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The Foundations.
THE FOUNDATIONS .
FKOM THE VOICE OF MASOXKY .
TN the preparation of all who visited tho Ancient Temp le the Tal . mundio writers say , it was ordered that * ' No man shall go into tho Temple with his staff , nor with shoes on his feet , nor with his outer garment , nor with money tied np in his parse . " This corresponds i with certain ceremonies of the ancient times ; there was no need of a staff because ha was going to perform his devotions to God , and if
he was a priest his entrance into the Temple indicated the performance of religions ceremonies . Physically . 1 staff indicated either infirmity of age , or a decrepid or maimed body , and no maimed priest conld serve in an official way , and after fifty years of age all were relieved from duty . Becognising thia fact , Herod the Great had the ears of Hyrcanna the High Priest cut off that he might ever
afterward be deprived of the High Priesthood . He could have no shoes because he was treading on holy ground , as Moses did when he stood at the burning bnsh . There were reasons equally valid for tbe other commands . Whenever , in ancient times , a contract or pledge of any kind was made between two parties it was made binding by plucking off the
shoe and handing it to the opposite party , when the contractor was neither barefoot nor shod . Pilgrims , in early times , when they went npon that long jonrney of religions devotion wero oftentimes required by their religion to go barefoot . This last was not a enstom of the Jew _ h nor the Christian religion , except among the early Catholics , when it was sometimes required as an act of penance . Asa ceremony
ifc was beautiful in its teaching of humanity , from whatever source it came , and it is not to be discountenanced merely because ifc did not always come from the source we may have desired . In the social element of society a similar enstom prevailed . Whenever a visitor appeared at the door of the tent or dwelling ifc was the social enstom to meet him there ; remove his sandals , wash
his feet , and permit him to enter , when he was seated npon the costly mat or carpet that was spread within the middle of the room . In t ' ie case of an ordinary gnesfc this was done by a servant of the household , but when it was a distinguished person , this serv ' ce was performed by the lord of the house . It was to this custom that Chrisfc referred when Mary washed his feet , and when he reminded his
host that he had nofc given him water to wash his feet , bnfc thafc the woman had -washed them with her tears a __ wiped them with the hairs of her head . John the Baptist also referred to the same custom when he declared that he was unworthy to undo the lachet of his Master ' s shoes . It was not only a custom of menial servitude , though that office was the most lowly of the oriental household , bnfc
also a question and custom of etiquette and hononr among them . When Isaiah , xx . 2 , is speaking of the king of Assyria going asainst Ashdod , he says , "Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins and put off thy shoe from thy foot . And he did BO , walking naked and barefoot . " In ancient times it was always the custom as one of the rnles of war that captives were always led barefoot to
their captors' homes . Thus in Isaiah xx . 4 it is said , " So shall tho king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian prisoners , and the Ethiopian captives , young aud old , naked and barefoot , even with their buttocks uncovered , to the shame of Egypt . " In any event among men wherever any of these things are perpetuated they are commemorative of some principle involved . Now
two principles are plainly seen in these customs , first that of holy humanity , second that of fidelity to contract or promise . Were vie then to nse such an impressive custom , in any way , ifc wonld be to fnsten thoughts of humanity and fidelity upon the mind of thafc one whom we desired to lead into the truth and importance of the rite we celebrated .
