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Article THE CHARGE. ← Page 4 of 7 →
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The Charge.
It is further objected , that if Friendship be so highly esteemed by us , and that of the purest nature , " why do we seem to abandon the sweetest part of it , which is enjoyed only in an association with , female beauty , gentleness , and sensibility ?" This is an objection . by far more plausible than just . In answer to it we miht barely mentionthat all nationsin all ageshave
cong , * , sidered women as ineli gible to certain Societies and Offices ; but I add , that the spirit of our Institution is to abstract ur , as much as possible , at certain intervals , from those impediments to mutual confidence and social improvement , which we meet with in the world . But our moral imbecility would be equally increased by the
diffusion of a soft captivating vapour over our hearts , if we admitted the fair sex at our assemblies , and this would give many passions a play in our breasts , particularly rivalship and jealousy , totally incompatible with the spirit of our Order , and destructive of its very foundation . As our principles , however , most powerfully tend to improve us in all those virtues of the soul , on which the happiness of every
domestic relation so greatly depends , and which alone can render lis deserving the regards of those , whose love it is our duty to attract and preserve : let me press upon you the constant cherishing this spirit , by the practice of every moral and social duty . If our amiable female relatives observe us acting in unison with those principles , which we profess to constitute the Masonic character , they will be as proud of it as We are . By that subjugation of the
passions which Masonry teaches you , your habitations Will be all lodges of peace , harmony , and happiness . We are condemned also for the " inviolability of our secret ? 7 iys ~ ieries . " This being an objection so opposite to the plainest dictates of common sense , and to the practice of the best of men in . all ages and countries , that it would deserve not even a notice
from me , Were it not that it affords me an opportunity of pressing upon you the closer preservation ' of those secrets . Some of our brethren have been too much in the habit of making Masonry the subject of conversation in mixed companies . Such persons should consider , that to those who are not of the Order , this topic cannot be interesting : that to those who areit cannot
, be informing , and consequently had better be omitted * . * * * « « - * Other objections which apply to the conduct of individuals among us , are evidently the offspring of ignorance and illiberality .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Charge.
It is further objected , that if Friendship be so highly esteemed by us , and that of the purest nature , " why do we seem to abandon the sweetest part of it , which is enjoyed only in an association with , female beauty , gentleness , and sensibility ?" This is an objection . by far more plausible than just . In answer to it we miht barely mentionthat all nationsin all ageshave
cong , * , sidered women as ineli gible to certain Societies and Offices ; but I add , that the spirit of our Institution is to abstract ur , as much as possible , at certain intervals , from those impediments to mutual confidence and social improvement , which we meet with in the world . But our moral imbecility would be equally increased by the
diffusion of a soft captivating vapour over our hearts , if we admitted the fair sex at our assemblies , and this would give many passions a play in our breasts , particularly rivalship and jealousy , totally incompatible with the spirit of our Order , and destructive of its very foundation . As our principles , however , most powerfully tend to improve us in all those virtues of the soul , on which the happiness of every
domestic relation so greatly depends , and which alone can render lis deserving the regards of those , whose love it is our duty to attract and preserve : let me press upon you the constant cherishing this spirit , by the practice of every moral and social duty . If our amiable female relatives observe us acting in unison with those principles , which we profess to constitute the Masonic character , they will be as proud of it as We are . By that subjugation of the
passions which Masonry teaches you , your habitations Will be all lodges of peace , harmony , and happiness . We are condemned also for the " inviolability of our secret ? 7 iys ~ ieries . " This being an objection so opposite to the plainest dictates of common sense , and to the practice of the best of men in . all ages and countries , that it would deserve not even a notice
from me , Were it not that it affords me an opportunity of pressing upon you the closer preservation ' of those secrets . Some of our brethren have been too much in the habit of making Masonry the subject of conversation in mixed companies . Such persons should consider , that to those who are not of the Order , this topic cannot be interesting : that to those who areit cannot
, be informing , and consequently had better be omitted * . * * * « « - * Other objections which apply to the conduct of individuals among us , are evidently the offspring of ignorance and illiberality .