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Article ADDRESS OF MAJOR-GENERAL COOKE ← Page 4 of 5 →
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Address Of Major-General Cooke
mark of recognition of an humble recipient . The observance of this day is , I assure you , a lovely peace-offering , a welcome , a glorious proof of your friendship and united esteem . Were any one not of our own Order to ask me so strange a question , as where HE might look for some evidence recording the character of a Mason , I might properly enough answer , look at the ' Girls ' School , ' and read it on the face of those innocent children , so bright at noondayso serene in the evening ! Alas ! to the eye of somenothing is
, , bright ; to the heart of others nothing is serene ! And , but for Freemasonry , who can tell but that we might have also been in enslaved ignorance to this hour ? If this should be rejected as fanciful , look abroad among our Brethren , and read it in the deep veneration with which many of the great and good delight in universal benevolence ; or if this should not be thought palpable enough , I might add , look over this happy realm , mark the simplicity , the dignity , the efficiency of its
public chanties . Long since has the characteristic feature of operative Masonry been merged in a scientific application of its original principles to the symbolical structure of a moral temple , emblematically supported by three great pillars , called wisdom , strength , and beauty ; and the entire superstructure of our Masonic temple is a developement of moral truth and relative duties , under the most impressive emblems . Hence we have only to compare the prophetic mode , by which the reality of spiritual things is unfolded to the Christian Church , with that by wliich the moral principles of our Order are now presented in the Lodge-room , to perceive a striking coincidence in both cases .
VV e are not , however , in this matter to be understood to speak of Masonry as a JDivine institution , adequate to the wants of man , but as an organization of human wisdom , embracing and carrying out such principles of revealed truth as subserve the great purposes of benevolent enterprise in aid of the common welfare of mankind . This characteristic feature of Masonry must of course be as much more perfectldevelopedand display as much higher degrees of moral
y , excellence , in accordance with the object of the Institution , as are predicted of the increase of purity and prosperity of the Church herself . While the latter fully exemplifies the true spirit and power of the Christian religion , the former , in its own proper sphere , co-operates as an angel of mercy in those subordinate matters which are inseparably connected with the consummation of man ' s earthly hawriness .
Thus , companions , we arrive at a state of things , in the progress of religious truth and morality , by which will be found that' to be good Masons we must necessaril y be goocl Christians . ' But , worthy sir and Brethren , of some of the most peculiar attributes of our Order connected with the best interests of travelling and foreign craftsmen , I have as yet said nothing . Were I permitted to make this a personal application , my own experience dictates , without
fear of conscientious scruples , that no better passport is desirable than the square and compass—not , however , the mere possession of them , but the act of knowing how best to use and exercise them . They have been my passport throughout both the ancient ancl modern world . It was the square and compass only ivhieh ushered me into the presence of sovereignty , to be the guest of monarchs ; and , after being courteously entertained b y Louis Philippe , her Majesty the Queen , and the Royal family , the same passport assisted me in a further participation of all
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Address Of Major-General Cooke
mark of recognition of an humble recipient . The observance of this day is , I assure you , a lovely peace-offering , a welcome , a glorious proof of your friendship and united esteem . Were any one not of our own Order to ask me so strange a question , as where HE might look for some evidence recording the character of a Mason , I might properly enough answer , look at the ' Girls ' School , ' and read it on the face of those innocent children , so bright at noondayso serene in the evening ! Alas ! to the eye of somenothing is
, , bright ; to the heart of others nothing is serene ! And , but for Freemasonry , who can tell but that we might have also been in enslaved ignorance to this hour ? If this should be rejected as fanciful , look abroad among our Brethren , and read it in the deep veneration with which many of the great and good delight in universal benevolence ; or if this should not be thought palpable enough , I might add , look over this happy realm , mark the simplicity , the dignity , the efficiency of its
public chanties . Long since has the characteristic feature of operative Masonry been merged in a scientific application of its original principles to the symbolical structure of a moral temple , emblematically supported by three great pillars , called wisdom , strength , and beauty ; and the entire superstructure of our Masonic temple is a developement of moral truth and relative duties , under the most impressive emblems . Hence we have only to compare the prophetic mode , by which the reality of spiritual things is unfolded to the Christian Church , with that by wliich the moral principles of our Order are now presented in the Lodge-room , to perceive a striking coincidence in both cases .
VV e are not , however , in this matter to be understood to speak of Masonry as a JDivine institution , adequate to the wants of man , but as an organization of human wisdom , embracing and carrying out such principles of revealed truth as subserve the great purposes of benevolent enterprise in aid of the common welfare of mankind . This characteristic feature of Masonry must of course be as much more perfectldevelopedand display as much higher degrees of moral
y , excellence , in accordance with the object of the Institution , as are predicted of the increase of purity and prosperity of the Church herself . While the latter fully exemplifies the true spirit and power of the Christian religion , the former , in its own proper sphere , co-operates as an angel of mercy in those subordinate matters which are inseparably connected with the consummation of man ' s earthly hawriness .
Thus , companions , we arrive at a state of things , in the progress of religious truth and morality , by which will be found that' to be good Masons we must necessaril y be goocl Christians . ' But , worthy sir and Brethren , of some of the most peculiar attributes of our Order connected with the best interests of travelling and foreign craftsmen , I have as yet said nothing . Were I permitted to make this a personal application , my own experience dictates , without
fear of conscientious scruples , that no better passport is desirable than the square and compass—not , however , the mere possession of them , but the act of knowing how best to use and exercise them . They have been my passport throughout both the ancient ancl modern world . It was the square and compass only ivhieh ushered me into the presence of sovereignty , to be the guest of monarchs ; and , after being courteously entertained b y Louis Philippe , her Majesty the Queen , and the Royal family , the same passport assisted me in a further participation of all