When the Romans demanded that the young man shonld be of lawful age before he could wear the manly gown , which was con . ferred npon him under very solemn and impressive ceremonies , it was the protection of a political right , and was a portion of that law which defined the age at which a young man was first to obtain the riehb of citizenship as a man . This point of defcermininor upon a
certain a _ e for such or similar purposes was not merely Itoman , nor , is it only Masonic , for snch laws now prevail in almost every conntry , but in different manners according to the degree of civilization . Among the old Spartans there were systems of training , the com-. pletion of which was celebrated by severe tasks npon the young men arriving at lawful age . Among certain tribes of Africa the boy is
token ont into tho forest or plain , and there receives certain lashes , which fall so heavily npon tho back as to cause the blood to flow afc every lick ; but the absence of tears , the presence of laughter and hnmonr , aud tho fact of not flinching as the heavy lash cuts into the bone , is a mark of manhood , and when he has unflinchingly endured ali , he is regarded as a man . Tbe German government requires the
youth to enter the army , while the American government requires a certain age , which being attained the youth becomes a man , regard - less of all other facts or conditions . Hence , in a similar sense , ° ifc is a protective requirement thafc Masonry demands men to be of a certain age before they can enter a Lodge . Under tho Itoman government there was a certain requirement of
good report , nobility of family , or of good reputation before the admission to citizenship . This does not prevail , politically , in governments of tbe present day ; but ifc does prevail in Masonry , becanse there are certain principles involved and secrets to be kept which wonld be altogether unsafe in the bands of those of low moral character . Governments do not demand moral conditions as a prerequisite
of citizenship , bnt the moral teachings of Masonry demand it as an essential qualification . A higher principle than this is found in tbe character of the Jewish priesthood , where not only mental , power , but high moral qualities were required ; hence men were not allowed to enter tbe priesthood nntil they had arrived at the age of thirty , afc which time it was sapposed all had perfectly , matured their bodies , and , haviug passed all
The Foundations.
the frivolities of youth , were prepared to enter upon the sterner duties of manhood and of religious work . Thus ifc might be better were there even now a medium between the age of twenty-one and thirty , becanse men who have had more time for perfect mental aud physical development would , perhaps , make better Masons . In the earlier years of social Masonry lawful age varied according
to tho country . Youths were made Masons at the age of eighteen , nnd so on to twenty-one . Generally speaking the lawful age in Masonry has conformed to the regulation of the government which fixed the age . This is , perhaps , one of the facts why women are not made Masons ; and as this is a question of some curiosity a few remarks upon ifc may nofc be amiss . That there could be no
impropriety in making women Masons ia self-evident as far as principle is concerned , for all know very well that in all of Masonry there is nofc a single thought thafc could not be , with perfect proprietyand indeed advantage , imparted to women ; and as far aa the induction into the Fraternity is concerned there is only one exception to this , and if women were admitted that might easily be overcome . This being
true , why then can they not be admitted ? We have indeed no his . tory to inform us npon this subject , so , as in other things , we mnst draw inferences from the cirenmstances of the earlier organizations . First , then , lawful age embodied the idea of citizenship , and we all know that , technically speaking , women were not nor are they now , regarded as citizens in the same sense as men ; for a strict inter .
pretation of citizenship meant the right of franchise . ^ When women are regarded as of lawful age it refers to the acquisition of property , and the right of marriage without the consent of parents being demanded . Second , women were not admitted into the earlier organizations because they were societies of workmen and priests , and in the days of _ . nma they were political organizations . Now
women were not admitted into these societies of workmen because they were not tradesmen , nor have they ever been in the history of the world . They were not allowed to become priests in the law of any religious organization . The Jewish law required only men , and the same prevailed in heathen religion . Though sometimes by right of heirship women became queens , and often rulers in society , and at
times have been great manipulators of the politics of the government , yefc they have never been i-egarded as an essential part of the political organization of the government . Being thus deprived by law and enstom of all these things which entered so largely into the organiza . tion of the early societies , it was but in perfect consistency thafc the membership was confined to men , and as social Masonry commemo . rates these ancient orders ifc would be inconsistent with its intention
to allow of such innovations . Dr . Mackay ( Encyclopaedia 294 ) shows thafc all the Old Constitu . tions demanded the use of the word " Freeborn , " but that after the abolition of slavery in tbe West Indies the Grand Lodge of England changed it to " freeman , " but the former word is more usually demanded than the last , and as before shown the word freeborn is
undoubtedly correct for the reasons already given in a former article . But somewhere in an argument of this kind we have seen another reason for the words Free and Accepted , which while it is presented in a plausible lignt , we have hardly investigated enough to give our full endorsement . The writer ( whom we cannot give ) shows first that the organizations were strictly those of some trade , Masons , for
instance , which having gained great power , were favourably considered by certain lords and distinguished men who desired union witb them , but were prevented from the fact that they were not tradesmen . Their political influence being desirable the Lodgea granted them the freedom of the Lodge ; they were afterward accepted as Masons . Thus this style of writers shows that they beenme " Free
and Accepted Masons , " hence distinguished from the regular practical Masons . If this is the true origin of tho words , ifc is perfectly con . sis-tent with Speculative Masonry , becanse as the Fraternity have drifted away from the former Operative Masonry men of all occupations have gotten into the ranks . These men are not Masons , they are only accepted as such , and are granted the / . eeiZom of the Institu .
