,
Shall gleam from the East, to the far distant West,
While morning
shall call us, or 104
evening shall
rest.
—— : :
the Spirit came to Jephthah,
Animating his great
He
!
Jomtiratum Btam>
&jj£
When
:
arose,
heart,
put on his armor,
Girt his loins about to part,
Bowed
the knee, implored a blessing,
Gave an
earnest of his faith,
Then, divinely-strung, departed, Set for victory or death.
If a rude, uncultured soldier
Thus drew Wisdom from above,
How should we,
enlightened Laborers,
Children of the She of Love,
How should we, who know Make
" the
a prayerful preparation
That our work be square and
Lo
the future
He
its
Lo our
He
Wisdom
and peaceable,"
Gentle, pure
One can
!
read
full
it
darkest chance can bend
wants,
how
great,
how many
!
abundant means can lend
Eaise your hearts then, Pilgrims, boldly
Build and journey in his trust Square your deeds by precepts holy,
And
the end
is
surely blest.
;
106
;
;
:
THE INHERITANCE OF FRIENDSHIP. Vainly will the builders labor
Overseer
If the
gone
is
Vainly gate and wall are guarded If the
Only
is
All-Seeing
When
withdrawn
the work's begun with care
Lay your
On
is
successful ending
blocks, then, Laborers, strongly,
the Eternal
Rock of
Prayer.
Cjje Jnjrmtance of Jrimbsjjip.
When The
twenty years have circled round, lads
now
standing at
my
knee
Will cherish one poor spot of ground Sacred to
memory and me.
Gazing upon the humble sod, Recalling each fond, loving word, They'll keep one link in memory's chain
Bright,
Such
At The
is
till
the hour
again.
the lesson I impart
evening's set
last
Ere
we meet
when
prayers are said
sweet sentiment at heart
little
eyes are closed in bed.
That when upon
life's
billows tossed,
In worldly selfishness engrossed,
A
Cable-tow the thought
To draw them by
shall
prove
a Father's love.
:
:
THE INHERITANCE OF FRIENDSHIP. When
twenty years have come and gone
They who
shall fondly
look for you
Must leave the scenes you now adorn
And
seek the sodded hillock too
bedew the
Tears will
:
grass beneath,
Sighs will unite with nature's breath,
To embalm within
A father loved,
that hallowed bed,
a father dead.
There's Brotherhood in honest sighs, There's Brotherhood in earnest tears
Our
made kindred by such
sons,
Shall interchange their hopes
Tours to the
To honor Mine
West
ties,
and
fears
their steps will
their dear Father's friend
to the
East
will
make
their
bend :
way
A pious pilgrimage to pay. Such was the dream that Last night as It
came
And
fired
mid my loved
my
brain
ones lying,
again, again, again,
traced itself in lines undying.
I dreamed
we twain had joined
Who live
and love in other
And from
high
The
seats beheld
the bands
lands,
with joy
step of each dear pilgrim-boy.
101
——
!
MASONS EVERYWHERE.
TO
108 I
—
;
! ; ; :
dreamed that on some sunny plain They, o'er whose couch we've bent at night,
Met, twined with eager hands the chain,
The Chain of Love,
With glowing
the Chain of Light
lips
exchanged the
Word
No fonder does our tongue afford, And Covenanted by that faith Their fathers pledged and kept
Then be
it so,
till
death.
dear Friend, and while
For earthly labors we
are spared,
Let's teach our sons to cherish well
The
friendship we've so freely shared.
Then
And
at life's sunset
yet the
Then by
we may
die
power of Death defy
the Monster-victor slain
In our dear Children live again
Co litems In gladsome
How
mood
dEbergfofrer*.
again we're met
swiftly passed the year
Begin the
feast,
To Masons everywhere
A Mason's love is Each
Then
other's
lift
!
and, Brothers, drink !
unrestrained
woes we share
the cup, and, Brothers, drink
To Masons everywhere
!!
TO
;
MASONS EVERYWHERE.
What would
How little
we
With Masons'
!
love so unrestrained,
other's
Well may we
care
its links
Encircle everywhere
Each
woes to
fill
share,
the cup and drink
To Masons everywhere Though some we loved have The weary path of then
!
109
our Mystic Tie be worth. should
For Masonry, did not
What
—
in
fallen
on
care,
heaven they're yet our own
To Masons everywhere For Masons' Eternity
!
!
love, so unrestrained,
may
Then, Brothers,
dare fill,
and fondly drink
To Masons everywhere
!
And so, when death shall claim us, And other forms be here, May we in memory's heart be held By Masons everywhere For Masons' love
is
too,
unrestrained,
Nor death the chain may tear O'erflow the cup, and, Brothers, drink
To Masons everywhere
!
!
—
%
!
;
!
;
Utasonit (feeing.
Lo, from the distant West, Lo, from your honored guest
The
voice of greeting and a
Ye Sons of
Cheer,
all
word of prayer
hail
This grateful tongue shall
The
tie
tell
that binds you and the joys you share
There
is
a
Cord
There
is
a
Chain of
Around you each
of length, strength,
I see the sacred coil
How long, ah, well I know How strong, your deeds do The while you
!
show,
labor in the sacred
toil.
In amplest share bestowed,
By Him you worship
God,
The joy of Friendship well you 'Tis
feel
and
prize,
His own best design,
'Tis perfect, 'tis divine, It is the bliss diffused
through upper
Peace be within your halls
skies.
!
The Cement of your walls Be Holt Love
From
—pure, indestructible
the o'erarching
A gracious smile The
favor of a
Deity
Heaven
be given, to tell
no
!
!
—
;;
!
!
! !
THE HAPPY HOUR. When
bow
each shall
Ill
in death,
Joy to the parting breath
!
Rich fragrance from a thousand generous deeds
And where Sacred to
The
your ashes
memory
spot while
man
pure truth and honor heeds
And me, oh loving Friends, When life's poor story ends,
Me in
your inner heart of hearts enshrine
Humble, but oh
!
sincere,
Erring and sorrowing here,
Write
me
as one
who
loved each Mystic line
Builders of light, your hands
Distant our several lands
No
;
for I see, I hear, I feel
!
!
?
you now
Bind once again the chain Again, dear Friends, again Hear, Gracious Lord, hear and confirm the
Oh happy hour when Masons meet Oh rarest joys that Masons greet Each interwoven with the
And
!
be,
other,
Brother truly joined with Brother,
In intercourse that none can daunt,
Linked by the
ties
of Covenant.
Vow
!
;
;
112
THE WORLD-WIDE RECOGNITION, See,
ranged about the Holy Word,
The Craftsmen
praise their
common Lord
See in each eye a love well proven
Around each heart a
Is this
Blest
whose scope
bond
!
woven
faith well
Feel, in each hand-grip, is
!
what a
!
tie
Masonry.
when broken, we would
fain
Unite the severed links again
Would urge To spend
the tardy hours along,
the wealth of light
and song,
That makes the Lodge a sacred spot Oh, be the season ne'er forgot,
That takes us from a world of care
To happy
scenes where
Wherever man
is
Masons are
!
tracing
The weary ways of
care,
'Midst wild and desert pacing,
Or lands of
We
softer air,
surely know each other,
And
with true words of cheer,
Each Brother
And hope
hails his Brother,
wings lightly
there.
!
— ——
" ;:
THE WIDOW AND THE FATHERLESS. Wherever
The
tears are falling
soul's
And human To human
dark wintry rain sighs are calling
hearts in vain,
We surely know each other, Wherever prayer
is
etc.
spoken,
In earnestness of Faith,
We're minded of the token
That
tells
We pray,
our Master's death.
then, for each other, etc.
Wherever man
is
lying
Unknowing and unknown, There's one yet
He
by the dying
shall not die alone.
For then we know each
Cfye Wixboti antr
As on The
My I
my road
% Jfa%rta.
delaying,
stream's cool waters by,
thoughts in fancy straying,
heard a plaintive cry
" There
may be hope
For us no hope Oh,
other, etc.
why was joy
is
in heaven
here
thus given,
So soon to disappear
!
—
113
—" —— "
;
114
;;
:
THE WIDOW AND THE FATHERLE Around
the grave was weeping
A widowed, Beneath their
orphaned band feet
The husband,
And
was sleeping
father,
Mend
as their sorrows, swelling,
Broke forth midst sigh and
Again these words were " Alas,
The
longer sung to
soft spring
that
still
And
still
Bewailed " Alas,
me
sunbeams glowing,
"Were cheerless
For
here !"
is
stream's cool waters flowing,
No The
no hope
tear,
telling
all
to see
widowed mother,
those orphans dear,
my
buried
no hope
My Brother
?
is
Brother here
—
!
yes, forsaken,
These lov'd ones round thee mourn
Too soon from
friendship taken,
Dear Brother, thou
gone
art
Gone from a cold world's
From sorrow and from But
left
fear,
these mourners crying
" Alas,
no hope
is
here
!
sighing,
!
—
;;
!
THE DEATH OF THE GRAND MASTER. Those
tears,
my
115
heart, are holy
Those sighs by anguish driven, This mourning group so lowly,
Are messengers of Heaven
And
so will I receive them,
As God
shall give
me
cheer,
Protect them and relieve them,
And
teach them
%\t §mfy
0f
%
Hope
is
here
!
Sfeftta
Crawford, Grand Master of Maryland, died under the circumstances here described
affecting
:
His voice was low, his utterance choked,
He seemed
bike
one in sorrow bound,
As from the Orient he invoked God's blessings on the Masons round.
sad to see the strong
'Tis
man weep
Tears are for sorrows yet untried
But who
When
his
sympathy can keep,
age unseals emotion's tide
?
Eeverently stood the Brothers round,
While
And Of
their
Grand Master breathed
farewell,
strove to catch the faintest sound
accents
known and
loved so well.
—— :
!
116
THE DEATH OF THE GRAND MAST! He
told
Of
them of the zealous
their forefathers of the
How valley-gloom and
care
Art
;
niountain-air
Bore witness of the faithful heart.
He conned
the precepts, line by line
Oh, that the Craft
may
ne'er despise
Precepts so precious, so divine,
That shape the Mason-mysteries.
He warned them
of a world unkind,
Harsh to the good, to
Whose
Whose
He
told
purest fountains are defiled.
them of a world
To which
Where To
evil mild,
surest messengers are blind,
to come,
this life a portal
tired laborers
is,
go home,
scenes of never-ending bliss.
Then of himself he humbly spoke So modestly
!
so tenderly
While from the saddened group there broke
An "
answering sigh of sympathy
Now
give
me
rest
:
my
years
demand
A holiday, Companions dear My days are drawing to an end, !
And
I
would
for
my
end prepare.
——" —
!
;
!
THE VETERAN'S LAMENT. "
Now give me
rest
but when you meet,
;
Brothers, in this beloved spot,
My name upon your lips repeat, And never let it be "
Now
forgot
unto God, the Masons' Friend,
The God out emblems
Tour
dearest interests I
brightly
tell,
commend
Brothers, dear Brothers, oh, farewell
Down
!
from the Orient, slowly down,
"Weeping, through that sad group he passed,
Turned once and gazed, and then was gone That look
Sis
—
last
—his tenderest and his
for, ere
the
week had
last.
sped,
That group, with sorrow unrepressed, Gathered around their honored dead Bore their Grand Master to his
rest
There's tenfold Lodges in the land
Than when my days were few But none can number such a band,
The
wise, the bright, the true,
As stood around me on the "When
first
Full
I
night,
saw the Mystic Light,
fifty
years ago.
