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  • April 17, 1897
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  • IN THIS SPIRIT LABOUR ON.
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The Freemason's Chronicle, April 17, 1897: Page 5

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In This Spirit Labour On.

spirit to see wherein man departs from the great wisdom of the ages . That thought of the democracy of spirit levels , within Masonry , all classes and conditions . All are alike before the Supreme —the Master and the Apprentice , he who sits in the flood of oriental light and he who gropes in darkness , he who wields the sceptre and he who obeys orders , he who commands and he

who toils . Banded and linked together by the power of that levelling principle , duty receives a different interpretation . There may be a palace for the one and a hovel for the other ; but the denizen of the palace must know the fate of him who dwells in the poor man ' s hut ; they are responsible to one another , for God has made them alike ; they share a common destiny * ,

both live , and both suffer , aud both , shall die , and both shall live again . Brethren , we are responsible to one another , and unless that link of responsibility holds us together , Masonry is not worth a thought . Rich and poor , learned and unlearned , strong and weak , high and low , these are the nomenclatures of life ' s battles , representing the victor and the conquered ,

the sound in body and the maimed ; we know them not in Masonry ; we are a democracy , standing before the Supreme Grand Master , girt with bufc one armament , uniform to all , the armament of virtue , of character , and of good deeds ! That is our creed . He who hath a better to offer , let him step forward and improve the ideal , which is the design of God Himself . And

now , sinoe we are thus constituted , with a firm belief in the justice of equality , we render no humiliating service to the families of our Brethren who have departed on their last journey—we do but honour ourselves , we do but justice to ourselves , when we provide this shelter for them . Charity is kind , but the word charitv is not so Masonic as the word justice . We do

justice to our orphans , to our widows , when we remove them into surroundings where they may witness the strength of our teachings ; it is justice to give them shelter , justice to clothe them , justice to educate , justice to love them ! If I could , I would remove the word charity from our vocabulary . Faith , Hope and Justice would suit me better . Justice interprets the

relations of man to man according to the design o £ law ; it imposes righteous duty , whereas in these modern times tne word charity is misconstrued as intending to place the poor and forlorn in the capacity of recipients , who with shamed face give thanks for the munificence that enables them fco live . That is not charity—it is rank injustice . Our charity , our justice , is nofc only kind , but it offers to the poor our gratitude for that we are enabled to

demonstrate the strength of our teachings . Our charity , our justice , is of that character that illustrates that all we are able to accomplish is not for our own glory . In our Masonic democracy , at least a part of our possessions actually belongs to our Brethren , and that is , or should he , the charity •without which there is neither faith nor hope 1 For such charity we need no thanks , for it is the tithe of the Mason to God whom He thanks for all His goodness and mercy I

In this spirit , Brethren , let us labour on , illustrating to the world fche glorious fact that Masonry weakens and finally eradicates the selfishness of human nature . We stand on the threshing floor ; but the harvest is nofc yet complete . Much remains to be done ; much faithful toil is yet to be expended . But the goal is in sight—the "beginning of the end has approached .

In our imagination the walls of this glorious monument are raised * , in our hearts are already resounding the benedictions that here shall fall from praying lips . From whose lips 1 From those homeless ones who here shall find a home ; from those bereaved ones who here shall find their friends ; from those fatherless children who here shall recover their parents and

protectors . Ah , Brethren , may God be thanked for the impulse that brings such labour fco fruition ; may the Master of us all be praised for fche seed p lanted in these sunny hills 1 For the work is unselfish , it is God ' s work . Nothing can be compared to such evidence of loving kindness . Men erect monuments to commemorate or perpetuate various phases of usefulness ,

