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Article THE CHARGE ← Page 2 of 4 →
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The Charge
and every thing amiable in society , will be administered ; and , by your example , and occasional precepts from the chair you will so worthily fill , be kindled in the' breast of every Mason . Be assured , sir , the application of the many valuable maxims you abound with , wilj be , enforced with less trouble and difficulty , than they * are commonly receivedas they will be made familiar by own practiceand
, your ; I don ' t doubt but we shall soon see this lodge beam out in radiant brightness , and disperse li ght and truth among all Masons . I have gone so far herein , as shows clearly to the public , tTkt knowledge and goodness of mind are the coercive principles of Masonry : what follows here in the charge heing ' rather my-stical , must be omitted . The good and sensible man will excuse it ; for such
would not wish to arrive at the least information of a mystery , ever sacredly preserved , in an unjustifiably loose manner . He would have no opinion of it , till he becomes honourably admitted into the society , where he may safely tread in the lighted paths to tnith ' and scientific eclaircisssments : yet , for the farther satisfaction of the public , and honour of Masonry , I shall proceed in that part of the charge , which also shows that scriptural faith is the
fundamentalprinciple of a true Mason . I add the epithet true , because T must allow that some are . not so- ; and therein is a very material distinction to be made between Masons . The Bible , sir , which is that sacred history called theTIol y Scriptures , delivered to us by Moses , the inspired writer of God ' s commands , and grand master of the lodge of Israel , together with the writings of the prophets and apostlesis the grand archive of
Ma-, sonry , and all the most eminent virtues , moral and divine , relative thereto ; it is the body of our duty to him who made us , by whom ' we live , move , and have our being . From our belief therein , springs our love and fear of God , which is the beginning of all wisdom . Such , sir , who can atheistically , or any wise deny him , and reject these his laws , under the
enjoyment of his blessings , will , and must , . own him , . when they go hence , with fear and trembling , and would be glad the mountains would cover them , or the rocky cliffs rend and open , to receive them from his wrathful , indignation . Our love and . fear of God , founded in the belief of the gospel , inspires us with spiritual discernment , illuminates our faith , will enable us to square our principles , level our desires , and plumb our
actions . Our hopes , our fears , and our whole' conduct become regulated thereby : they give to virtue its sweetest . comforts ; to habituated vice " , its greatest fears . This is the book we should diligently read and make use of , to direct our lives , so as to obtain the blessing of a peaceful mind here , and celestial bliss in the world to come . But alas ! we dedicate so
little of our time to think of futurity , that we seldom think we shall die , as often as we see mortalities about us , and even pay our last doleful services with many a friend to the grave , from whence no traveller e ' er returns again .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Charge
and every thing amiable in society , will be administered ; and , by your example , and occasional precepts from the chair you will so worthily fill , be kindled in the' breast of every Mason . Be assured , sir , the application of the many valuable maxims you abound with , wilj be , enforced with less trouble and difficulty , than they * are commonly receivedas they will be made familiar by own practiceand
, your ; I don ' t doubt but we shall soon see this lodge beam out in radiant brightness , and disperse li ght and truth among all Masons . I have gone so far herein , as shows clearly to the public , tTkt knowledge and goodness of mind are the coercive principles of Masonry : what follows here in the charge heing ' rather my-stical , must be omitted . The good and sensible man will excuse it ; for such
would not wish to arrive at the least information of a mystery , ever sacredly preserved , in an unjustifiably loose manner . He would have no opinion of it , till he becomes honourably admitted into the society , where he may safely tread in the lighted paths to tnith ' and scientific eclaircisssments : yet , for the farther satisfaction of the public , and honour of Masonry , I shall proceed in that part of the charge , which also shows that scriptural faith is the
fundamentalprinciple of a true Mason . I add the epithet true , because T must allow that some are . not so- ; and therein is a very material distinction to be made between Masons . The Bible , sir , which is that sacred history called theTIol y Scriptures , delivered to us by Moses , the inspired writer of God ' s commands , and grand master of the lodge of Israel , together with the writings of the prophets and apostlesis the grand archive of
Ma-, sonry , and all the most eminent virtues , moral and divine , relative thereto ; it is the body of our duty to him who made us , by whom ' we live , move , and have our being . From our belief therein , springs our love and fear of God , which is the beginning of all wisdom . Such , sir , who can atheistically , or any wise deny him , and reject these his laws , under the
enjoyment of his blessings , will , and must , . own him , . when they go hence , with fear and trembling , and would be glad the mountains would cover them , or the rocky cliffs rend and open , to receive them from his wrathful , indignation . Our love and . fear of God , founded in the belief of the gospel , inspires us with spiritual discernment , illuminates our faith , will enable us to square our principles , level our desires , and plumb our
actions . Our hopes , our fears , and our whole' conduct become regulated thereby : they give to virtue its sweetest . comforts ; to habituated vice " , its greatest fears . This is the book we should diligently read and make use of , to direct our lives , so as to obtain the blessing of a peaceful mind here , and celestial bliss in the world to come . But alas ! we dedicate so
little of our time to think of futurity , that we seldom think we shall die , as often as we see mortalities about us , and even pay our last doleful services with many a friend to the grave , from whence no traveller e ' er returns again .