117
——
;
118
;
THE VETERAN'S LAMENT. There's Brother love and Brother aid,
Where'er the Craft
But none
like that
is
known
whose twinings made
The mighty chain
that's
gone
Ah, none like that which bound
When
first
Full
my
my
fifty
years ago.
There's emblems green to deck the
Of Masons where they But none
Upon
like those
we used
fifty
how my
When
to death, they
Who
heart
is
kindled now,
round me meet again
my feet were proud
They're
fifty
fled,
years ago.
that noble train,
Their last procession's I
to tread,
through admiring crowds we sped, Full
Ere
few,
formed the mystic train
In which
And
fell,
years ago.
The shadows of the noble
When
to spread
battled with the monster well,
Full
Oh,
bed
rest,
the Mason's breast,
When, yielding up
Who'd
soul
eyes beheld the goal
am I,
left to
brood
—
o'er,
alone.
too, leave the shore
they're gone,-
—
"
"
!
"WASHINGTON But while I'll
Earth, O'er the
fifty
plain,
!
good
God, to
Echoes the notes
will,
good
!
will to
men
!
beneath the Christmas sky
Ring the glad tidings " Glory to
tear,
years ago.
God, in courts of glory high
balmy peace still
119
praise the bright ones that were here,
Full
" Glory to
have a grateful
I
God ;
!
;
and again, again,
" the
dewy
plain
the midnight solitude,
"Wood, mount, and waters, catch the glowing strain
!
Ah, ne'er was heard such note since Satan stood,
Sad hour,
in Eden's groves,
and worked
Heaven's joy that night was perfect
!
to
man no good
Christ was born
Immanuel, Prince of Peace, and Son of God
New
grief to demons, wailing
and
!
forlorn,
Pierced through their souls as an envenomed sword "
"
—
to God on high " thus the accord On Earth good will and peace, good will and
To God,
!
Now far ascending, The
peace
singing as they soared,
angelic sisters vanish
And, from
;
echoes cease,
their mystic trance, the Shepherds' souls
release.
!
!
— ——
;; ;
;
WASHINGTON.
120
Spirits of peace, since that bright Christmas eve,
Have
And
descended from the ladder's top,
oft
brought to those
The
who
suffer
and believe
priceless blessings of the Christian's
That soon humanity
hope
will cease to grope
In doubts and darkness, as in days gone by,
And follow Him, the Peaceful, journeying From Bethlehem to gory Calvary,
Who Heaven
died that
we might
a Washington
sent
Ages had
rolled along,
!
live,
there
and
lives eternally.
was much need
and hearts had bled
And liberty, down-trodden as a weed, No shelter found for her defenceless head Peace
lay, like Lazarus, in sepulchral
God
raised
Once more
up,
bed
:
:
up Washington, and freedom smiled
!
to yearning hearts the angels said,
"
Good
will to
man, of grace the favored child
"
Good
will to
man
!
" that voice shall
!
never more be
stilled.
On Trestle-board Divine the plan was traced The Master Architect his work surveyed Each
virtue in its proper balance placed
Each ornament Each block
And
in
of purest metal
there stood Washington, the
Wise unto
made
symmetry exact was
laid
Mason-man
!
warfare's sanguinary trade,
Wiser to Peace
—such was the Master's plan,
And Wisdom, Beauty,
Strength, through
all
the
Temple ran
1
——
—
;
;
WASHINGTON. Caution his chiefest care
Was
guarded
strictly
Nought
that betrayed
;
the outer gate
;
through
;
121
its
portals
came
prudent, deliberate,
Each messenger bore out undoubted claim
To
and deathless fame.
instant reverence
Thus, tyled with care, his sanctuary kept,
Unstained
While
And Prudence Sober in
unforgot
its altar,
sentinels
all
o'er the ills of
strength,
There was no
slept,
sad indifference wept.
Temperance, the spring
things
Of human
its flame,
on other watch-towers
was paramount in him
vile excess or lust to
bring
Untimely feebleness to manly limb,
Or dull
his ear, or
Like one of
make
old, the
Floated no changes on
Age brought him
his eye
grow dim.
Leader through the life's
sea,
rapid stream
death, but not infirmity
Bore hence the vigorous frame, unshaken by decay.
How great his
Fortitude
!
protracted war
Caused patriot hearts to sink dispirited His bleeding army cast in
A taunting enemy
;
his hopes betrayed
How great his Fortitude ! The
;
flight before
firm,
undismayed,
pillar of his suffering country stood,
By night
a glow,
by day
refreshing shade,
A column fixed, unshaken, unsubdued Plumbed by the
Master's hand,
!
by him pronounced Good
!
!
"
;
WASHINGTON.
122
Excellent he in Justice
In
To
all
that
others as
; if to do,
presents,
life
from day to day,
you would they do
If this be Masonry, a
Unswerving to the right or "Was onward, upward
Of
righteousness
Homage
But not these
Around Such
his
left,
; in his
way
hand the
scale
was equipoised, to pay
— —
well.
sterner virtues only stand
this
good man's
life
;
true Brotherly Love,
as the ancient brethren cherished,
Relief that does both pain and
And
—
!
God hail, Great Creator, hail man for man was Brother cherished
to
to
to you,
Mason he
Truth, an attribute of
God
and
woe remove,
above,
Clustered like dropping vines on Washington.
What
marvel that admiring Masons strove
To catch
the light from such a matchless sun,
Or claim the mantle,
ere the godlike chief
Henceforth the Christmas song need not be
The conqueror,
was gone
stilled
!
!
ere the battle's turmoil cease,
Turns from the glory of the encrimsoned
field
And bends in homage to the Prince op Peace. " Glory to God " that anthem shall increase, " On Earth " such lives proclaim " Good will to man
—
Henceforth,
when
!
angels sing Immanuel's grace,
We'll strike the harp, and recognize the plan
Oh, that our earth might yield such Temple-work again /
;:
;
;
;; !
:
"WASHINGTON. Lo
the sands swiftly run
Dropping, like
!
behold, our lives
solemn close
foliage, to a
To-day the bud bright expectation
To-morrow blossoms Another morn, and
to a transient rose
whole beauty goes
its
heart remembering
Upon
And
the stem
this is
life,
the
Not
Stone exalted
see the
Labor while
it is
and
there's
;
The Trestle-Board proclaims will night spread
Too soon
the grave, the grave
The
may
obscure us
foes of truth
work
it,
for all
and
alas
its
may
The
lives
no power can hinder or
Master's eye
still
death's
there's
detract
no
recall.
;
act,
affright.
oversees the right
Heaven's books record
And when
!
hueless pall
and rectitude unite
But while within our mystic sphere we There
:
from which
slander
;
!
bless
round
Too soon
Clouds
life-plans trace
to its place
will see
day
up the day
fill
though we may
will be finished,
enough that God
crowned
the dead have found.
hand your
Brothers, let wisdom's
It is
is
life
Count well the moments then,
The Temple
around,
another glows
;
another hope
;
human
!
gives,
Its leaves are scattered wastefully
No
123
it
with angelic pen
summons
calls
us up the height,
A full reward for labor shall we gain, In God's
own Temple
freed from sorrow, toil
and pain.
—
;
! ;
; ;!
;
THE THREE SALUTES.
124
Man
of a thousand virtues, Washington
Thy model, Our
deeds,
lent
from heaven, we prefer
upon that high design begun,
Shall merit praise, tried
Master of
men
by the Chief O'erseer
:
hear thou the Mason's prayer
!
Breathe in our
spirits a true love
of peace
Teach us a brother's bonds and woes to share Enlarge our charity, our faith increase,
And
save us
Christ, the Mason's Righteousness
all in
I hail you, Brother, in the place
Where none but
Whose
And I take
types are
those should meet
bended knee and brow,
the uncovered feet
you by the
grip, expressing
All that heart can
And
A Brother true I've
feel,
I pledge myself to
watched with
be to you,
as steel real
!
joy your quest,
So ardent and so rare
Your
bold, unflinching gaze
The things we most I've seen that
upon
revere
nothing daunts you
In the paths our Lights reveal
And I
pledge myself again to you,
A Brother
true as steel
!
!
;
— — ;
THE MASTER OF THE UPRIGHT HEART. I
125
think there's that within you
Only needs
for time to
show
Will kindle up a flame where Others only I
As a Mason
And
% ing
feel
a glow ;
think the grave will claim you,
so once
ripe
more
and I
leal
pledge myself
A Brother
true as steel
Sasto
uf
!
% %n#
part.
German authors describe the affecting incident given in the followlines. The opening verses allude to a journey up the Mississippi
river in 1853, swollen at that time out of its banks, during
author related the incident to his children.
We journeyed up the Western flood, My little boys And watched That
and
I,
the drifts of ice and
floated swiftly
While banks and Appeared
wood
by
trees
and dwellings too
like islands in the view.
We marked with sympathy and grief The general
And fain To
distress,
the lads would give relief
every suffering case
But when a corpse came
They
;
floating past
fled the spectacle aghast.
which the
;
126
!
:
—
'
THE MASTER OF THE UPRIGHT HEART. Then
in our little
Each on a
And
room we met
-willing
knee
listened to the various fate
Of men by land and
Of shipwrecked
And
lost ones
I told
rescue
Such generous
moved
But most
had been given,
acts, that
who
he
reads
to worship heaven.
I pleased
them with the part
Of Julian of "The Upright
"
food
wandering in the wood.
them of such noble deeds
Where
Is
sea
sailors starved for
Heart."
'Twas on a stormy April day,
The
floods were at their height,
All Frankfort gather'd out, they say,
To
see a dismal sight.
A broken bridge — a And
"
oh, a
swollen sea
drowning family
The Master of The Upright Heart '
"Was Frankfort's noblest son
On many His
Not
a field of high desert
laurels
laurels
had been won,
wet with human blood
But those acceptable to God.
——
!
; ; ! !;
——— :
THE MASTER OF THE UPRIGHT HEART. " Smiles from the face of cold despair,
The widow's The orphan's
grateful song
praise
—the stranger's prayer
These to his crown belong
Ah many !
thank God, there be
such,
In our world-wide fraternity
" Prince Julian galloped to the brink
Of
that tremendous flood
The perishing about
to sink
Inspired his noble blood.
He
called aloud, he called the brave
This wretched family to save
"
None answered him '
To
Oh have you !
see
;
again he cried
hearts of stone,
them perish by your
Look look !
!
!
side
?
they wave us on
He
offered gold as water free,
To
save the drowning family
!'
—deterred
" But
when the boldest shrunk From such a desperate deed
He uttered not another word He bowed his pious head, Looked upwards
And plunged
—gave his soul to Ood
into the raging flood
127
;
"
; ;;
;
MASONIC VALEDICTORY.
128 "
That day the gates of Heaven were thrown
To admit a
spirit freed
That day earth
;
lost its noblest son,
And gave him
to the dead
That day enshrined the Royal Art,
Her hero of The Upright Heart '
The
lads sat thoughtful on
my
!'
knee,
Reflecting on the tale
They loved
to talk of Masonry,
And knew its precepts well " I know what made him take such-pains The
signs they
When
made were Mason's
signs /"
auld acquaintance closing round,
Their parting grips entwine
What
song awakes the tender sigh,
Like auld lang syne 'Tis auld
Of
!
lang syne, the voice
other days divine
!
Come, Brothers, now a parting word
To auld lang
syne.
;
;
MASONIC VALEDICTORY.
129
From many a pilgrim-pathway come, To work the grand design. "We've wrought, and praised the sacred
Of auld lang
syne.
Of auld lang
syne, the
bond
bond
Of auld lang syne Our
fathers
marked the sacred way
In auld lang syne.
