Masonry In America.

of Jesus of Nazareth , whose peculiar precepts , as Ii C . Masons , we hold in great veneration . " The beauty and solemnity of this branch of the Masonie Order needs from me no eulogy . AVith its valuable ancl impressive lessons 3-011 are nil familiar from the degree of Secret Master ( 1 ° ) to that of Sublime Prince of Boyal Secret ( 32 ° ) . The Scottish rife teaches us the great lessons of secrecy , obedience , liberty of conscience , and fraternity in its broadest Masonic interpretation . As we advance in the order

, we find our duties increased , and step by step the weak points in man , those in which lie is most likely to err , are presented to his view , and he is reminded of his duties every time more forcibly . Thus he advances to the sixteenth degree or Prince of Jerusalem , to which point the most scrupulous rabbinical Jew can , with perfect safety to his conscience , proceed . In all those degrees he finds the God of his fathers , the omnipotent Jehovah , tbegreailAm , who rescued his forefathers from the bondage of the Egyptian and Bablonianto be there the great type in

y , each degree—the great foundation stone of that branch of the Order . There he finds divinity in every word , every act poiuting to him as the great Creator and Lawgi rer , who amidst thundering ^ and lightnings from Sinai ' s awful summit promulgated those commandments which have been tho great groundwork of law iu every land . All nations and creeds recognise that decalogue in some shape or form , aud on its requirements have all civilized governments been enabled to protect the weak against the strong , the oppressed against tho oppressor , and while it declares

Masonry to be a worship , still it does uot interfere or meddle in any way with anv particular doctrine of religion or politics . It labours to improve men ' s minds by warming their hearts and teaching thern to triumph over their passions , abhor vice ancl practice fraternity . " It is tiie universal religion such as God planted in the human heart . Our brethren are its ministers , if they are not they should bo devoted to it . Its offerings are not tho blood of lambs or of he-goats but good works . Our rite teaches the two great tenets that make all true religion—love of God and of our neighbour . It

teaches us love and not hate , charity and not revenge , and that ive are to make honom- ancl duty the beacon light to guide us over life ' s stormy seas , ancl look upon death with as much calmness as we would hear its story . " Our Jewish brethren may stop here , for here ceases that portion especially connected with the chosen people of God and the old law , and we are now bein <* ushered into a new era hi tho world ' s history , that great event which was first announced , not hy the heralds of the government proclaiming Hie birth of a princebut was first communicated by the angels and angelic host to the liumblo

, shepherds as thoy watched their flocks by night on the plains of Bethlehem proclaiming the birth of Him who was coming to teach a new doctrine , to do anay with old forms and ceremonies and teach that new commandment , "Love one another ; " the Messiah , prince of the houso of David—not surrounded by pomp ancl pageantry , but bom in tho manger of a small country village inn . He , my brethren , was destined to be the herald of universal toleration , that toleration which Scottish Masonry endeavours to inculcate . He was the advocate of libert

y , equality , and fraternity , and in his life and practice endeavoured to show forth what ho taught . Those teachings each of us must apply to our own creed and faith . AVith their special interpretations wo have nothing to do , each interprets them for himself and none other ; for in no other way could our order possess its character of universality which has ever been peculiar to it from its ori gin , and which enabled two kings , worshippers of different deities , to sit together as Grand Masters while the walls of the first temple arose and the men of Gabel bowing

down to the Phcenician gods , to work by the side of the Hebrews to whom those gods were an abomination , and even sit with them as brethren . * * * " The primitive men met in no temples made with human hands ' God dwolleth not in temples made with hands , ' said St . Stephen . In the open air , under tho overarching sky , in the great world temple , they uttered their vows and thanksgivings and adored the God of Light—of that light ivhich was to them the type of good , as darkness was of evil . "From the earliest ages all believed in a Mure state , to be attained only by 4 ; G a