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Article ON FREEMASONRY. ← Page 6 of 6
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On Freemasonry.
of Sinai . " Thus tbe intimate , though incomprehensible union of three persons in the Godhead , symbolized in the system of Freemasonry by the three steps of the winding staircase leading to the middle chamber of King Solomon ' s temple , is clearly pointed out . It is observable , says an eminent writer , that as their religion and hopes centred in the Messiah , their notices of him from the earliest times were so frequentthat het who arose in Israel spake lainlof
, every prop p y him . " Receive , " says St . Peter , " the salvation of your souls , of which salvation ( through Christ ) the prophets have inquired and searched diligently . " 2 S So that every age has had its distinguished Freemasons , by whatever name they may have been known . The passion and resurrection of Christ , through which alone salvation coulcl be had , with the glory that should follow , were articles ofthe prophets ' , as well as of the apostles' creed . This doctrine is therefore inculcated in one of the hiher
g degrees of Freemasonry ; the lecture to which teaches that Christ , being the clay star of mercy , rose , at his birth , to conduct our feet in the paths of truth ancl peace ; that by his life we are taught all virtues requisite for us to follow , he being the way , the truth , and the life ; b y his death we learn that our debt of nature is fully paid , and the rigour of the law satisfied ; by his resurrection he rescued us from the dominion of sin , death , and hell ; and by his ascension we learn that glorious truth , that
he has gone before us to prepare a place where his faithful servants will for ever dwell , a house not made with hands , eternal in the heavens . And in the United States of America these sublime verses are chanted while conferring the
degree—The rising God forsakes the tomb , Up to his Father ' s courts he flies ; Cherubic legions guard him home , And shout his welcome to the skies . Break off your tears , ye saints , and tell How high our great deliverer reigns ; Sing how lie spoil'd the hosts of hell , And led the monster death in chains . Say , " live for ever , wondrous king , Iiorn to redeemand strong to ! "
, save Then ask the tyrant , " where ' s thy sting ? And where ' s thy victory , boasting grave ? " From the above facts we conclude , that if the grace of God , which bringeth salvation , hath appeared to all men ; and if the patriarchs and true ancient Masons were saved by it , it follows , in the correct language of Dr . Ellis , " that there is little difference between their system of faith ancl ours . For when all is said—to believe in a true God and his
Messiah ; a remission of sins through him , on sincere repentance and obedience ; a resurrection from the dead ; the soul ' s survivance , and a future state of rewards and punishments , ever were and will be the sum of all religion ; " as they are undoubtedly the sum and substance of all Freemasonry , even confining it to the symbolical degrees ; but they are much more abundantly enunciated in the higher orders , which contain a perfect outline of the great plan of salvation through the sufferings and
death of Christ . If then Freemasonry be the depository of such sublime mysteries , it may be safely pronounced superior to any society of merely human foundation , and entitled to the earnest support of every sincere and pious Christian .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry.
of Sinai . " Thus tbe intimate , though incomprehensible union of three persons in the Godhead , symbolized in the system of Freemasonry by the three steps of the winding staircase leading to the middle chamber of King Solomon ' s temple , is clearly pointed out . It is observable , says an eminent writer , that as their religion and hopes centred in the Messiah , their notices of him from the earliest times were so frequentthat het who arose in Israel spake lainlof
, every prop p y him . " Receive , " says St . Peter , " the salvation of your souls , of which salvation ( through Christ ) the prophets have inquired and searched diligently . " 2 S So that every age has had its distinguished Freemasons , by whatever name they may have been known . The passion and resurrection of Christ , through which alone salvation coulcl be had , with the glory that should follow , were articles ofthe prophets ' , as well as of the apostles' creed . This doctrine is therefore inculcated in one of the hiher
g degrees of Freemasonry ; the lecture to which teaches that Christ , being the clay star of mercy , rose , at his birth , to conduct our feet in the paths of truth ancl peace ; that by his life we are taught all virtues requisite for us to follow , he being the way , the truth , and the life ; b y his death we learn that our debt of nature is fully paid , and the rigour of the law satisfied ; by his resurrection he rescued us from the dominion of sin , death , and hell ; and by his ascension we learn that glorious truth , that
he has gone before us to prepare a place where his faithful servants will for ever dwell , a house not made with hands , eternal in the heavens . And in the United States of America these sublime verses are chanted while conferring the
degree—The rising God forsakes the tomb , Up to his Father ' s courts he flies ; Cherubic legions guard him home , And shout his welcome to the skies . Break off your tears , ye saints , and tell How high our great deliverer reigns ; Sing how lie spoil'd the hosts of hell , And led the monster death in chains . Say , " live for ever , wondrous king , Iiorn to redeemand strong to ! "
, save Then ask the tyrant , " where ' s thy sting ? And where ' s thy victory , boasting grave ? " From the above facts we conclude , that if the grace of God , which bringeth salvation , hath appeared to all men ; and if the patriarchs and true ancient Masons were saved by it , it follows , in the correct language of Dr . Ellis , " that there is little difference between their system of faith ancl ours . For when all is said—to believe in a true God and his
Messiah ; a remission of sins through him , on sincere repentance and obedience ; a resurrection from the dead ; the soul ' s survivance , and a future state of rewards and punishments , ever were and will be the sum of all religion ; " as they are undoubtedly the sum and substance of all Freemasonry , even confining it to the symbolical degrees ; but they are much more abundantly enunciated in the higher orders , which contain a perfect outline of the great plan of salvation through the sufferings and
death of Christ . If then Freemasonry be the depository of such sublime mysteries , it may be safely pronounced superior to any society of merely human foundation , and entitled to the earnest support of every sincere and pious Christian .