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Article THE CHARGE. ← Page 3 of 7 →
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The Charge.
The melioration of the human heart , the harmonization of its affections , the rational direction of its faculties , and the cultivation of every private and social virtue , were designed to be the blessings resulting to men by the original institution of this Society . _ Considering man , at least in a state of imbecility , if not of posilive depravationthe spirit of our Order brethrenis
bcer-, , my , y tain powerful means , drawn from those principles already mentioned , to give strength to his fiiculties ; to pour the radiant beams of truth upon his-mind , and to inspire him with an ardent love of ¦ moral rectitude , in all its Various degrees of gradation ,- as adapted to the different relations in life : We do not by any means . pretend to say that our Institution has
superior powers , by exciting different motives for the improvement of man , to the doctrines and precepts of Christianity . . While we cheerfully acknowledge that the principles of that glojious system are radically those of Free-Masonryj we maintain , that in some peculiarities . of a subordinate nature , it is the excellency of the latter to co-operate with considerable power in the
advancement of the important design of Christianity , the restoration of man to a state of li ght and happiness . The reduction of men , morally considered , - to a perfect level •with each other , and the eradicating" from their minds those narrow notions , which on account of some supposed excellent . qualities , or some external distinctions , elevate them into a false
consequence , are affected to a very pleasing and wonderful degree in this fraternity . I acknowledge , indeed , that there are very weighty and highly popular prejudices entertained , against Free-Masonry . To touch ¦ briefly upon the principal of them , may be beneficial tons , my brethren , by teaching at once the mode of conduct wliich is necessary to obviate them .
Our plea of Friendship is partly admitted , but the principle from which we say it proceeds is questioned . We are supposed to be actuated in our connections not by a pure disinterested benevolence , but only on account of our being mutually acquainted with some peculiar secrets of trifling consequence , and serving only as . criteria by which to know one another . If such be ; indeed , the essence of our Friendshipthencertainlythe princile and the
, , , p connection formed by it , would be equally contemptible . If we are animated by the spirit of our Order , my brethren , such prejudices would be too weak to obscure the purity and brilliancy of the Friendship proceeding from its influence ; and the world would be obliged to confess , that something binds us more firmly to each other , than those external marks of distinction * .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Charge.
The melioration of the human heart , the harmonization of its affections , the rational direction of its faculties , and the cultivation of every private and social virtue , were designed to be the blessings resulting to men by the original institution of this Society . _ Considering man , at least in a state of imbecility , if not of posilive depravationthe spirit of our Order brethrenis
bcer-, , my , y tain powerful means , drawn from those principles already mentioned , to give strength to his fiiculties ; to pour the radiant beams of truth upon his-mind , and to inspire him with an ardent love of ¦ moral rectitude , in all its Various degrees of gradation ,- as adapted to the different relations in life : We do not by any means . pretend to say that our Institution has
superior powers , by exciting different motives for the improvement of man , to the doctrines and precepts of Christianity . . While we cheerfully acknowledge that the principles of that glojious system are radically those of Free-Masonryj we maintain , that in some peculiarities . of a subordinate nature , it is the excellency of the latter to co-operate with considerable power in the
advancement of the important design of Christianity , the restoration of man to a state of li ght and happiness . The reduction of men , morally considered , - to a perfect level •with each other , and the eradicating" from their minds those narrow notions , which on account of some supposed excellent . qualities , or some external distinctions , elevate them into a false
consequence , are affected to a very pleasing and wonderful degree in this fraternity . I acknowledge , indeed , that there are very weighty and highly popular prejudices entertained , against Free-Masonry . To touch ¦ briefly upon the principal of them , may be beneficial tons , my brethren , by teaching at once the mode of conduct wliich is necessary to obviate them .
Our plea of Friendship is partly admitted , but the principle from which we say it proceeds is questioned . We are supposed to be actuated in our connections not by a pure disinterested benevolence , but only on account of our being mutually acquainted with some peculiar secrets of trifling consequence , and serving only as . criteria by which to know one another . If such be ; indeed , the essence of our Friendshipthencertainlythe princile and the
, , , p connection formed by it , would be equally contemptible . If we are animated by the spirit of our Order , my brethren , such prejudices would be too weak to obscure the purity and brilliancy of the Friendship proceeding from its influence ; and the world would be obliged to confess , that something binds us more firmly to each other , than those external marks of distinction * .