Part 12 (2/2)

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Truly, the very existence of such a great historic fellowshi+p in the quest and service of the Ideal is a fact eloquent beyond all words, and to be counted a one vast society of free ations, it covers the whole globe froland, from America to Australia, and the isles of the sea; froo to Calcutta In all civilized lands, and a folk of every creed worthy of the name, Masonry is found--and everywhere it upholds all the redees better by its presence, like a strea a meadow[161] Also, wherever Masonry flourishes and is allowed to build freely after its divine design, liberty, justice, education, and true religion flourish; and where it is hindered, they suffer Indeed, he ould reckon the spiritual possessions of the race, and estireatness, and huenius of Masonry and its her life of the race

Small wonder that such an order has won to its fellowshi+p ht and action in many lands, and every walk and work of life: soldiers like Wellington, Blucher, and Garibaldi; philosophers like Krause, Fichte, and John Locke; patriots like Washi+ngton and Mazzini; writers like Walter Scott, Voltaire, Steele, Lessing, Tolstoi; poets like Goethe, Burns, Byron, Kipling, Pike; ic Flute_, has a Masonic motif; masters of drama like Forrest and Edwin Booth; editors such as Bowles, Prentice, Childs, Grady; ministers of many communions, from Bishop Potter to Robert Collyer; statesmen, philanthropists, educators, jurists, men of science--Masons reat world's crown of intellectual and spiritual glory What other order has ever brought together , interest, and achieve them at an altar of prayer in the worshi+p of God and the service of man?

For the rest, if by some art one could trace those invisible influences whichthe network of laws, reverences, sanctities whichto statutes their dignity and power, to the gospel its opportunity, to the ho an enshrinement of inspiration, and to the old a ht tell the true story of Masonry Older than any living religion, the most widespread of all orders of hteousness; bindingthem upon the only basis upon which they can laciers, along which sunbea it to the valleys below in strea Other fibers are there, but none is , none ht than the mystical tie of Masonic love

Truth will triun from sun to sun, victorious over cruelty and evil Finally Love will rule the race, casting out fear, hatred, and all unkindness, and pity will heal the old hurt and heart-ache of huainst the ultimate fulfilment of the prophetic vision of Robert Burns--the Poet Laureate of Masonry:

/P Then let us pray, that come it may-- As come it will, for a' that--

That man to man, the world o'er Shall brothers be, for a' that

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FOOTNOTES:

[133] Operative Masonry, it should be remembered, was not entirely dead, nor did it all at once disappear Indeed, it still exists in sorees, syes, and traditions may be found in an article on ”Operative Masonry,” by CE Stretton (_Transactions Leicester Lodge of Research_, 1909-10, 1911-12) The second of these volumes also contains an essay on ”Operative Free-es, and a study of their history, customs, and emblems--especially the Swastika Speculative Masons are now said to be joining these Operative Lodges, seeking ht on what are called the Lost Syes of Ireland and Scotland, it may be added, were self-constituted, without assistance or intervention fro Lodge initiated Frederick--afterwards Frederick the Great of Prussia--into the order of Masons at Brunswick, August 14, 1738 (_Frederick and his Times_, by Campbell, _History of Frederick_, by Carlyle, Findel's _History of Masonry_) Other nobleave a new date to the history of Masonry in Germany When Frederick ascended the throne, in 1740, the Craft was honored, and it flourished in his kingdom As to the interest of Frederick in the order in his later years, the facts are not clear, but that he remained its friend seems certain (Mackey, _Encyclopedia_) However, the Craft underwent many vicissitudes in Germany, a detailed account of which Findel recites (_History of Masonry_) Few realize through what frightful persecutions Masonry has passed in er part to its principle of civil and religious liberty Whenever that story is told, as it surely will be, e to the Ancient Free and Accepted Masons as friends of mankind

[136] This letter was the property of Horace W Smith, Philadelphia

John Moore was the father of Williahter became the wife of Provost Smith, as a Mason in 1775, and afterward Grand Secretary of the Grand Lodge of Pennsylvania, and whose son was Grand Master of Masons in Pennsylvania in 1796 and 1797 (_History of Freehan and Stillson)

[137] _Ibid_, chapter on ”Early American Masonic History”

[138] _Benjah, there is no raphy_, or in any of his letters, with but two exceptions, so far as knohich is the more re the later years of his life, where he was actively and intiher degrees Never for a day did he abate by one jot his interest in the order, or his love for it

[139] This injunction wasin the edition of the _Book of Constitutions_, in 1738 For exaion or politics must by any ht within the door of the Lodge

Masons being of all nations upon the square, level and pluainst political disputes,” etc

[140] Masons have sometimes been absurdly called ”Protestant Jesuits,”

but the two orders are exactly opposite in spirit, principle, purpose, and method All that they have in common is that they are both _secret_ societies, which makes it plain that the opposition of the Latin church to Masonry is not on the ground of its being a secret order, else why sanction the Jesuits, to name no other? The difference has been stated in this way: ”Opposite poles these two societies are, for each possesses precisely those qualities which the other lacks The Jesuits are strongly centralized, the Freemasons only confederated Jesuits are controlled by one man's will, Freemasons are under majority rule

Jesuits bottoard for the well-being of nize only one creed, Freemasons hold in respect all honest convictions Jesuits seek to break down individual independence, Freemasons to build it up” (_Mysteria_, by Otto Henne Am Rhyn)

[141] For a detailed account of the Duke of Wharton and the true history of the Gorons, see an essay by RF Gould, in his ”Masonic Celebrities” series (_A Q C_, viii, 144), and s of Philip, Duke of Wharton_, by Lewis Melville

[142] Findel has a nobly eloquent passage on this point, and it tells the everlasting truth (_History of Masonry_, p 378) His whole history, indeed, is exceedingly worth reading, the ht kind, and it stimulated research

[143] A paper entitled ”An Unrecorded Grand Lodge,” by Sadler (_A Q

C_, vol xviii, 69-90), tells practically all that is known of this e of London in 1776