MAGLWRider
WILLIAM H. RIDER
Deputy Grand Master, 1910
SPEECHES
CORNERSTONE LAYING IN MARBLEHEAD, 1905
From Proceedings, Page 1905-135, September 28, 905, at the cornerstone laying of the Post Office in Marblehead:
In this thrifty land of ours, in these busy times, little attention is given to any new building. Why, then, have we gathered in this historic town,
Wind swept and washed
By the-wild Atlantic's restless tide,
to lay this corner-stone?
Why these officials, these representative citizens, this Body of Masons with its impressive ceremonies? No large increase of residents, nor merchant marine, nor returning trade seems to warrant ampler accommodation. To be sure, in place of the old-time Cape Ann fishing craft, there sail from the safe anchorage of the harbor the white winged fleet of pleasure, a glad gay squadron that come and go with the morning and evening breeze, and along the rock-ribbed shores, or perched on the commanding hills, dwell in summer hundreds of lovers of this wonderful locality.
What, then, is the logic of the occasion, the significance of the building whose foundation-stone we consecrate ? What but a national recognition of Marblehead and its conspicuous part in the formative period of our Republic.
Recall the fact that we are near the one hundred and thirtieth anniversary of the sailing of the Franklin under Capt. John Luman, and the Lynch under Captain Broughton, the very beginning of the American Navy, and you have fullest warrant why a grateful country should maintain a Custom House in this patriotic seaport as a memorial of Manly, Glover, and the long list of loyal sons who suggested and fitted out the victorious marine force of the Revolution, bearing the Pine Tree Flag of a new power on the sea. Across the Atlantic they were singing:
"Rule, Britannia! Britannia rules the waves! "
The sea dogs of Marblehead pitched a new song that has come swelling down through unbroken triumphs:
"Columbia the gem of the ocean."
We lay, then, the corner-stone of a national tribute to the unequal part of your sires in the upbuilding of our prosperity. With laudable pride you can recall the enviable contributions given by this town on land and sea alike, until the absence of some suitable memorial would challenge the notice of a grateful government.
Familiar as household tales is the story of the building of the Desire in 1636, the third vessel constructed in the Colony. Were it possible to reproduce a model of that early craft, what better ornament to grace the entrance to the custom and revenue rooms of the completed edifice. Familiar, too, the first act of forcible resistance to "British tyranny. Not in Salem by its North Bridge, nor in Boston on Kings street, but earlier, in 1769, when Capt. Thomas Powers and his Marblehead crew fought for three hours the sloop of war Rose, killing her lieutenant, and giving to Michael Corbett, with his harpoon, the high distinction of shedding the first blood for American liberty. There he stands in enduring fame, type of the true patriot who seizes what is nearest at hand and fights for God and his country. Small wonder that such a people should produce a Gerry, whose distinguished service advanced him to the Vice-Presidency of these United States.
Indeed, Paul Revere may have been spurred in his midnight ride by Major Pedrick, and with no unkind purpose, but rather to illustrate how deep and indomitable the loyalty of this section, we may point to Mugford who, when shot, cried out, "I am a dead man; don't give up the vessel; you will be able to beat them off."
On land the same spirit animated the patriotic sons. Who other than Colonel Glover and his Marblehead regiment saved the army from total defeat at Long Island? That Washington should publicly thank such men was ample compensation and reason for the added valor when at mid-winter, amid snow and ice, the hardy men of this town led the forlorn hope, crossed the Delaware, and won Trenton. What wonder General Knox, years after in an address before our Legislature, paid this tribute: "The men of Marblehead alike at home, upon land or sea, alike ardent, patriotic, unflinching, whenever they unfurled the flag of the country."
With somewhat of Lafayette's counsel in mind the department of construction might order a tablet with: "May your posterity, in the preservation of that liberty so gloriously purchased, ever venerate the memory of their ancestors." Such illustrious history can never be too often repeated;. it must turn us from the engrossing materialism of this commercial age to the brave days of old when character counted, and love of country was warmer than love of country's wealth.
"Ill fares the land, to hastening ills a prey,
Where wealth accumulates and men decay."
Put in plain speech we want no new laws, no new measures, but the old time men, who were not blinded by any subtle distinctions, who knew, right from wrong, and had moral patriotic sense enough to stand square, leaving the gambler to stand pat.
True to the traditions of their Revolutionary fathers, with undiminished loyalty, the men of this neighborhood heard the call of Lincoln on April 15, and were the very first to answer, the three companies of the Eighth Regiment under Captains Martin, Phillips and Boardman being the first in Massachusetts to leave home, first in Boston, first to leave Annapolis and repair the road leading to the relief of the Capitol. This occasion is in a very real way a memorial of our indebtedness to such a past, a re-dedication of ourselves to that spirit of patriotic devotion to our Fatherland, nowhere more brilliant, more heroic, more self-sacrificing than in the generous hearts of the men of Marblehead.
Beside such a use of the hour, this occasion is significant as an educator of what is best in American citizenship. For this intent the Grand Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in Massachusetts, this home Lodge among the very oldest in our Commonwealth, have united in imposing form to declare the ethical beauty of the building, and excite a desire to construct our every public action agreeably with the interests of the common good.
