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Article WHAT FREEMASONRY IS. ← Page 2 of 3 Article WHAT FREEMASONRY IS. Page 2 of 3 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
What Freemasonry Is.
some modern churches . Freemasonry takes the old landmarks by which the way to right living , a happy death and true immortality is to be found . It only gathers up the well known principles of truth as already revealed by God , and seeks to place them in such a garb that its members may make a successful application of them to an
every day life . Freemasonry is a body o ( eternal principles which may be applied to the work of elevating human character . Its influence for good is not confined to the Lodge room . It goes out into everyday life , and through its members touches society as a player puts his hands to
the strings of a harp ! The institution is no fanciful thing dealing in historical reminiscences and social sentimentality ! It recognises hard , everyday facts . Its laws cornprebend fche unalterable truth that no man liveth or dieth to himself . The influences of each man ' s life do their
share of the work thafc moulds some neighbour ' s character . Some one will be the better or worse for our having lived in the world . Therefore it is plain to be seen that whatever elevates even a seciion of mankind benefits society at large . Freemasonry stands just there . It endeavours to
prepare the heart of a craftsman for the higher work of Christianity . It earnestly seeks to mako a truer citizen and better man of him . To accomplish this , Freemasonry
teaches its brotherhood how to best apply to an everyday life the principles of that body of truth I have mentioned . Well , in making an exposition of some of these great principles , which are the foundation stones , we
find—2 . That Freemasonry teaches fidelity to religious duties ? He that is true to God will be true to his fellow men .
Masonry recognises this , and so in its instructions goes deeper than the rudiments of an intelligent and social training . It exhorts its craftemen to be ever mindful of what they owe God . By the most impressive lessons
does the Order seek to fasten this principle in the hearts of the brotherhood . Do you think of some unworthy man who calls himself a Mason ? Remember that he may be able to give all the grips and whisper every pass word , yet ,
if he forgets God , and his habits are sinful and his language unchaste , be is not a true Mason , only a parody ! Some delinquent brother may fail in his religious duties , but not because Freemasonry has been unfaithful in its teaching !
A member of some household by disgraceful conduct may bring shame upon his parents , brothers and sisters ; but no one is cruel enough to set him up as a criterion by which to judge the character of tbe family . He who is false to
his oath of allegiance to the Unitid States is not a sample of that nobler citizenshi p which is the glory of America . So the unworthy man who wears the Masonic badge is not to be taken as a specimen of Freemasonry . There are a
multitude in the community who are widely known as honest men , pre-eminently virtuous , and devout worshippers of God . These are the specimens by which fairminded people will judge of the handiwork of Freemasonry ! Out in the diamond fields of Golconda no one thinks of
picking up a stone in the rough and saying , " Look at its brownness , look afc its angularities ; if this be a diamond , I reject it . " He waits until the stone has been shaped and polished and then exclaims , " Beautiful ! let us seek
another diamond . " Wait , friends , allow the tools of Freemasonry to shape some of these diamonds in the rough , before yon pass judgment . It ia the glory of the Christian church that it is God ' s hospital on earth . Ifc receives the
motally blind and lame for upliftal . If , after uniting with the church , the old malady breaks forth , it patiently reapplies tbe bandages and ointments of the gospel . These are not pitilessly cast forth ! True Freemasonry is not a church . It offers no salvation of its own . It never
says , " Look unto me and be ye saved . " But Freemasonry , handmaid of the church that she is , emulates that example , and is full of pity and compassion for those who err
Freemasonry is only another hospital ; and as allopathy differs from homoeopathy , so the treatment may be different , bnt the same Lord is God of both and moral health is the end sought in each .
