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A Sermon Preached Before The Grand Lodge Of The Most Ancient And Honourable Fraternity
aave . It is the great bond of political union amongst men . It is productive of comfort and happiness to its possessor , either bv procuring him , in the unavoidable misfortunes of life , the compassion and relief of his more prosperous brethren ; or affording him , when his endeavours have been crowned with success , the exquisite satisfaction ( the most exquisite indeed of which a generous mind can be susceptible ) of diffusing happiness around himand being the general
, resource of the unfortunate . Nor does this truly Masonic duty less claim our attention as a preservative from the inconveniences , dangers , and miseries , which are the sure concomitants of sluggish inaction . The mind in which habits of industry have not been early and carefully implanted , how constantly do we see in the sequel shooting up into all the wild luxuriance of folly and vice ! It is with man as with
the soil he inhabits . This , though left uncultivated , fails not to bear ; hut ' what doth it'bear ? It beareih thorns and briars , whose end is to be bunted ; it produces plants not only useless , but highly noxious ; it nourished ! serpents ; it fills the air with malignant and pestilential vapours . Equally pernicious and deadly in their effects are the spontaneous fruits of the inactive uncultivated mind . But in enumerating
the motives which should animate us to the practice of this eminent virtue , let us not forget the weightiest argument of all ; I mean , that it is enjoined in the strongest terms by the sacred writings , and to Christians comes peculiarly recommended by the example of the great Author and Finisher of our faith , who , though the Son of the Most High God , and possessed of power which could have commanded for his use all the accommodations and elegancies of the world ; yetto
, give his followers a pattern , as well of industry as of humility and patience , submitted to be born in the lowest condition of life , and as actually employed in one of its most laborious occupations * . Now , as Masonry not only suggests by its name the importance of industry , but , both-by precept and example , recommends the continual practice of it , it evidently follows , from the particulars just
mentioned , that the Order of which we are members aids the great purposes of nature ; strengthens the bond which cements men in society ; has a tendency to prevent the fata ! effects of an inactive disposition on health , character , and fortune ; places happiness on its proper basis ; the disposition and ability of procuring happiness to others ; and inspires a reverence for the sacred injunctions of reli gion , and for the spotless example of its divine author .
organs and faculties be useless , because unfit for the purposes of animal and rational life , which they were intended to promote , but must quickly ,- if quiescent , extinguish both . As metals , which when unemployed consume by rust , are brightened by use ; in like manner stutly and reflection , in which consists the use of the mental powers , enrich and polish the mind ; moderate labour , in which consists the use of the corporeal faculties , enlivens and invigorates tha body . . * ' Compare . Matth . xiii . 55 , with Mark vi . 3 .
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
aave . It is the great bond of political union amongst men . It is productive of comfort and happiness to its possessor , either bv procuring him , in the unavoidable misfortunes of life , the compassion and relief of his more prosperous brethren ; or affording him , when his endeavours have been crowned with success , the exquisite satisfaction ( the most exquisite indeed of which a generous mind can be susceptible ) of diffusing happiness around himand being the general
, resource of the unfortunate . Nor does this truly Masonic duty less claim our attention as a preservative from the inconveniences , dangers , and miseries , which are the sure concomitants of sluggish inaction . The mind in which habits of industry have not been early and carefully implanted , how constantly do we see in the sequel shooting up into all the wild luxuriance of folly and vice ! It is with man as with
the soil he inhabits . This , though left uncultivated , fails not to bear ; hut ' what doth it'bear ? It beareih thorns and briars , whose end is to be bunted ; it produces plants not only useless , but highly noxious ; it nourished ! serpents ; it fills the air with malignant and pestilential vapours . Equally pernicious and deadly in their effects are the spontaneous fruits of the inactive uncultivated mind . But in enumerating
the motives which should animate us to the practice of this eminent virtue , let us not forget the weightiest argument of all ; I mean , that it is enjoined in the strongest terms by the sacred writings , and to Christians comes peculiarly recommended by the example of the great Author and Finisher of our faith , who , though the Son of the Most High God , and possessed of power which could have commanded for his use all the accommodations and elegancies of the world ; yetto
, give his followers a pattern , as well of industry as of humility and patience , submitted to be born in the lowest condition of life , and as actually employed in one of its most laborious occupations * . Now , as Masonry not only suggests by its name the importance of industry , but , both-by precept and example , recommends the continual practice of it , it evidently follows , from the particulars just
mentioned , that the Order of which we are members aids the great purposes of nature ; strengthens the bond which cements men in society ; has a tendency to prevent the fata ! effects of an inactive disposition on health , character , and fortune ; places happiness on its proper basis ; the disposition and ability of procuring happiness to others ; and inspires a reverence for the sacred injunctions of reli gion , and for the spotless example of its divine author .
organs and faculties be useless , because unfit for the purposes of animal and rational life , which they were intended to promote , but must quickly ,- if quiescent , extinguish both . As metals , which when unemployed consume by rust , are brightened by use ; in like manner stutly and reflection , in which consists the use of the mental powers , enrich and polish the mind ; moderate labour , in which consists the use of the corporeal faculties , enlivens and invigorates tha body . . * ' Compare . Matth . xiii . 55 , with Mark vi . 3 .