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  • Sept. 1, 1796
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The Freemasons' Magazine, Sept. 1, 1796: Page 5

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    Article THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE, AND CABINET OF UNIVERSAL LITERATURE . ← Page 2 of 7 →
Page 5

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The Freemasons' Magazine, And Cabinet Of Universal Literature .

severe it may be felt , I cannot but coiiiess that the reason for this question is very frequentl y too just : the question is , ' Are , then , all Masons good men ?' ' I answer the question proposed , then , with this ' plain and homely negative ; all Masons are not good men . The laws of politeness and civility , you know , always except the present company , when

censure , and reproof is the observation ; and God forbid that I should be supposed as judging any man , or even be thought to suspect any of my present audience as worthy so severe a censure . No , my friends , I come not here to judge , but to advise ; not to censure , but to counsel ; not to condemn , but to warn : if conscience agrees with my answer , which- I have given to the world ' s question , that is another

thing ; and 1 would also advise , let conscience perform its own work , whilst I perform mine ; then will the sermon have its due effect . ' You perceive , then , I am a plain workman : for I must repeat my answer ; and experience , I fear , too fatally confirms the same , that all Masons arc not good men . Where , then , it may , perhaps , be farther asked , where does this defect in the Masonic fabric ori ginate ?

I answer , like all other defects , it may arise from many different causes ; but 1 aver , at the same time , it cannot arise from Masonry itself . No ! Masonry , upon the word of a Christian minister , speaking in this most sacred place , and before that sacred Deity , who is tire perfection of all truth , and abominates all falshood , Masonry is , in all its principles , in all its laws , and in all its ordinances , pure as the unclouded sky , bright as the unspotted sun . -

' But , my friends , as the best apology I can make for Masonry having its defective members , I would refer you to that system which angels admire , and which transfers its real ' members immediately to glory ; yes , 1 would refer you to the gospel of Jesus Christ , and ask , in my turn , are all Christians , in reality , who bear that holy profession ? or , to word this question similar to the other , are all who call themselves Christians good men ? Are there not in that

societj-, to which the very world eagerly unites itself , baptized infidels ? Are there not free-thinkers , and free-livers , in the most depraved sense of all these appellations ? But , is Christianity a system of drunkenness , because there are drunken Christians ? Is Christianity a system of vice and debauchery , because some of its members are " whoremongers and adulterers ? Is it a system of rapine , theftand illage

, p , because , some of its members are dishonest , aud plunder and defraud one another ? Is ita system of revenge , of malice , and of cruelty , because some of its members hate , aud bite , and devour one another ? Is it a system of uncharitableness , because some of its members are covetous , and miserly , and deny all relief to their most needy brethren ? Is it a system of falshood and defamation , because amongst

its members there are liars , evil speakers , busy bodies , tatlers , talebearers , false witnesses , and the like ? Surely not ! The conduct of professors can never justly condemn any system ; nor can the practice of particular individuals cast anv just censure upon any entire