The foundation for such soul upliftal is only found in the fidelity of religions duties ! And Freemasonry begins with inculcating " Love to God . " From the moment a stranger " seeking light" is admitted to the mystic
chamber , he observes that through every part and detail of the ceremonies there runs one idea like a golden thread in a web of cloth—God . There is no travesty in divine things . No mummery . How the thought of God blazes from that letter of gold in the east ! How the call to his service rises like the near words of a silver-tongued voice
What Freemasonry Is.
from the " Great Light" of fche altar ! God is everywhere . He was in the Lodge room when those sublimesfc of all words were spoken by the candidate . By rite and ritual ; by sign and symbol ; by words and precept Freemasonry endeavours to keep those vows , and God ' s reward for obediencv before the mind of the
craftsman . These are like the ring on the bride ' s finger ; they are a memento of the pledge and what he promised to obey . Thus you see the tendency of the teaching of Freemasonry is to keep alive one ' s purpose to serve God , and to elevate the moral standard of the craftsman ' s living .
Solomon , because of this " love to God , " spared not himself in the building of the temple ; his wealth and talents were devoted to the work . So he who has truly entered into the spirit of Freemasonry ; he who really feels its sublime influence , has no hesitancy in applying himself
ancl all thafc be has to the great work of making his soul a living temple for the indwelling of God ; of which Solomon ' s temple was only a type . God in the temple ! He who arched tbe blue dome and studded ifc witb laughing worlds ; who set up the pillars of the earth ; and swung tbe planets into sockets that are not seen , dwelling wifch man ,
0 ! what an incentive for the Mason to restrain his passions , and to exercise his patience , and to carefully rear aloft the walls of bis character , that the capstone may be brought forth with great rejoicing and receive tbe Master ' s approval .
This work of building tbe moral temple also involves the Mason ' s love for his fellow man . He who knew no guile said : " Thou shalt love the Lord th y God with all
thy heart , and wifch all fcby soul , and wifch all thy mind , and thy neighbour as thyself . " 0 there is a luxury in doing good ; to love men for God ' s sake is the noblest of aims ! Christ , to whom we look for immortality , was a manifestation of God ' s love to men ; Christ made that love
real . But now , Freemasons share in the blessed work of making real to others thafc same love . This is part of every Mason's religious obligation . During the " working hours " of life many of these we call brethren fall sick
through much weariness . There are times when adversity with a heavy hand smites . How frequently do the night shades , and chill damps of death gather in bright homes . It is the mission of Freemasonry to carry to that weary one an
elixir of sympathy . To stand beside that fallen one and say , " Brother give me thy hand . " 0 yes , ifc is the mission of Masonry to kneel by that bedside of death , and with soft touch wipe the sweat beads from the fevered brow ,
whisper of Beulah land , where tear drops are nofc seen , and graves are not cut , and where the happy song is always singing . Ifc is here fchafc tbe Freemason has the opportunity of proving his profession . He manifests his
love to God , by loving the man that came from God ' s hand ! The open palm , the sympathetic heart , the loving word , are the proofs of a man ' s Masonry ! These are tha " level and square " trying his character to see if it is
worthy ! Ornamental veneerings attached to a man ' s reputation are like a network of frost on a window pane , ifc is gone wifch the sun ' s looking—so heart deeds , and not sentimental superficiality , will stand a searching glance
from * the all-seeing eye . Be sure the moral and spiritual structure we erect has a correspondence to that " Great Temple " true Mason ' s revere ! Go to the " trestle-board "
often . Photograph the design on yonr heart . 0 , Freemasonry is a life , not a gibberish of empty phrases ! This is the secret of its golden years .
It is not built of hay and stubble , nor even of gold and silver , but of immortal mind , lt is a temple of lively stones neatly joined together . Like the pyramids , unmoved in silent majesty it looks down upon the passing centuries . Empires who saw its infancy have scattered
like dust , but , as the stars , Freemasonry ever shines in the night of human struggle . Go to those pyramids and test the stones by the square and plumb and level , and you shall learn that these monuments of fche past endure
because of Masonic honesty in the work ! So Freemasonry abides , because of the patient , conscientious work that has cemented hearts together in the enduring bonds of an honest brotherhood . Its foundations of truth ; its
pillars of wisdom , strength and beauty ; its dome of eternal brotherhood ; its spires that touch the bright blue skies of immortality , reveal the skill of the Supreme Architect , to whom be the glory for ever . Yes , Freemasonry , while not a church , is religion in practical operation ! It is in
harmony with that golden precept , " pare religion , undefied before God the Father is this ; to visit the father-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
What Freemasonry Is.
