Sermon

his faith . Roman and Greek knew of no such doctrine ; the military ardour of the one and the refined philosophy of the other recognised no such fellowship with the people of other kindreds and tongues . This great commandment is one given to us directly by the great God Himself ; it

belongs to no subtle theism , it is the result of no Judaic derivation . Love began with man when he lay a babe upon his mother ' s lap , and as he has journeyed onward through life , at evening tide , when the day ' s toil has been done , in gratitude and in love he has pitched his tent a day ' s march nearer God . Now , I greatly fear , that one of the worst deformities of the

world m which we live is its want of charity . Not , I mean , in any remissness in blazing abroad what it does in the form of subscription lists ; or in letting the left hand know ivhat the ri ght hand does ; but there is a want of charity of heart , there is a lack of the hearty sympathy of men

tenderly affectioned for all estates , conditions , and qualities of their fellow men who cry to them for succour ; sympathy , which is thoroughly in harmony with the words of my text , and which knows no reservations or qualifications . When a fellow man stands before us needy and destitute , my text teaches us that he puts forth as a man the holiest claim to our

consideration which human language can express . He stands before us , our brother ; we see him , our brother , and if we love him not , if we have no bowels of compassion for him , though we make great professions that we love God and offer up long prayerswe are liars ; for if we love

, not this brother whom we do see , how can we love God whom we have not seen ? The fundamental principle of all true religion , as is also the foundation stone on which the fair temple of the Craft has been erected is charity . For ever lovely

in itself , it is one of the bri ghtest gems that can adorn our Masonic profession . It is the best test and sweetest proof of the sincerity of our religion . Benevolence , attended by Heaven-born charit y , is an honour to a nation whence it springs

, is nourished and cherished . Happy is the man who has sown in his breast the seeds of benevolence , he envieth not his neighbour , he believes not a tale when told by a slanderer . And as we are brethren , let us

be ever ready to listen to him that eraveth our assistance , and from him who is in want let us not withold a liberal hand . The commandment , " Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself , " sounds in our ears the holiest strain which can touch mortal earsthan which not all the choir of

, heaven can tune their golden harps to more exalted accents ; that neighbour is a man , thy brother . In ancient Rome a being stood helpless and alone in the midst of the great amphitheatre , surrounded by the Senate , the patricians , the flower of the

Roman youth , the heroes , and the orators of the eternal city . Appeal he had none , but he raised his hand aloft and cried , " I am a Roman citizen , " and straightway the assembled multitude rose as one man aud the blue vault above echoed the shout of sympathy , which like a nation ' s anthem ,

rose to heaven . So shall it be with us . The stranger , naked , hungry , and destitute , may have no ajipeal to make to us while he stands in the midst of the great theatre of life , but when he lifts his helpless and beseeching hands to us , he is a liar who says" I love Godbut love not thee as my

, , brother also . " And let me also point out to you that the Great Apostle lays down a rule for our exercise of Christian sympathy , when He takes that broad line of charity , "Let us do good unto all men , and especially unto them that are of the

household of faith . " The principle here involved is just that which lies at the door of our entrance into Lodge , and which is of the very essence of masonic ethics . We do not allow our charity to be circumscribed or cut of by religious prejudice . No doubt it costs a conscientious man a

hard struggle to triumph over such feelings , to conquer them , to crush them , and whatever be his own convictions , to compel himself to look with kindliness upon others no matter what their religious professions or beliefs may be . But when I see so much narrowness among those who profess

the purest religion , I remember that Jesus Christ , the greatest ethical Teacher , claimed the love of brotherhood , even for a stranger ; and the stranger , the outcast , and the man who had denied God His due , is our brother still ; his claim is still holy , still to be allowed . Jeremy Taylor quotes a traditional stoiy respecting the jiatriareh Abraham , which very strongly enforces the