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Article MASONRY IN THE FOREGROUND. ← Page 3 of 4 Article MASONRY IN THE FOREGROUND. Page 3 of 4 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonry In The Foreground.
laying off the work allotted him in his proper sphere of life , that the wisest division may bo made of his time , giving not only the proper hours to his usual avocations , the proper development both in mind and body , and the service of God and a worthy distressed brother , but so apportioning
those hours that the best results may be thereby attained ; That in the proper use of the common gavel , each piece of material allotted him for bis social , intellectual , and spiritual building may bo so fitted that nothing be lost ;
and thafc the edifice constructed therefrom may be of perfect ashlars , symmetrical in all its parts , and entitle the builder to the reward offered by the Master to those who prove faithful to their trusts ;
That he may so walk , at duty ' s call , among the pollution and degradation of crime and misery , alleviating the sufferings of the outcast and oppressed , and elevating the unfortunate to higher planes of action , that his distinguishing badge may ever remain untarnished from sin , pure and unspotted before the world ;
Light , that he may do all this sincerely and effectually , yet silently and unobtrusively , scarcely letting his left hand know what his right doeth , and without by word , thought or deed revealing any of the sacred mysteries of our Craft ,
which distinguishes us from the rest of the world , and from the sacred tie which for ages has kept our bands united in the common pursuit of the welfare and happiness of each other .
Having been duly initiated an Entered Apprentice , and serving a proper time as such , the candidate again finds himself at the altar of Masonry , and takes upon himself the further obligation of a Fellow Craft . Here he is reminded
that , as we progress in knowledge , our duties and responsibilities correspondingly increase . And as the new fields of labour and usefulness connected with this degree aro opened before him , again his prayer ascends for further light ;
Light that the laws , rules and regulations , written and unwritten , binding ns together in a common brotherhood , may be clearly discerned , that , peering into the darkness of the outside world , the extreme length of his cable tow may
be plainly seen ; and should a brother ' s need fall within a circle transcribed by its utmost length , his hand may be ready to supply his wants , and his heart go forth in answer to the call , lest by his shortsightedness his brother fall , and he be not held blameless ;
That the slightest variation of tho plumb line of his life from the line of rectitude and right may be instantly detected ; thafc he may ever lead in the straight and narrow way , and not bo a stumbling block in the path of others less informed ;
That , as he journeys on the level of time to that bourne from whence no traveller returns , no irregularities or excesses may impair his faculties , or debase the dignity of his profession ; but that his zealous attachment to the principles of our institution may keep the " spirit test" of
tbat useful instrument ever in full view , and demonstrate to the world that Masonry demands the highest exercise of all our powers , physical , intellectual , moral and spiritual ; That when the square of virtue is applied to the transactions of Lis life , there shall be detected no divera-ence
from the ways of uprightness and truth , that when the great Book of Life is opened at the last day , the lines of his earthly career may form a perfect square , touched on every corner by a circle transcribing his whole duty to God and man ;
That the edifice of his life , erected in accordance with his God-given powers , whether it be the simple Tuscan of tbe common labourer , the Ionic of the mechanic , the merchant , the scholar , or the Corinthian of the statesman
or the orator , whose thoughts and words control the destiny of nations , may be so symmetrical in all its parts as to form a beantifnl , perfect and complete whole , and merit tho approbation of the all-wise Judge to whom we shall all render an account at the last day .