tion , hence we have become " Free and Accepted Masons . " Without undertaking to prove this theory , however plausible , we leave it to the consideration of the reader . Sharp instruments were , in the early ages , used as instruments of torture to compel men to violate their principles of conscience , betray their religion or their country . They were generally , but not always ,
swords or other instruments of war , but always instruments prepared for the purpose . It is very easy for any one to ascertain and trace the character of such instruments , their nse and effectiveness . Under their torture many denied their religion , but the nse of such instruments developed many a hero . If the ancient orders ever made use of this fact to impress inviolable secrecy upon a candidate , they
certainly wonld never have used a working tool , becanse they were living at times when these instruments were used and heroes and tnartyra were developed ; and knowing well what was nsed they would have used such instruments as would have had the desired effect ; and ii iti any later times auy instrument has been used to impress this thought , other than some real instrument of torture or war , ifc is an innovation , and should be corrected .
The Masonic Advocate announces that three hundred ancl forty-four volumes and a large number of Masonic pamphlets belonging to the late Bro . Albert Gr . Mackey are aboufc so be offered for sale , among them being many old and valuable works .
HO __ OWAT ' H OINTMENT _ .. _ PILLS . —Diseases of the Skin—No case of disease oE the skin , be its nature what it may , has failed to he benefited when these potent remedies have been properly applied . In scrofulous ancl scorbutic affections they aro especially serviceable . Scurvy , eruption , and g landular suelliiiL's . which have resisted all other modes of treatment and "radically
become worse from year to year , have been completely cured by Hollowly s coolins Ointment and purifying Pills , which root out the disease from the bloou itself , and leave the constitution free from every morbid taint . In the nursery Holloway ' s Ointment is simply invaluable ; it will givo ease in sprains , contusion ., burns , scalds , and infantile eruption- * , and may always safely ua applied by any ordinary attendant .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Foundations.
THE FOUNDATIONS .
FKOM THE VOICE OF MASOXKY .
TN the preparation of all who visited tho Ancient Temp le the Tal . mundio writers say , it was ordered that * ' No man shall go into tho Temple with his staff , nor with shoes on his feet , nor with his outer garment , nor with money tied np in his parse . " This corresponds i with certain ceremonies of the ancient times ; there was no need of a staff because ha was going to perform his devotions to God , and if
he was a priest his entrance into the Temple indicated the performance of religions ceremonies . Physically . 1 staff indicated either infirmity of age , or a decrepid or maimed body , and no maimed priest conld serve in an official way , and after fifty years of age all were relieved from duty . Becognising thia fact , Herod the Great had the ears of Hyrcanna the High Priest cut off that he might ever
afterward be deprived of the High Priesthood . He could have no shoes because he was treading on holy ground , as Moses did when he stood at the burning bnsh . There were reasons equally valid for tbe other commands . Whenever , in ancient times , a contract or pledge of any kind was made between two parties it was made binding by plucking off the
shoe and handing it to the opposite party , when the contractor was neither barefoot nor shod . Pilgrims , in early times , when they went npon that long jonrney of religions devotion wero oftentimes required by their religion to go barefoot . This last was not a enstom of the Jew _ h nor the Christian religion , except among the early Catholics , when it was sometimes required as an act of penance . Asa ceremony
ifc was beautiful in its teaching of humanity , from whatever source it came , and it is not to be discountenanced merely because ifc did not always come from the source we may have desired . In the social element of society a similar enstom prevailed . Whenever a visitor appeared at the door of the tent or dwelling ifc was the social enstom to meet him there ; remove his sandals , wash
his feet , and permit him to enter , when he was seated npon the costly mat or carpet that was spread within the middle of the room . In t ' ie case of an ordinary gnesfc this was done by a servant of the household , but when it was a distinguished person , this serv ' ce was performed by the lord of the house . It was to this custom that Chrisfc referred when Mary washed his feet , and when he reminded his
host that he had nofc given him water to wash his feet , bnfc thafc the woman had -washed them with her tears a __ wiped them with the hairs of her head . John the Baptist also referred to the same custom when he declared that he was unworthy to undo the lachet of his Master ' s shoes . It was not only a custom of menial servitude , though that office was the most lowly of the oriental household , bnfc
also a question and custom of etiquette and hononr among them . When Isaiah , xx . 2 , is speaking of the king of Assyria going asainst Ashdod , he says , "Go and loose the sackcloth from off thy loins and put off thy shoe from thy foot . And he did BO , walking naked and barefoot . " In ancient times it was always the custom as one of the rnles of war that captives were always led barefoot to
their captors' homes . Thus in Isaiah xx . 4 it is said , " So shall tho king of Assyria lead away the Egyptian prisoners , and the Ethiopian captives , young aud old , naked and barefoot , even with their buttocks uncovered , to the shame of Egypt . " In any event among men wherever any of these things are perpetuated they are commemorative of some principle involved . Now
two principles are plainly seen in these customs , first that of holy humanity , second that of fidelity to contract or promise . Were vie then to nse such an impressive custom , in any way , ifc wonld be to fnsten thoughts of humanity and fidelity upon the mind of thafc one whom we desired to lead into the truth and importance of the rite we celebrated .
