A Lecture On Temperance.

one will scorn to speak to the other—will pass by him with disgust and loathing ; while to eat or drink with him , is to be shunned by all relatives and friends in this world , and to be eternally damned in the world to come . The two are not to be

admitted together in the presence of that great God who is the Almighty Creator of both ; These violently opposed men no sooner enter a Masonic Lodge than new feelings fill their breasts , driving out all malice and hatred , and filling them with

love and affection for one another , causing them to join together in acts to promote God ' s glory and the happiness of their fellow man of every nation , and of every creed . And as God is a God of love , and has commanded us " to do unto others

as we would be done by , " must nob such a society be pleasing to him , the God of all;—and what are these feelings that have arisen in their hearts ? —these new feelings to them ? They are feelings too full of love and real happiness to be well

explained . They can only be felt ; and then afford an indescribable pleasure . They have caused them to form a binding and lasting friendship of Avhich they are each proud—proud of that friendship that has formed an indissoluble tie , that has

changed mortal enemies to loving brothers and true friends . Is this nothing ? Extend your thoughts . Think for one moment , that there is a society formed uniting the inhabitants of every part of the earth !

Uniting them in so close a bond of friendship that they consider each as a brother , and call one another by that endearing name!—that these people of the most opposite natures , religion , customs , and opinions , will lay aside all their prejudices and

feelings when once they join the society of Freemasonry , and not only love one another , but ivill aid each other to assist and befriend the poor and help less of every nation , religion , or sect , under the sun , and which but for this society Avould never

enter their heads or move their hearts ! This society is Masonry . This society is that body of which you are members , and which yourselves know denies membership to no true and good man , no matter ivhat his private opinions on

religion are , provided he believes in God and has love for his fellow man . His religious opinions we leave to God and his own conscience . God judges by the feelings of the heart , which no one but God can discern ; so no one is entitled to judge of his brother man , that is , of his religious feelings .

To a reflective mind , the usefulness of Masonry and its Avonderful poiver throughout every nation in the world in drawing together such opposite characters ivithin one bond of love and amity , is truly astounding , and goes far to prove our Order

the highest in the Avorld . By joining this Order , they all , of every creed , learn to practise a very social and moral virtue ; openiniug their hearts to all that is good , and closing them to all that is vicious or bad ; in short , to convert a bad heart

to a good one . To lead a man to practise virtue , truth , and morality , makes Masonry beyond all price ; for the schooling oneself to virtuous acts , benefits the man himself , his neighbour or brother man , and fills his house , his domestic and social duties with true and genuine happiness to himself

and others . And is not his example beneficial also to the outside ivorld ? Be assured more good s done by example , as sure as more evil by bad example , than comes to light . Joining Masonry , then , tends to enlighten the

mind and bring man nearer to his God . It is calculated to dispel all bitter feelings between man and man . All ill-feeling becomes changed , and instead of shunning a brother he seeks him , glad to sit near him , to take a firm grip of his

brother ' s hand , and vow eternal friendship and love , and to assist , support , and befriend each other , striving together in that great and grand aim of man , to glorify our Almighty God , Father , Creator , and Redeemer , and to love and benefit their felloiv-man . This is God's law . God looks

not to petty differences as to the mode of offering your hearts to Him ; but he looks to the state of your hearts thus offered . Our Order teaches you to purify your hearts , to render them fit for the reception of His love , It softens , too , the heart ;

it instils into it a gentleness ; for it tends to make you look with kindness and compassion on the smallest of Gnd ' s creatures , to hate cruelty , in the slightest form , to a creature that it has pleased God in his goodness to create .

But man is a selfish animal , and often looks no further than his OAVU tether . Did he do so , he would find much to respect in the faith of his brother . Your differences so vastly important to yourselves , are of no moment with Him who

is the Father of all . Many of these differences have been ordered by G-od himself , and are necessary to each according to his country , clime , and habits ; for according to these are his religious customs and observances ; those customs that are