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Article THE FREEMASON'S LEXICON. ← Page 3 of 9 →
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The Freemason's Lexicon.
ment , labours , and objects of the various operations of Nature , will tend most effectually to banish superstition . Abraxas . —A mystical expression for the Most High God , under whom , according to the system of Basilides , there were 365 inferior gods . According to the Gnostics from Abraxas proceeded the first-born spirit ; from it the Logos , or Word ; from Logos the Phronesis , or Prudence ; from Phronesis , Sophia and Dynamis , or Wisdom and Strength , & have also cut stones
c . AVe , which are called Abraxas , principally of the third century . There are various sorts of them , and they were worn as amulets . There is commonly a head upon them , which is a representation of the Deity , together with other mystical signs . Abscheid , leaving or declaring off . —AVhen a Brother changes his residence from the place where the Lodge is held , of which he is a member , he will act prudentlbrequiring a written dismissal from the Lod
y y ge , more especially if there is a Lodge in the place where he is going to take up his new abode , and he wishes to become a member of it . In this dismissal it ought to be certified that he had been a diligent workman , and that he had done his duty to the Lodge , of which he had up to that period been a member . Should there be any other reason why a member declares himself off the Lodge , it ought to be truly stated , for truth should ever be one of the distinguishing characteristics of a Mason .
AVithout such a written testimonial , no strange Brother should be allowed to leave one Lodge and join another . In places where there are many Lodges , a Brother may leave one and join another , but ought not to do so without a written testimonial that he has done his duty to the Lodge he is leaving ; should there be any particular reason for this step , both Lodges ought thoroughly to know them . Many Brethren leave one Lodge and join another , without any notice whatever to the Lodge they have left ; the consciences of those Brethren must be their
own accusers or excusers . Active . —A Lodge is called active when it assembles regularly ; and a Brother when he is a working member of such a Lodge . Many Brethren visit a Lodge who never or very seldom take any part in Lodge work , either because they live too far distant from the Lodge , or that the labour is not sufficiently interesting ; every Lodge and every officer ought to strive diligently to avoid the last imputation , but if they find their endeavours in vainand that there is Brother who will not
, any pay due attention to the work , they ought to endeavour to reclaim him first by fraternal remonstrances ; if those do not avail , by punishment . By the death or removal of the members , a Lodge may become inactive for a time , and it is better that it should he so than that the continuing of the work should be entrusted to inexperienced officers . Adoption System . —This system , which is indebted to the inventive genius of tbe French Orient for its existence , is a remarkable appearance
in Freemasonry . Its object goes so far as to open the gates of the temple of light to the fair sex , who from the earliest period of time have been shut out from a participation in the secrets of the Royal Art . They therefore formed a system of Female Freemasonry , or Sister Lodges , which were adopted by the Male Lodges . When the founders of this system had settled that Benevolence springs from social intercourse , they were so gallant as to say , " But is there any real enjoyment of life at a distance from the graces ? It is impossible that the most perfect portion of the human race can be banished for ever from those places their presence would but serve to adorn- " Further , this order ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemason's Lexicon.
ment , labours , and objects of the various operations of Nature , will tend most effectually to banish superstition . Abraxas . —A mystical expression for the Most High God , under whom , according to the system of Basilides , there were 365 inferior gods . According to the Gnostics from Abraxas proceeded the first-born spirit ; from it the Logos , or Word ; from Logos the Phronesis , or Prudence ; from Phronesis , Sophia and Dynamis , or Wisdom and Strength , & have also cut stones
c . AVe , which are called Abraxas , principally of the third century . There are various sorts of them , and they were worn as amulets . There is commonly a head upon them , which is a representation of the Deity , together with other mystical signs . Abscheid , leaving or declaring off . —AVhen a Brother changes his residence from the place where the Lodge is held , of which he is a member , he will act prudentlbrequiring a written dismissal from the Lod
y y ge , more especially if there is a Lodge in the place where he is going to take up his new abode , and he wishes to become a member of it . In this dismissal it ought to be certified that he had been a diligent workman , and that he had done his duty to the Lodge , of which he had up to that period been a member . Should there be any other reason why a member declares himself off the Lodge , it ought to be truly stated , for truth should ever be one of the distinguishing characteristics of a Mason .
AVithout such a written testimonial , no strange Brother should be allowed to leave one Lodge and join another . In places where there are many Lodges , a Brother may leave one and join another , but ought not to do so without a written testimonial that he has done his duty to the Lodge he is leaving ; should there be any particular reason for this step , both Lodges ought thoroughly to know them . Many Brethren leave one Lodge and join another , without any notice whatever to the Lodge they have left ; the consciences of those Brethren must be their
own accusers or excusers . Active . —A Lodge is called active when it assembles regularly ; and a Brother when he is a working member of such a Lodge . Many Brethren visit a Lodge who never or very seldom take any part in Lodge work , either because they live too far distant from the Lodge , or that the labour is not sufficiently interesting ; every Lodge and every officer ought to strive diligently to avoid the last imputation , but if they find their endeavours in vainand that there is Brother who will not
, any pay due attention to the work , they ought to endeavour to reclaim him first by fraternal remonstrances ; if those do not avail , by punishment . By the death or removal of the members , a Lodge may become inactive for a time , and it is better that it should he so than that the continuing of the work should be entrusted to inexperienced officers . Adoption System . —This system , which is indebted to the inventive genius of tbe French Orient for its existence , is a remarkable appearance
in Freemasonry . Its object goes so far as to open the gates of the temple of light to the fair sex , who from the earliest period of time have been shut out from a participation in the secrets of the Royal Art . They therefore formed a system of Female Freemasonry , or Sister Lodges , which were adopted by the Male Lodges . When the founders of this system had settled that Benevolence springs from social intercourse , they were so gallant as to say , " But is there any real enjoyment of life at a distance from the graces ? It is impossible that the most perfect portion of the human race can be banished for ever from those places their presence would but serve to adorn- " Further , this order ,