Though wintry Though Our
blasts the flesh
torrid suns
syne, they beat
To auld lang
syne
Adieu, adieu
!
syne.
the falling tear
we
friendship
assign
Tour hand, your hand, For auld lang syne
my brother
!
For auld lang
syne, adieu
For auld lang
syne.
Ah
!
will beat
responsive, thrilling high,
To auld lang
To
chill,
syne.
To auld lang Each pulse
may
shine,
unchanged
hearts' response
To auld lang
may
rent forever is the
Of auld lang
syne.
bond
dear,
;
At a New Year's Eve eight
Masons
sat the
——
;
:
Festival at Chicago, Illinois, 1862-3, twenty,
Old Year out and the
"Memorial"
orate the pleasant event, a
New Year of songs
To commem-
in.
was published, of
which the following was the Exordium.
(The Craft Assemble in Merry Mood.)
High
carnival to-night
A twelvemonth, Has ended
all its
;
Its severed Its altars Its
The
:
a year of gloom,
murky with
the fogs of war,
wrecks and ruin done
bonds
;
overthrown
its
Lodges, closed and
its
;
still
jewels soiled
lambskins spotted with the hue of blood
;
tale of horror, to its latest page,
Is done,
High
and Finis written
carnival to-night
About
Each brings
High
his
sacrifice
carnival to-night fire
One moment
No Gavel
and
lays thereon
:
and each a merry thought,
his jest,
kind eyes that speak unuttered
Let not the
;
pass round the quip
of wit go down, nor give
;
no frowning face
;
no voice
to subdue the craftsmen's joys.
'Tis the last night, last
will
love.
to the saddening reign of care.
here
Of Master
And we
a genial band,
:
refreshments' Altar circled close,
Brings each his
And
at the close.
drown
it
hour of
'62,
in a flood of mirth. 130
MASONIC SYMPOSIUM.
A
{The Signal of Low XII.
But
lo,
the clock,
'tis
midnight
Of murderers creeping
And
stealthy feet
!
ear,
smothered voices whisper wonted words.
midnight
'Tis
heard.)
is
on the
by, fall
131
Close
in,
!
quick, ye mystic crew,
strong men, impenetrable
And weave
the Indissoluble
come round-
lines,
Chain of Love.
{The Midnight Song of Masons.) Sing
now
departed joys
Whose solemn march
is
;
sing high, ye Craft,
ever timed to song
Sing ye of days, ah never to return
;
!
Of
friends forever parted
Of
those, beneath th' Acacia sprigs that sleep,
And
let
:
with
sing,
tears,
the last stroke of the parted year
Be holy with remembrance of
{Bail
Huzza, sing louder
to the
now
!
New
their love.
Year.)
strain every voice
In honor of the Tear, the new-born Tear,
The
blessed, hopeful,
Of
all its health,
Of
wives' love
Of
friends
Can
and
happy
'63
!
and wealth, and
and of
bliss,
sing high
children's, blessed love,
friendship, everything that
God
yield on earth to His most favored ones.
1
——— — !
:
—
THE NARROW BOUNDARY.
132
(The Prospective View.)
Twelve teeming months
now to Each Month Cease
sing,
lie
spread before our eyes;
and contemplate
their train
a treasure from the Gracious
Of means and
Hand,
do good.
rich occasions to
Join silently in Resolution now,
And, Brothers,
we
say, shall
not,
through this year,
walk more true
Live nearer to our duty
?
To Plumb-line and
Square than
Shall not our
Us
to
Covenants join,
to each other
and the whole
So each one stands
in the past
in closer bond,
God ?
to
— a narrow line
Divides the future from the past
A little Too
space to labor
in,
brief for purposes so vast.
Those grand designs, whose tracing proves
Our inspiration
is
from heaven
—those deathless loves
Those boundless hopes
but a day to these
'Tis
Then
us labor while
let
Throw
Redeem
And
off the
this
is
given
!
we can
burdens that oppress
poor and fleeting span
look to
God
to help
and
bless
?
new year's reflections. And
should
we
seek, to give us cheer,
Examples of the bold and
true,
A cloud of witnesses is here To prove what
we
see
it,
Ere another Shall
men can
do.
fear's Jlefottas.
lite
Shall
laboring
we join
loving Brothers,
New
Year's day
Whom the past year tore Shall
?
those loving others
we change
away ?
this toil
and drudge,
For the bright Celestial Lodge, T. C. L. A.
W.
T. S. A. O. T. U. P.
Shall
we
?
tread that one more station,
Take that
last
and best degree
"Whose consummate " Preparation " Is to set the spirit free ?
Lay our bodies
off that
Souls unburdened T. C. L. A.
then
may go W.
T. S. A. O. T. U. P.
?
in,
133
—
;
; ;
134
;
new year's reflections. Shall
we
Shall
Those Left
beyond the
find
we
find
who
left us,
its till
Shall
we
we
river
beyond the tomb, not forever,
too should
come
?
learn the long-lost "Word.
That admits a man to God T. C. L. A.
—
W.
T. S. A. O. T. U. P.
?
Then, be zealous, loving Brothers,
While your
tend
lives so swiftly
Emulate those
faithful others
In the prizes they have gained O'er the river, on the shore,
They
are
happy evermore,
T. C. L. A.
W.
T. S. A. O. T. U. P.
—your wages rich are ready —your burdens shall cease —however poor and needy Pray, — and God will give release
Toil,
Bear,
all
Give,
From To
this bitter toil
and drudge
the bright Celestial Lodge, T. C. L. A.
W.
T. S. A. O. T. U. P.
I
—— ;
!
Sxmdg We
;!
; :
&&antht0.
whisper good counsel in the ear of a Brother, and, in the most
tender manner, remind him of his faults and endeavor to aid his reformation.
Where
is
Where
is
thy Brother, Craftsman, say, the erring one to-day
We look What
around the
cheerful smiles
on every hand
The voice of laughter
Where
glee in music's best accord, gifts
— oh where
The prince of Mason's
Not
?
wit, the generous word,
The bounteous
To
!
amain
swells
the brightest of the train
is
The ready The
?
festive band,
left
unwarned
revelry
is he,
?
in death to fall
lapse without one friendly call
?
?
Alas, the grave has closed above
So many objects of our love There
is
so
many
a vacant chair
In every group where Masons are
Of some the drunkard's cup doth Tempted, yet sorrowing they
Day
after
Recede,
day they saw the
till
tell
fell
light
day was turned
to night
Yet yearned and strove to pause, and Their feet upon the slippery
They fell, and none
As
those of
so bright are left
whom we 135
way
are bereft.
staj
!
136
:
—
WELCOME INTO MASONRY.
A
A voice from out the grave " Where
demands
thy Brother ? are thy hands,
is
Quite guiltless of his priceless blood
?
How
often have ye kindly stood,
And
whispered loving word and prayer,
Within the erring Brother's ear
How
often counseled, plead,
And from
approaching danger turned
The thoughtful Must speak Quick
The
Directed to one
who
heavy
?
"
sigh,
for conscience a reply
then,
living
tear, the
oh Craftsman, up and save
from untimely grave
(Wlclcomc into
5-
j
and warned,
!
Hhsontg.
subsequently acquired a distinguished
aa a Masonic writer.
There were many with
me were glad, When we read your later thought, And to one another we said, Brother,
Brother,
Tis an omen of good import For the
The
battle of
strife for "
And we need just
law has begun, Brother, the
good old way,"
such an one, Brother,
As we knew you
of old to be
!
name
— ;
W
A
ME
E L C
IN T
M A
(1
——
;
;
!
X KY
S
.
Yes, one of the daring type, Brother
Such men
as they
had of
"With a head that in age
And
a heart that
To know what In love to be
is
yore,
Brother,
is ripe,
brimming
Landmark is, warm and true
a
o'er
Brother
how have we longed for these, Brother, And 'tis these we shall find in you
Oh,
!
In the day
And
when your sands
are spent, Brother,
the Craft shall your history
tell,
They'll say, as their grief has vent, Brother,
"
He
has done his labor well
!"
For you know we have archives, Brother,
And a column rent in twain. And a name that still greenly lives, Though
And As
the dust hath
its
Brother,
dust again
these they'll give to you, Brother,
the guerdon of your
For the love that
is
For the heart and For the
The
battle of
strife for "
meed
warm and for the
true. Brother,
head
law has begun, Brother, the
good old way,"
And we need just such an As we know you of old
one as you, Brother, to be
!
]
37
;
gibibing
%
;
GD&asera,
The ancient practice of sealing a devoted friendship between park ing friends, by separating some metallic substance, as a ring, a coin and the like, and dividing the fragments between the parties, is not altogether disused. In the rural districts of England and Scotland it is a custom of lovers, and many a poor laborer whose body lies buried in the soil of the Western Continent, bore upon his person at his dying hour this token of betrothal with one who shall never again meet him on earth.
As a Masonic practice, we could wish it were more common. It is ancient, more ancient than any other manner of expressing friendship at parting. It is suitable to the symbolical character of our lessons. To rescue it from its present position as a mere amatory token, were worthy of our most accomplished writers. The following verses relate to an incident in the history of two orphan youth, adopted and educated by a benevolent widow in New Jersey. They became Masons at the same communication, were deeply indoctrinated in the symbolic beauties of the Royal Art, and, when they parted to pursue different fortunes one to fill an honorable post in the army in Mexico, the other an officer on board an India Merchantman they divided a golden ring between them, as a Tessera, and each suspended a portion nearest his heart. They never met again. They, of whom it had been said, as of the early Christians, that "they possessed all things in common," fill graves as widely separated as the east is from the west. The lady whose charity gave them education, and the opportunity for usefulness and distinction, has now in her possession both the golden fragments, sent her with dying
—
—
messages
—the one from Vera Cruz, the other from Ceylon. Parting on the sounding shore Brothers twain were sighing
Mingle with the ocean's
Words
A ring of And
roar,
of love undying
gold was severed then
each to each the giver,
His faith renewed in mystic sign
And bound
his heart forever.
—
— ——
;
;
!
DIVIDING THE TESSERA. " Broken thus
While
One
the token
o'er earth
to thee
be,
we wander
and one
me
to
Rudely torn asunder
But though divided we
are one
This scar the bond expresses,
When
all
our painful wandering's done,
Will close and leave no traces
"
Warmly
in thy
The golden
Keep
it
hide,
I love
thee !
there whate'er betide,
To guard
And
bosom
voice,
thee and to prove thee
should the token
e'er
be
!
lost,
chilled, what now is riven, know that death has sent the And look for thee in heaven !"
Or
I'll
frost
Parted on the sounding shore,
Each the token keeping, Met those Brothers never more In death they're widely sleeping.
But yet
The
love's victory
was won,
bond
expresses,
scar that
Their long and painful wandering's done
Hath
closed
and
left
no
traces
139
!
!
—
Pgfe xil. The custom
of lodge-refreshment, time-honored and sanctioned
by
the example of the noblest and best of American Masons, might well
be renewed. little
The Order with us has
of the table.
A
much
too
of the pulpit
the olden time regarded.
There's Pillars
II.
and Columns V.
Support and grace our balls of truth,
But none such sparkling pleasure give
As the Column that adorns the
"High
Xll ." the Junior
'Tis then, all toil
The Bond
calls
festive hour,
through our antiquated
Rich streams of
S'.
Warden
His Column grants the
And
and too
due intermixture of both was what the Craft in
halls,
social gladness pour.
and care
forgot,
indissoluble seems:
'Tis then the world's a
happy
spot,
And hope, unmixed with sadness, gleams. High XII. I've shared the festive hour "With those who realize the bliss, And felt that life contains no more :
Than
sparkles in the joys of this.
