Oration, By S. C. Dennison, Of Sacramento.

fraternal love , sympathy , faith , hope , charity , and nobleness of purpose . If we go forth clad in the armour of justice , crowned with tbe helmet of reason , protected by the shield of personal purity , armed with the SAVOI-CI of truth , and

inspired Avith an unfaltering determination to purify the world , Ave shall not entirely fail . We must stand before mankind characterized by the virtues Avhich we profess to teach , and it should be notorious to

tbe profane world that to be a Mason is to be a good and upright man . Each individual Mason should so live and act , that all his nei ghbours and acquaintances shall respect him for his sterling virtues , his integrity , moderation , and Avisdom ,

and look to him for aid , comfort , advice , and example . As neighbours ive must be just and liberal ; as husbands , kind , devoted , true , and affectionate ; as parents , circumspect , genialand open-hearted ; as

citi-, zens , loyal ancl punctual ; and as Masons , true to our tenets , ancl strict in observance of our ancient charges . Being thus enabled to Avield that salutary influence Avhich eA'ery leading citizen should exert over his immediate friends

and associates , the minds of these Avould yield to the influence and become assimilated to his in habits of -thought and action .

Thus Avill the moral sense of each family and social circle be eleA-ated , the sense of justice sharpened , and correct habits of thought ancl reasoning engendered . Each individual member of the State

AAall thus become an independent poAver for good , ancl the constant tendency will be to cast off trom society all that is vicious and detrimental to advancement , as Avell as every obstacle that impedes the progress of the sublime philosophy of the moral ancl political economy .

The ignorant must be instructed , the morally weak encouraged ancl strengthened , the evil-disposed admonished , cautioned , ancl curbed , ancl above all , the high ancl IOAV , rich and poor , educated and unlettered , must be brought to a realization of the

supreme importance of a strict observance of the command , " Do unto others as ye Avould that they should do unto you . " It should be the constant care of every good man , and particularly of every Mason ,

to positively discourage crime at every stage , from incipieiicy to final culmination , ancl encourage an eleA'ated and jealous regard for every law of the land . The thoughtless ancl careless should be brought to realize that the only route to individual happiness and national stability is along

the pathway of dignified and virtuous citizenship . There is too great a tendency in the public mind to excuse and palliate transgressions of the laws ; ancl Avbile this disposition is founded in a great measure

upon the virtue of charity , crudely existing in the hearts of the people , it too often exceeds all reasonable bounds , and degenerates that priceless virtue into a morbid sentimentalism .

It is not enough that we proclaim and recommend the inculcation of the excellent virtues espoused by our order ; we must educate the public mind to a just realization of , and a nice distinction betAveen those virtues . Undeserved or applied mercy in Aveighing the guilt of men , is quite as detrimental to the Avell-bein < r of the

body politic , as the fierce application and enforcement of the arbituary will of a Jeffreys . To each person in his indfvidiial capacity is due a truly merciful consideration in weighing his guilt Avhen accused ; but to the thousands who never trespass across

the bound of legal right , and to those who by warning might be restrained Avithin the line of duty , is due the higher obligation of a firm ancl undeviating application of the square of Justice . The mind of the community must be elevated to that standard Avhich froAvns on

crime ancl injustice , and exacts a strict observance of every laAV , Avritten or un-Avritten , by meeting out to every crime committed its merited penalty , regardless of the Avealth or position of the criminal . From him AVIIO violates a public trust must be AvithdraAvn the respect ancl

recognition of honest men , that his name may become infamous and a terrible warning given to others . It is a matter of shame and disgrace upon the intelligence of the age in which Ave livethat it should even be surmised

, that the Avealtliy criminal may easily evade the penalties of the laAV ; and upon us , as the vanguard of moral reform , rests the duty of eradicating from the public mind