Мхи старої садиби
The Procession of Life
Andwiththosewhoseimpulseshaveguidedthemtobenevolentactions,wewillrankotherstowhomProvidencehasassignedadifferenttendencyanddifferentpowers.Menwhohavespenttheirlivesingenerousandholycontemplationforthehumanrace;thosewho,byacertainheavenlinessofspirit,havepurifiedtheatmospherearoundthem,andthussuppliedamediuminwhichgoodandhighthingsmaybeprojectedandperformed—givetothesealoftyplaceamongthebenefactorsofmankind,althoughnodeed,suchastheworldcallsdeeds,mayberecordedofthem.Therearesomeindividualsofwhomwecannotconceiveitproperthattheyshouldapplytheirhandstoanyearthlyinstrument,orworkoutanydefiniteact;andothers,perhapsnotlesshigh,towhomitisanessentialattributetolaborinbodyaswellasspiritforthewelfareoftheirbrethren.Thus,ifwefindaspiritualsagewhoseunseen,inestimableinfluencehasexaltedthemoralstandardofmankind,wewillchooseforhiscompanionsomepoorlaborerwhohaswroughtforloveinthepotatofieldofaneighborpoorerthanhimself.
Wehavesummonedthisvariousmultitude—and,tothecreditofournature,itisalargeone—ontheprincipleofLove.Itissingular,nevertheless,toremarktheshynessthatexistsamongmanymembersofthepresentclass,allofwhomwemightexpecttorecognizeoneanotherbythefreemasonryofmutualgoodness,andtoembracelikebrethren,givingGodthanksforsuchvariousspecimensofhumanexcellence.Butitisfarotherwise.Eachsectsurroundsitsownrighteousnesswithahedgeofthorns.