What memories hover round the time What forms rise up to call it blest Departed Friends why should it dim Our joys to know that they're at rest !
:
—
—
!
—
! !
!
THE CHECKERED PAVEMENT. High
XII.
how
!
141
they rejoiced to hear
Quickly each implement laid down,
Glad to exchange
And heavy The Comrades
all,
and care
for toil
Crown
Cross, a heavenly
by
3x
!
3,
Linked in the golden chain of Truth,
A hearty welcome pledge with me To
the
Column
High XH. Less
that
To joys
adoms
the
S'
and never be the hour
free, less
High XH.
}£
:
brotherly than
now
a rich libation pour
:
that none but Masons
know
€\}£tkmb |)atammi
There is no emblem teaches a more practical every-day lesson to a Freemason than the Mosaic pavement, denoting human life checkered with good and evil.
I,
on the
/ at
White Square,
you on the Black
;
fortune's face, you at her lack;
Friends to me many, friends to you few ; "What, then, dear Brother, binds This,
the Great Covenant
me
in
to
Hearts charged with sympathy
Hands opened wide Lips
filled
with comfort,
And God
to provide.
you ?
which we abide
—— ;
;
——
;
—— !
;
THE CHECKERED PAVEMENT.
14"2
I,
in
you on
life's valley,
its crest;
J at its lowest, you at its best I sick and sorroicing, you hale and free; "What, then, dear Brother, binds you to This,
the Great Covenant
in
me
?
which we abide
Hearts charged with sympathy
Hands Lips
ojiened wide
filled
And God They
in death's slumber,
They freed from
They paid and What,
with comfort, to provide.
labor,
joyful,
we yet
alive
we yet to
strive
we tired and sad
then, to us, Brother, bindeth the dead ?
This,
the Great Covenant
in
which we abide
Hearts charged with sympathy
Hands opened wide Lips
filled
with comfort,
And God
to provide.
Let none be comfortless,
Lo round
let
none despair
the Black grouped the White Ashlars are
Stand by each
other, black fortune defy,
All these vicissitudes end by and by.
Keep the Great Covenant wherein we abide "
Hearts charged with sympathy Hands opened wide
Lips
filled
with comfort,
And God
will provide
!"
Jfoms of
€lr*
It is
ibe
—
!
!!
$ obg*.
admitted by lecturers and Masonic speakers, that the true
acoustical focus of the lodge is near the Northeast corner.
This
is
was there each of us received those first impressions on which to build our future moral and masonic edifice. Certainly in no other part of the room can the speaker give utterance, so truly and eloquently, to the genuine sentiments of the Order; and the unhappy debates which sometimes disturb the harmony of our meetings, would be obviated were speakers required to take their attributed to the fact that
it
stand at the focus of the lodge
!
Oh, when before the lodge we stand, Its walls
hung round with mystic
And for the loving, listening band, Draw truth and light from those See
lines,
designs
on the eight, the Open Word,
Which See on
lendeth grace to every thought
the left,
the Mason's lord
'Tis chosen well, the sacred spot
For there our youthful minds received
The
Whose
earliest
impress of that light,
perfect radiance, believed,
Will lead the soul to Heavenly height.
Around the
spot there clusters
Of Masons'
lore
Who, standing
;
much
and dull were he
in the light of such,
Cannot unveil our Mystery.
;
— ——— ;
THE DECAYED
144
If in Instruction's voice there
A The
tone of hatred, love
if,
come
alas,
to discord
'Tis that the speaker
The solemn words feet
LODGE.
and music of our home
Be changed
His
!
;
have
left
and
disgrace,
has forgot first
uttered there,
the sacred spot,
His heart and tongue no wisdom bear.
But when the soul
With
is
kindled high,
love, such love as angels
And when
know
the tongue trips lightly by
The truth and
love our
emblems show
;
"When round the lodge, the eye and cheek Prove
No
how
congenial
is
the theme,
further need the speaker seek
Good
spirits
stand and speak with
him
(3% Jtagito ^otyt. These walls are tottering to decay There's dampness on the stair I mind me of the day When two-score men met here When two-score brothers met at night,
But well
:
The
full
To weave
round Moon above, the mystic chain of light
With holy
links of love.
!;
——
;
;
!
THE DECAYED LODGE. But now the
lightest of the train,
In early grave
The chain
145
bowed
is
broke, the holy chain
is
The Master's with
his
God
!
The wailing notes were heard one day,
Where
And
cheerful songs are best,
two-score Brothers bore
Their
Master
away
to his rest.
The South, that pleasant
voice, is
still,
That spoke the joys of noon
The West, Has
that told the Master's will,
set as sets the sun.
The sun may But these
No more
stand,
Jestjs
wept
Where
tears these
this chain,
!
what
shall restrain
memories move
two-score Brothers met at night,
There's solitude
Let grief
To
call,
his love
This haunted spot
The
fall,
their labors o'er.
weep the rending of
As
may
no more
the faithful craft to
Or scan
I'll
may
rise,
will stand
its
and gloom
sacred train invite
this old
haunted room.
!
Cjje
———— — !
!;
!
§mlx%t
A brother, known and beloved for his Masonic and general worth, and had in fraternal contemplation for the highest honors of the Craft, was killed in a duel. His lodge, though warmly solicited, refused to bury him with Masonic honors, but accompanied his remains grave in citizens' apparel.
Hark,
bow
the air resounds with death
tomb
Lo, to the
But where Type of
a
Mason comes Mason hath
is the
badge the
a
beyond the tombs ?
life
not one in
Is there
Owns
all
the band,
Mm a Brother now
Speak, ye that weep around the bier,
And
say where the honors were his due
How he was loved these tear-drops show How he was honored midst our band For he had
a heart for every woe,
For each
distress a liberal hand.
Bright in the East our rising sun,
Proud viewed we
his career
But now that to-day
We fling no
;
his race is run,
Cassia on his bier.
Whispering low the cause we yield History of his unworthy death False honor called him
And
to the field
death the erring Brother met
/
to the
——— — ;
THE TRACING-BOARD.
147
No dirge from us can o'er him swell, No banners round kirn wave Emblem of faith we dare not strew Upon the sad, self-murderer's grave. Ceases the knell of sorrow
But long
will the
Vacant the East
!
now
heavy sigh be drawn
ah,
heavy woe
;
!
Our "Wisdom, Strength and Beauty gone. But worst the
To our Brightest
and
Dishonored
\t
The
by
following
grief this thought will bring
fraternal
home
dearest, thou art passed to
an early tomb!
^raattjg-lBoarb.
was composed
to be accompanied, in the recitation,
the emblems respectively named.
Twelve of these are selected as
the most significant of the furniture and jewels of the lodge.
Tools and implements of Architecture are selected to imprint on
the
memory
wise and serious truths.
A bundle of Maxims, quaint, ancient and true, A Code of good morals for me, Sirs, and you, To warn
us and guide us in
The Square
is
what we
Morality, just
shall do.
and benign
The Level,
Equality, nature's design
The Plumb,
it is
Rectitude speaks in that
line.
— —— —— ;
!!
!!
!!
!
THE TRACING-BOARD.
148
The
swift flight of Time,
The Gauge
by the Hour-Glass shown,
so distributes that each hath its
The Compass
restricts us to
The Trowel
is
Peace, of
all
lessons the best
The Gavel, excrescences helps The Sheaf, Masons' wages
own
Prudence alone.
to divest
assures us
and
The Cable-tow speaks of a Covenant
rest.
sure
The Apron sweet innocence, lamb-like and pure
The Dagger of what the
What
riches of
Instructed If
true heart will endure.
wisdom and
treasures of bliss
by them none can labor amiss
tempted with passion, be cautioned by
When When When
discord appears, spread the vice
would o'ercome you
falling,
from
this learn
Should death be forgotten,
For
lo, life is
Cement of love
this
Monitor prove,
uprightly to
recall the great
toil,
ere
and clean
Unsoiled by
emblem
life's errors, this
this clear
the conscience of
One third of the day give
Let
this
theme,
your wages you claim
Blest Purity's spirit, celestial
Remember
move
passing in this passing stream
With Fervency
With
this !
to
all
is
seen
that
is
mean!
Mercy and Prayer
the Covenant's registered there !
speak of Judgment and
traitors,
beware
I
— !
;
FELLOW CRAFTS' SONG.
149
A bundle of Maxims, quaint, ancient and true, A Code of good morals for me, Sirs, and you, To warn
us and wuide us in
Crafts'
Jftllofo Founded upon the viz.,
Amos
what we
shall do.
Song.
scriptural passage appropriate to this Degree,
yii, V, 8.
His laws inspire our being
Our
light is
from His sun
;
Beneath the Eye All-Seeing,
Our Mason's work
is
done
:
His Plumb-line in uprightness
Our
And
faithful
in the
Our
guide shall be
Source of brightness
-Railing eyes shall see.
Thou, Father,
To
O, be the
To
art the
Giver
every earnest prayer
this,
Guide
!
forever
our Brother dear
By law and precept holy, By token, word, and sign, Exalt him, now so lowly, Upon this GRAND DESIGN.
——
: !
—
:
THE TEACHEK TO HIS PUPILS.
150
Within thy Chamber name him
A "Workman, While loving
wise and true
Crafts shall claim
him
In bonds of friendship due shall these walls extol Thee And future ages prove What Masons ever call Thee, The God of Truth and Love
Thus
Ck The
Ceiute
to
ps
!
|1upils.
session of the National Masonic School of Instruction".
first
at Louisville,
Kentucky, May, 1859, was a scene of great interest to The assemblage was large and enthusiastic, repre-
the participants. senting
many
made the
From From From
portions of the country.
As
a Farewell, the writer
following his Valedictory as President of the School
the hills of old Virginia, from the
meadows
fat
and
the banks of broad Ohio, and of others broad and
rare,
fair,
the borders of our neighboring States, true neighbors each
they stand,
You have come
responsive, Brothers,
and have gripped me by
the hand.
You have brought me words forget
of greeting,
—words
I
never can
;
Have given me
light
my
eyes will see
till
life's
poor sun has
set;
You have told with signs significant, your messages so true, And now, at parting, one kind word I offer, Friends, to you.
—— —— !
;
THE TEACHER TO HIS PUPILS.
A goodly group
around us
— and Williams' modest mien,
cheerful gaze of Webster,
The
chivalry of Bullock, that courteous look
The
sterling sense, the honest voice, the gentleness of
who've
all
151
the thoughtful air of Greene
!
The
These are the types of
;
sat
and bow,
Howe.
unwearied 'neath the voice
That told of Masons' labors and of Masons' well-earned joys;
Deep
in the souls of these
have sunk
th'
The mighty Covenants that bind, dear Here
welcomed
too, those
lights
unchangeable and Brothers,
have shone,
ay,
me and
welcome
true,
you. as the
sun,
Whose fame
Perm and
veterans
And
Hunt, the genial-hearted, and Bayless, true as
To
all
To
all
who who
been
as skillful builders has in distant lands
The
Norris, Tracey, vigilant
tcorh as these
work, to
build as they build the
Be wages such
as they shall have,
They hear the Master
call
all
who
New
and
love like
won
leal,
steel.
them,
Jerusalem,
when standing
them, "Come, ye
in the
West
faithful, to
your
rest."
