Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Papal Denunciations Of Freemasonry.
I havo heard that thero are efforts made to move the' Grand Lodge' to expel Mr . Br , bnt why havo they then waited so long and kept among themselves a notorious atheist . " It is to bo regretted that the author of these remarks is nofc in the habit of doing his best to authenticate
what he is told or what he hears . We presume the person referred to in the above remarks is Mr . Brndlaugh , who certainly was a member of the Brotherhood at one time , but who is no longer such . We " havo been told " that when this person assumed his present role , ho surrendered his
Grand Lodge certificate . At all events , he is not a member of any Lodge , and would bo peremptorily refused admission into one if ho had the andacity to present himself . As for the suggestion that he has written to tho Grand Master for tbe purpose stated , the reverend friar may aa well invite us
at once to believe the moon is made of green cbeese or some other equally monstrous absurdity ; while as to formally excommunicating a man who is no longer one of us , we should be lowering ourselves to the status of fools by doing
so , at the same time that we should be paying him a compliment to which he has no shadow of a title . The wisest course to pursue is to withhold from him all publicity , to ignore him utterly , as thougb there were no such person in existence .
But this hearsay statement about Mr . Bradlaugh is only part of the qualification of the compliment paid to us English Freemasons . It is added , " Besides , English Frremasonry is in communion and in formal alliance with the
principal Grand Lodges of foreign Freemasonry , if we ex . cept the Great Orient of France . This is not only proved by many published acts , but much more authentically by their own official calendars . " We have no intention of de
nying the soft impeachment . We are in alliance with those foreign Grand Lodges the general tenour of whose Masonic faith is the same as ours , whatever may be the sins of omission or commission of which individual members may be guilty Some continental Lodges and brethren may encourage a
religious or political bias , but if this is done in spite of the laws prescribed by thoir respective Grand Lodges , we heed it not . We should as soon think of excommunicating a whole religion because some of its professors daily violate its teachings .
In the portion of the sermon that follows , the author repents of his passing gentleness and again attacks us with his accustomed ferocity . " Freemasonry , " he says , " aims at the subversion of religious order , " their Supreme Being or Maker being " a mere nominal God , and therefore
nothing . " It also " aims at the subversion of social order . " Finally , as regards the men of rank and position who have voluntarily sought admission into our ranks ancl been accepted , these , we are told , " must have been themselves deceived , little thinking that their religion and loyalty served
as a mask to hide the odious schemes of their deceivers . Freemasonry is a sect more secret than you can well imagine , and amongst the millions who call themselves Masons not five hundred , perhaps , know what are its immediate aims or what means it will employ in order to attain them . " We
need not trouble ourselves about these statements . They have been made times innumerable before , and as often as they have been made , they have been refuted . In fact , they refute themselves . People , whether distinguished or not , do not offer themselves for acceptance into a society when they know they will be deceived .
The truth is , Masonry may always look to be denounced by the Romish priesthood , because its members loyally guard the secrets trusted to them . This ought to be a feather in their cap . The Romish priesthood loyally guard the secrets of the confessional ; no one wonld believe them
if they were so treacherous as to betray them . Why can not they tolerate another set of men who are equally loyal and would stand tbe same chance of being disbelieved if they attempted anything disloyal ? There is room in the world
for both of us , and the Pope will be doing a great service if he denounces those who merit denunciation , the evil-doers , slanderers , traitors , and so forth , not men who are harmless and are desirous of living in peace and harmony with their fellow-men .
In the course of the sale of the Crossley Library , at Sotheby ' s , next week , a rare book , interesting to students of Freemasonry , namely , T . Taylor , " On the Eleusinian
and Bacchic Mysteries , " will be sold . It was printed at Amsterdam , and published in London in 1791 . There is also another work , entitled " The Perjur'd Freemason Detected , " published in 1730 .
Symbols.
SYMBOLS .
JACOB'S LADDER . —Jacob's Ladder is one of the most beautiful as well as expressive symbols in Masonry . It comes down to us through the long line of the ages , bearing not only the history of an important event in the life of a great man , but laden with the great
and wonderful truth that though man is greatly the inferior of God , yefc there may be a very intimate intellectual relation between God as Creator and man as creature . It matters uot how , or by what methods , God may choose to communicate his thoughts , whether in a state of
consciousness or unconsciousness in man , the fact remains that God has often directly communicated to man His wishes as to conduct in this life . It is not our place to vindicate any of the questionable actions of Jacob in his conduct toward Esau , nor are we to suppose that there was any
comraenda-Mon on the part of God of any of those wrongdoings ; but , to the contrary , there seems , in the deep anxiety of his mind , and his conscience deeply troubled by fear , great punishment for those wrongs . But there is ample evidence of tho tender mercy of God in forgiving his sin , and having
formerly selected him for a purpose He now reassured him that this purpose shonld be fully consummated . In his hour of dire extremity God comes to bis assistance , so we are to learn that in God we have " an ever present friend
in timo of trouble , " which to a believer m Him , as all Mnsons shonld be , is one of the most valuable lessons of Freemasonry . The ladder will naturally represent the method of the communication , and the angels the Intelligent agents bearing the thought .
