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CORNELL 
 
 UNIVERSITY 
 
 LIBRARY 
 
B SERmon 
 
 by 
 Kev* Silvanus l^ayward, D« D* 
 
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 Delivered by request of 
 QuinebdUdCoage^T.^JI^in*, 
 at a special service in recog- 
 nition of $t. John's Day. 
 
 Evaiiflelieal Tree €burcbf 
 $outbbiidfl«, June 2$, I903. 
 

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Matthew XI, rp. Wisdom is justified hy her works. 
 
 These are the words of Jesus concluding what he was saying 
 to his disciples about John the Baptist, just after John had sent to 
 inquire, " Art thou he that should come or look we for another? " 
 He rebuked the people for their unjust criticism of both John and 
 Himself. " For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they 
 say, he hath a devil. The Son of Man came eating and drinking, 
 and they say, behold a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend 
 of publicans and sinners ! ' ' And then adds ' ' And wisdom is 
 justified by her works." 
 
 The general criticism of public men, in the talk of the crowd, 
 is as worthless and ill-founded, as their estimate of John and Jesus, 
 mere shallow flings at some impressions of outside appearances, 
 and not in any sense an intelligent judgment as to character. 
 This is what every one must expect who comes before the public, 
 especially, if in the capacity of an instructor or admonisher, trying 
 to lead them to what is right and good. Their usual course is to 
 find fault at all hazards; with one for being too rigid and stem, 
 and with the next for being too easy and reckless of exact truth 
 and righteousness. So they hate the former and despise" the latter. 
 In the long run, however, the last is far more likely to win favor 
 than the first. More than half a century of observation has con- 
 vinced me that by far the larger part of all dislike, and unkind 
 speech about preachers and others who are trying to help the world 
 grow better, is because they speak out against individual and 
 society sins. "Prophesy unto us smooth things" is the almost 
 universal demand of listeners to any kind of instruction, whether 
 from pulpit or lecture platform. Those who sdeld to such demands 
 are simply pusillanimous cowards, or as the Scripture says, ' 'dumb 
 dogs that cannot bark ' ' . Such cannot be men of God nor manly 
 men, even in the lowest conception of these terms. Whatever be 
 the course taken by true men, it will be criticised, even as were 
 
both John and Jesus. That is, whether it be the forerunner sent 
 to afinoiince the coming of the I^ord of light and life, or even that 
 blessed I<ord himself. Both calling men to repent and come into 
 the approaching Kingdom of God, though differing in outward 
 forms of life, were one in spirit and character, and in the ultimate 
 trend of their instructions. They were equally straight, true and 
 outspoken. Whoever at heart was the follower of the one, could 
 not reject the other. Tradition points out John as an eminent 
 patron of Freemasonry, and Jesus exalted John as the equal of the 
 highest among men, and at a word, brushing aside all the critic- 
 isms of men, he announces the true test, in the words of the text, 
 "Wisdom is justified by her works", or as we have it in the 
 common version, "Wisdom is justified of her children". Both 
 being substantially the same, showing that the shallow criticisms 
 ordinarily uttered are worthless. The only substantial basis of 
 judgment, is in the life and character of those who obey the 
 instructions of Wisdom or Folly. Or, as He has said in another 
 place, ' ' By their fruits ye shall know them ' ' . Every person and 
 every organization, even the church itself is t6 be rightly judged 
 by its works. 
 
 Brethren, I do not propose to enter upon any formal and elab- 
 orate defence of our Order. It would not be in place. Nor is it 
 needed. In spite of all obstacles it has stood and flourished for 
 unquestionably three thousand years. If we are only true to our 
 principles, the sturdiest blows of all enemies will fall as harmless 
 as the strokes of an infant's hand upon the time-tried cliffs of 
 Gibraltar. But it may be somewhat interesting and not unprofit- 
 able to both ourselves and others, briefly to refer to a few points 
 worthy of notice. 
 