Honor, unstinted honor, to those on the deck or field who stand with the guns, but loyalty, consecration, valor, all that make a true citizen and a true soldier, is not always armed with a sword. Honor, unstinted honor, to those on the home side of the firing line, where the war cloud never rises and the drum never beats; there, too, is a moral bravery, an honest purpose, and a devoted courage as imperative as grand. Lack of this quiet, strenuous, manly citizenship is the urgent need. Repeatedly, that lover of the craft, that democratic citizen, that ideal American, Theodore Roosevelt, has declared, "What we need most in this Republic is not special genius, unusual brilliancy, but the honest and upright adherence on the part of the mass of citizens to the fundamental laws of private and public morality, which are now what they have been during recorded history. We shall succeed or fail in making the Republic what it should be made, what it shall and must be made, according to the manner in which we seriously set ourselves to the task of citizenship."
That exalted task is alike the aim of Masonry and manhood, it calls for the best in us, due our fellows and due the government, which is only a name for our collective selves. May I add that the one service our President has done more valuable than any other is not his share in the recent peace conference at Kittery, nor the use of his high office in behalf of a world-wide court of arbitration; his topmost service for the United States is in changing the attitude toward public life, and inviting young men to deal square, and stand by the government. It is occasion for large hope that, as never before, our people demand in public affairs those cardinal virtues which in Masonry and character are the very foundation-stones on which to build any lasting beauty.
Reckless speculation, petty pilfering, broken confidences, unfraternal conduct, have too long marked the public action of those whose reputations have fallen like an ill-constructed building, until government, society, with the lofty mission of Masonry, declare for a more ethical deportment. Not an easy thing, not an aptable thing. Often it means breaking from party ties, isolation from friends, exposure to sharp, unjust treatment. Be it so! Better a man without a party than a partisan with ignoble schemes, and ignoble following of hungry retainers, who, Judas-like, for thirty pieces of silver would treasonably sell ballot, law and order. Parties are inevitable and wise, but there are ranges of public life in which partisanship is only an interference and injury, just as there are times when a true man forgets that there is any such thing as party, and only remembers that he has a country to which all parties are subservient, and to which they must bow. Better say, in the name of God, Amen! I will stand for the right, I will not lower the standard of public morality. As with plumb, square and level the builder tries and proves his work, so will I as a citizen walk uprightly. I will square my actions by the square of virtue, I will walk upon the level of an honest, loyal American. The time was, yesterday, when to enter public life was disreputable. To-day it. is disreputable to keep out and away from it. Ah, when we shall every one put our best into public affairs, you shall see this land of ours doing things never before accomplished by any people.
The promise of this day is the evidence of an awakening in morality, a great ethical uplift is sweeping over the country. The press, the pulpit, every educator is discussing the moral use of our great national wealth, and our exceptional prosperity. We have learned to fix an honest standard in money. We are learning the proper use of it, how shall we administer our great wealth. We are calling for a strict account, not because we are poor, the people of the United States have learned the art of money getting as no nation under the sun ever knew before. A mighty consciousness of the eternal justice is moving us to a fair and equitable use of wealth. A prophetic spirit of fraternity is compelling the nation toward a real advance in the direction of cleaner methods and more honorable transactions.
Let us by such consecrating ceremonies as we are now engaged in keep alive discussion and contention for the public good, until our contention shall become that noble contention, or rather emulation, of who best can work and best agree. You recall that when the Pilgrims, grateful for their safe arrival in the waters of Plymouth Bay Colony, dropped anchor in Cape Cod Harbor, they drew up their famous compact — the first written declaration of self-government among men — its cornerstone: "In the name of God, Amen. We whose hand, etc., do hereby compact for the general good." That is the true American spirit, that the purpose of this building, post-office and custom house, for the general good. Nothing could be more ideal, and we have come together in God's name, in the name of our country, in the name of all that is worth our strength and thought, to build and keep it for the general good.
Whether or not a few of us can rule the rest of us, whether selfishness shall shape legislation, whether we shall grow a fraternal temper, depends not on any revolutionary movement, not on any forcible interruption of trade, but upon that moral and generous regard for others, that determination to lose self in the common good. For of this we are sure. Sure that if throughout our people there is developing a spirit of lawlessness, of competition, reckless of our neighbor, so that one must not observe all the rules of honor, but must get what he is after anyhow, then there will follow anarchy and worse than provincial tyranny. Individualism is grand in a grand individual, it is barbaric, brutish, when it ignores the well-being of others. Educated individualism, the individualism of wealth, of skill, even of wisdom, must severally be tempered with that togetherness which makes for country.
This leads at the end to ask, after all our country does for us how singularly unmindful we are of what we owe unto it, what will we return unto it? A serious question, as if one asked, what will you give to the united good? I ask this because of late we have a habit of looking to the government, the State, to build our roads, our public institutions, while we ourselves are criminally, neglectful of our duties to State and nation, yea, to town and ward. God forgive me if it be wrong, but the man who does not gratefully appreciate his citizenship should have all the privileges of citizenship taken from him, until he is a cheerful and obedient servant, until he considers every measure for the common good as vital to his own peace, and recognizes the serious obligation of doing his part. Our fathers and brothers paid too great a price for our institutions and advantages to permit any indifference in public affairs, any trading in public places, any private ownership in the Commonwealth.
This is both Masonic and American, since, as a citizen, Masonry charges every one to be exemplary in the discharge of his civil duties by never proposing or countenancing any act which may have a tendency to subvert the peace and good order of society; to pay due obedience to the laws under whose protection he may live, and by never losing sight of the allegiance due our country.
Because of this we lay the corner-stone of the public building in expectation that beyond any local pride, justifiable as that may be, it will encourage a citizenship and character consistent with our American ideals, after the. lofty pattern set before us by the immortal names that were not born to die.
"One oath let us swear—by the God who is o'er us,
By the thousands who've lived and who've died for our land,
By Washington, Lincoln, the great gone before us,
The hope of the world, our dear country shall stand."
MEMORIAL
1923