The teaching of the Lodge upon this point is rather of an arbitrary than a natural character . In former symbols Masonry is represented as world-wide in character . Being so , no symbolism would better represent the covering than the canopy of heaven studded * witb the silvery stars ;
hence this vision of Jacob furnishes a good ideal for conveying this thougbt . Because of the Masonic explanation , three principal rounds and seven in all , each bearing an important thought , we are not to suppose that this was
the teaching at the time of the event ; but that tbey are deductions showing important truths incorporated in Freemasonry . It needs no argument to show their arbitrary character ; but this arbitrariness does not in any way detract from their value .
Using these teachings , as shown , we bave faith , hope and charity as the principal elements of instrnction , blended with those of temperance , fortitude , prudence and justice . The first three we have as the theological truths , and the four as the cardinal points of a life of virtue . The
first are the direct teachings of God ' s Word , and the others are essential to all godliness . The seven embody all the elements of a godly life , which are no less binding upon a Mason than a Christian ; hence it is often truthfully said that a Mason living up to the teaching of Freemasonry will meet the commendation of God .
The mystical ladder was a symbol of great value in the religions of antiquity , in some representing tbe different planets and in all the hig hest elements of morality . As a canopy always represents honour and protection , honour because he who occupies the chair beneath it is always held
in reverence by those who have elevated him to that position , protection from the heat and elements , so we have the thought that there should be a deep and holy reverence for God , and a recognition of the fact that He exercises the power of a protector over us in all the affairs of life . There
is no law of nature , physical or mental , for which we are not indebted to Him ; no blessing that we can receive of which He is not tbe author . If we claim our own efforts as the means of producing them it is but the exercise and use of the laws He has made . Carrying the symbol throug h all
its changes it is full of instruction , but none bave more moral value than those represented in the symbolic rounds of the ladder . The Manual is very brief upon the three
principal rounds of the " theological ladder , representing fche teachings as " faith in God , hope of immortality , and charity to all mankind ; " but they involve three of the greatest principles of morality known to man , being the
principals to which the others are inferior . FAITH . —Faith is usually applied to religion , and because of this fact many do not regard it as applicable to the walks of all life . It is not an unnatural , bat a natural element of the buman mind , one whicb is being exercised in every day life . There is no greater faith than that exer-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Papal Denunciations Of Freemasonry.
I havo heard that thero are efforts made to move the' Grand Lodge' to expel Mr . Br , bnt why havo they then waited so long and kept among themselves a notorious atheist . " It is to bo regretted that the author of these remarks is nofc in the habit of doing his best to authenticate
what he is told or what he hears . We presume the person referred to in the above remarks is Mr . Brndlaugh , who certainly was a member of the Brotherhood at one time , but who is no longer such . We " havo been told " that when this person assumed his present role , ho surrendered his
Grand Lodge certificate . At all events , he is not a member of any Lodge , and would bo peremptorily refused admission into one if ho had the andacity to present himself . As for the suggestion that he has written to tho Grand Master for tbe purpose stated , the reverend friar may aa well invite us
at once to believe the moon is made of green cbeese or some other equally monstrous absurdity ; while as to formally excommunicating a man who is no longer one of us , we should be lowering ourselves to the status of fools by doing
so , at the same time that we should be paying him a compliment to which he has no shadow of a title . The wisest course to pursue is to withhold from him all publicity , to ignore him utterly , as thougb there were no such person in existence .
But this hearsay statement about Mr . Bradlaugh is only part of the qualification of the compliment paid to us English Freemasons . It is added , " Besides , English Frremasonry is in communion and in formal alliance with the
principal Grand Lodges of foreign Freemasonry , if we ex . cept the Great Orient of France . This is not only proved by many published acts , but much more authentically by their own official calendars . " We have no intention of de
nying the soft impeachment . We are in alliance with those foreign Grand Lodges the general tenour of whose Masonic faith is the same as ours , whatever may be the sins of omission or commission of which individual members may be guilty Some continental Lodges and brethren may encourage a
religious or political bias , but if this is done in spite of the laws prescribed by thoir respective Grand Lodges , we heed it not . We should as soon think of excommunicating a whole religion because some of its professors daily violate its teachings .
In the portion of the sermon that follows , the author repents of his passing gentleness and again attacks us with his accustomed ferocity . " Freemasonry , " he says , " aims at the subversion of religious order , " their Supreme Being or Maker being " a mere nominal God , and therefore
nothing . " It also " aims at the subversion of social order . " Finally , as regards the men of rank and position who have voluntarily sought admission into our ranks ancl been accepted , these , we are told , " must have been themselves deceived , little thinking that their religion and loyalty served
as a mask to hide the odious schemes of their deceivers . Freemasonry is a sect more secret than you can well imagine , and amongst the millions who call themselves Masons not five hundred , perhaps , know what are its immediate aims or what means it will employ in order to attain them . " We
need not trouble ourselves about these statements . They have been made times innumerable before , and as often as they have been made , they have been refuted . In fact , they refute themselves . People , whether distinguished or not , do not offer themselves for acceptance into a society when they know they will be deceived .