True, zealous, loving I
may
men
!
on
this tempestuous,
rocky shore
—ah sad to think—not meet or greet you more
not meet
my
Each day speaks louder
in
And
music louder peals his solemn chime.
death amidst
life's
Then each Farewell
!
bear
ears the uncertainties of time,
homeward light our
approved, Set
up the
Time
God
Pillars, rear the
will your
Walls
;
—'twas work our fathers loved:
fond devotion to unending ages
will o'ersee
and
bless
you
!
fathers well,
tell
Brothers, faithfully, farewell
— —
:
&nhnh
!
—— ;
ia k Jfrmttr.
Written
Dear Brother,
!
in 1859.
no light design,
'tis
Inspires this desultory line
When
gratitude and love combine
There's surely something in
My thoughts To
that bright season spent with you
A tribute to And now If I should
the same I will
due
is
begin
change
my
From Old Kentucky I
it
involuntary flow
it.
homestead place
turn
my
face,
do with truthfulness confess
An Alabama
notion
Such ardor in our noble
cause,
Such knowledge of our ancient laws
The very memory of
My
it
draws
soul with strong emotion.
And you
with ripest wisdom fraught
You, mild, experienced, firm
The
hearts of
Them Of
all
all
to love,
—who've brought
and taught
"Wisdom, Strength, and Beauty
the thousands
whom
I
know
Co-laborers on the Mountain's brow,
Around our mystic Temple, few Perform like you their duty
—
——
!
:
THE TWO VISITS. Wood
Clopton and
:
153
—God bless the twain
There's hope while such as they remain,
"Whose every thought and word
To
the old Craft that love
Far hence
their final
is
them
gain !
summons be
May children's children crown their And grateful tears bedew the tree That's set at last above
Cjj*
I
saw him
!
Sisrts.
snowy winter night
first one
But summer's
®to
them
knee,
glowed in
fire
his youthful breast
A humble seeker for Masonic light, A pilgrim journeying for Masonic rest From
the bright orient southward to the west
Darkly he journeyed, while our eyes inquired If form,
and
heart,
and garb
fulfilled
our
test
?
From the ordeal he came, as one inspired, And glad amongst us stood, enlightened and Once more
I
saw him
—but his eyes were hid,
Hoodwinked by death His limbs were fettered
The strong man
Whose
grip
had
attired.
;
;
as
with an iron band
'neath the coffin-lid
and
lay extended,
thrilled me,
ah
!
his
hand
how dead
it
spanned
— — !
: !
THE TWO VISITS.
154
His pulseless breast Thrice
And
ice encircled,
!
yet round our brother's head
though with grief unmanned,
with respectful tenderness we spread
Upon
his breast green sprigs,
For he had journeyed
fit
presents to the dead.
further, learned a lore
Profounder, drank in purer light than we,
And
of desired treasure gathered more
Than
What
dwells in
unto us
is
the mines of Masonry
all
veiled in mystery
"Was real to him, and by his Master's side,
Knowing
as
he was known,
the
dead was free !
Therefore
we paid our homage
And
shall
"
And we Of
we
shall
said.
meet again, not as in quest
light Masonic, nor as in that time
When But
last I
in a
saw him
shall ring
No weeping band light
pallid in his rest,
Lodge transcendently sublime
Death there
But
to the dead,
meet again our Brother dear " we
and
life
Ah happy we
no funeral chime
shall
go about
its
inspire an endless
dead,
hymn
whose very grave may shed
Effulgent hope and joy as round
its
brink
we
tread
I
!
§*o%r's fast
— — !
!
!
$qn*k
A Freemason dying, sent a message to the writer, asking him to come and pronounce the Masonic Eulogy over his remains. But the distance was too great and the message too long delayed. How tender must the love When
in the
Of one another That
He
few the human
!
are not severed
quenches
ties
by the approach of death
common
Of mere acquaintance Of
of Masons be
dying moment they can think
friendships !
!
blunts the edge
rends the cable-tow
social ties or scatters
them
But on the love of Masons
like chaff
—golden chain,
—death can lay no hand
Stronger than iron
Powerless, conquered, stingless, hateful death
Brother
That
when
!
fight I too
struggling thus in the last fight
must struggle in and soon
Did you remember me ? did the bright hours
We sat together midst the Come
o'er
your
Did you
recall the
Or what
in sweet
Of
gentle
Sons of Light
spirit like a
happy dream ?
Mason-songs
we sung ?
Companionship was told
Ruth and loving Martha pure
While from the
sisters
round came answering
tears
?
;
156
Those scenes delightful I
That
too,
I,
had
! !
FESTIVAL ODE.
A
Would
!
:
I can ne'er forget
seen you in the conquering hour
might prepare
for victory
!
If the blest spirits of the just return
To
this cold world, if
To
call
May
I
have grace with
When I shall To
Mason-love hath power
one visitor from brighter scenes,
tell
die,
me how
And what
those
they
God
to see again,
whom
won
the joys that wait
%
I
loved below
the victory
me
in the skies
JMftai ®b*.
"Hark, from the lofty dome,
Hark, from the Mason's home
Comes
Words
a sweet song
full
of mystery,
Virtue and charity,
Tuned unto melody Rise from the throng.
Chorus.
—Joy, the Masons' year Freres of
St.
John
Joy, which every
is
ended,
!
month
attended,
Pains with brightest pleasures blended,
Ended and gone Crafts of the temple, to your altar throng,
Children of light, upraise the festive song.
;; ;
A
;
— ;
FESTIVAL ODE.
Come,
oil
ye newly made,
Late to our altar led, Hasten, oh youth
Gone Sweet
is is
the gloomy night, the mystic light,
Broke on the dazzled
Glowing with
sight,
truth.
Age, with the locks of snow, Time's burden bending low, Fathers, oh
come
"Welcome the veteran here
With every added
year,
Dearer and yet more dear,
To Masons' home.
Master, your toil
is
Brethren, the prize
Hail the
new
done is
won
year
Pledge every soul again, Strengthen the mystic chain,
Long may
the lodge remain
"Without a peer.
157
!
Cenimmal How
:
:
;
#tre.
the souls of friends departed
Brood around
this joyful scene
!
Tender, brave, and faithful-hearted,
They have
left their
memories green.
Could we view them, Smiles upon each face were seen.
As they
scan our gladsome meeting,
It recalls a
As they
'Tis to
thousand joys:
our cheerful greeting,
list
them
'Tis the
Of
a glorious voice
echo
hundred years of joys
a
One by one those loved ones But they
left
the chain
perished,
still
wound
Every virtue that they cherished Here
is
found as here they found
Thus
in
heaven
Blessed souls to ours are bound.
So
shall we, tho' long departed,
"When a hundred years
are sped,
Join the brave and faithful-hearted,
Who
around
And
this lodge shall tread
;
our memories
Shall be cherished here, though dead.
;
%
(Bxnbt of
;
;
;
; ;
6raixb $$tastei\
Over the grave of the Hon. Henry Gee, Past Grand Master of Masons in Florida, is a marble monument of rare beauty and propriety. The writer visited the spot, January 24, 1858. The place of interment was selected by the deceased it is in a grove of oaks near ;
the verge of a
The birds
hill.
winters, and the evergreens,
sing their sweetest through the Florida
whose brightness
is reflected
upon the
marble surface of the monument, give no indications of mortality.
"
May
when given
I,
to dust, be laid
In the o'erarching oak-trees' shade
!
Not midst the crowded ranks of those In
life
Not
commingled, friends or foes
'neath the dust of trampling feet
Not where But
far
the mourners frequent meet
from
life's
poor turmoil, laid
In the o'erarching oak-trees' shade."
'Tis
done
;
Is nature's
No
this sweet retired scene
own
delightful green
voice but the lamenting dove
That sighs and murmurs of
its
love
No
footsteps but the tender tread
Of
those
who
No passion
loved,
who
love the dead
but the sigh subdued,
Breathed for the friend who's gone to God.
f
!
160
——
!
;
;
GRAVE OT THE GRAND MASTER. The
pilgrim, dusty from a path,
That
circles
round the weary
Stands mutely pleased
:
The Master on a couch The Builders,
earth,
—Twas well to place like this
!
scattered as they be,
Sleeping on plain, and mount, and sea,
Dispersed until the trumpet's blast
Few
of them have such fitting
How
searchingly that awful
rest.
Eye
Reads the impress of memory Death cannot hide a brother dead,
But the Omniscient Eye
Each
Through Well
a long
conceived or wrought
life
for the sleeper if his life
Endure
a scrutiny so rife
Master
But thou,
oh,
A
memory hath
spotless
The pitying The
will read
each word, each secret thought,
act,
liberal
of the craft, left
heart, the loving soul,
hand
crown the whole.
to
And zeal in toils of mystic plan, Which honor God and honor man
—they
These are thy jewels
will try
The ken of the All-Seeing Eye.
!
he
RISE up:
—
!
;
;
calleth thee.
;
161
Rest peaceful, then, while Nature sighs,
And Lift
To
graces where thy
body
lies
high that column many a year,
call the grateful
Wait patient
From
Builders near
out the depths of Heaven's hall
"Ye Builders, Men from many Come
!
for the mystic call
to the house not
;
lands,
made with hands !"
It might have pleased the great Creator of heaven and earth to have made man independent of all other beings but as dependence is one of the strongest bonds of society, mankind were made dependent on each other for protection and security, as they thereby enjoy better opportunities of fulfilling the duties of reciprocal love and friendship. ;
He
calleth us to
As spring
He
words and deeds of
calls forth
love,
from wintry crust the flowers
breathes within us spirit from above
As zephyrs breathe within the sunny bowers
He
saith, Arise,
Where duty
shake
calls,
off the
dust and go
where sorrow hath
its
He points our feet the proper path, and He promiseth to be with us, alway
sway lo,
;
;
;
;
;
jjark <§ttxn. dark decree
'Tis done, the
is said,
That called our friend away
bow the sorrowing head, And bend the lowly knee We will not ask why God has broke
Submissive
Our
Pillar
on
its stone,
But humbly yield us
And At
to the stroke,
say " His will be done."
last the
In earth
weary head has sought its
And weeping
long repose freres
have hither brought
Their chieftain to his close
We held his hand,
we
filled his heart,
While heart and hand could move,
Nor
will
we from
But with the
his grave depart
rites
of love.
This grave shall be a garner, where We'll heap our golden corn
And
here, in heart, we'll oft repair,
To think of him To speak of
all
that's
gone
he did and said,
That's wise, and good, and pure,
And
covenant o'er the hopeful dead,
In vows that shall endure. 162
;
!
!
THE. PURSUIT OF FRANKLIN. Oh Brother, bright and loving Oh spirit tree and pure, Breathe us one gush of
From
off the
163
frere,
spirit air,
heavenly shore,
And say, when these hard toils are And the Grand Master calls, Is there for every
done,
wearied one
Place in the heavenly halls
&ht When
^pursuit cf JFranklm.
Dr. Kane, the Arctic navigator,
left
New York
in search of
John Franklin, he set the Masonic Square and Compass in large characters upon his foresaiL He visited a lodge in Newfoundland at his brief call there. The flag taken and left, by his orders, nearest the North Pole, was the Masonic flag It was an incentive to the zealous search made by our intrepid countrymen, that Franklin was reSir
ported to be a Freemason.
The
following lines were written in 1853, upon his setting out on
the philanthropic errand.
It is needless to say,
however, that the
writer's prediction failed in its fulfillment.
Midst polar snows and solitude, Eight weary years the voyager
lies,
Ice-bound upon the frozen flood, "While expectation vanishes
Ah many !
a hopeless tear
is
shed
For Franklin numbered with the dead
!
1
04
!
