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A Sermon Preached Before The Grand Lodge Of The Most Ancient And Honourable Fraternity
4- ?* is almost superfluous to observe , that a Society founded on principles of the purest and most extensive benevolence ; which contains within its comprehensive embrace every denomination of men , however distinguished-by language , climate , complexion , or diversity of opinion , and whose members are , in the truest sense of the expression , CITIZENS OF THE WORLD , must be favourable to every kind , and ic affection
philanthrop and if to these considerations , and others which your time permits not to mention , we add , $ . In the last place , its energyas a religious institution—the sublime ideas it imparts of God ; the veneration it inspires of his thrice-i adorable name , of the revelation which he hath- given us b y Jesus Christ , of his sabbath , his ordinances , and the dispensations of his Providence
; and its tendency to promote an imitation of all the jmipble perfections of his nature , by engaging us to be merciful as God is merciful , and holy , as he who hath called us is holy , in all manner of conversation : I think we are warranted in concluding , that a Society thus constituted , and which may be rendered so admirable an engine of improvement , far from meriting , any reproachful appellation , or contumelious treatment , deserves highly of the community ; and that the ridicule and affected contempt which it has sometimes experienced , can proceed only from ignorance or from arrogance ; from
those , in fine , whose opposition does it honour , whose censure is panegyric , and whose praise would be censure . In this short illustration ofthe morality of our Order , I am sensible that much is necessarily omitted that mi ght be urged in its favour , hut of which I could not avail myself without incurring the merited reproach of rashness and indiscretion . For the same reason , I have avoided much
as as possible , in the preceding part of the discourse , all symbolical allusions to our peculiar mysteries and rites ; and must think , that those who on occasions like the present act ' with less caution and reserve , display their knowledge at the expence of their yerity ; and virtually publish what at the same time they profess and have solemnly engaged themselves to conceal ' '
, Be it 3 'our care , Brethren of this ancient and Illustrious Order , to adorn both your Christian and Masonic profession by a suitable temper and deportment ; nor permit the good of either , by any misconduct of yours , to be evil spoken of . Degrade not your Institution by an incongruous mixture ofthe peaceable and turbulent , the fraudulent and the uprihtthe kind and the malevolentthe ious and the reli
g , , imp - gious . ' A . structure composed of parts so heterogeneous , - whilst it totally wants symmetry , elegance , and beauty , to please . ' the eye , makes no ' compensation for the essential defect , by impressing the idea either of sublimity or strength . The excellence and welfare of a
society consist not in the splendor or number of its constituents , but in dignity of sentiments and expansion of the heart ; ' in soundness of principle and purity of manners ; in public consistency and private yirtue . " Be such ' invariably the characteristics bf ' your Order , and such the qualities indispensabl y required in '' its " associates ' . " Let your devotion be solid and humble . Let your charity be large and
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
A Sermon Preached Before The Grand Lodge Of The Most Ancient And Honourable Fraternity
4- ?* is almost superfluous to observe , that a Society founded on principles of the purest and most extensive benevolence ; which contains within its comprehensive embrace every denomination of men , however distinguished-by language , climate , complexion , or diversity of opinion , and whose members are , in the truest sense of the expression , CITIZENS OF THE WORLD , must be favourable to every kind , and ic affection
philanthrop and if to these considerations , and others which your time permits not to mention , we add , $ . In the last place , its energyas a religious institution—the sublime ideas it imparts of God ; the veneration it inspires of his thrice-i adorable name , of the revelation which he hath- given us b y Jesus Christ , of his sabbath , his ordinances , and the dispensations of his Providence
; and its tendency to promote an imitation of all the jmipble perfections of his nature , by engaging us to be merciful as God is merciful , and holy , as he who hath called us is holy , in all manner of conversation : I think we are warranted in concluding , that a Society thus constituted , and which may be rendered so admirable an engine of improvement , far from meriting , any reproachful appellation , or contumelious treatment , deserves highly of the community ; and that the ridicule and affected contempt which it has sometimes experienced , can proceed only from ignorance or from arrogance ; from
those , in fine , whose opposition does it honour , whose censure is panegyric , and whose praise would be censure . In this short illustration ofthe morality of our Order , I am sensible that much is necessarily omitted that mi ght be urged in its favour , hut of which I could not avail myself without incurring the merited reproach of rashness and indiscretion . For the same reason , I have avoided much
as as possible , in the preceding part of the discourse , all symbolical allusions to our peculiar mysteries and rites ; and must think , that those who on occasions like the present act ' with less caution and reserve , display their knowledge at the expence of their yerity ; and virtually publish what at the same time they profess and have solemnly engaged themselves to conceal ' '
, Be it 3 'our care , Brethren of this ancient and Illustrious Order , to adorn both your Christian and Masonic profession by a suitable temper and deportment ; nor permit the good of either , by any misconduct of yours , to be evil spoken of . Degrade not your Institution by an incongruous mixture ofthe peaceable and turbulent , the fraudulent and the uprihtthe kind and the malevolentthe ious and the reli
g , , imp - gious . ' A . structure composed of parts so heterogeneous , - whilst it totally wants symmetry , elegance , and beauty , to please . ' the eye , makes no ' compensation for the essential defect , by impressing the idea either of sublimity or strength . The excellence and welfare of a
society consist not in the splendor or number of its constituents , but in dignity of sentiments and expansion of the heart ; ' in soundness of principle and purity of manners ; in public consistency and private yirtue . " Be such ' invariably the characteristics bf ' your Order , and such the qualities indispensabl y required in '' its " associates ' . " Let your devotion be solid and humble . Let your charity be large and