Here stands a university , there a chapel , over yonder the arts claim their asylum and science has her temple . But everywhere man , more or less , strives for himself and to some degree perpetuates the warfare of mankind against itself . Here alone—here alone none but the Creator can profit Here alone—here alone , Brethren , the suspicion of selfishness fades before

the bright star of hope and faith that rises upon these hills . Here the tenderest sentiments of humanity shall find rich illustration , and the atmosphere shall not be tainted with the impure motive of everyone for himself . Here shall rise a temple of humanity , and every Mason a priest therein ; here shall rise an altar of love , and its censers swung by grateful

women and happy children , from whose lives we shall have removed the bitterness that prevented them from seeing the good in man that comes from God . Think you the labour is worthy of the illustrious Order which claims our allegiance ? If so , continue to strengthen our hands . You must find the means to prosecute this great work to its consummation . Your

intelligent legislation must devise permanent provision for the Home to be erected here . Your personal contribution , in money , is needed and desired . For love is a great , good thing ; but starving love , helpless love , motiveless love , is little more than a name , little more than a fancy , which hath a trick of self-deception , and in the end means nothing whatever . Our charity and

love are , must be , evidenced in the material support we shall give this institution . Now that we have begun in earnest , the consummation rests with you ; on you the obligation to permit the workmen no rest until , like the glorious temple of old , it shall rise in majesty , a lasting monument to

the Masonry of California . Brethren , heed this advice . The Mason ' s love is substantial , not theoretical ; his charity is continuous , not sporadic ; his affections are tireless , for beneath them all rests , as a strong and safe basis , his sense of duty that tells him that this work is right—and that right must live and prosper and succeed . .

In This Spirit Labour On.

The consecration of this corner-stone , Brethren , emphasises once more the Mason's duty to the state and to the Fraternity which honours him by elevating him to its service . To the state first , nofc last , for the Mason's loyalty to the dictates of honour and manhood is but an illustration of that allegiance he owes to his country . Our beloved who here shall find their

abiding place , will be taught that the Mason ' s greatest honour consists in serving God and his country . To make men good Masons they must be taught to become good citizens . That humanity that knows no class nor condition , that sense of equality that looks beneath the artificial divisions of mankind , that cosmopolitanism that is identical with Masonry , these also

will be taught to the flock , who from this hallowed spot may graduate themselves to become leaders of men . Therefore , Brethren , our duty first to California , mother of us all 1 Our duty to the noble state , redeemed from craft ignoble , whose fostering hand raises the manhood of our children ' Our love to the glorious , sun-kissed land , the cradle of honourable enterprises

and of the Fraternity that makes all men kindred indeed ! Long may she prevail , the noble mother , proudest and fairest among her sisters , who compose the holy band of priestesses in the temple of liberty , equality , and fraternity I Beneath the hallowed pennant of the bear , and the greater flag of America ' s united sovereignties , may this Masonic enterprise come to

glorious fruition , and this corner-stone prove as firm as the eternal rocks ' gainst which the storm-laden waves of adversity dash in vain ! And now , all hail to the Grand Lodge of California , mother of noble institutions , protectress of honourable enterprises , sacred teacher of our Masonic manhood All hail to the venerable exponent of Masonry in California , beneath whose

protecting hand we are permitted to consecrate this pile to humanity ! In it the traditions of Masonry live again . Called into life in the days of gold , its wisdom sought permanence ' midst the coming and going of gold-loving wayfarers , and secured a home for Masonic teachings on the Western shore ; its strength supported its young apprentices until they became Masters whom

California did and does delight to honour ; and its beauty attracted the noble youth , whom ifc taught the grand lessons of Speculative Masonry . And these lessons , are they really the esoteric knowledge the world may not know ? Two words constitute both its ritual and its philosophy . To the Mason the Delphic oracle contained no mystery . Know thyself . That is the sum of our teachings . Knowing is acting , doing . Therefore we give honour to our