THE PURSUIT OF FRANKLIN. Midst joys of home, and well-earned fame,
Young,
Who
healthful, honored, there is one
pines to win a nobler name,
And
feels his
His heart
is
glory but begun
with the voyager
Midst polar solitude and
The voice from
;
lost,
frost.
off the frozen flood,
Appeals in trumpet-tones for aid
Tis heard,
The That
flag
sail
'tis is
answered
;
— swift abroad
flung, the sail is spread;
on whose pure face
we
Thy symbol, honored Masonry
see
!
Away, on glorious errand, now,
Thou hero of
a sense of right
Success be on thy gallant prow,
Thou
Thy Oh,
greater than the sons of
flag,
may
Is there
the banner of the it
lead to victory
some chain of sympathy,
Flung thus across the frozen is
there
seas
some strange, mysterious
That joins these daring men ? This, honored, healthful, free Is
might t
free,
bound
to that in
Covenant
?
tie,
—there
is
from want, !
I
— —— — —— !!
T
1 1
PURSUIT OF
K
F B A N K L
.
I
N
For though these twain have never met, Isot pressed the hand, nor joined the heart,
In unison their
spirits beat,
Brothers in the Masonic art One. hi the hour of joy
;
and peace
One, in the hour of deep distress.
And by
the Symbols, best of those
Time-honored on our ancient wall,
And by
the prayer that ceaseless flows,
Upward from
And by
thine
every Mystic Hall
own
stout heart
Known, marked, and loved
Thou
shalt succeed
and hand,
in every land
—his drooping eye and bright
Shall catch thy banner, broad
That symbol he
And know
a Brother in the sight
Ah, noble pair
Of
shall yet descry,
!
which happier
those twr o daring, dauntless
then,
men
165
:
fonofrg 10
The history
%
Ijojt.
f).
€. Anther.
of Freemasonry in the United States from 1826 to
traces of the wisdom and zeal of Mr. Tucker, long Grand Master of Masons in Vermont. During the reverses sustained by the Masonic order thirty years since, he was a tower of strength to the desponding in his own State, where antimasonry secured its His ready pen was ever at the service of the Instifirmest foothold. His decisions upon mooted questions were unexcelled for tution. His knowledge of ritualisms gave him a clearness and soundness. pre-eminence as a working Mason, while his genial spirit and manner
many
1861 bears
him popularity with all who knew him. The following Monody forms a part of the " Eulogy" pronounced by the writer iu January, 1862, in the presence of the Grand Lodge of Vermont secured
Dead
1
and where now those earnest loving eyes
Which, kindled in so
many
Have they departed from our
And Dead
!
left
eyes the light
?
earthly skies
no rays to illuminate the night ?
and where now that heart of sympathy
That welled and yearned, and with true love o'erflowed t
Oh
heart of love,
is
the rich treasure dry
?
Forever sealed, what once such gifts bestowed
Dead
!
That Will
it
?
and where now that gen'rous, nervous hand thrilled each nerve within its generous clasp
no more enlink the mystic band,
Hallowing and strengthening
all
within
its
grasp
?
?
—
— ;
; !:!
SONG AND FREEMASONRY. Heart, eyes and hand, to dust are It
was
But the
his lot, for he Avas
all
167
consign'd—
born of earth
rich treasures of his master-mind
Abide hi Heaven, for there they had their birth.
Abide in Hea/o'n
oh the enkindling
!
The record of
The Acacia blooms beside To point
trust
his deeds remaineth here
his silent dust
unerringly to yon bright sphere.
Then, though the shattered column mark his
And weeping Virgin tell th' Not altogether are we desolate, For
oh, departed friend,
S01T0 Addressed
to a lady
atttr
who has
we meet again
Jtamttsonrjr, written various Masonic productions
of merit.
Rich
is
song when tuned to passion,
Love, benevolence, or joy
Vast
its
power, and blest
its
Saints in heaven the notes
Heaven
itself
fate,
unfinished Fane,
mission
employ
resounds with song,
Tuned by an unnumbered
throng.
;
;
1
68
— ;
!
SONG AND FREEMASONRY. But
power
its
When,
is
best extended,
Sons of Toil,
to bless the
Masons' joys with songs are blended,
Khyrning Corn and Wine, and Oil
Then
it tin-ills
;
the inner sense,
Driving gloomy shadows hence.
Sister,
from your heart are welling,
Thoughts attuned
But the sweetest yet
Of
to sweetest song
are telling
the ancient Mason-throng
Telling of
its
Tenets
three,
Faith and Hope, and Charity Still to
!
us your muse be giyen
Ours the genial spirit-birth Sing the Sabbath-rest of Heaven, Sing the six days'
toil
of earth,
Festive joys, and sacred grief,
Love
fraternal, truth, relief.
Then, when death his object gaining. Stills
the answer of your lyre,
These the gems of song remaining Other genius shall
And Shall
inspire,
the Craft, in deathless lays,
embalm
their Poet's praise.
; ;
Wreathe
tlie
;
mourning badge around-
Once again that
From
;
! ;
his friends
funeral sound
and from
his
home
Bear him, Brothers, to the tomb
!
"While they journey weeping, slow, Silent,
Silent
thoughtful
—
to
life
let
him
is
us go sealed
—death's to him revealed.
Thoughtful
How his life-path has been trod, Brothers
we
will leave to
God
Friendship's mantle, trusting faith,
Lends a fragrance, even to death.
Here, amidst the things that sleep,
—his
Lay him down
rest is
Death has triumphed Cannot
raise
deep
:
—loving hands
him from
his bands.
But the Emblems that we shower, Tell us there's a mightier
power
O'er the strength of death
and
Judah's Lion shall, prevail
!
hell,
—— ———
CKYPT
170
THE CORXER-STO
IK
Dust
to dust,
Soul
to
the dark decree
God, the soul
is free
!
Leave him with the lowly lain
we
Brother,
shall
meet again
!
(Crnpt in tbc Corner- .Stmt*. It
a legend in Masonry that the Corner-stone of Solomon's
is
Temple, sunk firmly in the northeast corner of the holy Mount, contains all
many
objects strange and curious.
Among them is a collection of
the vices and passions that were found in the hearts of the Temple-
builders
when they came up fn>m Phenicia
to undertake the work.
These, King Solomon was enabled, by his wisdom, to detect, and his Power, to
by
withdraw from their working-places, and to confine them
seiurily as already stated.
Since that period, whenever a Mason-brother exhibits any passion
by
or impropriety forbidden
charged with having
Temple
"
Covenants, he
his
may
!"
Build up, ye Crafts, the Sacred Fane Raise up
its
walls as high as heaven
But shape your
Upon
blocks
and lay them
there,
the pattern given.
Our Master bade us labor so He marked the years, three score and And gives us many a noontide hour,
To
We No
correctly be
robbed the corner-stone of King Solomon's
cheer his toiling men.
build no walls for time to gnaw, halls for
Our pattern
men who is
And God
yield to death
the perfect
Law,
our service hath
!
;
ten,
—— — !
;
—
;
;
OUR FUTURE MEETING.
171
He reined the passions' evil train He quenched the fires within the breast He sunk them deep beneath the earth, And there we bid them rest ;
He
A
laid in love the
firm unshaken
Our
fathers built
For
Corner-stone,
Rock on
this is holy
'tis
found
—
,
this alone,
ground
We
build no walls for time to gnaw,
No
halls for
Our pattern
men who is
And God
(L^ur
Where
yield to death
our service hath
!
future Hlcctirrg.
types are
all fulfilled
Where mystic shades
are real
Where aching hands and
And
;
Law,
the perfect
death has
hearts are stilled,
set his seal
In that bright land called heaven,
Dear Friend,
The token
we'll
meet once more
in thy parting given,
Points to a heavenly shore.
our signs have taught
'Tis this,
Our symbols old and 'Tis this
upon our work
Which
trjie is
;
wrought,
every frere can view
!
:
!!
:
EMBLEMS OF THE CKAFT.
172
From the first line we traced, On the foundation walls, To
that bright stone, the
The glory of our
last,
the best,
halls.
Oh, what a land of joy,
my
Hast thou beheld,
Friend
Oh, what ineffable employ
Thy
Thy
has gained
faithful heart
Brother, weary, worn,
Longs
Where He'll
for the
all
same bright dome,
the week's hard service done,
have thy welcome home.
(fcmMems oi
%
Craft.
The following lines were written to be accompanied by appropriate movements which will easily suggest themselves to the enlightened reader
Who
wears the Square upon his breast,
Does, in the sight of
And That
With
God
in the sight of
all
his actions
attest,
man,
do compare
the Divlne, th' unerring
squake
That squares great Virtue's plan
And he erects his Edifice By this design, and this and
this !
—
; ::
; :
EMBLEMS OF THE CRAFT. Who
wears the Level says that pride
Does not within his soul abide,
Nor
foolish vanity
That man has but a common doom,
And from That he
By
destiny
erects his Edifice
this design,
Who
and
wears the
Whose
tomb
the cradle to the
A common
G
this
and
this !
that type divine
;
very thought should banish
Trusts but in
God
!
sin,
alone
His Father, Maker, Friend, he knows
He
vows, and pays to
God
his vows,
Before th' Eternal throne
And he erects his Edifice By this design, and this and
Who
wears the Plumb, behold
And just
his steps
The workings Each
By
this !
!
how
of his soul,
secret thought, so pure,
and good,
the stern line of Rectitude,
Points truly to that goal
And he By
erects his Edifice
this design,
true
and could we view
and
this
and
this !
173
!
;
—
;
solomon's midnight visit,
174
See Wisdom, Strength and Beauty too,
In each design our Fathers drew
Here on the Tracing-board
Each has a moral That
in
it
Whose Mastek
is
the
Each bids us build on
An
given
us of a coming
tells
everlasting Edifice
Heaven
Lord
this,
!
on
this,
!
Solomon's Ittibwglrt $isii It is
one of the most charming traditions that past generations
King Solomon's Midnight Visit. Mighty Sage, weary with protracted waiting for the Resurrection Day, is permitted an hour each night to roam over the earth. Naturally looking up Masonic lodges, he hears the gavel-sounds of those that are working past midnight, enters them, though invisible, and infuses a spirit of wisdom and love into every bosom. Thus it has long been observed of the Brethren returning have entrusted
The legend
home
to the present, this of
that the
at so late
brotherly Visit
is
spirit,
an hour, that they are fraught with a peculiarly explained best
of King Solomon
by
this hypothesis of the
In a deep, rocky tomb great King Solomon Sealed up
till
the
The Square on
judgment from
his breast,
And
all
lies,
prying eyes
and his kingly brow Crowned
His Gavel and Sceptre with
At midnight,
Midnight
!
fillettings
wound
impatient, his spirit comes forth,
haunts, for a season, the places of earth.
!
; !
!
———— ;
Solomon's midnight visit.
175
He flits like a thought, to the chambers of kings, To the field where red battle has shaken his wings, To the cave where the student his late vigil keeps, To
the
where the prisoner hopelessly weeps
cell
But most, where Freemasons
their mystical
round
Continue past midnight, King Solomon's found
Oh, then, when the bell
tolls
Low
!
do we hear
XTT.
A rustling, a whispering startle the ear A deep solemn murmur—while Crafts stand in At something
We
iknow
Whose And,
the eye of a mortal ne'er
it, toe feel it,
we welcome
spirit takes part in the
the
King
anthems we sing
then, every heart beats responsive
The Acacia blooms Our tapers
freshly
are starlit,
and
and warm
—we heed not the storm
lo,
from above,
There seems as descending the form of a dove 'Tis the
!