 There is a somewhat numerous class of considerable intelli- 
 gence, who regard secrecy as an insuperable objection to any 
 society. They say, for susbtance, ' 'If your ceremonies and instruc- 
 tions are interesting or valuable, throw them open to the world ; 
 let us all understand them. The principle of secrecy is all wrong. 
 Whatever is for the good of men should be thrown open to their 
 gaze. No bolts or bars should block the way of those who desiie 
 to obtain knowledge." This has a plausible sound. But it is en- 
 tirely fallacious. For look the universe through, and secrecy is 
 the rule and not the exception. Secrecy finds a legitimate place 
 in all the ramifications of human society. As God has made the 
 human soul, every human being is a series of concentric circles, 
 cell within cell, the outer of easy access, but entrance to the others 
 none can force. First comes the outer circle of mere acquaintance. 
 
Kven this, we can close, if we will, against all comers. Next 
 comes tlie circle of friendship, where only dear friends find them- 
 selves at home. Then comes the circle oi family love, closed to all 
 the world beside. Then the charmed circle of love between two 
 alone, a circle into which a third profane foot may never intrude, 
 and no sacrilegious eye may ever gaze. In the healthy soul, all 
 these concentric circles are firmly closed with barred doors, which 
 open never, save to those possessed of the proper pass-words and 
 credentials. And still farther within, beyond all these, every man, 
 however honest, simple and open-hearted, has a secret shrine, 
 a ' ' sanctum sanctorum ' ' , from which all but God himself are 
 sacredly shut out. Nor even, if he would, can any one throw open 
 the doors of this ' 'holy of holies' ' which God has framed into the 
 very constitution of man, and has retained the key in his own 
 possession. Thus God has made every human being to be a series 
 of secret vaults, one within another, admittance to which, no finite 
 power can compel. Society is ever3rwhere permeated with secrecy 
 and mystery. Souls drift together from far off lands, look into 
 each others' faces, and depart unrecognized and unknown, or 
 otherwise, having a common secret, by some mysterious signal 
 unknown to others, come closer together, and are separated no 
 more. Eyes flash secrets into other eyes never before met, and 
 hands clasping hands receive some token that reveals a mysterious 
 bond hidden from all the world beside. He who leaves out one 
 element of the human soul, in attempting to help mankind, is so 
 far weak and unwise. Secrecy has for all men, in all ages, 
 a fascination irresistible, and sometimes terrific in its power. No 
 age and no type, either of barbarism or civilization, has been with- 
 out its secret mysteries. Mysteries innumerable thread the records 
 of the farther East, and pervade the gorgeous richness of their 
 fascinating literature. Egypt is emphatically a land of mystery. 
 Forever hidden from mortal ken are the forbidden secrets, hinted 
 at in her silent Sphynx, her singing Memnon, her mute pyramids, 
 her marvelous vaults, and painted chambers of imagery. Eleusis, 
 and Delphi, and Dodona whisper of the secrets of ancient Greece, 
 where even the purest and wisest philosophers veiled their best 
 teachings in mysteries unknown, save to the initiated few. As we 
 move down the stream of Time, and Egypt and Greece recede into 
 darkness, in the Ivatin and Germanic races we find still the mystic 
 rites of secrecy all over Europe, from the sunny plains of Italy, to 
 the snowy mountains of Scandinavia, and the chilling fogs of our 
 own mother isle. Vestal or Bacchanal, Vehmic or Druidic, pure 
 or impure, secret and mysterious ceremonies were practiced from 
 
the most remote to the most modern times of European history. 
 Nor is this secrecy associated, as some might be ready to suggest, 
 with the heathen alone. But when Jehovah would establish 
 a people separate and peculiar to Himself, He made the most sacred 
 secret place for His own visible glory, their rallying point, for all 
 important occasions. He appealed to this instinctive love of 
 secrecy which himself had put into the heart of man, and declaring 
 clouds and darkness to be round about Him, prepared a secret 
 mercy-seat to be seen by only one person in a generation, and by 
 him only with the most carefully prescribed ceremonies, once in 
 each year. God thus put His own seal upon secret rites aside 
 from the like teaching of His works and Providence. 
 
