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Article THE FREEMASONS' REPOSITORY. ← Page 3 of 5 →
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The Freemasons' Repository.
and gloriously extended as the ancient and honourable one , a branch of which I now address , yet I believe none has ever been more pointed at and calumniated . What cause has given rise tt- this iliiberality of" our enemies ? ¦ whether it has sprung from the too great negligences and inattention of the brethren to the sacred duties and obligations of the institution , or to the malevolence of its t . dvcrsaries own mind-., it is not now my business to discuss ; but this I know and assertthat it docs not proceed from any want of
prin-, ci p le in the foundation of the institution itself ; its basis is Truth , and the key-stone of its arch is Benevolence . ' Do unto your brother as you would wish him to do unto you , ' is one amongst the many valuable maxims which it inculcates ; and if this is not at alt , or but feebly complied with , it certainly does not detract from the value of the injunction , nor lessen its morality ; it
only shews that men will not be sufficiently attentive to their reciprocal engagements and bounden duties . To those , then , who may scoffingiy ask if this be the grand duty of Free-masons , why keep it a secret and envelope it in mystery ? You may " reply , that the duty of biothcrly love was never intended to be kept a secrec , any more than the natural obligations by which " men are bound to this duty . The enemies of Free-masonry may be told , that to unite men more closely , and more firmly to urge this duty , we
became cemented by certain ties , and selected particular and private marks of distinction , that we mig ht discern friends from foes , real brothers from impostors . Their curiosity may- be gratified , by informing them that all our duties branch from this comprehensive one , and that they may and can be manifested in the lig ht of the sun . Let us shew to our enemies that even to them we can practise the duties of charity and forgiveness , a secret they are so ignorant of .
But amongst the flimsy and prejudiced objections that have of late been started by those who , perhaps , themselves delight in treason , and could feed on sedition , none appears so weak and contemptible as to accuse Freemasonry of being inimical to loyalty ; this objection scarcely needs , indeed it deserves not , the trouble of a serious refutation . We , my Brethren , know , and it is our boast , that the tranquility of " our King , the preservation of his laws , and the welfare of our country , are among our dearest interests and
our sacred duties ; I trust we all feel the invincible loyalty of masonic ^ principles , and are conscious of the efficacy of our united powers . But while we smile , from the rectitude of our intentions , at an ill-founded calumny , let us g ive some demonstrative proof " of our princip les ; and the spirit of" liberality which charaiLrJ 7 . es the present day , affords ample scope for the exercise of " your generous and loyal exertions . But although Masons require no other incentive to active loyally than tiie
principles and obligations by which they are united , yet there is one circumstance which mig ht aft as a powerful motive , and while it should animate you at once , gives the lie to your enemies , viz . that both in Great Britain ' and Ireland you are patronized by royalty and nobility ; for your heads and chiefs you can boast of no less august personages than , the sons of Majesty ; even the HeirApparent of that crown which you are bound to support calls Brother
you - Since the Prince and the subject are thus united by the firmest principles , Love and Unity , surely every one of us will be fired with the exalted ambition of devoting our best services , our lives , and our honours to his support , - let us all be actuated by the same motives , and act upon the same intention of promoting mutual felicity . * The particular duties , then , of Free-masons
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Repository.
and gloriously extended as the ancient and honourable one , a branch of which I now address , yet I believe none has ever been more pointed at and calumniated . What cause has given rise tt- this iliiberality of" our enemies ? ¦ whether it has sprung from the too great negligences and inattention of the brethren to the sacred duties and obligations of the institution , or to the malevolence of its t . dvcrsaries own mind-., it is not now my business to discuss ; but this I know and assertthat it docs not proceed from any want of
prin-, ci p le in the foundation of the institution itself ; its basis is Truth , and the key-stone of its arch is Benevolence . ' Do unto your brother as you would wish him to do unto you , ' is one amongst the many valuable maxims which it inculcates ; and if this is not at alt , or but feebly complied with , it certainly does not detract from the value of the injunction , nor lessen its morality ; it
only shews that men will not be sufficiently attentive to their reciprocal engagements and bounden duties . To those , then , who may scoffingiy ask if this be the grand duty of Free-masons , why keep it a secret and envelope it in mystery ? You may " reply , that the duty of biothcrly love was never intended to be kept a secrec , any more than the natural obligations by which " men are bound to this duty . The enemies of Free-masonry may be told , that to unite men more closely , and more firmly to urge this duty , we
became cemented by certain ties , and selected particular and private marks of distinction , that we mig ht discern friends from foes , real brothers from impostors . Their curiosity may- be gratified , by informing them that all our duties branch from this comprehensive one , and that they may and can be manifested in the lig ht of the sun . Let us shew to our enemies that even to them we can practise the duties of charity and forgiveness , a secret they are so ignorant of .
But amongst the flimsy and prejudiced objections that have of late been started by those who , perhaps , themselves delight in treason , and could feed on sedition , none appears so weak and contemptible as to accuse Freemasonry of being inimical to loyalty ; this objection scarcely needs , indeed it deserves not , the trouble of a serious refutation . We , my Brethren , know , and it is our boast , that the tranquility of " our King , the preservation of his laws , and the welfare of our country , are among our dearest interests and
our sacred duties ; I trust we all feel the invincible loyalty of masonic ^ principles , and are conscious of the efficacy of our united powers . But while we smile , from the rectitude of our intentions , at an ill-founded calumny , let us g ive some demonstrative proof " of our princip les ; and the spirit of" liberality which charaiLrJ 7 . es the present day , affords ample scope for the exercise of " your generous and loyal exertions . But although Masons require no other incentive to active loyally than tiie
principles and obligations by which they are united , yet there is one circumstance which mig ht aft as a powerful motive , and while it should animate you at once , gives the lie to your enemies , viz . that both in Great Britain ' and Ireland you are patronized by royalty and nobility ; for your heads and chiefs you can boast of no less august personages than , the sons of Majesty ; even the HeirApparent of that crown which you are bound to support calls Brother
you - Since the Prince and the subject are thus united by the firmest principles , Love and Unity , surely every one of us will be fired with the exalted ambition of devoting our best services , our lives , and our honours to his support , - let us all be actuated by the same motives , and act upon the same intention of promoting mutual felicity . * The particular duties , then , of Free-masons