Freemasonry's Design And Scope

and at last matured as it found its highest adaptation to the advancement of humanitv . Its principles seem to have been fixed early , and from the purest sources ; while its working processes adjusted themselves to the advancing

wants and relations of men . Like the stream whose distant sourcps are far away in the summits of the misty mountains , but whose gathered flood sweeps in beneficent power down bv meadow and city , a joy and a benediction

wherever it comes , so this system comes to us from the fardistant past a mighty and beneficent influence , beginning at the springs of man ' s early life and gathering flood and force as it comes along the ages .

Crowns havo grown playthings since firsfc we united , Glory's frail fabrics have fallou to uousrhfc , Nations have risen , like lamps newly lighted ,

Then in oppression's dark mantle been caught ; While , like a sunny rill , Silent , yet gaining still , Deeper and wider onr influence has spread ,

Soothing the widow ' s fears , Wiping the orphan's tears , Strength to the weak , to fche fatherless bread . "

This system belongs to no age or nation ; it is tho product of no class or condition , and is confined to no place or people . It is universal and cosmopolitan .

The object and scope of this organization will be found in the permanent relations of men and the ever-recurring necessities of the race .

I . It strives to comprehend and realize the true brotherhood of man . This thought of a real , valuable , and loving relationshi p , a true brotherhood between men—all men—has all

alonethe ages been struggling for recognition , and been longed for as a realization . Often indeed it has been perverted , and the sacred name used to beguile the simple and to deceive the confiding . Now , some limited organization

for narrow and selfish purposes , has taken up the name , and called men to its fellowship , and promised them great things , only to disappoint their hungering expectations . Men , impatient of the restraints of civil order or social

organization , have taken this sacred name , and under its sanction rushed to the destruction of some of the noblest monuments of human toil or genius , and led the so-named brotherhood to disgrace the simple name of man , much

moro that of brother . Sometimes the vicious and corrupt have concealed under this coveted name the dark plots of their foul minds and wicked hearts , and have brousrht a

disgrace and a distaste to the very word , so that men have almost instinctively turned from ifc with abhorrence . Tet there is a real blessinp ; in it . It is a doctrine of our Father

above . There are yearnings of the human spirit that cannot be satisfied except in the hope that man shall yet know how to recognize his fellow man as a part of one great common brotherhood , ancl shall have a heart and

spirit to act and feel toward him as snch . No conception of a perfect state of man can be complete without ifc . Men , often deceived and dissappointed , yet ever long for and hope to realize what is felt to be deeply imbedded in the inmost

heart and founded on eternal truth . Somehow men are all brothers , and there must be a way in which this cherished truth can be realized and made fruitful of happiness to the race . God has written the truth in His word , and put it

down deep in the human soul , and it will abide until the reality is found . Hitherto the difficulty of realizing this cherished desire has been twofold . Men have either limited the idea to a brotherhood of class or nationality or condition ,

or they have perverted the very meaning of the term . It is broader and farther in its reach than these limitations ; it stays not at the name of kindred or coterie or countrymen ; it lives not shut up in narrow bounds of class or profession

or sect ; it lays hold of man because he is man , and reaches out his sympathy to embrace the race and to do good unto all men . Men even professing the pure reli gion of the Bible have often failed to comprehend the broad love of its

Great Teacher , and were willing to limit their , and even His , kindness to the narrow bounds of a class or at most a nation ; hence that beautiful and instructive parable of the man fallen among thieves , to whom He made the strano-er

and despised alien minister , rather than his countryman , his co-religionist , or his kindred ; and then drew the lesson of brotherhood , not from any of those incidents , bufc from the bond of human fellowship and kindness bestowed for the

sakeof humanityand common manhood . So this brotherhood of man is broader , and means more , than the ties of family , or class , or society , or nation . It is that feeling , abiding down deep in the bosom of humanity , that would seek its

Freemasonry's Design And Scope

realization in the fraternity , affection , and kindliness of all men , wherever they may be found , and that because they

are men . The other difficulty was in mistaken notions of what is meant by the term brotherJiood of man . Men have attempted to tench that it consisted in equality of goods , in a parit y

of gifts , or in a similarity of circumstances , and a perfect level of stations . An equality , therefore , that sought to bring all men down to the condition of the lowest , thafc wonld take away the rewards of industry , diligence , and

skill from the rightful possessor , and waste them on the idle or incompetent ; to bring the social status and culture also down to the same common level ; and as the status of those advocating these ideas was often very low , the result

would be a great level of vulgar and unattractive people , a community and a commonalty on a very low plane . Neither good sense nor good fellowship would require or allow such a brotherhood to exist . It is not remarkable

that snch travesties on the name have often begotten a profound disgust for all connected with the cherished idea . But the true human heart holds a better conception of this brotherhood , and while it revolts afc the excesses of the

communistic and socialistic mob the delusion and falsity of the cry " equality , fraternity ancl liberty , " uttered by those bent on sad destructions and anarchy , yet it believes in the reality and value of a genuine and happy fraternity ; a

brotherhood where the great and good are still revered ; where the industrious shall reap the rewards of diligence ; and the appreciation of merit is an act of friendship and justice , and yet all due kindness and consideration be

rendered to every man in his place . It believes in a brotherhood of men composed , indeed , of all classes and conditions , but of men received for their manhood , and loved for their kindred relationship , while to each is given , in his place , the consideration due to his merit .

Now , this is the ideal of Masonry . She receives a man for no accidental circumstances of his life or surroundings . Her inquiry is only , " Is he a man , and does he come under the tongue of good report ? " His manhood ancl his moral

character are the stamp of his acceptability . He may be poor , if only he is true and good ; he may be ignorant if only he wants to obtain light ; he may be humble , if only he seeks by true ways to be exalted ; he may be unskilled ,

if only he seeks to become a master workman ; he may come , in his need , led by the hand of another , but if his search is for truth and purity , the most exalted brother of the Order will take him by the hand , and bid him be of

good courage , and welcome him to all the privileges of the hi ghest member of the Order , and to the fellowship of a brotherhood wide as the world and extensive as the race . But the hand of welcome is extended to him , not wifch the

promise that the Order will come down to his level , but that they invite him to be lifted up to the hopes and joys and fellowship of their more exalted position . He is welcomed to a fraternity that does not believe in depressing men to

the level of those below , but of lifting men up higher . We do not seek to crush the aspirations and despoil the high gifts of our membership , that we may produce an equality of fellowship on a low plane , but we strive to

cultivate all in the amenities of truth and goodness ancl knowledge . We seek to have true merit reach the highest places , and then we honour capacity and attainment and position fairly won . We love and cherish goodness and

virtue , and bow with respect at the place of rightful authority . Among the treasures of our history we cherish the names of Solomon and Hiram of Tyre , men of royal position ; ancl by their side we love to place that other

Hiram , whose claim to our honour is alone in his personal merit , the matchless lessons spread upon his ever-cherished trestleboard , and his fidelity so true thafc ifc flinched not in the presence of death itself ; then , with these of greater

distinction , our Order embraces in her regard all the great company of her fellows , unfolds to them alike her rich lessons , extends to them lovingly her sympathy , and tries to disperse , ungrudgingly and impartially , her rewards as

they deserve . Men who know her spirit ancl imbibe her lessons love and revere her broad and elevating fellowship . One grand aim and purpose of Masonry is to realize , as far as possible , the true idea of the universal brotherhood of

man ; not of tramps , nor cranks , nor dreamy idealists , uov mistaken socialists , nor destructive anarchists , but of men capable of noble things , and willing and striving to attain them . II . In her scope and design Masonry is led to recognize and realize the being and sovereignty of God . The