When the Romans demanded that the young man shonld be of lawful age before he could wear the manly gown , which was con . ferred npon him under very solemn and impressive ceremonies , it was the protection of a political right , and was a portion of that law which defined the age at which a young man was first to obtain the riehb of citizenship as a man . This point of defcermininor upon a
certain a _ e for such or similar purposes was not merely Itoman , nor , is it only Masonic , for snch laws now prevail in almost every conntry , but in different manners according to the degree of civilization . Among the old Spartans there were systems of training , the com-. pletion of which was celebrated by severe tasks npon the young men arriving at lawful age . Among certain tribes of Africa the boy is
token ont into tho forest or plain , and there receives certain lashes , which fall so heavily npon tho back as to cause the blood to flow afc every lick ; but the absence of tears , the presence of laughter and hnmonr , aud tho fact of not flinching as the heavy lash cuts into the bone , is a mark of manhood , and when he has unflinchingly endured ali , he is regarded as a man . Tbe German government requires the
youth to enter the army , while the American government requires a certain age , which being attained the youth becomes a man , regard - less of all other facts or conditions . Hence , in a similar sense , ° ifc is a protective requirement thafc Masonry demands men to be of a certain age before they can enter a Lodge . Under tho Itoman government there was a certain requirement of
good report , nobility of family , or of good reputation before the admission to citizenship . This does not prevail , politically , in governments of tbe present day ; but ifc does prevail in Masonry , becanse there are certain principles involved and secrets to be kept which wonld be altogether unsafe in the bands of those of low moral character . Governments do not demand moral conditions as a prerequisite
of citizenship , bnt the moral teachings of Masonry demand it as an essential qualification . A higher principle than this is found in tbe character of the Jewish priesthood , where not only mental , power , but high moral qualities were required ; hence men were not allowed to enter tbe priesthood nntil they had arrived at the age of thirty , afc which time it was sapposed all had perfectly , matured their bodies , and , haviug passed all
The Foundations.
the frivolities of youth , were prepared to enter upon the sterner duties of manhood and of religious work . Thus ifc might be better were there even now a medium between the age of twenty-one and thirty , becanse men who have had more time for perfect mental aud physical development would , perhaps , make better Masons . In the earlier years of social Masonry lawful age varied according
to tho country . Youths were made Masons at the age of eighteen , nnd so on to twenty-one . Generally speaking the lawful age in Masonry has conformed to the regulation of the government which fixed the age . This is , perhaps , one of the facts why women are not made Masons ; and as this is a question of some curiosity a few remarks upon ifc may nofc be amiss . That there could be no
impropriety in making women Masons ia self-evident as far as principle is concerned , for all know very well that in all of Masonry there is nofc a single thought thafc could not be , with perfect proprietyand indeed advantage , imparted to women ; and as far aa the induction into the Fraternity is concerned there is only one exception to this , and if women were admitted that might easily be overcome . This being
true , why then can they not be admitted ? We have indeed no his . tory to inform us npon this subject , so , as in other things , we mnst draw inferences from the cirenmstances of the earlier organizations . First , then , lawful age embodied the idea of citizenship , and we all know that , technically speaking , women were not nor are they now , regarded as citizens in the same sense as men ; for a strict inter .