 All Nature is also full of mysteries. There is no royal road to 
 her treasury. He who would learn her secrets must ask and 
 knock long at her double-bolted gates. Step by step, he can pass 
 from one degree of knowledge to another, only as he is duly and 
 truly prepared to receive her truths. He who would win her 
 treasures must always pay the pric^. This is the law of God's 
 universe. Secrecy and silence, twin-born, presided at the birth of 
 creation, and mystery is stamped upon its every fiber. He who 
 seeks with all his heart shall indeed find. He who desires light 
 above all things else, shall behold it. But Nature's doors are 
 always locked against the careless and the unworthy. He who 
 with pure heart would tread her tesselated floors, will often find 
 his way resisted, guarded doors bar his progress, and he must 
 meet many obstructions in his passage towards the Fountain of 
 lyight. But to him who presses on with fervency and zeal, every 
 now and then comes a time, when, of a sudden, doors long closed 
 fly open, and unexpectedly he receives the knowledge he has long 
 desired. Every careful student of Nature, every great thinker 
 earnestly seeking for truth has often experienced that which he 
 can best describe in the sacred words, "God said. Let there be 
 light ! and there was light." Nor can he impart the knowledge to 
 another. Nor can it be imparted, save in the way and man- 
 ner in which he received it. It is only by carefully traveling the 
 same road, always straight and narrow, often rough and rugged to 
 the foot-sore and the weary, that any can obtain the privilege 
 of beholding the same light, and receiving the same instructions. 
 In traversing the dominions of Jehovah, in crying after wisdom, 
 and searching for her as for hid treasures, at every turning the 
 mysterious Isis still declares, "no mortal has hitherto taken off my 
 veil"; at each vision of light, just as we begin to congratulate our- 
 selves on having gained the goal, there comes the thrilling ques- 
 
tion, " Hast thou heard the secret of God?" But when we begin 
 to fall back in discouragement and despair, there comes again 
 the assuring voice, ' 'The secret of the Lord is with them that fear 
 Him." No better emblem of universal Nature can be found than 
 the figure of Silence with listening ear, and warning finger upon 
 the closed lips. All secrets of both the material and spiritual 
 dominions of Jehovah wait only for the worthy and persistent 
 applicant. To such it is everjrwhere proclaimed, " Knock, and it 
 shall be opened unto you." Thus the Institution which celebrates 
 this day, is, in its fundamental principles, in accord with universal 
 Nature and Providence. 
 
 But you all realize that a preacher's duty is not so much to 
 defend, as to instruct and exhort, and to warn of the dangers 
 which beset us all. This is, of course, the work of a life-time, so 
 I can mention only a few, such as threaten and harm every moral 
 or beneficent institution, even the Church itself. One great peril 
 to any such organization, and one which I fear very few ever think 
 of, is to connect it as a body, even on festal occasions, with amuse- 
 ments or diversions which any respectable portion of the com- 
 munity disapprove. I imply nothing here as to the real character 
 of these things. They may be harmless for you to indulge in 
 individually. That is not now to be considered. But it is a great 
 mistake to have the name of the Order connected with any such 
 entertainment, however harmless and right for you or me per- 
 sonally. This is an important point for every society, which is, I 
 suspect, almost never thought of by any. There are many things 
 which I should not hesitate to engage in, at home, or in others' 
 homes, which nevertheless, I should consider ill-advised, and likely 
 to be seriously harmful to any organization, under whose name 
 they should be presented to the public. 
 
 Still further, some think amusements and entertainments 
 should be employed to attract young men to join our Order. 
 Brethren, I speak plainly, for I feel strongly. It seems to me 
 subversive of the fundamental principles of Masonry, to try to hold 
 out any inducements for others to come. A young man who 
 wishes to join us because he thinks we have a good time, and 
 therefore it will be a jolly good thing to be with us, is utterly 
 unprepared to become one of our number. We desire, or should 
 desire, only such as wish to share the instructions of morality, and 
 friendship, and brotherly love we offer to every one who really 
 seeks them. 
 
 Surely Masonry has enough in itself, in its noble principles, 
 and its impressive rites to attract and hold all truly prepared 
 
hearts. I have attended many festive assemblies, banquets, or 
 whatever social Masonic gatherings, and have enjoyed some of 
 them very much, yet I can say with emphasis, that put them all 
 together, they do not compare in real satisfaction to me, with one 
 well-conducted service of induction into the rites and ceremonies 
 of our Order. 
 
