Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Magazine: Or, General And Complete Library.
give you such an account of the nature , design , and utility of that institution , as was sufficient to answer the objections that are every where made against it , or vindicated from the aspersions that are poured on it on every side . And what is it , my dear friend , you would infer from all this ? why , that it is . a thing without antiquity or utility—That it has neither principles or intention to recommend it . This appears to
be the conclusion you have made , from the whole of your reading and reasoning on this head . Now as you are so kind as to inform me that if I can answer the many objections against Freemasonry , and vindicate it from it ' s aspersions , you shall not hesitate a moment in becoming one of us ; and as I assure you , Charlton , the hopes of seeing you a Mason is a
very prevailing motive with me to undertake this task ; I shall therefore endeavour to give you the information you wish for ; hut don ' t expect the whole in this letter—the subject is too serious and important , to be particularly discussed in half a dozen such letters , however I shall cram as much in this as possible . And kt us first consider what Masonry iswhat are we to
under-, stand by ( his term so much in every bodies mouth ? It means first a tiv . de or calling , or what we understand in general by operative Masonry . Again it signifies a select body or fraternity of men , and in this sense it is for distinction ' s sake , ( and some other reasons ) infilled Free Masonry . The term has no other signification than
those two , and though in the first sense , it appears foreign to our purpose , yet , shall 1 make a few remarks concerning it ; first on account of the name , and again because there is a certain resemblance of circumstances between the one and the other ; and by thus considering their similar properties , we maybe enabled to account for the coincidence of their names . The first circumstance 1 shall take notice of in Operative
Masonry is it ' s antiquity . In this it is indisputably superior to every other kind cf mechanism whatever . Every other art calculated for the good of society , necessary to mankind , owes its origin to the invention of man—this only was before him , and has God for its ori ginal founder , lie built the world , niter forming the materials of which it is madeand to those very materials operative Mason is to
, every this day indebted for the substance of his work ; this is the onl y pattern or examp ' e set by Heaven to mankind , and these are the only men who copy after this example . But as this is notthe only instance of the works of God , so neither is it supposed to be the first . It is allowed by the greatest and best of men : and I think very rationall that our lobe was onl
y , g y formed out of the ruins of another , and thatfrcm the relics of some preceding one , & c . ad iiifinitum ; nor does there appear any absurdity at all in this opinion : —we may justly and naturally believe , that the same motives which induced him to form man , and the earth which he inhabits , must have equally operated on the divine
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Magazine: Or, General And Complete Library.
give you such an account of the nature , design , and utility of that institution , as was sufficient to answer the objections that are every where made against it , or vindicated from the aspersions that are poured on it on every side . And what is it , my dear friend , you would infer from all this ? why , that it is . a thing without antiquity or utility—That it has neither principles or intention to recommend it . This appears to
be the conclusion you have made , from the whole of your reading and reasoning on this head . Now as you are so kind as to inform me that if I can answer the many objections against Freemasonry , and vindicate it from it ' s aspersions , you shall not hesitate a moment in becoming one of us ; and as I assure you , Charlton , the hopes of seeing you a Mason is a
very prevailing motive with me to undertake this task ; I shall therefore endeavour to give you the information you wish for ; hut don ' t expect the whole in this letter—the subject is too serious and important , to be particularly discussed in half a dozen such letters , however I shall cram as much in this as possible . And kt us first consider what Masonry iswhat are we to
under-, stand by ( his term so much in every bodies mouth ? It means first a tiv . de or calling , or what we understand in general by operative Masonry . Again it signifies a select body or fraternity of men , and in this sense it is for distinction ' s sake , ( and some other reasons ) infilled Free Masonry . The term has no other signification than
those two , and though in the first sense , it appears foreign to our purpose , yet , shall 1 make a few remarks concerning it ; first on account of the name , and again because there is a certain resemblance of circumstances between the one and the other ; and by thus considering their similar properties , we maybe enabled to account for the coincidence of their names . The first circumstance 1 shall take notice of in Operative
Masonry is it ' s antiquity . In this it is indisputably superior to every other kind cf mechanism whatever . Every other art calculated for the good of society , necessary to mankind , owes its origin to the invention of man—this only was before him , and has God for its ori ginal founder , lie built the world , niter forming the materials of which it is madeand to those very materials operative Mason is to
, every this day indebted for the substance of his work ; this is the onl y pattern or examp ' e set by Heaven to mankind , and these are the only men who copy after this example . But as this is notthe only instance of the works of God , so neither is it supposed to be the first . It is allowed by the greatest and best of men : and I think very rationall that our lobe was onl
y , g y formed out of the ruins of another , and thatfrcm the relics of some preceding one , & c . ad iiifinitum ; nor does there appear any absurdity at all in this opinion : —we may justly and naturally believe , that the same motives which induced him to form man , and the earth which he inhabits , must have equally operated on the divine