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Article AN ORATION ← Page 2 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Oration
Funeral Orations arc but too often perverted from their proper purposes , and , instead of exhibiting jfa ///>/«/^ 0 / - ^ Y ;/ 7 . s' of departed merit , are prostituted to tbe arts of pompous declamation and unmeaning panegyric . It would be no very difficult task for me in this manner to ring changes on a set of well-sounding words , and to make a display of all the epithets and all the virtues that can adorn a human character . But this wo : jld neither do honour to my audience nor myself ; far less to the
person whose death we now meet to commemorate . , As something , however , is probably expected from me in the office which I have now the honour to fill , 1 shall beg leave to lead your attention for a few minutes ' , whilst I recal to your remembrance what he was , and the gratitude which we owe to the memory of this worthy Brother .
Descended from an ancient and illustrious house , whose heroes have often bled in their country ' s cause , he inherited their intrepid spirit , united with the milder virtues of humanity , and the polished manners of a gentleman . Athletic and active , lie delighted in all the manly exercises , and in all of them excelled most of his contemporaries . Ardent in his pursuitshe steadily persevered in
pro-, moting the interests of every public society , whether of business or "amusement , of which he was a member , and thereby justly obtained pre-eminence in each . Of this laudable spirit on the part of our worthy Brother , no
society can afford a more remarkable instance than our own . Among other marks of royal approbation conferred on his ancestors for their faithful and valuable services , they enjoyed the dignity of GRAND MASTER MASON by charters of hig h antiquity from the kings of Scotland . This hereditary honour continued in the family of Roslin until the year 173 6 *' , when , with a disinterestedness of which there are few exampleshe made a voluntary resignation of the office into
, the hands of the Craft in general ; by which , from being hereditary , it has ever since been elective : and in consequence of such a singular act of generosity it is , that by your suffrages I have now the honour to fill this chair . His zeal , however , to promote the welfare of our society was not confined to this single instance ; for he continued almost to the very close of life , on all occasions where
his influence could prevail , to extend TUTI SPIRIT OF MASONRY , and to increase the number of the Brethren . It is , therefore , with justice that his name should be ever dear to the Craft , and that we lament the loss of one who did such honour to our Institution . To these more conspicuous and public parts of ids character I am happy to be able to addthat be possessed in an eminent degree the
, virtues of a benevolent and good heart ; virtues which ought ever to be the distinguishing marks of a true Brother . Though those ample and flourishing possessions which the house , of Roslin once inherited ,-had , by the mutability of human things , almost totally mouldered away ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Oration
Funeral Orations arc but too often perverted from their proper purposes , and , instead of exhibiting jfa ///>/«/^ 0 / - ^ Y ;/ 7 . s' of departed merit , are prostituted to tbe arts of pompous declamation and unmeaning panegyric . It would be no very difficult task for me in this manner to ring changes on a set of well-sounding words , and to make a display of all the epithets and all the virtues that can adorn a human character . But this wo : jld neither do honour to my audience nor myself ; far less to the
person whose death we now meet to commemorate . , As something , however , is probably expected from me in the office which I have now the honour to fill , 1 shall beg leave to lead your attention for a few minutes ' , whilst I recal to your remembrance what he was , and the gratitude which we owe to the memory of this worthy Brother .
Descended from an ancient and illustrious house , whose heroes have often bled in their country ' s cause , he inherited their intrepid spirit , united with the milder virtues of humanity , and the polished manners of a gentleman . Athletic and active , lie delighted in all the manly exercises , and in all of them excelled most of his contemporaries . Ardent in his pursuitshe steadily persevered in
pro-, moting the interests of every public society , whether of business or "amusement , of which he was a member , and thereby justly obtained pre-eminence in each . Of this laudable spirit on the part of our worthy Brother , no
society can afford a more remarkable instance than our own . Among other marks of royal approbation conferred on his ancestors for their faithful and valuable services , they enjoyed the dignity of GRAND MASTER MASON by charters of hig h antiquity from the kings of Scotland . This hereditary honour continued in the family of Roslin until the year 173 6 *' , when , with a disinterestedness of which there are few exampleshe made a voluntary resignation of the office into
, the hands of the Craft in general ; by which , from being hereditary , it has ever since been elective : and in consequence of such a singular act of generosity it is , that by your suffrages I have now the honour to fill this chair . His zeal , however , to promote the welfare of our society was not confined to this single instance ; for he continued almost to the very close of life , on all occasions where
his influence could prevail , to extend TUTI SPIRIT OF MASONRY , and to increase the number of the Brethren . It is , therefore , with justice that his name should be ever dear to the Craft , and that we lament the loss of one who did such honour to our Institution . To these more conspicuous and public parts of ids character I am happy to be able to addthat be possessed in an eminent degree the
, virtues of a benevolent and good heart ; virtues which ought ever to be the distinguishing marks of a true Brother . Though those ample and flourishing possessions which the house , of Roslin once inherited ,-had , by the mutability of human things , almost totally mouldered away ,