{"newspaper_name": "Holly Springs gazette.", "edition": "01", "page": "p2", "byline": ""}
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OF. Mts9, before tae oytAsJe" "~ LA~


~ Springs. MISS, ." the "a"


Jnss.n0l5 Pxbished By Hot


ly Springs Lodge. No. 90.
-C6mpdnsonx, Brsthren. and fsaio'0- s''1e"''


The ,aidtSry lessons which memory
wo.ld teach sre 100 frequently neglected
c. ~. 8aI.,.;ye rounsels of hope. 10
,.,,,h .,4 r,sotood the cold reality OF the
o.st Ia less attractive than the ideal an'ici>


r.,;,ns of,he future. To correct this error


ir hnnan conduct nations and communi-


ti.. ba Wa selected some prominent event IN


their history as the subject of periodical les
tiyities. The past is thus vividly recalled,
and history becomes in our hands a lamp.


which casts a faithful ray into the dIm


misis OF futurity.


A. Mason,. we have this day assembled
10 commemorate the virtues and purity OF
one, who became the noblest patron OF our


Order. and whose elevation to that envied


distinction has ever been regarded as an


epoch In our history. 1t IS trde. that we


niobt b.v. selected, as the subject OF our


.,o;vaY.ar;es an event of still higher an


tioui,v The dim tracery of Masonic


r;ics and ceremonies, may be detected even


in the Patriarchal age,-may oe traced


through the Egyptian b5ndage.-and can


be found lingering througha considerable


neriod of the Jewish Dspe nsation. Its


present wonderful organization vas howev-


er reserved for that day. when Solomon


determined to build an house tor the name


of the Lord. and an house for his King.
dom.' Then was laid the deep and sys


tematic foundation Of our order, and as was


elevated the sacred Temple of Jehova, 50


was bailded in equal time. the gigantic su-


perstructure under which. we this day wor-
ship. The day which witnessed the cele-
bration of the Key Stone with shoutings
and great Joy. beheld also the completion of
our ancient Masonic edffice. The fun
meaning of our sacred mysteries was then
explained, and their Divine Author was


worshipped with pure hearts and clean
hands. Centuries had not impaired It's
beauties or destroyed its usefulness, when


an event occurred which called forth the re-
newed energies and determined efforts OF
every brother. ST. John the Baptist became
the patron and head Of our order. The
neekness and purity. the wisdom and zeal


which had enabled him TO prepare the


way for One mightier than he. eminently


qualified him for this elevated and distin-


guished station. To the contemplation of
this great event. the attention OF Masons OF
NIL nations, tongues and kindreds, is this
day solicited. Ii is no common ceremoui-
al. Ii looks not for its communicates to a
Kingdom or acontinent. but from every na
tion and people under Heaven. our brethren
of the mystic tie have. this day. assembled |
20 do homage 10 the virtues and purity of
him, who was the honored herald Of the |
Divine Messiah. 1t is no event of yester- |
day which has assembled US here. Re-
mote antiquity beheld il. and Nineteen GEN.
turies have established its claim to the ven
Grafton and regard Of mankind. The MAJ
sonic edifice has witnessed the sad decay |
which time has written upon all earthly |
mon uments, and yet that time has left no
impress on its marble brow. All earthly
have paled before il, aud it |
stands alone the solitary reiict of the nigh
~ past. The grave monarch oak which |
shadows your forest may claim with 1t an |
humble yet distant compa arison. Look at |
iIs rugged trunk and iron armsl Time |
has affixed its seal upon them. The mu- |
raj antiquities of the New World were ele |
waited at its base, and the race who erected |
them are forgotten in name. The gay
Cherokee once danced beneath its shade, |
the indoleni Chickasaw loiiered beneath its |
foliage. They have passed. and the Pale |
Face has swept steaithly by. IL is still |
the same. The frosts ofa thousand win. |
ters have withered its foliage, and the
breath ofa thousand springs. has revived |
ats beauty. Yet il stands The same stern |
mooarch oil the forest Its branches have /
Yielded food and nourishment for bird and |
beast, and its ample foliage has afforded to |
man, a secure retreat in the storm, and |
Sooling shade in the heat A thing to be |
blest is that old oak of the forestl Even
thus with our noble Institution. To the |
desolafe and oppressed. il has ever afforded |
u home, and to the intellectual has it ever
yielded rich mental repast. Ii is venera.
bic in aged greatness How desolate is
the ruin which il has Witnessed. King.
doms and Dynasties, PHILOSOPHERS and Re.
hgions have arisen and fallen around it
i hs beautiful and sublime OF art, the might
and force ofgenius have passed to the tomb
offorgetfulness. The messenger of Death.
has swept by. and from the fell desoIa,ion.
from the dread funeral pyre of much that
could be loved or hated from the dim mist
of past centuries, comes forth the genii oil
our order. IL comes not alone. Leaning
upon the arm of her lovelier and hoIier sis.
Ter. Christianity and Masonry come, the be-
ings OF past ages 10 dIssipate The sorrows ofI I
man. and ''woo him from earth's troubled
waters to purer spring. The path of
aither. has been ever too high and too mar {
row to suffer the companionship of error, Z
but from the low grounds of Ignorance and
prejudice. have been sped the shafts of bitter !
Think il not strange, Breth. &
ren. thatihey have encouptered the assaults l
,f malice AMI error and hatsod All :, ! 4