The truth is , Masonry may always look to be denounced by the Romish priesthood , because its members loyally guard the secrets trusted to them . This ought to be a feather in their cap . The Romish priesthood loyally guard the secrets of the confessional ; no one wonld believe them
if they were so treacherous as to betray them . Why can not they tolerate another set of men who are equally loyal and would stand tbe same chance of being disbelieved if they attempted anything disloyal ? There is room in the world
for both of us , and the Pope will be doing a great service if he denounces those who merit denunciation , the evil-doers , slanderers , traitors , and so forth , not men who are harmless and are desirous of living in peace and harmony with their fellow-men .
In the course of the sale of the Crossley Library , at Sotheby ' s , next week , a rare book , interesting to students of Freemasonry , namely , T . Taylor , " On the Eleusinian
and Bacchic Mysteries , " will be sold . It was printed at Amsterdam , and published in London in 1791 . There is also another work , entitled " The Perjur'd Freemason Detected , " published in 1730 .
Symbols.
SYMBOLS .
JACOB'S LADDER . —Jacob's Ladder is one of the most beautiful as well as expressive symbols in Masonry . It comes down to us through the long line of the ages , bearing not only the history of an important event in the life of a great man , but laden with the great
and wonderful truth that though man is greatly the inferior of God , yefc there may be a very intimate intellectual relation between God as Creator and man as creature . It matters uot how , or by what methods , God may choose to communicate his thoughts , whether in a state of
consciousness or unconsciousness in man , the fact remains that God has often directly communicated to man His wishes as to conduct in this life . It is not our place to vindicate any of the questionable actions of Jacob in his conduct toward Esau , nor are we to suppose that there was any
comraenda-Mon on the part of God of any of those wrongdoings ; but , to the contrary , there seems , in the deep anxiety of his mind , and his conscience deeply troubled by fear , great punishment for those wrongs . But there is ample evidence of tho tender mercy of God in forgiving his sin , and having
formerly selected him for a purpose He now reassured him that this purpose shonld be fully consummated . In his hour of dire extremity God comes to bis assistance , so we are to learn that in God we have " an ever present friend
in timo of trouble , " which to a believer m Him , as all Mnsons shonld be , is one of the most valuable lessons of Freemasonry . The ladder will naturally represent the method of the communication , and the angels the Intelligent agents bearing the thought .
The teaching of the Lodge upon this point is rather of an arbitrary than a natural character . In former symbols Masonry is represented as world-wide in character . Being so , no symbolism would better represent the covering than the canopy of heaven studded * witb the silvery stars ;
hence this vision of Jacob furnishes a good ideal for conveying this thougbt . Because of the Masonic explanation , three principal rounds and seven in all , each bearing an important thought , we are not to suppose that this was
the teaching at the time of the event ; but that tbey are deductions showing important truths incorporated in Freemasonry . It needs no argument to show their arbitrary character ; but this arbitrariness does not in any way detract from their value .
Using these teachings , as shown , we bave faith , hope and charity as the principal elements of instrnction , blended with those of temperance , fortitude , prudence and justice . The first three we have as the theological truths , and the four as the cardinal points of a life of virtue . The
first are the direct teachings of God ' s Word , and the others are essential to all godliness . The seven embody all the elements of a godly life , which are no less binding upon a Mason than a Christian ; hence it is often truthfully said that a Mason living up to the teaching of Freemasonry will meet the commendation of God .
The mystical ladder was a symbol of great value in the religions of antiquity , in some representing tbe different planets and in all the hig hest elements of morality . As a canopy always represents honour and protection , honour because he who occupies the chair beneath it is always held
in reverence by those who have elevated him to that position , protection from the heat and elements , so we have the thought that there should be a deep and holy reverence for God , and a recognition of the fact that He exercises the power of a protector over us in all the affairs of life . There
is no law of nature , physical or mental , for which we are not indebted to Him ; no blessing that we can receive of which He is not tbe author . If we claim our own efforts as the means of producing them it is but the exercise and use of the laws He has made . Carrying the symbol throug h all
its changes it is full of instruction , but none bave more moral value than those represented in the symbolic rounds of the ladder . The Manual is very brief upon the three
principal rounds of the " theological ladder , representing fche teachings as " faith in God , hope of immortality , and charity to all mankind ; " but they involve three of the greatest principles of morality known to man , being the
principals to which the others are inferior . FAITH . —Faith is usually applied to religion , and because of this fact many do not regard it as applicable to the walks of all life . It is not an unnatural , bat a natural element of the buman mind , one whicb is being exercised in every day life . There is no greater faith than that exer-