Coming now to the last and highest degree of Ancient Craft Masonry , and assuming the obligations of that degree , what a multitude of thoughts crowd upon ns . Tlie obligations of this degree are numerous and extremely weighty , and were it not for firm reliance in Divine power
whieh has been taught us iu the preceding degree .- * , we might well shrink from assuming them . And now , as never before , the heart of the trne Mason goes out in fervent prayor , for greater light . Light that he rn ty , in justice to his country , aud with duo regard to tho government under wbich ho lives , properly discriminate , and dis-
Masonry In The Foreground.
close or keep for ever secret tho secrets of his brother communicated to him as snch . That the needs of his brother , his widow , his orphans , may bo so revealed to him that , while be may go on foot and out of his way to supply their wants and render the needed assistance , he may do
so in such a way and manner that they shall feel equally blessed to give and receive ; aud that his beneficence may lead its recipients closer to tho Groat Giver to whom wo are all indebted for the manifold blessings which wo now enjoy ; that , as he kneels by tho bedside of death , and
" with soft touch wipes tho sweat beads from the fevered brow , and whispers of Beulah land , where tear drops are not seen , and sorrow is not known , and where the happy song is always singing , " the sympathetic heart , melting with the fervid heat of brotherly devotion , may take away
the bitterness of the death sting , bear the sufferer peacefully through the valley of the shadow , part the sable curtain hiding from his view the great bevond , and bid the
departing spirit God speed as it wings its way from tho narrow confines of its earthly tabernacle to the boundless realms of bliss , where all good Masons hope to dwell in eternal happiness in tho Paradise of God .
That he may so guard his thoughts , words and actions that tho chastity of his brother ' s wife , sister , daughter , mother , may not only be held inviolate at his hands , but that he be ever ready to protect that sanctity at his life ' s peril , at the slightest approach of impending danger ;
That his eye and ear may ever be on the alert to catch the faintest signal of distress given by a worthy brother , that his limbs may be swift to the rescue , and that he may clearly discriminate between the chances of life and death , and fail not in the rescue from lack of courage .
So regulate his life that , while he whispers good counsel into the ear of his falling brother , and tenderly reminds him of his faults , no beam may obstruct the vision of his own eye while he seeks to remove the mote from that of his brother ; so subjugate the love of self to the desire for
the ennoblement of his fellow men , that in his adorations to Deity the welfare of his brother may be remembered equally with his own ; that with the trowel of his example he so may spread the cement of brotherly lovo and kindness , that the smallest crevice of strife and discord
may be detected and filled , that ho may be tho instrument of uniting his Lodge into the common band of friends and brothers whoso only emulation is who best can work or most excel ; that the pot of incense sending forth its adorations to Deity may be ever burning on his family altar ,
aud that its fames may be so replete wifch the aroma of worthy deeds that it may indeed be the emblem of a pure heart and prove an acceptable sacrifice to tho Deity ; That , as he goes forth into the great beehive of wovdly
avocations , he may be so guided in the proper choice of his labour , that his life may be full of good works ; that ho may indeed add to the common stock of knowledge and understanding ; that iu the reliance of mankind one upon another for sustenance and support , he may not be a droue
in the hive of society , deriving his sustenance from the labour of others and contributing nothing in return , but wisely and usefully employing his time in reciprocal acts of love and friendship , that when the great honeycomb of this world ' s deeds is presented to the Grand Muster of the
Celestial Lodge above , his particular cell may be found filled to the brim with honey extracted from the flowers scattered along the pathway of a well spent life ; that standing with the Tyler ' s sword in hand , he may not only euard the Book of Constitntions from the invasions of the
profane , but arrest the slightest deviation from the established usages of the Craft , silently aud circumspectly defending tho noble tenets of our profession , aud preserving unsullied the reputation of the Fraternity ; that as he
life , whether in the calm aud placid waters of prosperity , ov through the storms and tempests of adversity , the eff algenco of the rays sent forth from the lighthouse of fc e Holy Scriptures may ever clearly discover to him tlie shoals aud qu i cksands of vice , insolence and sensuality , the
rocks ancl breakers of unbelief and infidelity , and that he may safely land in the peaceful harbour of a well spent lii «» and as he drops hia anchor in tlie quiet waters " where tho winked cease from troubling and tho weary are at rest .
may it t >* ke firm hold on the ro : k ot ages ; and as passing down tlie gangway he abandons the clayey vessel of mortality , steps upon the undiscovered shore , his hands may bo grasped at the water ' s edge by Him who walkw
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Masonry In The Foreground.
