Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Magazine: Or, General And Complete Library.
is more commendable than this ; it dignifies its happy possessor with true unfading laurels , casts a lustre on his actions , and consecrates his name to latest ages . The warrior ' s worth consists in murder , and the rude ravage of the desolating sword , but the blood of thousands stains not the- hands of his country ' s friend : his virtues are open , and of the noblest kind ; if he bleeds by tyrant-hands , he for must
dies with that calm satisfaction which a martyr liberty surely feel . Should I name the first Brutus , the self-devoted Decii , or the self-condemned , but unconquerable Cato ! But friendship not only appears divine , when employed to befriend the liberties of one ' s country , but likewise makes its heavenly extraction appear in the more calm hours of life ; before we saw
it mount into a noble flame , aiming destruction at the heads of tyrants , thundering for liberty and exposing life itself in the good cause ; now , we shall see it calm and moderate , burning with an even glow , improving the soft hours of life , and heightening that relish which we have for virtue . Thus it is , that private societies are formed , and from this principle they meet , and with a cheerful friends
innocence employ each vacant hour of life with agreeable . And now , we can trace from reason itself , and the very nature of things , one of the main designs of MASONRY , which is to improve friendship , and teach men to become good members of society , Vain then is each idle surmise , which our enemies meanly scatter round ! They little think , that by decrying MASONRY , they reflect upon human nature itself , and on the wise constitution of
things , which by a secret and sweet attractive force , disposes the human heart to social virtue ; they little think , that by such a conduct they reflect on that good order by which the wise Architect of nature supports the moral system . Can friendship and social de ~ lights be the object of reproach ? Can that wisdom which , hoary tim ® has sanctified be the object of ridicule ? How mean and contemptible must those men bewho pretend to censui : e what they do not
, know ? The generous heart will pity ignorance so abandoned . I shall now proceed , and consider in what shapes MASONRY is of universal advantage to mankind , how it is reconcileable to the best policy , why it deserves the general esteem , and why nil men are hound to promote it . Now abstracting from the particular pleasures which arise from a
friendship so well contrived to last ,. and which ' tis scarce possible entirely to craze , let us consider , that it is a science confined to , no particular part of the globe ,, but diffused over the who ' s ; whenever arts flourish , there MASONRY flourishes loo ; and add . to this , that by those secret and inviolable signs which we preserve amongst ourselvesand which are one and the same throughout the world
, , MASONRY becomes an universal language , . iiy this means , how many advantages are gained ? We unite mtn oi ' aU R-ligion , and of all nations . Thus , the distant Chinese can embrace a brother Bri * ion ; thus they come to know , that besides the common ties ofhn-JRanity , there is a stronger still to engage them to friendly ami kin 4
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Magazine: Or, General And Complete Library.
is more commendable than this ; it dignifies its happy possessor with true unfading laurels , casts a lustre on his actions , and consecrates his name to latest ages . The warrior ' s worth consists in murder , and the rude ravage of the desolating sword , but the blood of thousands stains not the- hands of his country ' s friend : his virtues are open , and of the noblest kind ; if he bleeds by tyrant-hands , he for must
dies with that calm satisfaction which a martyr liberty surely feel . Should I name the first Brutus , the self-devoted Decii , or the self-condemned , but unconquerable Cato ! But friendship not only appears divine , when employed to befriend the liberties of one ' s country , but likewise makes its heavenly extraction appear in the more calm hours of life ; before we saw
it mount into a noble flame , aiming destruction at the heads of tyrants , thundering for liberty and exposing life itself in the good cause ; now , we shall see it calm and moderate , burning with an even glow , improving the soft hours of life , and heightening that relish which we have for virtue . Thus it is , that private societies are formed , and from this principle they meet , and with a cheerful friends
innocence employ each vacant hour of life with agreeable . And now , we can trace from reason itself , and the very nature of things , one of the main designs of MASONRY , which is to improve friendship , and teach men to become good members of society , Vain then is each idle surmise , which our enemies meanly scatter round ! They little think , that by decrying MASONRY , they reflect upon human nature itself , and on the wise constitution of
things , which by a secret and sweet attractive force , disposes the human heart to social virtue ; they little think , that by such a conduct they reflect on that good order by which the wise Architect of nature supports the moral system . Can friendship and social de ~ lights be the object of reproach ? Can that wisdom which , hoary tim ® has sanctified be the object of ridicule ? How mean and contemptible must those men bewho pretend to censui : e what they do not
, know ? The generous heart will pity ignorance so abandoned . I shall now proceed , and consider in what shapes MASONRY is of universal advantage to mankind , how it is reconcileable to the best policy , why it deserves the general esteem , and why nil men are hound to promote it . Now abstracting from the particular pleasures which arise from a
friendship so well contrived to last ,. and which ' tis scarce possible entirely to craze , let us consider , that it is a science confined to , no particular part of the globe ,, but diffused over the who ' s ; whenever arts flourish , there MASONRY flourishes loo ; and add . to this , that by those secret and inviolable signs which we preserve amongst ourselvesand which are one and the same throughout the world
, , MASONRY becomes an universal language , . iiy this means , how many advantages are gained ? We unite mtn oi ' aU R-ligion , and of all nations . Thus , the distant Chinese can embrace a brother Bri * ion ; thus they come to know , that besides the common ties ofhn-JRanity , there is a stronger still to engage them to friendly ami kin 4