-
Articles/Ads
Article ORATION ON MASONRY, ← Page 5 of 7 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Oration On Masonry,
advanced , can any man doubt a moment of" the EXCELI . F > -CF and " UTILITY of MASONRY , " thus deep in antiquity , boundless in extent , and universal in it ' s comprehension ' of science , operative and speculative ; thus , in it ' s wide bosom , embracing at once the vvnole cirde , of Arts and Morals ? To attempt it ' s encomium ( particularlyafterwhathnsbeenalread y so ably elegantladvanced b
so y y my worthy brother ) would be wasteful and superfluous excess ; " would be , in the finelano-ua ^ - of our first and sublimest of Bards , ° ° ' " To gild refined gold , to paint the lily , " To throw a perfume on the violet ;
" To smooth the ice ; to add another hue " Unto the rainbow ; or , with taper-lio-ht " To seek the beauteous eye of Heaven to garnish . "
For who , in this polished , this improving age , is insensible of th *> attraction , the excellence , the utility of the ' Fine Art * the Liberal Sciences ? Who , in this peculiarly humane and philanthropic a ; ra is cold to the call of BENEVOLENCE —that never failinp-attendant on the ingenuous Arts;—that all-pervading , ail-performing virtue , which in one short and easy word , Thou shalt love thy nei ghbour as thyself comprizes all and consummates
duty , the round of moral perfection ' Indeed , the celebrated Eulogy which CICERO passeth on philosophy , may with equal propriety be applied to MASONRY , duly prac . tised and rightly understood . For in that view it will be found eminently " the improvement of youth , and the delight of old age The ornament of prosperity , the refuge and solace of advert hours : it pleases at home ; is no incumbrance abroad : it locoes " with us ; travels with us ; and adds amusement and ' pieasure ° to " our rural retirement . "
With heart-felt zeal and sincerity , allow me then , right noble and worthy Brethren , to congratulate you on the advancement , th" progress , and present state of our useful , excellent , antique , and mystic Lore ! more particularly allow me to congratulate voti on this « -reat and festive day ; on this solemn DEDICATION with high . pompand song , of an EDIFICE , which does equal credit to it ' s architect , and to the craftand which
; promises a long line of stability and o-Jory to Masonry , in this it ' s favourite land .. ° And while by our sincere good-will and friendly regard each for the other;—while by our liberal and merciful relief of \ he Brethren i „ distress ;—while by the establishment of an universal Ian < nia < re and communication , for the attainment of those two purposes " throughout the earth , under the seal of most sawed and inviolable secrecy —whilst thus , we seem to have amply provided for the interests of
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Oration On Masonry,
advanced , can any man doubt a moment of" the EXCELI . F > -CF and " UTILITY of MASONRY , " thus deep in antiquity , boundless in extent , and universal in it ' s comprehension ' of science , operative and speculative ; thus , in it ' s wide bosom , embracing at once the vvnole cirde , of Arts and Morals ? To attempt it ' s encomium ( particularlyafterwhathnsbeenalread y so ably elegantladvanced b
so y y my worthy brother ) would be wasteful and superfluous excess ; " would be , in the finelano-ua ^ - of our first and sublimest of Bards , ° ° ' " To gild refined gold , to paint the lily , " To throw a perfume on the violet ;
" To smooth the ice ; to add another hue " Unto the rainbow ; or , with taper-lio-ht " To seek the beauteous eye of Heaven to garnish . "
For who , in this polished , this improving age , is insensible of th *> attraction , the excellence , the utility of the ' Fine Art * the Liberal Sciences ? Who , in this peculiarly humane and philanthropic a ; ra is cold to the call of BENEVOLENCE —that never failinp-attendant on the ingenuous Arts;—that all-pervading , ail-performing virtue , which in one short and easy word , Thou shalt love thy nei ghbour as thyself comprizes all and consummates
duty , the round of moral perfection ' Indeed , the celebrated Eulogy which CICERO passeth on philosophy , may with equal propriety be applied to MASONRY , duly prac . tised and rightly understood . For in that view it will be found eminently " the improvement of youth , and the delight of old age The ornament of prosperity , the refuge and solace of advert hours : it pleases at home ; is no incumbrance abroad : it locoes " with us ; travels with us ; and adds amusement and ' pieasure ° to " our rural retirement . "
With heart-felt zeal and sincerity , allow me then , right noble and worthy Brethren , to congratulate you on the advancement , th" progress , and present state of our useful , excellent , antique , and mystic Lore ! more particularly allow me to congratulate voti on this « -reat and festive day ; on this solemn DEDICATION with high . pompand song , of an EDIFICE , which does equal credit to it ' s architect , and to the craftand which
; promises a long line of stability and o-Jory to Masonry , in this it ' s favourite land .. ° And while by our sincere good-will and friendly regard each for the other;—while by our liberal and merciful relief of \ he Brethren i „ distress ;—while by the establishment of an universal Ian < nia < re and communication , for the attainment of those two purposes " throughout the earth , under the seal of most sawed and inviolable secrecy —whilst thus , we seem to have amply provided for the interests of