Fraternity , our Grand Lodge , the venerable and worshipful Brethren who constitute its leaders and teachers , for that we are permitted , under Heaven ' s blessing , to illustrate our self-knowledge by an " act of unselfishness thafc shall redound not to our glory , but to tbe glory of Him whom Masons worship—the Supreme Architect , to whose divine care we commit the designs of our architects , the labour of our Grafts , and the success of this noble enterprise . — " Voice of Masonry . "

Ad00502

GAIETYEESTAURANT,STIEo ^ JtTID . LUNCHEONS ( HOT and GOLD)—At Popular Prices , in BUFFET and EESTAUEANT . ( on 1 st floor ) . Also Chops , Steaks , Joints , Entrees , & c , in the GEILL EOOM . AFTERNOON TEAConsisting of Tea or Coffee , Cut Bread and Butter , Jam , Cake , Pastry , ad lib , at 1 / - per head ; served from 4 till 6 in EESTAUEANT ( 1 st floor ) . DINNERS IN RESTAURANTFrom 5 * 30 till 9 at Fixed Prices ( 3 / 6 and 5 / - ) aud a la Carte . In this room the Viennese Band performs from 6 till 8 . Smoking after 7 * 45 . AMERICANBAR.THE GRILL ROOM is open till 12 * 30 . PRIVATE DBTCM ROOMS POR LARUE AUD SMALL PAETIES . SPIERS AND POXTD , Ltd ., Proprietors .

“The Freemason's Chronicle: 1897-04-17, Page 5” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 5 Aug. 2025, django:8000/periodicals/fcn/issues/fcn_17041897/page/5/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
OUTSIDE GHARITY APPEALS. Article 1
MASONIC JUBILEE HONOURS. Article 1
DEVON EDUCATIONAL FUND. Article 1
ROYAL ARCH. Article 1
THE GRAND MASTER'S HOSPITAL FUND. Article 2
GLEANINGS. Article 2
CONSECRATIONS. Article 3
LISCARD LODGE. Article 3
"A SPRIG OF ACACIA." Article 3
VISITORS. Article 4
IN THIS SPIRIT LABOUR ON. Article 4
Untitled Ad 5
Untitled Ad 6
Untitled Ad 6
Untitled Ad 6
Untitled Ad 6
Untitled Ad 6
Untitled Ad 6
Untitled Ad 6
Untitled Ad 6
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Untitled Ad 6
Untitled Ad 6
Untitled Ad 6
Untitled Ad 7
Untitled Ad 7
Untitled Article 7
ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOB GIRLS. Article 7
ROYAL MASONIC INSTITUTION FOR BOYS. Article 7
ORDER OF THE TEMPLE. Article 7
CORR ESPONDENCE. Article 8
A GOOD MASTER. Article 8
MASONRY. Article 8
TEMPORA MUTAUTUR. Article 8
REPORTS OF MEETINGS. Article 9
Untitled Ad 10
LODGE MEETINGS NEXT WEEK. Article 11
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The Theatres, &c. Article 12
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

In This Spirit Labour On.

spirit to see wherein man departs from the great wisdom of the ages . That thought of the democracy of spirit levels , within Masonry , all classes and conditions . All are alike before the Supreme —the Master and the Apprentice , he who sits in the flood of oriental light and he who gropes in darkness , he who wields the sceptre and he who obeys orders , he who commands and he

who toils . Banded and linked together by the power of that levelling principle , duty receives a different interpretation . There may be a palace for the one and a hovel for the other ; but the denizen of the palace must know the fate of him who dwells in the poor man ' s hut ; they are responsible to one another , for God has made them alike ; they share a common destiny * ,

both live , and both suffer , aud both , shall die , and both shall live again . Brethren , we are responsible to one another , and unless that link of responsibility holds us together , Masonry is not worth a thought . Rich and poor , learned and unlearned , strong and weak , high and low , these are the nomenclatures of life ' s battles , representing the victor and the conquered ,

