Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scotland.
story , prior to the departure of the Israelites from the land of Pharaoh - it is found flourishing in vigour at the time of the building of the Temple of Jerusalem by Solomon . All other things have changed since that time . The empires of Assyria , Greece , and Rome have passed away ; but the institution of Freemasonry still exists , and will continue to exist for five thousand years more , if this world should remain in existence so long . And whdoes it so exist ? and whhas
y y it outlasted these changes of time ?—Because it was founded at first , in the ages of the heathen , in a noble spirit , ancl has since hacl the breath of a purer faith breathed into it;—because it is the depositary at once of the wisdom of the Egyptians , and the divine spirit of the Gospel . The first duty of Freemasons is to raise those edifices which are dedicated to the glory of God ; and their next duty is to concur in the formation of those edifices which go to perpetuate the charity of mankind .
In this they but follow the principles of the Christian religion ; for the first principle of our faith is to give glory to God ; and the next , which is like unto it , is to love our neighbour as ourselves . And who is our neighbour?—VA'hy the poor ; for the poor we have always with us . Freemasonry has existed ever since its first foundation among the Egyptians—it has been found alike at the laying of the foundations of the temple of the Jewthe mosque of the Turkthe fane of the Greek
, , , and the cathedral of the Christian . It was our predecessors who reared that glorious edifice , the Glasgow Cathedral ; and preserved alive , in ages of darkness , the noble art of architecture , which even then reared structures which have never been surpassed . They it is , also , who have raised the many monuments to chivalry and virtue , which from time to
time have since been raised during our country ' s long and eventful story . But on no occasion has its spirit been more thoroughly exemplified than in the laying the foundation-stone of institutions which have for their objects at once to succour distress and exclude imposture—to assuage the sufferings of the poor , and relieve industry from the burden of idleness . Freemasonry existed seven hundred years ago , at the building of the glorious fane which we left to-day—that venerable edifice which has survived all the changes of subsequent time—which
has looked down successively on the heroism of AVallace , and the victories of Bruce ; the field of Flodden , and the sorrows of Mary ; the triumphs of Nelson , and the conquests of AVellington . But on no previous occasion has our ancient fraternity better exemplified itself in its true spirit than in assisting at the rearing of edifices such as this , which , although comparatively humble in their appearance , have for . their object the ministering to the wants of the poor . I cannot concludeworth
, y brethren , without thanking you for having turned out so numerously on the present occasion , under your time-honoured and venerable banners . It affords another evidence that Freemasons are actuated hy the pure spirit of their Order , which is based on the principles of religion , morality , and charity . " AVhen the enthusiastic cheering which followed this address had subsidedBro . TENNENT who appeared in the clothing of his adopted
, , lodge , St . Mark , where , on the dormancy of his mother-lodge , Argyle , he had been successively advanced to the degrees of Fellow Craft and Master Mason , after reading a letter from the Lord Provost and magistrates , expressive of their regret at not being able to attend the interesting ceremony , spoke as follows : — " R . W . Prov . Grand Master , in reply to your eloquent address it may not be inappropriate to this interesting
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Scotland.
story , prior to the departure of the Israelites from the land of Pharaoh - it is found flourishing in vigour at the time of the building of the Temple of Jerusalem by Solomon . All other things have changed since that time . The empires of Assyria , Greece , and Rome have passed away ; but the institution of Freemasonry still exists , and will continue to exist for five thousand years more , if this world should remain in existence so long . And whdoes it so exist ? and whhas
y y it outlasted these changes of time ?—Because it was founded at first , in the ages of the heathen , in a noble spirit , ancl has since hacl the breath of a purer faith breathed into it;—because it is the depositary at once of the wisdom of the Egyptians , and the divine spirit of the Gospel . The first duty of Freemasons is to raise those edifices which are dedicated to the glory of God ; and their next duty is to concur in the formation of those edifices which go to perpetuate the charity of mankind .
In this they but follow the principles of the Christian religion ; for the first principle of our faith is to give glory to God ; and the next , which is like unto it , is to love our neighbour as ourselves . And who is our neighbour?—VA'hy the poor ; for the poor we have always with us . Freemasonry has existed ever since its first foundation among the Egyptians—it has been found alike at the laying of the foundations of the temple of the Jewthe mosque of the Turkthe fane of the Greek
, , , and the cathedral of the Christian . It was our predecessors who reared that glorious edifice , the Glasgow Cathedral ; and preserved alive , in ages of darkness , the noble art of architecture , which even then reared structures which have never been surpassed . They it is , also , who have raised the many monuments to chivalry and virtue , which from time to
time have since been raised during our country ' s long and eventful story . But on no occasion has its spirit been more thoroughly exemplified than in the laying the foundation-stone of institutions which have for their objects at once to succour distress and exclude imposture—to assuage the sufferings of the poor , and relieve industry from the burden of idleness . Freemasonry existed seven hundred years ago , at the building of the glorious fane which we left to-day—that venerable edifice which has survived all the changes of subsequent time—which
has looked down successively on the heroism of AVallace , and the victories of Bruce ; the field of Flodden , and the sorrows of Mary ; the triumphs of Nelson , and the conquests of AVellington . But on no previous occasion has our ancient fraternity better exemplified itself in its true spirit than in assisting at the rearing of edifices such as this , which , although comparatively humble in their appearance , have for . their object the ministering to the wants of the poor . I cannot concludeworth
, y brethren , without thanking you for having turned out so numerously on the present occasion , under your time-honoured and venerable banners . It affords another evidence that Freemasons are actuated hy the pure spirit of their Order , which is based on the principles of religion , morality , and charity . " AVhen the enthusiastic cheering which followed this address had subsidedBro . TENNENT who appeared in the clothing of his adopted
, , lodge , St . Mark , where , on the dormancy of his mother-lodge , Argyle , he had been successively advanced to the degrees of Fellow Craft and Master Mason , after reading a letter from the Lord Provost and magistrates , expressive of their regret at not being able to attend the interesting ceremony , spoke as follows : — " R . W . Prov . Grand Master , in reply to your eloquent address it may not be inappropriate to this interesting