many a mighty empire; that unity of peace, love and good will, which constitutes its only deference and power; composed, as it is, of an almost infinitude of parts and people—of Chapters and Lodges, in nearly every section of the globe—of men as different among themselves as diversity, of laws and government, religion and language, customs and manners, can make them: that unity, which is our pride and our boast, and which has no parallel on earth, or in the annals of its history: that unity is a living and a universal type of the truth we have been this day considering; and a type, also, of what all nations may and will become, under the full development and universal reign of truth.
We are not the propagandists of Masonry, we compare neither sea nor land, to make a proselyte; but we are the propagandists of all truth. We boast not of our Institution, of its high antiquity, or of its spirit and deeds of benevolence, or of its illustrious names, whose deeds and fame is the patrimony of her sons; we call upon the world, and its enemies, to look at this unity and harmony, in all ill parts, and among all her sons; this unity in diversity, and harmony in variety. We call upon them all to look at this unity and peace and harmony of Masonry, and among Masons, as a type of that unity and harmony, love and good will, which all good men desire to see, and all good men labor to establish throughout the earth, among all its nations, creating among all a unity of hearts and minds; a unity of interests and happiness, which Masonry has anticipated from the beginning, and which she, by silent labor, and by unobtrusive efforts, has sought to achieve.
Much yet remains in connection with our subject, which we would desire to say, but time fails us. We could much sooner exhaust your patience, than exhaust our subject. But before we close our labors here, we must pay a passing tribute of honor and respect to the fairer and better portion of our audience.
Ladies, our subject, to-day, has been truth—that truth, which has given to the past all its real glory, to the present all its worth and excellence, and which can transmit to the future the same.—And that which is the glory, honor and dignity of man, is no less the honor, glory and dignity of your sex. And in this truth, and in all its multiplied and diversified blessings, you have as deep an interest as ourselves.
And to you ladies, would we declare the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, as we would to others. Not by flattery, would we address you; you receive more of that than is for your good: not by pouring sweet, but fatal falsehoods into your ears, as the Devil did into our mother Eve—and which his imps have done in all ages since, into the ears of her daughters; nor are we going to address you as angels, and all that, for you are not such yet, though we hope you will be. In none of that