Emblem of Peace which King Solomon
To model and His
awe
saw
pattern the
work of
friends, loving Brothers, as
Bear Peace in your bosoms,
let
sends,
his friends.
homeward you
go,
Peace sweetly flow
!
In Concord, in Friendship, in Brotherly Love
Be
faithful,
The world
—no Emblem so true as that dove
will confess then
!
with cheerful accord,
You have met with King Solomon at midnight abroad !
;
;
:
Cbc Spirit of
!!
;
WLnian.
In the settlement of long-pending difficulties
among
the Canadian
Masons, the writer was called in in July, 1858, with the celebrated
Judge Tucker, Grand Master of Vermont,
to suggest
proper terms of
The pleasing task being performed, and the Union
reconciliation.
complete, the following lines were read at a Banquet that most agree-
ably terminated the meeting
There never was occasion, and there never was an hour,
When
spirits
of Peace on angel-wings so near our heads did soar;
There's no event so glorious on the page of time to appear,
As
the union of the Brotherhood, sealed by our coming here.
'Twas in the hearts of many, 'twas in the prayers of some,
That the good old days of Brotherly Love might yet in mercy
come 'Twas whispered in our Lodges, in the E. and
S.
and W.,
That the time was nigh when the plaintive cry our God would hear and
bless.
But none believed the moment of
How It
could
came
we deem
like rain in
And bade
so rich a
fruition
was
at
hand
cup was waiting our command
summer-drought, on drooping foliage poured,
us look henceforth for help, in
all
our cares, to
God
The news has gone already upon every wind of heaven
The
And Has
wire, the press, the
every one
cried, " Praise
bless
busy tongue, the intelligence has given
who heard
it
and who loves the Sons of Peace
God, the God of Love
!"
176
!
may God
this
Union
——
:
THE SPIRIT OF UNION. Vermont takes up the
Long be
He
his days
story
among
—her
" old
man
;
177
eloquent "
on deeds of mercy spent
us,
speaks for the Green Mountains, and you heard him say last night,
God
that I have lived
till
Kentucky sends you greeting
noAV to see this happy sight
—from
!"
her broad and generous
bound,
Once styled of
all
the Western wild,
"the Dark and Bloody
Ground."
She
cries aloud, "
Who
first
God bless you
took care
to oe
!
Heaven's dews be on you shed,
in the right, then boldly
went ahead !"
From yonder constellation, from the Atlantic to the West, Where the great pines of Oregon rear up their lofty crest, From the flowery glades of Florida, from Minnesota's plain, Each voice
will say,
"Huzza
Old England soon will hear
Of
suffering Brothers
huzza
!
it
;
meet her
!
this craft is one again !"
not always will the cry
and she pass coldly by
ear,
There's a chord in British hearts vibrates to every tale of wrong,
And
she will send a welcome and a Brother's hand ere long.
Then joyful be
this meeting,
As year by year In quarry,
hill,
and many more
shall circle round,
and temple, peace
like this,
and bring you added ,
bliss
nor cruel word nor thought
Disturb the perfect harmony the gracious
God
has wrought.
—
—
;
!
—
; !!
THE ORIENT.
178
But while your walls
are thus compact,
your cemeut strong and
good,
Your workmen
diligent
Kemember, Brethren,
How many By
and just, a mighty Brotherhood,
o'er the earth,
a heart there
the sign the world
is
and on the raging
to-night that sighs, "
knows nothing
of,
sea,
Remember me !"
but to our eyes so
clear,
By the token known in darkest hour, that tells a brother near By the sacred vow and word, and by " the hieroglyphic bright," Remember all, the wide world round, who claim your love tonight.
%\t Light from the
East,
#riwtt.
'tis
gilded with hope
Star of our faith, thy glory
is
up
Darkness apace, and watchfulness
!
flee
Earth, lend thy joys to nature and me. See, Brothers, see
yon dark shadows
flee
Join in His praise, whose glories we be
Now,
let these
Emblems ages have
Speak to the world,
Lo,
we have
seen, uplifted
Star in the East, thy Lo,
we have
heard,
given,
blest Saviour, of thee.
on high,
rays from the sky
what joy
to our ear
Come, ye redeemed, and welcome
Him
here
—— : ;
!
!
;!
—— ;
THE PASSAGE OF TIME. Light Feet
to the
Hope Life
Mind, they've wandered too long
weak
the
to the lame,
are
and music
to the dead,
Praise
to the
Ransomed,
made
strong
given
to the joyless, freely 'tis
to
heaven!
Lord, keep silence no more
rejoice
from mountain to shore!
Streams in the desert, sing as ye stray
Sorrow and
away
sadness, vanish
<&\t f)a:ssa;0£ Lo, the sands swiftly run
Dropping
behold our
!
like foliage to a
QLxmt.
xrf
lives
solemn close
!
To-day the bud bright expectation gives
To-morrow blossoms to a transient rose
Another morn and
its
whole beauty goes
Its leaves are scattered wastefully
No
heart remembering
Upon
And
the stem
this is
—another hope
human
around,
—another glows
life,
the
is
life
Count well the moments then
;
crowned
the dead have found.
Wisdom's hand your
The Temple
will oe finished,
Not
see the
Stone exalted
It is
enough that God
up the day
fill
Brothers, let
life-plans trace
though we may
to its place
will see
and
!
bless
!
179
—
—
;
!
;
——
;
THE MODEL MASON
180 Labor while
it is clay
!
there's
The Trestle-board proclaims Too soon
The
for all
and, alas
will night spread o'er its hueless pall
Too soon the grave
Clouds
work
it,
may
—the grave—from which there's no
obscure us
slander
;
may
recall
I
detract
and rectitude unite
foes of truth
But while within our Mystic Sphere we act There
lives
no power can hinder or
The Master's Eye
still
Heaven's books record
And when
death's
affright
oversees the right
it
with angelic pen
summons
calls
us up the height,
A full reward for labor shall we gain, In God's
own Temple,
freed from sorrow,
Ut There's a
His
list
fine,
old
toil,
and
pain.
Stotol Pasoir.
Mason
in the North, he's genial, wise
of brothers comprehends, dear Brother,
So warm's his heart the snow-blast
fails to
and
true,
me and you
chill his
generous
blood,
And
his
hand
is like
a giant's
when
outstretched to
man
or
God;— Reproach nor blame, nor any shame has checked his course or
dimmed
his
fame
All honor to his
name
!
—
!
THE LOVING This
fine
old Mason
is
!
!
—
;
;
— ;
;
TIE.
;
181
but one of a large family
Ms kin, you'll find tnern two or three know them when you see them, for they have then- father's
In every Lodge you'll find You'll
face,
A generous knack of
speaking truth and doing good always
;
Keproach nor blame, nor any shame, has checked their course or
dimmed
fame
their
Freemasons
is
their
name
Ah many an orphan smiles upon the kindred as they pass And many a widow's prayers confess their sympathizing grace The Father of Their works
this
Brotherhood himself doth smile to
—they're
numbered
all
in heaven those
see
deeds of
charity
Reproach nor blame, nor any shame can check
dim
their course or
their fame,
All honor to their
Cjw
name
fjofrrag Ck
The Loving Tie we
No
feel,
language can reveal
'Tis seen in the sheen of a fond Brother's eye It trembles
on the ear
When melting
with a
tear,
A Brother bids us cease to sigh.
—
—
!
182 Behold
For Brothers
how good and how
As heaven's dews
On The
blessings of the
'Twas at a
BoM, I
are shed
Zion's sacred head,
Lord we
sufferer's
Now moldering This
pleasant
in unity to dwell
ah, so fond,
saw
feel.
bed
with the dead,
was discovered
first
to
me I
his dying eye,
Light up with speechless joy,
And
I felt
how fond
that love must be.
I ever will proclaim
With
gratitude the
name
Of Him, the Divine, who has granted That weary
O'er nature's I never, never, alone
rugged way,
can be.
know will may revile
There's some I
And 'Tis so as
others
we know with But
if I
Through I little care
this to
tho' I stray
smile
the evil heart alway-
can but prove life
a Mason's
what man may say
lave,
me
— ———— — ; ; ! ;: ;
m
four #Iass. dropping,
Life's sands are dropping,
Each grain a moment
No
dies
stay has time, nor stopping
Behold how swift he
He
:
bears
They
away our
flies
rarest
and disappear
smile
The cold grave wraps our Each
fairest
falling grain's a tear.
Life's sands are softly falling,
Death's foot
is
snow
light as
'Tis fearful, 'tis appalling,
To
see
To read
how
The sands
To
swift they flow
the fatal warning, so plainly tell
feel there's
Through
no returning
death's dark
Life's sands give
To
use the
admonition,
moments well
Each grain bears holy
And "
mission,
this the tale they tell
Let zeal than time run
Each grain some good Then
shadowy
at the last,
:
faster,
afford,
The Master
Shall double our reward 183
!"
dale.
——
&\t Cbmful four
at figlj XII.
One hour with you, one hour with you,
No Is
doubt, nor care, nor
worth a year In
all
that sweetens
One hour with
strife,
as ages go,
you,
life.
and you, and you,
Bright links in mystic chain
Oh may we oft these joys And often meet again. Your Your
own language
eyes with love's
Your
voice,
your heart, do welcome
come when morning
labor
And I
is
my
sjjend
skies are bright,
chief delight,
an hour with you.
go when evening gilds the I breathe the
But hope
again,
west,
fond adieu,
by fortune
To spend an hour with
blest,
you.
And if perchance the page is On which my life is given, I
closed
would beseech the Masons' God That we may meet
me
you.
To work my Mason's due To
free,
hand-grips, strong and true,
To spend an hour with I
renew,
in
Heaven
!
— —
;
!
;
;
KNIGHT TEMPLAR'S DIRGE. Heaven with
In
To join
you,
and
you,
the blissful strain
and
you,
;
Oh may we there these joys renew And meet in Heaven again
Precious in the sight of heaven Is the place
Souls with
To
where Christians die
all their sins forgiven,
the courts of glory
fly
Every sorrow, every burden, Every cross they lay
it
down
Jesus gives them richest guerdon In his
own immortal crown.
Here, above
our Brother weeping,
Through our
He
Shall
He
tears
we
seize this
hope-
in Jesus sweetly sleeping,
awake in glory up
!
has borne his cross in sorrow
"Weary pilgrim,
all forlorn
"When the sun shines bright to-morrow, 'Twill reveal his sparkling
crown.
185
—— !
;
!
THE TEST.
186
Knights of Christ, your ranks are broken Close your front
!
the foe
Shield to Shield behold the
As he saw
it
nigh
is
!
Token
in the sky
By that Sign so bright, so glorious, Ye shall conquek if ye strive, And like him, though dead, victorious In the courts of Jesus live
£be The expression "
I
am
!
fei
willing to be tried
again,"
important use in the theory of Masonry.
I never have denied
I'm willing to be tried
A call for sympathy from sorrowing man My own hard griefs impel My heart for such to feel, And
I
am
willing to be tried again.
The
claim, so often made,
For
shelter
and
for aid,
have refused, and never can
I never
And though my
The poor did never want,
And
I
am
:
purse was scant,
willing to be tried again.
has a highly
—— —
!
!
187 Is counsel craved, I
What
The doubts my
neighbor's spirit that
The wisdom given
To him
And
I
am
give
pleasure to relieve
is
unman
to me,
offered free,
willing to be tried again.
My brother goes astray Ah me, Ihnotc the way, The
And
slippery
I
way
that lures the thoughtless
I
run to draw him back
I
point the dangerous track,
am
willing to be tried again.
I've suffered
From
evil
many
a wrong,
hand and tongue
I've learned forgiveness
from no common
Man!