laying off the work allotted him in his proper sphere of life , that the wisest division may bo made of his time , giving not only the proper hours to his usual avocations , the proper development both in mind and body , and the service of God and a worthy distressed brother , but so apportioning
those hours that the best results may be thereby attained ; That in the proper use of the common gavel , each piece of material allotted him for bis social , intellectual , and spiritual building may bo so fitted that nothing be lost ;
and thafc the edifice constructed therefrom may be of perfect ashlars , symmetrical in all its parts , and entitle the builder to the reward offered by the Master to those who prove faithful to their trusts ;
That he may so walk , at duty ' s call , among the pollution and degradation of crime and misery , alleviating the sufferings of the outcast and oppressed , and elevating the unfortunate to higher planes of action , that his distinguishing badge may ever remain untarnished from sin , pure and unspotted before the world ;
Light , that he may do all this sincerely and effectually , yet silently and unobtrusively , scarcely letting his left hand know what his right doeth , and without by word , thought or deed revealing any of the sacred mysteries of our Craft ,
which distinguishes us from the rest of the world , and from the sacred tie which for ages has kept our bands united in the common pursuit of the welfare and happiness of each other .
Having been duly initiated an Entered Apprentice , and serving a proper time as such , the candidate again finds himself at the altar of Masonry , and takes upon himself the further obligation of a Fellow Craft . Here he is reminded
that , as we progress in knowledge , our duties and responsibilities correspondingly increase . And as the new fields of labour and usefulness connected with this degree aro opened before him , again his prayer ascends for further light ;
Light that the laws , rules and regulations , written and unwritten , binding ns together in a common brotherhood , may be clearly discerned , that , peering into the darkness of the outside world , the extreme length of his cable tow may
be plainly seen ; and should a brother ' s need fall within a circle transcribed by its utmost length , his hand may be ready to supply his wants , and his heart go forth in answer to the call , lest by his shortsightedness his brother fall , and he be not held blameless ;
That the slightest variation of tho plumb line of his life from the line of rectitude and right may be instantly detected ; thafc he may ever lead in the straight and narrow way , and not bo a stumbling block in the path of others less informed ;
That , as he journeys on the level of time to that bourne from whence no traveller returns , no irregularities or excesses may impair his faculties , or debase the dignity of his profession ; but that his zealous attachment to the principles of our institution may keep the " spirit test" of
tbat useful instrument ever in full view , and demonstrate to the world that Masonry demands the highest exercise of all our powers , physical , intellectual , moral and spiritual ; That when the square of virtue is applied to the transactions of Lis life , there shall be detected no divera-ence
from the ways of uprightness and truth , that when the great Book of Life is opened at the last day , the lines of his earthly career may form a perfect square , touched on every corner by a circle transcribing his whole duty to God and man ;
That the edifice of his life , erected in accordance with his God-given powers , whether it be the simple Tuscan of tbe common labourer , the Ionic of the mechanic , the merchant , the scholar , or the Corinthian of the statesman
or the orator , whose thoughts and words control the destiny of nations , may be so symmetrical in all its parts as to form a beantifnl , perfect and complete whole , and merit tho approbation of the all-wise Judge to whom we shall all render an account at the last day .
Coming now to the last and highest degree of Ancient Craft Masonry , and assuming the obligations of that degree , what a multitude of thoughts crowd upon ns . Tlie obligations of this degree are numerous and extremely weighty , and were it not for firm reliance in Divine power
whieh has been taught us iu the preceding degree .- * , we might well shrink from assuming them . And now , as never before , the heart of the trne Mason goes out in fervent prayor , for greater light . Light that he rn ty , in justice to his country , aud with duo regard to tho government under wbich ho lives , properly discriminate , and dis-
Masonry In The Foreground.