the sound in body and the maimed ; we know them not in Masonry ; we are a democracy , standing before the Supreme Grand Master , girt with bufc one armament , uniform to all , the armament of virtue , of character , and of good deeds ! That is our creed . He who hath a better to offer , let him step forward and improve the ideal , which is the design of God Himself . And

now , sinoe we are thus constituted , with a firm belief in the justice of equality , we render no humiliating service to the families of our Brethren who have departed on their last journey—we do but honour ourselves , we do but justice to ourselves , when we provide this shelter for them . Charity is kind , but the word charitv is not so Masonic as the word justice . We do

justice to our orphans , to our widows , when we remove them into surroundings where they may witness the strength of our teachings ; it is justice to give them shelter , justice to clothe them , justice to educate , justice to love them ! If I could , I would remove the word charity from our vocabulary . Faith , Hope and Justice would suit me better . Justice interprets the

relations of man to man according to the design o £ law ; it imposes righteous duty , whereas in these modern times tne word charity is misconstrued as intending to place the poor and forlorn in the capacity of recipients , who with shamed face give thanks for the munificence that enables them fco live . That is not charity—it is rank injustice . Our charity , our justice , is nofc only kind , but it offers to the poor our gratitude for that we are enabled to

demonstrate the strength of our teachings . Our charity , our justice , is of that character that illustrates that all we are able to accomplish is not for our own glory . In our Masonic democracy , at least a part of our possessions actually belongs to our Brethren , and that is , or should he , the charity •without which there is neither faith nor hope 1 For such charity we need no thanks , for it is the tithe of the Mason to God whom He thanks for all His goodness and mercy I

In this spirit , Brethren , let us labour on , illustrating to the world fche glorious fact that Masonry weakens and finally eradicates the selfishness of human nature . We stand on the threshing floor ; but the harvest is nofc yet complete . Much remains to be done ; much faithful toil is yet to be expended . But the goal is in sight—the "beginning of the end has approached .

In our imagination the walls of this glorious monument are raised * , in our hearts are already resounding the benedictions that here shall fall from praying lips . From whose lips 1 From those homeless ones who here shall find a home ; from those bereaved ones who here shall find their friends ; from those fatherless children who here shall recover their parents and

protectors . Ah , Brethren , may God be thanked for the impulse that brings such labour fco fruition ; may the Master of us all be praised for fche seed p lanted in these sunny hills 1 For the work is unselfish , it is God ' s work . Nothing can be compared to such evidence of loving kindness . Men erect monuments to commemorate or perpetuate various phases of usefulness ,

Here stands a university , there a chapel , over yonder the arts claim their asylum and science has her temple . But everywhere man , more or less , strives for himself and to some degree perpetuates the warfare of mankind against itself . Here alone—here alone none but the Creator can profit Here alone—here alone , Brethren , the suspicion of selfishness fades before

the bright star of hope and faith that rises upon these hills . Here the tenderest sentiments of humanity shall find rich illustration , and the atmosphere shall not be tainted with the impure motive of everyone for himself . Here shall rise a temple of humanity , and every Mason a priest therein ; here shall rise an altar of love , and its censers swung by grateful

women and happy children , from whose lives we shall have removed the bitterness that prevented them from seeing the good in man that comes from God . Think you the labour is worthy of the illustrious Order which claims our allegiance ? If so , continue to strengthen our hands . You must find the means to prosecute this great work to its consummation . Your

intelligent legislation must devise permanent provision for the Home to be erected here . Your personal contribution , in money , is needed and desired . For love is a great , good thing ; but starving love , helpless love , motiveless love , is little more than a name , little more than a fancy , which hath a trick of self-deception , and in the end means nothing whatever . Our charity and

love are , must be , evidenced in the material support we shall give this institution . Now that we have begun in earnest , the consummation rests with you ; on you the obligation to permit the workmen no rest until , like the glorious temple of old , it shall rise in majesty , a lasting monument to

the Masonry of California . Brethren , heed this advice . The Mason ' s love is substantial , not theoretical ; his charity is continuous , not sporadic ; his affections are tireless , for beneath them all rests , as a strong and safe basis , his sense of duty that tells him that this work is right—and that right must live and prosper and succeed . .