pretation of citizenship meant the right of franchise . ^ When women are regarded as of lawful age it refers to the acquisition of property , and the right of marriage without the consent of parents being demanded . Second , women were not admitted into the earlier organizations because they were societies of workmen and priests , and in the days of _ . nma they were political organizations . Now
women were not admitted into these societies of workmen because they were not tradesmen , nor have they ever been in the history of the world . They were not allowed to become priests in the law of any religious organization . The Jewish law required only men , and the same prevailed in heathen religion . Though sometimes by right of heirship women became queens , and often rulers in society , and at
times have been great manipulators of the politics of the government , yefc they have never been i-egarded as an essential part of the political organization of the government . Being thus deprived by law and enstom of all these things which entered so largely into the organiza . tion of the early societies , it was but in perfect consistency thafc the membership was confined to men , and as social Masonry commemo . rates these ancient orders ifc would be inconsistent with its intention
to allow of such innovations . Dr . Mackay ( Encyclopaedia 294 ) shows thafc all the Old Constitu . tions demanded the use of the word " Freeborn , " but that after the abolition of slavery in tbe West Indies the Grand Lodge of England changed it to " freeman , " but the former word is more usually demanded than the last , and as before shown the word freeborn is
undoubtedly correct for the reasons already given in a former article . But somewhere in an argument of this kind we have seen another reason for the words Free and Accepted , which while it is presented in a plausible lignt , we have hardly investigated enough to give our full endorsement . The writer ( whom we cannot give ) shows first that the organizations were strictly those of some trade , Masons , for
instance , which having gained great power , were favourably considered by certain lords and distinguished men who desired union witb them , but were prevented from the fact that they were not tradesmen . Their political influence being desirable the Lodgea granted them the freedom of the Lodge ; they were afterward accepted as Masons . Thus this style of writers shows that they beenme " Free
and Accepted Masons , " hence distinguished from the regular practical Masons . If this is the true origin of tho words , ifc is perfectly con . sis-tent with Speculative Masonry , becanse as the Fraternity have drifted away from the former Operative Masonry men of all occupations have gotten into the ranks . These men are not Masons , they are only accepted as such , and are granted the / . eeiZom of the Institu .
tion , hence we have become " Free and Accepted Masons . " Without undertaking to prove this theory , however plausible , we leave it to the consideration of the reader . Sharp instruments were , in the early ages , used as instruments of torture to compel men to violate their principles of conscience , betray their religion or their country . They were generally , but not always ,
swords or other instruments of war , but always instruments prepared for the purpose . It is very easy for any one to ascertain and trace the character of such instruments , their nse and effectiveness . Under their torture many denied their religion , but the nse of such instruments developed many a hero . If the ancient orders ever made use of this fact to impress inviolable secrecy upon a candidate , they
certainly wonld never have used a working tool , becanse they were living at times when these instruments were used and heroes and tnartyra were developed ; and knowing well what was nsed they would have used such instruments as would have had the desired effect ; and ii iti any later times auy instrument has been used to impress this thought , other than some real instrument of torture or war , ifc is an innovation , and should be corrected .
The Masonic Advocate announces that three hundred ancl forty-four volumes and a large number of Masonic pamphlets belonging to the late Bro . Albert Gr . Mackey are aboufc so be offered for sale , among them being many old and valuable works .
HO __ OWAT ' H OINTMENT _ .. _ PILLS . —Diseases of the Skin—No case of disease oE the skin , be its nature what it may , has failed to he benefited when these potent remedies have been properly applied . In scrofulous ancl scorbutic affections they aro especially serviceable . Scurvy , eruption , and g landular suelliiiL's . which have resisted all other modes of treatment and "radically
become worse from year to year , have been completely cured by Hollowly s coolins Ointment and purifying Pills , which root out the disease from the bloou itself , and leave the constitution free from every morbid taint . In the nursery Holloway ' s Ointment is simply invaluable ; it will givo ease in sprains , contusion ., burns , scalds , and infantile eruption- * , and may always safely ua applied by any ordinary attendant .