 It goes without saying, that few things are so injurious to any 
 organization, as careless guarding of the outer doors. If we would 
 have our Order strong, honored, and efficient, we cannot too care- 
 fully investigate the character of those who apply, nor too rigidly 
 exclude the unworthy. 
 
 The great weakness of all Societies for helping the community, 
 is that the members fail to live up to the principles they profess. 
 So, brethren, I am sure not one of us will deny for himself, that he 
 is apt to be too careless, forgetting at times to practice out of the 
 Lodge, the excellent precepts inculcated in it. " Wisdom is justi- 
 fied by her works." So if our 'lives conform to the principles we 
 profess, no enemy can prevail against us, and the excellent honor 
 and reputation of the institution which produces such characters, 
 will be firmly established ; and the customary taunt, ' ' What do ye 
 more than others? ", will vanish as an empty sound. But if men 
 see that we forget Brotherly Love and Truth, if we remember not 
 the reverence due to the great and sacred name of God, if temper- 
 ance, purity, and justice are not the virtues that adorn our lives, 
 they will reproach not us merely, but more the Order which our 
 lives dishonor. Forty-six years experience leads me to think 
 it would not be easy to find one among us who, if able, would 
 refuse to help a worthy brother in time of need. But, alas ! I have 
 known some who have ill-treated, and even abused their brethren 
 by word and deed. And I fear, brethren, there are few of us but 
 must confess ourselves less careful than we ought to be, to guard 
 our brother's reputation as our own. "He that sins not with his 
 tongue, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the 
 whole body." 
 
 And you will please notice, I do not speak of these dangers as 
 at all peculiar to us, but the same perils beset every organization, 
 especially in these last few years, when according to the testimony 
 of observers everywhere, all seem to be seeking more and more 
 after mere pleasure and excitement, entirely apart from the 
 purposes for which they profess to be established. Many of 
 you are members of the Church of Christ, and I am sure that you 
 will testify that Churches are not exempt from the same perils, 
 and especially that they are always strong or weak just in propor- 
 
tion as their members live what they profess. And exactly the 
 same is true of every society. Our I^ord gives the key to the 
 whole difficulty, when he says, " No man can serve two masters." 
 Belonging to any organization need not prevent your personal 
 participation in many other things. But when acting in the 
 capacity of a member of that body, you should seek only its 
 professed purposes. In its corporate capacity, that is, as a body, 
 every society should give itself wholly to its own work. Amuse- 
 ments and recreations, which we all need, should, as a rule, be 
 kept apart from association with the name or activities of any 
 society, whether organized for industry, or culture, or friendship, 
 or religion. 
 
 Brethren and friends, as a minister of the Gospel of the Living 
 God, I cannot close without sa)dng that the great peril of every 
 individual is in accepting something less than Jesus Christ and 
 Him crucified, as sufficient for salvation. Every passing year 
 of my life adds emphasis to this supremely central fact. "Neither 
 is there salvation in any other. For there is none other name 
 under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved." 
 And I know I can safely call on those of you who are Church 
 members, to testify that there is nothing in our teachings or 
 ceremonies in any degree inconsistent with the Gospel of Jesus. 
 Indeed every one who from the heart fully receives our "great 
 light", even the Word of God, which we eversrwhere hold forth 
 as the basis of our belief and practice, cannot long be satisfied 
 to remain aloof from the Church, or fail to join himself to the 
 company of the disciples of Jesus. He will come to see and feel 
 that although John was greater than all who went before, yet as 
 Jesus declared, "He that is least in the kingdom of heaven is 
 greater than he." So though I believe profoundly that our 
 Society to which John belonged, is by far the greatest and best 
 merely human organization ever instituted, yet the smallest and 
 feeblest true Church of Christ is far greater. And as no one can 
 attain the privileges and understand the symbols of our Order 
 without guidance and instruction, so amid the darkness and 
 difficulties of our life-journey through this world, we can never 
 find the light, or reach the threshold of the heavenly gate, except 
 by implicitly following Jesus as our divinely appointed Guide and 
 Instructor. And I think I cannot close better than with a few 
 lines in which I have endeavored to suggest to those who have 
 received our light how some of our symbols rightly received 
 and appreciated, will help the seeking soul nearer to Him, our 
 only Supreme Lord and Master. 
 