some modern churches . Freemasonry takes the old landmarks by which the way to right living , a happy death and true immortality is to be found . It only gathers up the well known principles of truth as already revealed by God , and seeks to place them in such a garb that its members may make a successful application of them to an
every day life . Freemasonry is a body o ( eternal principles which may be applied to the work of elevating human character . Its influence for good is not confined to the Lodge room . It goes out into everyday life , and through its members touches society as a player puts his hands to
the strings of a harp ! The institution is no fanciful thing dealing in historical reminiscences and social sentimentality ! It recognises hard , everyday facts . Its laws cornprebend fche unalterable truth that no man liveth or dieth to himself . The influences of each man ' s life do their
share of the work thafc moulds some neighbour ' s character . Some one will be the better or worse for our having lived in the world . Therefore it is plain to be seen that whatever elevates even a seciion of mankind benefits society at large . Freemasonry stands just there . It endeavours to
prepare the heart of a craftsman for the higher work of Christianity . It earnestly seeks to mako a truer citizen and better man of him . To accomplish this , Freemasonry
teaches its brotherhood how to best apply to an everyday life the principles of that body of truth I have mentioned . Well , in making an exposition of some of these great principles , which are the foundation stones , we
find—2 . That Freemasonry teaches fidelity to religious duties ? He that is true to God will be true to his fellow men .
Masonry recognises this , and so in its instructions goes deeper than the rudiments of an intelligent and social training . It exhorts its craftemen to be ever mindful of what they owe God . By the most impressive lessons
does the Order seek to fasten this principle in the hearts of the brotherhood . Do you think of some unworthy man who calls himself a Mason ? Remember that he may be able to give all the grips and whisper every pass word , yet ,
if he forgets God , and his habits are sinful and his language unchaste , be is not a true Mason , only a parody ! Some delinquent brother may fail in his religious duties , but not because Freemasonry has been unfaithful in its teaching !
A member of some household by disgraceful conduct may bring shame upon his parents , brothers and sisters ; but no one is cruel enough to set him up as a criterion by which to judge the character of tbe family . He who is false to
his oath of allegiance to the Unitid States is not a sample of that nobler citizenshi p which is the glory of America . So the unworthy man who wears the Masonic badge is not to be taken as a specimen of Freemasonry . There are a
multitude in the community who are widely known as honest men , pre-eminently virtuous , and devout worshippers of God . These are the specimens by which fairminded people will judge of the handiwork of Freemasonry ! Out in the diamond fields of Golconda no one thinks of
picking up a stone in the rough and saying , " Look at its brownness , look afc its angularities ; if this be a diamond , I reject it . " He waits until the stone has been shaped and polished and then exclaims , " Beautiful ! let us seek
another diamond . " Wait , friends , allow the tools of Freemasonry to shape some of these diamonds in the rough , before yon pass judgment . It ia the glory of the Christian church that it is God ' s hospital on earth . Ifc receives the
motally blind and lame for upliftal . If , after uniting with the church , the old malady breaks forth , it patiently reapplies tbe bandages and ointments of the gospel . These are not pitilessly cast forth ! True Freemasonry is not a church . It offers no salvation of its own . It never
says , " Look unto me and be ye saved . " But Freemasonry , handmaid of the church that she is , emulates that example , and is full of pity and compassion for those who err
Freemasonry is only another hospital ; and as allopathy differs from homoeopathy , so the treatment may be different , bnt the same Lord is God of both and moral health is the end sought in each .
The foundation for such soul upliftal is only found in the fidelity of religions duties ! And Freemasonry begins with inculcating " Love to God . " From the moment a stranger " seeking light" is admitted to the mystic
chamber , he observes that through every part and detail of the ceremonies there runs one idea like a golden thread in a web of cloth—God . There is no travesty in divine things . No mummery . How the thought of God blazes from that letter of gold in the east ! How the call to his service rises like the near words of a silver-tongued voice
What Freemasonry Is.
from the " Great Light" of fche altar ! God is everywhere . He was in the Lodge room when those sublimesfc of all words were spoken by the candidate . By rite and ritual ; by sign and symbol ; by words and precept Freemasonry endeavours to keep those vows , and God ' s reward for obediencv before the mind of the
craftsman . These are like the ring on the bride ' s finger ; they are a memento of the pledge and what he promised to obey . Thus you see the tendency of the teaching of Freemasonry is to keep alive one ' s purpose to serve God , and to elevate the moral standard of the craftsman ' s living .