“The Freemasons' Magazine: 1796-09-01, Page 5” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 6 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/fmm/issues/fmm_01091796/page/5/.
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Title Category Page
Untitled Article 1
Untitled Article 2
LONDON: Article 2
TO READERS, CORRESPONDENTS, &c. Article 3
THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE, AND CABINET OF UNIVERSAL LITERATURE . Article 4
A DEFENCE OF MASONRY, Article 10
FEMALE SECRESY. Article 17
HISTORICAL ACCOUNT OF THE LIFE OF WILLIAM OF WYKEHAM. Article 18
ON THE ABUSES PRACTISED BY MILLERS AND DEALERS IN CORN. Article 22
REFLECTIONS ON HISTORY. Article 24
ON THE POWER OF HABIT. Article 25
SKETCHES OF CELEBRATED CHARACTERS. Article 28
ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF PROMISSORY NOTES AND PAPER CREDIT. Article 34
THE REMOVAL OF THE MONUMENTS OF THE FINE ARTS FROM ITALY TO FRANCE. Article 37
CURIOUS ANECDOTE OF A FRENCH TRAVELLER. Article 38
EXPLANATION OF THE PLATE REPRESENTING A COMPANION OF THE ANCIENT KNIGHTS TEMPLARS, Article 40
ON THE DEGENERATE MANNERS OF THE ATHENIANS. Article 42
REVIEW OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. Article 44
LIST OF NEW PUBLICATIONS. Article 53
POETRY. Article 54
ODE TO FORTITUDE. Article 55
ELEGY, ON MR. MATTHEW WINTERBOTHAM, Article 56
VERSES, Article 57
SONNET. Article 58
THE SIGH AND THE TEAR. Article 58
EPIGRAMS, Article 59
THE CONJUGAL REPARTEE. Article 59
MONTHLY CHRONICLE. Article 60
INTELLIGENCE OF IMPORTANCE Article 62
ARMIES IN ITALY. Article 64
HOME NEWS. Article 66
THE ARTS. Article 66
OBITUARY. Article 68
LIST OF BANKRUPTS. Article 73
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Freemasons' Magazine, And Cabinet Of Universal Literature .

severe it may be felt , I cannot but coiiiess that the reason for this question is very frequentl y too just : the question is , ' Are , then , all Masons good men ?' ' I answer the question proposed , then , with this ' plain and homely negative ; all Masons are not good men . The laws of politeness and civility , you know , always except the present company , when

censure , and reproof is the observation ; and God forbid that I should be supposed as judging any man , or even be thought to suspect any of my present audience as worthy so severe a censure . No , my friends , I come not here to judge , but to advise ; not to censure , but to counsel ; not to condemn , but to warn : if conscience agrees with my answer , which- I have given to the world ' s question , that is another

thing ; and 1 would also advise , let conscience perform its own work , whilst I perform mine ; then will the sermon have its due effect . ' You perceive , then , I am a plain workman : for I must repeat my answer ; and experience , I fear , too fatally confirms the same , that all Masons arc not good men . Where , then , it may , perhaps , be farther asked , where does this defect in the Masonic fabric ori ginate ?

I answer , like all other defects , it may arise from many different causes ; but 1 aver , at the same time , it cannot arise from Masonry itself . No ! Masonry , upon the word of a Christian minister , speaking in this most sacred place , and before that sacred Deity , who is tire perfection of all truth , and abominates all falshood , Masonry is , in all its principles , in all its laws , and in all its ordinances , pure as the unclouded sky , bright as the unspotted sun . -

' But , my friends , as the best apology I can make for Masonry having its defective members , I would refer you to that system which angels admire , and which transfers its real ' members immediately to glory ; yes , 1 would refer you to the gospel of Jesus Christ , and ask , in my turn , are all Christians , in reality , who bear that holy profession ? or , to word this question similar to the other , are all who call themselves Christians good men ? Are there not in that

societj-, to which the very world eagerly unites itself , baptized infidels ? Are there not free-thinkers , and free-livers , in the most depraved sense of all these appellations ? But , is Christianity a system of drunkenness , because there are drunken Christians ? Is Christianity a system of vice and debauchery , because some of its members are " whoremongers and adulterers ? Is it a system of rapine , theftand illage

, p , because , some of its members are dishonest , aud plunder and defraud one another ? Is ita system of revenge , of malice , and of cruelty , because some of its members hate , aud bite , and devour one another ? Is it a system of uncharitableness , because some of its members are covetous , and miserly , and deny all relief to their most needy brethren ? Is it a system of falshood and defamation , because amongst

its members there are liars , evil speakers , busy bodies , tatlers , talebearers , false witnesses , and the like ? Surely not ! The conduct of professors can never justly condemn any system ; nor can the practice of particular individuals cast anv just censure upon any entire

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