close or keep for ever secret tho secrets of his brother communicated to him as snch . That the needs of his brother , his widow , his orphans , may bo so revealed to him that , while be may go on foot and out of his way to supply their wants and render the needed assistance , he may do
so in such a way and manner that they shall feel equally blessed to give and receive ; aud that his beneficence may lead its recipients closer to tho Groat Giver to whom wo are all indebted for the manifold blessings which wo now enjoy ; that , as he kneels by tho bedside of death , and
" with soft touch wipes tho sweat beads from the fevered brow , and whispers of Beulah land , where tear drops are not seen , and sorrow is not known , and where the happy song is always singing , " the sympathetic heart , melting with the fervid heat of brotherly devotion , may take away
the bitterness of the death sting , bear the sufferer peacefully through the valley of the shadow , part the sable curtain hiding from his view the great bevond , and bid the
departing spirit God speed as it wings its way from tho narrow confines of its earthly tabernacle to the boundless realms of bliss , where all good Masons hope to dwell in eternal happiness in tho Paradise of God .
That he may so guard his thoughts , words and actions that tho chastity of his brother ' s wife , sister , daughter , mother , may not only be held inviolate at his hands , but that he be ever ready to protect that sanctity at his life ' s peril , at the slightest approach of impending danger ;
That his eye and ear may ever be on the alert to catch the faintest signal of distress given by a worthy brother , that his limbs may be swift to the rescue , and that he may clearly discriminate between the chances of life and death , and fail not in the rescue from lack of courage .
So regulate his life that , while he whispers good counsel into the ear of his falling brother , and tenderly reminds him of his faults , no beam may obstruct the vision of his own eye while he seeks to remove the mote from that of his brother ; so subjugate the love of self to the desire for
the ennoblement of his fellow men , that in his adorations to Deity the welfare of his brother may be remembered equally with his own ; that with the trowel of his example he so may spread the cement of brotherly lovo and kindness , that the smallest crevice of strife and discord
may be detected and filled , that ho may be tho instrument of uniting his Lodge into the common band of friends and brothers whoso only emulation is who best can work or most excel ; that the pot of incense sending forth its adorations to Deity may be ever burning on his family altar ,
aud that its fames may be so replete wifch the aroma of worthy deeds that it may indeed be the emblem of a pure heart and prove an acceptable sacrifice to tho Deity ; That , as he goes forth into the great beehive of wovdly
avocations , he may be so guided in the proper choice of his labour , that his life may be full of good works ; that ho may indeed add to the common stock of knowledge and understanding ; that iu the reliance of mankind one upon another for sustenance and support , he may not be a droue
in the hive of society , deriving his sustenance from the labour of others and contributing nothing in return , but wisely and usefully employing his time in reciprocal acts of love and friendship , that when the great honeycomb of this world ' s deeds is presented to the Grand Muster of the
Celestial Lodge above , his particular cell may be found filled to the brim with honey extracted from the flowers scattered along the pathway of a well spent life ; that standing with the Tyler ' s sword in hand , he may not only euard the Book of Constitntions from the invasions of the
profane , but arrest the slightest deviation from the established usages of the Craft , silently aud circumspectly defending tho noble tenets of our profession , aud preserving unsullied the reputation of the Fraternity ; that as he
life , whether in the calm aud placid waters of prosperity , ov through the storms and tempests of adversity , the eff algenco of the rays sent forth from the lighthouse of fc e Holy Scriptures may ever clearly discover to him tlie shoals aud qu i cksands of vice , insolence and sensuality , the
rocks ancl breakers of unbelief and infidelity , and that he may safely land in the peaceful harbour of a well spent lii «» and as he drops hia anchor in tlie quiet waters " where tho winked cease from troubling and tho weary are at rest .
may it t >* ke firm hold on the ro : k ot ages ; and as passing down tlie gangway he abandons the clayey vessel of mortality , steps upon the undiscovered shore , his hands may bo grasped at the water ' s edge by Him who walkw