Leander Ker

“ And to illustrate and enforce this great truth, let me refer you to the Bible—the Mason’s chart and guide; who, of all the sinful race of a fallen world, would have loved God, if He had not first loved us.
And now, brethren, may the Hall we dedicate to-day, be, while it stands, exclusively sacred and devoted to these great principles of charity,—brotherly kindness and truth. These are the pillars of Masonry, of christianity, and of the universe. Let no bigotry enter here. Let no sectionalism, political or religious, disturb the peaceful sanctity of your Hall. ”

“ The true meaning of the original, is a guide, a counsellor to man, that is, by her love and devotion, her gentleness and virtue, she should cheer, guide and counsel him. But when woman forsakes and forgets these; when in her ambition for a higher position, she looks upon this station, and these qualities and duties, as unworthy her, and her “strong mind”, then she loses all that power and influence that charm and captivate heart, mind and soul; that rainbow of heavenly purity and divinity that like an arch of faith, hope and love enshrines every good and lovely woman. ”

“ It regards alike all subjects beneath its control and power—pomp, and titles, and grandeur, wealth and fame, have in themselves no attractions for it; and poverty, obscurity and wretchedness, have no repulsion for it: but to these she would rather wind her silent and gentle way—like the sun, the dews and the rains, that shine alike upon all, visit all and nourish all; from the modest flower, that blooms and dies unseen on the mountain bosom, and wastes its fragrance on the mountain winds, up to the lofty oak and the stately pine. ”

“ Again, my brethren, remember that the law of love and kindness is to the moral universe, what the law of gravitation and attraction is to the material. It is the latter that binds and keeps in harmony the material universe of God; and under its control all is order and peace. No part of matter, how minute soever, is beneath its notice and care, and none too great for its power and influence. ”

“ And though you are not called upon now to wield the sword and the lance as they were, yet in all that is noble and virtuous, generous and good, your duties and obligations are the same. And should the time ever come, when, in defense of all our sacred rights, our liberties and our country, you should be called upon, then like the Thebean warrior brothers, pledge yourselves never to yield and never to fly from the post of honor and duty, truth and right. ”

“ Indeed, that very sphere is the very seat and throne of your power and influence for good. It is from that pure and virtuous station, woman’s sphere of life and action, that a refining, and harmonizing, and moralizing influence, goes forth over the earth, to refine, and soften and elevate man, who, but for that influence, would become rude, wild and savage. And as before stated, next to christianity is your sex indebted to Masonry for support, protection, and to that high position of honor, esteem and respect, to which the sex, in all christian and Masonic countries, have attained. ”

“ Your office and mission in this world are the same as ours: not in the same way, nor by the same instruments and arms; but by the same great principles of heavenly charity, kindness and goodness. By these woman holds her power and empire over the minds and hearts of men, and over the destinies of the world, a power and dominion that kings and emperors may envy, but cannot obtain. And why is this so? It is because, that in your sex there are more of these principles, we have this day dwelt so much upon, than there are in ours. ”

“ Go, my brethren, when and where you may through christian and heathen, civilized and savage lands, you will find your ancient order, your brothers, who will give you a brother’s greeting and welcome: you will find everywhere the same pass-words, signs and symbols, the principles and sentiments—the same love, friendship and good will—how much so ever you may differ in all other rerespects. This is no fiction or exaggerration: we know it to be true; and what the thousand Thebean soldiers were to each other, who fought, and fell and died on the same bloody field ”

“ She is second only to christianity in the work of elevating and ennobling the condition of woman. And if you are not permitted to take part in all our ceremonies, it is because of their adaptation to us, not to the softness of your sex—just as you are excluded from the pursuits and labors of men—from the judicial seat, from the executive chair, and from the ballot box—none of which are scenes and places suited to feminine refinement and modesty. But your position, power and influence, in the world and over it, are none the less because of the sphere in which nature and God have placed you. ”

“ Is not the church of the great Redeemer, planted by his own hands in humiliation and poverty, sorrow and tears, and which he consecrated with his blood, now, at this day a copy of the Jewish church, as it was seen and denounced by the same Saviour, when on earth: as much or more divided is the christian church, than was the Jewish, and now as then, each claims to be the true and only church. ”

“ Bigotry, that respects not the sanctity of wedded love; that intrudes into the domestic circle, as Satan did enter Eden, and there blights all, blasts all, and curses all, with the mildew of death and hell. ”

“ Meet as the thousand Thebean warriors met, to stand by each other, to assist, defend, and, if necessary, to die for each other. Oh! my brethren, I call upon you this day to exclude, as they have ever been excluded, from the halls of Masonry, political and religious intolerance, fanaticism and bigotry. Bigotry, the child of perdition, malignity and darkness; that in the name of Heaven marks the deeds of the infernal pit. Bigotry, that respects nothing, pities nothing and spares nothing ”

“ You all know—the world knows, if the statistics and records of crime are true, that in the midst of all this march of progress and improvement proclaimed aloud to the world by its leaders—that in the midst of it all, there is more crime, more poverty, more discontent, more lawlessness and open rebellion, as well as infidelity, than in any former period of our country’s history. ”

“ It is too common, my brethren, for persons to grow weary in the first steps of science and truth of every kind because their first lessons are uninteresting. And hence too many become only superficial in all departments of truth and science. A little knowledge, like a little religions, when men are satisfied therewith, only tends to make them meddlesome fools and hateful fanatics and bigots. ”

“ Thus, brethren, passes the generations of men away. Let us be ready, for at such a time as we know not, and think not, the summons for us will come. Be always ready, brethren, for your final call from labor to endless rest—where toils and cares no longer perplex, and where the wicked cease to trouble and persecute. ”

“ To be as brief and summary as possible, what, my brethren, is the greatest want of the age, of our country and the world? Is it science, intelligence and education? No, my brethren, science, intelligence and education were never so active, so successful and widely diffused as at the present. Is it the want of moral and religious instruction? No, there never was so much of activity, labor, zeal and money expended in a single age, for religious and moral purposes, as in the present ”

“ The simplest and plainest as well as purest policy only requires that the whole world should become a sacred band of brothers to stand by, defend and die for one another; helping each other, and assisting each other. ”

“ These great moral qualities will never leave the earth: if drawn from all other places and associations, in the halls of Masonry they will ever find a safe and sure hiding place. And not only so; but she will extend to all extent; that is, as far as the wandering and weary footsteps of man in his earthly pilgrimage may extend. ”

“ No, my brethren, no, it cannot. I appeal to facts, I appeal to universal history, sacred and profane—the accredited depository of facts. What empire, nation, and kingdom, on earth, have not been divided, and torn to pieces by factions hostile to each other ”

“ It was chiefly for this that the order of chivalry and knighthood was established, in the dark and barbarous times of the middle ages, when neither church nor state could, or, would not, protect the weak, defend the defenceless—and above all, when woman’s honor and virtue were most unprotected from the lawless licentiousness of the times. ”

“ In one word, its fruits are to do to others as we would have them do to us. Did the world act upon this principle, we would have a world of peace and righteousness. Man’s best security would then be in the society of his brother: and then instead of “man’s inhumanity to man,” making countless thousands mourn; it would be man’s humanity to man, makes countless thousands smile. Then wars would cease, and contention and strife, and all of their evil results, would disappear from earth ”