Nature Is Inexorable. If Men Do Not

It Has Not Been My Fortune To Know Very Much Of Freemasonry, But I Have Had The Great Fortune To Know Many Freemasons And Have Been Able In That Way To Judge The Tree By Its Fruit. I Know Of Your High Ideals. I Have Seen That You Hold Your Meetings In The Presence Of The Open Bible, And I Know That Men Who Observe That Formality Have High Sentiments Of Citizenship, Of Worth, And Character. That Is The Strength Of Our Commonwealth And Nation.

Men Speak Of Natural Rights, But I Challenge Any One To Show Where In Nature Any Rights Existed Or Were Recognized Until There Was Established For Their Declaration And Protection A Duly Promulgated Body Of Corresponding Laws.

It Is Not Easy To Conceive Of Anything That Would Be More Unfortunate In A Community Based Upon The Ideals Of Which Americans Boast Than Any Considerable Development Of Intolerance As Regards Religion.

Parties Do Not Maintain Themselves. They Are Maintained By Effort. The Government Is Not Self-existent. It Is Maintained By The Effort Of Those Who Believe In It. The People Of America Believe In American Institutions, The American Form Of Government And The American Method Of Transacting Business.

Whether One Traces His Americanism Back Three Centuries To The Mayflower, Or Three Years To The Steerage, Is Not Half So Important As Whether His Americanism Of Today Is Real And Genuine. No Matter By What Various Crafts We Came Here, We Are All Now In The Same Boat.