Solomon , because of this " love to God , " spared not himself in the building of the temple ; his wealth and talents were devoted to the work . So he who has truly entered into the spirit of Freemasonry ; he who really feels its sublime influence , has no hesitancy in applying himself
ancl all thafc be has to the great work of making his soul a living temple for the indwelling of God ; of which Solomon ' s temple was only a type . God in the temple ! He who arched tbe blue dome and studded ifc witb laughing worlds ; who set up the pillars of the earth ; and swung tbe planets into sockets that are not seen , dwelling wifch man ,
0 ! what an incentive for the Mason to restrain his passions , and to exercise his patience , and to carefully rear aloft the walls of bis character , that the capstone may be brought forth with great rejoicing and receive tbe Master ' s approval .
This work of building tbe moral temple also involves the Mason ' s love for his fellow man . He who knew no guile said : " Thou shalt love the Lord th y God with all
thy heart , and wifch all fcby soul , and wifch all thy mind , and thy neighbour as thyself . " 0 there is a luxury in doing good ; to love men for God ' s sake is the noblest of aims ! Christ , to whom we look for immortality , was a manifestation of God ' s love to men ; Christ made that love
real . But now , Freemasons share in the blessed work of making real to others thafc same love . This is part of every Mason's religious obligation . During the " working hours " of life many of these we call brethren fall sick
through much weariness . There are times when adversity with a heavy hand smites . How frequently do the night shades , and chill damps of death gather in bright homes . It is the mission of Freemasonry to carry to that weary one an
elixir of sympathy . To stand beside that fallen one and say , " Brother give me thy hand . " 0 yes , ifc is the mission of Masonry to kneel by that bedside of death , and with soft touch wipe the sweat beads from the fevered brow ,
whisper of Beulah land , where tear drops are nofc seen , and graves are not cut , and where the happy song is always singing . Ifc is here fchafc tbe Freemason has the opportunity of proving his profession . He manifests his
love to God , by loving the man that came from God ' s hand ! The open palm , the sympathetic heart , the loving word , are the proofs of a man ' s Masonry ! These are tha " level and square " trying his character to see if it is
worthy ! Ornamental veneerings attached to a man ' s reputation are like a network of frost on a window pane , ifc is gone wifch the sun ' s looking—so heart deeds , and not sentimental superficiality , will stand a searching glance
from * the all-seeing eye . Be sure the moral and spiritual structure we erect has a correspondence to that " Great Temple " true Mason ' s revere ! Go to the " trestle-board "
often . Photograph the design on yonr heart . 0 , Freemasonry is a life , not a gibberish of empty phrases ! This is the secret of its golden years .
It is not built of hay and stubble , nor even of gold and silver , but of immortal mind , lt is a temple of lively stones neatly joined together . Like the pyramids , unmoved in silent majesty it looks down upon the passing centuries . Empires who saw its infancy have scattered
like dust , but , as the stars , Freemasonry ever shines in the night of human struggle . Go to those pyramids and test the stones by the square and plumb and level , and you shall learn that these monuments of fche past endure
because of Masonic honesty in the work ! So Freemasonry abides , because of the patient , conscientious work that has cemented hearts together in the enduring bonds of an honest brotherhood . Its foundations of truth ; its
pillars of wisdom , strength and beauty ; its dome of eternal brotherhood ; its spires that touch the bright blue skies of immortality , reveal the skill of the Supreme Architect , to whom be the glory for ever . Yes , Freemasonry , while not a church , is religion in practical operation ! It is in
harmony with that golden precept , " pare religion , undefied before God the Father is this ; to visit the father-