Forgiveness I have shown,
As God
And
I
am
to
me
has done,
willing to be tried again.
Each night on bended knee,
The
My body
all-seeing
I
Eye doth see Throne Divine
suppliant at a
And there And
man
for brothers' need,
my own I plead,
As
for
am
willing to be tried again.
;
—— —
!
DEDICATION.
A
188
!
I'm dying fast and soon
My life has past I've
its
noon
had such premonitions
My
as
were plain
heart was strong in faith
That God would smile in death.
And
I
am
willing to be tried again.
% The
jgtbixKixott.
Kentucky, 1859, was
author's History of Freemasonry in
dedicated to the Hon.
Henry Wingate, Past Grand Master
tucky, in the following lines.
of KenThat venerable and excellent man died
September, 1862.
Type of a generation dropping Pillar of faultless
fast
worth and dignity,
This record of the unreturning past Is dedicate
Of
all
with loying heart to thee
the mighty Brotherhood whose
Through
toils,
three score years perpetuated here,
Built with fond assiduity our walls,
Thy
services the Craftsmen
Long through
most
revere.
the desert lead thou safe the way,
We pilgrims following with faithful feet,
A Light by night, unerring Guide by day, Till
on the shores of Canaan we
shall
meet
;
!
!
;
Jftms to JTmttgtoit HoQQt. This Lodge
is
No. 310, at Brooklyn, N. Y.
A fire was kindled on the plain Of Lexington that gloweth Each blood-drop from a
yet
patriot's heart
A lasting horror did beget, Of
tyrant's chain
With which our
Here on your
and despot's
rule,
sorrowing' world
altars
is full.
glows the flame
Sacred to Truth and Charity;
Each
Craft before the
Bows low
And
in
mute
Sacked Name sincerity
peace hath like a spirit shone
"Within the walls of Lexington.
So mote
May
it
be
till
time shall end
circling ages bless the
Band
That build the Mystic Temple
And round
here,
the Mystic Altar stand
t
Eternity shall gild the flame
Of Lexington's thrice-honored name
!
;
;
cuihllnng (Together. In thought, word and deed,
"We too are agreed,
From
Fount of Knowledge
the same
And by
the same
instructed
hand
We'll travel or stand,
To
the same Goal of triumph conducted.
Through
W«
the same open door,
and poor
lame, blind
Undertook the same mystic endeavor
Through the same grave
When Well
death's trial
share the forever and
Our friends Whatever
Whatever
at last,
is past,
ever.
are the same,
their name,
their station or nation
The same
Whose
;
are our foes,
malice but shows
Their hearts black with coming damnation.
We
too, then,
Sit,
stand,
can walk,
work
or talk,
In union make sign or give token,
And
while
With
life
its losses
remains
and gains
Let's see that the tie be not
broken
;
(Ssbortcttion to
"Tis
but an hour
No summer rose Did
there
—our
life is
;
——
!
!
!
Cbaritn.
but a span
so frail as dying
man
no memory of our deeds survive,
Death were more welcome than the happiest
But the true heart
shall live in mercy's
deed
life.
;
The Record stands where every eye can read
Where
countless myriads on the
judgment -morn
Shall see each charity our hands have done.
What wondrous mercy doth the Master That the true Workman in
What wondrous power
his
me
in
memory
give
shall live
the dark grave defies
The Temple stands although
Bear
Work
the Builder dies
then, kind Friends
and
true
As one who loved the Master's cause and you Join
my
!
poor name with yours in Mystic Chain
Although we may
not, cannot
meet again
And when the stroke of Death, long pending, And I no more shall work on Temple-walls, Wreathe the Acacia green about my head And give one memory to your faithful dead.
falls,
;
;;
;
;
(The (Temple.
A number the
title,
of years since, the author projected a
"The
poem which, under
names and and present generations to
Nails of the Temple," should designate the
services of those great
whose labor and
men
of the past
sacrifices the
Masonic Institution
present high position in this country.
is chiefly
The
for
its
an
hut the opening of the design which now,
it is
most
likely, will
ur\ it be resumed.
No human wisdom framed our halls, No bodily sweat bedews our walls The utmost ken of mortal eye Fails
Nor Its
its
proportions to espy
is it for
a mortars ear
songs at eve and morn to hear.
Our temple crowns no
earthly bill
The Turk profanes Mount Sion
still
Siloam pours her hallowed stream
For those who spurn the sacred
Name
;
Yet fixed on our unshaken base Is seen
our Temple's resting-place.
"Unnumbered hearts and hopes prolong
The cadence of our votive song The savor of our
sacrifice
Ascends and gladdens up the
skies,
Where Builders met from many lands Rear up
" the
indebted
stanzas following
House not made with hands !"
;
!
;:
;
;!
193
We -would record some fitting phrase Of
those sublime, those mystic lays
Some names of
the unnumbered Host
Else 'neath the moss of ages lost
One episode
in
Whose
marks three thousand
story
all
those cares
Author of Wisdom, make To apprehend
us wise
these Mysteries
Author of Strength, To
years.
the power impart
build and cement from the heart
Author of Beauty, The hue
The
lend us grace
to paint, the line to trace
!
stones of the foundation
In the Holy Mountain
lie,
Brought from the sacred quarries
By
the
hand of Deity
Each Block Fi^fills
It rests
" the perfect angle "
and gratifies—
upon the
Acknowledged
Each on
its
level
in the skies.
broadside graven
Displays some mighty "Tis daily called in
That
roll
name
Heaven
of deathless fame
—
—
; ;
!
THE TEMPLE.
194
All ages, lands have yielded
Their honored names to prop
A glorious substructure And
bear our Temple up.
In such a sacred place,
On
such a solid base,
Built on the jjattern of the
Plan Divine,
With
time-defying walls
With
love-o'erflowing halls,
Behold our Temple and come view our Shrine
The mind would The multitudes
Of
all
faint
to
and
fail,
tell,
the Ashlars that are here inwrought
They're culled from every clime,
Through long-revolving time
And
each bears token of the Master-thought.
—
Each bears the impress of Man Such was the wondrous Plan,
Of man
in body,
Each
mind and
fills
Of Wisdom,
By
the
heart complete
a stated place
Strength, or Grace
Grand Master
designate and meet.
——— — " ;
;
She W&wz €hota of Salomon. In Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon in a dream by night and God said, " Ask what I shall give thee." And Solomon said, " Give thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad." And God said unto him, " Behold, I have done according to thy words. Lo, I have given thee a wise and discerning heart so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee."
—
5-12.
1
Kino-s,
iii.,
When
in the
dreams of night he
Fancy-led through earth and
lay,
air,
Whispered from the heavenly way,
The voice of promise met Taney ceased
his ear
his pulse to thrill
Gathered home each earnest thought
And
was
his very heart
still
Awhile the gracious words he caught.
"
Ask me
whatsoe'er thou wilt,
Fame, or wealth, or royal power
Ask me,
ask me, and thou shalt,
Such favors have
as
none before
!
Silence through the midnight air Silence in the thoughtful breast
What
of
all that's
Appeared
to
bright and
fair,
youth and hope the best
?
——
"
!
106
!
!!
;
;
THE WISE CHOICE OF SOLOMON. 'Twas no feeble tongue replied,
While in awe "
Wealth and
his pulses stood
;
riches be denied,
But give me Wisdom, voice of God Give
me Wisdom
Of
in the sight,
the people thou dost
know
me of thyself the light, And all the rest I will forego
Give
!
Thus, oh Lord, in visions
When we Thus
like
him
will
That Wisdom Light of heaven
Guiding
What To
is all
fair,
hear thy promise-voice,
is !
we
declare,
our dearest choice ah, priceless boon,
o'er the troubled
way,
an earthly sun,
his celestial, chosen ray
Wisdom hath her dwelling reared * Lo the mystic pillars seven Wisdom for her guests hath cared, And meat, and bread, and wine hath !
Turn we
not, while
round us cry
Tongues that speak her mystic word
They
that scorn her voice shall die,
But whoso hear
are friends of
* Proverbs,
9,
1-9.
God.
given
—— — !
n An
; ;
;
;
Celestial j^torb;
English Mason, whose name has never been made public,
donated considerable sums of money about the year 1852, and made the "Western Grand Lodges his almoners for
its
disbursement in Ma-
sonic charities.
"Written in
What
lie
Heaven
has given
Placed on the records in
Eead by the
letters
of gold
spirits,
Judges of merits-
Some day
Drop
its
the
name
to us all will be told.
Meantime
let silence,
Free from
all violence,
mute
Seek not to show Strive not to
Go and do
it
know
it
likewise, ye Brothers,
Blest
man
vail o'er the face of the
was the
who
can.
offering
Voices of suffering
-Hushed under sympathy noble as that Tear-drops were trailing Sighs and bewailing
And
tear-drops and sorrow the orphans forget.
;
198
;
THE PERFECT ASHLARS. England, our Mother,
Toward
thee each Brother
Reverently turns at this noble emprise " This
makes the cable
Holy and
stable,
Binding our Lodges forever," he
%f
cries.
nfcrf !4Iars.
The sunbeams, from the Eastern
sky,
Flash from yon blocks, exalted high,
And on
their polished fronts proclaim
The framer and
the builder's fame.
Glowing beneath the fervid noon,
Yon marble Yet
tells
dares the Southern sun,
that wall of fervid flame,
The framer and the
builder's fame.
The chastened
adown
sun,
the West,
Speaks the same voice and sinks to
No
rest;
sad defect, no flaw to shame
The framer and the
builder's fame.
Beneath the dewy night, the sky Lights up ten thousand lamps on high
Ten thousand lamps unite to name
The framer and the
builder's fame.
—
;
;
LAST WORD.
199
Perfect in line, exact in square,
These Ashlars of the Craftsmen
They
will to
are,
coming time proclaim
The framer and the
builder's fame.
«&* fast, fast Moti. There is no form of prayer in which so much pathos and affectionate yearnings can be conveyed, as the expression " farewell." The following
accompanied in the recitation with appropriate cere-
is
The
last, last
The very
word
—oh —fare well. let it tell,
soul of love
Fare well
store-
in heart, in health, in
—in coming in
In going out
Show
oh Father,
us,
all
Benign
!
May man's respect, and woman's smile, And childhood's prattle to beguile, Be
By
be yours forever more
yours,
!
every impulse that can swell
The loving
heart,
Fare well
fare well, fare well
—the lights grow dim—the tear
Lingers and sparkles in the eye "
So mote
it
Winged on
!
be " I faintly hear,
the breath of answering sigh
" !
;;
THE LAST, LAST "WORD.
200
It is the voice of
And
of a
tells
sympathy,
Fraternal Tie
Once, twice, and thrice about us wound,
When
We
first
on Consecrated ground
walked the dark mysterious round
By
all
the secrets
doth
it
tell
Of Bonds and Links, and Love, fare well
Fare well
—what other word besides
Conveys the
spirit
of God's Word,
Around, above, beneath whose
We
Had
I the
Of I
Signs,
hand expert can
and
grips,
tell
and Mystic way,
could but say, but say fare
could but say " May
By me should
I e'er
And my choked
How weak Then
And
let
!
tongue with power to say
All that the
I
lids,
wove the Indissoluble Cord
God
well
!
do
thus
prove untrue
!
utterance would prove
are words to tell
the hand speak
my
what
love.
it
should
will to witness noblest things
The bounding Heart responds and brings Its
godlike powers to compass good
The answering Heavens admit the plea
And vouch Angels
my
And God
a present
Deity
!
loving wishes swell,
himself proclaims
fare well
!
!