In This Spirit Labour On.

The consecration of this corner-stone , Brethren , emphasises once more the Mason's duty to the state and to the Fraternity which honours him by elevating him to its service . To the state first , nofc last , for the Mason's loyalty to the dictates of honour and manhood is but an illustration of that allegiance he owes to his country . Our beloved who here shall find their

abiding place , will be taught that the Mason ' s greatest honour consists in serving God and his country . To make men good Masons they must be taught to become good citizens . That humanity that knows no class nor condition , that sense of equality that looks beneath the artificial divisions of mankind , that cosmopolitanism that is identical with Masonry , these also

will be taught to the flock , who from this hallowed spot may graduate themselves to become leaders of men . Therefore , Brethren , our duty first to California , mother of us all 1 Our duty to the noble state , redeemed from craft ignoble , whose fostering hand raises the manhood of our children ' Our love to the glorious , sun-kissed land , the cradle of honourable enterprises

and of the Fraternity that makes all men kindred indeed ! Long may she prevail , the noble mother , proudest and fairest among her sisters , who compose the holy band of priestesses in the temple of liberty , equality , and fraternity I Beneath the hallowed pennant of the bear , and the greater flag of America ' s united sovereignties , may this Masonic enterprise come to

glorious fruition , and this corner-stone prove as firm as the eternal rocks ' gainst which the storm-laden waves of adversity dash in vain ! And now , all hail to the Grand Lodge of California , mother of noble institutions , protectress of honourable enterprises , sacred teacher of our Masonic manhood All hail to the venerable exponent of Masonry in California , beneath whose

protecting hand we are permitted to consecrate this pile to humanity ! In it the traditions of Masonry live again . Called into life in the days of gold , its wisdom sought permanence ' midst the coming and going of gold-loving wayfarers , and secured a home for Masonic teachings on the Western shore ; its strength supported its young apprentices until they became Masters whom

California did and does delight to honour ; and its beauty attracted the noble youth , whom ifc taught the grand lessons of Speculative Masonry . And these lessons , are they really the esoteric knowledge the world may not know ? Two words constitute both its ritual and its philosophy . To the Mason the Delphic oracle contained no mystery . Know thyself . That is the sum of our teachings . Knowing is acting , doing . Therefore we give honour to our

Fraternity , our Grand Lodge , the venerable and worshipful Brethren who constitute its leaders and teachers , for that we are permitted , under Heaven ' s blessing , to illustrate our self-knowledge by an " act of unselfishness thafc shall redound not to our glory , but to tbe glory of Him whom Masons worship—the Supreme Architect , to whose divine care we commit the designs of our architects , the labour of our Grafts , and the success of this noble enterprise . — " Voice of Masonry . "

Ad00502

GAIETYEESTAURANT,STIEo ^ JtTID . LUNCHEONS ( HOT and GOLD)—At Popular Prices , in BUFFET and EESTAUEANT . ( on 1 st floor ) . Also Chops , Steaks , Joints , Entrees , & c , in the GEILL EOOM . AFTERNOON TEAConsisting of Tea or Coffee , Cut Bread and Butter , Jam , Cake , Pastry , ad lib , at 1 / - per head ; served from 4 till 6 in EESTAUEANT ( 1 st floor ) . DINNERS IN RESTAURANTFrom 5 * 30 till 9 at Fixed Prices ( 3 / 6 and 5 / - ) aud a la Carte . In this room the Viennese Band performs from 6 till 8 . Smoking after 7 * 45 . AMERICANBAR.THE GRILL ROOM is open till 12 * 30 . PRIVATE DBTCM ROOMS POR LARUE AUD SMALL PAETIES . SPIERS AND POXTD , Ltd ., Proprietors .

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