Brethren : — 
 
 Who shall pass our guarded door 
 To view the beauties there ? 
 
 Who shall tread the checkered floor 
 Around our blazing s|ar ? 
 
 Who shall breathe the noble vow 
 To keep the true and right ? 
 
 Who shall at our altar bow 
 Among the sons of light ? 
 
 He that asks, to him is given ; 
 
 He that seeks shall find ; 
 He that knocks, shall win from Heaven 
 
 A light to guide the blind. 
 
 Who upright and just shall stand 
 
 Clad in apron white ? 
 Who shall join our brother band, 
 
 And share our holy light ? 
 
 He that heavenward lifts a prayer 
 In every path that's trod; 
 
 He that doth his heart prepare 
 To love and trust his God. 
 
 He shall find a faithful friend. 
 
 Trusty, true and tried. 
 Prompt a brother's aid to lend, 
 
 His steps in safety guide. 
 
 He shall learn the sweets of love, 
 How pleasant and how good 
 
 Dews descending from above 
 To bless the brotherhood. 
 
 He shall learn to pity those 
 
 Whom poverty subdues, 
 Aid to grant a brother's woes. 
 
 Nor e'er his suit refuse. 
 
 He shall view the sacred light 
 
 From off the altar shine ; 
 Jewels rich shall greet his sight. 
 
 With square, and plumb, and line. 
 
Ashlar rough shall show his heart 
 Unpolished, hard, and rude ; 
 
 Ashlar smooth, by heavenly art 
 The same with I^ove subdued. 
 
 He shall see the starry gate. 
 
 Where Jacob's ladder stands. 
 
 Where the white-robed angels wait 
 With blessings in their hands. 
 
 Climbing still the radiant slope 
 
 Upon the bars of gold. 
 Charity, and Faith, and Hope 
 
 His clasping hands shall hold. 
 
 He shall serve his Master well. 
 
 His orders swift obey ; 
 Freedom, Fervency and Zeal 
 
 His active hands display. 
 
 Winding stairs, seven, five, and three, 
 His feet shall reach at length, 
 
 Pillars two, and pillars three, 
 Wisdom, Beauty, Strength. 
 
 Orders five he shall behold. 
 
 Senses, the gift of Heaven ; 
 
 From East to West still onward rolled 
 Science and Arts are seven. 
 
 He shall ford the living stream 
 To feed on com and wine ; 
 Bright upon his eyes shall beam 
 The Craftsman's sacred sign. 
 
 Pressing onward towards the East 
 To hear of David's wars. 
 
 He shall watch, while others feast, 
 And breathe adoring prayers. 
 
 He shall learn with firmest faith. 
 In manhood, age, and youth. 
 
 In paths of life, or vales of death. 
 To keep the word of truth. 
 
Fallen column shall declare 
 How frail the life of man. 
 
 And the virgin weeping there 
 O'er Beauty's broken plan. 
 
 I^essons of eternal Truth, 
 
 As taught by seer and sage, 
 Shall restrain the fire of youth, 
 And light the hopes of age. 
 
 Blindly through whate'er betide, 
 Alternate joy and woe. 
 
 Trusting in a Heavenly Guide 
 Safely shall he go. 
 
 Treading still the fatal path 
 I/eading to the tomb, 
 
 Yet above decay and death 
 Evergreen shall bloom. 
 
 He who passed that way before. 
 And the victory won. 
 
 He shall ope the pearly door, — 
 God's beloved Son ! 
 
 He shall pluck the veil away 
 From the blinded sight. 
 
 And the holy realms display 
 Of eternal light. 
 
 There the idle and profane 
 Never shall be known. 
 
 But ^is: faithful shall attain 
 
 To stand before the throne. 
 
 Brothers, let us trust our Guide, 
 Till our feet He bring. 
 
 Walking by His blessed side. 
 To wait before the King ! 
 
GAYLAMOUNT 
 
 PAMPHLET BINDER 
 
 Manufactured by 
 
 GAYLORD BROS. Inc. 
 
 Syracuse, N.Y. 
 
 Stockton, Calif. 
 
 Cornell University Library 
 HS397 .H42 
 
 A sermon, delivered by request of Quineb 
 
 3 1924 030 276 616 
 olin.anx 
 
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