Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Magazine: Or, General And Complete Library.
the desire of knowledge in the mysteries would be much more powerfully inviting , and the princip les and qualifications of persons in the craft would be better known , to be approved as worthy and able of doing honour and service to the society . _ ¦ I cannot help thinking , but that it is an apparent degradation to tbe Craft , that some hundreds have been so precipitately raised , themselves think lete Ma
who become thereupon , as they comp - sons , without attending to , or understanding , hardly one real Circumstance of the order ; from whence , and the overgrowth or inferior locoes , uup-uavded consequential mischiefs have arisen , and the C ' raftlreatedl-ather contemptibly . It is , brethren , a sphere of liberal education , closely pursued , that regularly initiates and quaunderstand the several mysterious and
lifies a Mason rightly to copious expositions of the craft and sciences ; his-mind must be enriched with the knowledge of the most abstruse parts of solid learnino-. In this excellency alone consists the exalted qualification of a perfect Mason . It is from the almost insuperable c , ifii- _ cultv of this perfection thatthe true mystic secrets ot
attaining , , Masonry have been so impenetrably preserved from popular conception and discoveries , and have escaped the perfidious attempts of Cowans and faithless scribblers . This hign degree of knowledge cannot be transmitted , it must be attained by long personal application and hard study . It is the employment of half one s ao-e to become orthodox , and qualified either to receive or . orm Such toese
judicious distinctions in mysterious problems . as are too great , and too sensible , ever to betray tneir faith and understanding . It is the base ignorant sort , who would aim to roaxe a show of knowledge which they don ' t possess , that impose on the world , under the pretensions of discovering the secrets or Masonry ; frail instances of which have appeared in some paltry pamphlets , encountered by the presumptive and eager curiosity ot mankind ,
to know our secrets at sight . _ I should not take notice of these worthless authors , nor would I think it worth my while to dispute with men who deny principles '; who under the unjust ridicule of so antient and noble a society , irapose ' on the public for an ill-gotten , scandalous , temporary support . --The man pays dear for a bare loaf of bread , who pawns his soul for it The Great Searcher of heartshoweveris not to be imposed
, , upon and he will undoubtedly take his own time to punish the wronc- doer . I shall then only say , that such inquisitors always refute their own doings by ignorance , falsehood , and incongruity , and have neither knowledge nor capacity ever to do material harm to trie secrets of a society , which neither the bull of Phalaris , nor lhe of rinces could break intoThese insane wretches
scourges p . poor makelitr attack rather on all mutual faith , relig ious and morn ! duties wherever assembled , and would aim to affect every lav / and bond of society , without which no society can exist;—as such , I pity and condemn them : they must be bad members of the community , aesperate ly-acting under the infernal promoter of confusion , ana
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Magazine: Or, General And Complete Library.
the desire of knowledge in the mysteries would be much more powerfully inviting , and the princip les and qualifications of persons in the craft would be better known , to be approved as worthy and able of doing honour and service to the society . _ ¦ I cannot help thinking , but that it is an apparent degradation to tbe Craft , that some hundreds have been so precipitately raised , themselves think lete Ma
who become thereupon , as they comp - sons , without attending to , or understanding , hardly one real Circumstance of the order ; from whence , and the overgrowth or inferior locoes , uup-uavded consequential mischiefs have arisen , and the C ' raftlreatedl-ather contemptibly . It is , brethren , a sphere of liberal education , closely pursued , that regularly initiates and quaunderstand the several mysterious and
lifies a Mason rightly to copious expositions of the craft and sciences ; his-mind must be enriched with the knowledge of the most abstruse parts of solid learnino-. In this excellency alone consists the exalted qualification of a perfect Mason . It is from the almost insuperable c , ifii- _ cultv of this perfection thatthe true mystic secrets ot
attaining , , Masonry have been so impenetrably preserved from popular conception and discoveries , and have escaped the perfidious attempts of Cowans and faithless scribblers . This hign degree of knowledge cannot be transmitted , it must be attained by long personal application and hard study . It is the employment of half one s ao-e to become orthodox , and qualified either to receive or . orm Such toese
judicious distinctions in mysterious problems . as are too great , and too sensible , ever to betray tneir faith and understanding . It is the base ignorant sort , who would aim to roaxe a show of knowledge which they don ' t possess , that impose on the world , under the pretensions of discovering the secrets or Masonry ; frail instances of which have appeared in some paltry pamphlets , encountered by the presumptive and eager curiosity ot mankind ,
to know our secrets at sight . _ I should not take notice of these worthless authors , nor would I think it worth my while to dispute with men who deny principles '; who under the unjust ridicule of so antient and noble a society , irapose ' on the public for an ill-gotten , scandalous , temporary support . --The man pays dear for a bare loaf of bread , who pawns his soul for it The Great Searcher of heartshoweveris not to be imposed
, , upon and he will undoubtedly take his own time to punish the wronc- doer . I shall then only say , that such inquisitors always refute their own doings by ignorance , falsehood , and incongruity , and have neither knowledge nor capacity ever to do material harm to trie secrets of a society , which neither the bull of Phalaris , nor lhe of rinces could break intoThese insane wretches
scourges p . poor makelitr attack rather on all mutual faith , relig ious and morn ! duties wherever assembled , and would aim to affect every lav / and bond of society , without which no society can exist;—as such , I pity and condemn them : they must be bad members of the community , aesperate ly-acting under the infernal promoter of confusion , ana