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Article LECTURES ON FREEMASONRY , ← Page 4 of 8 →
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Lectures On Freemasonry ,
gressive Masonic studies in the ( 3 , he must consider himself debarred from attaining that knowledge in Freemasonry wliich is the bri ghtest jewel in our Order , and which very interesting information to him as a Jew , was , by the new system introduced , improperly withheld from him . The enlightened Israelite mi ght farther observe , that he cannot possibly be disappointed or prevented in his Masonic studiesif his
, Masonic Brethren of the Christian religion assemble in a very few Christian orders , under the dispensation of their creed , adorned with decorations different from his , and armed with S . T . and W ., whereby to exclude him from partaking in their mysteries . As a Freemason , he is convinced that the science , continued under the new law , has an equal claim to universality with that under the old law , because it retains the principal landmarks of Freemasonry , namelybrotherllovereliefand
, y , , truth . If the Jews of former times confined their studies in Masonry to a very few degrees , it went hand in hand with the other arts and sciences , because the strict talmutic explanations of the books of Moses debarred them from any of the greater attainments in the sciences , and their chief occupation was that of a pastoral people . Traditions were highly respected by them ; and the higher Hebrew Masonic orders abound in the most instructive and edif ying traditions , as well as in
recorded facts . The question may now be asked , shall these highly interesting Israelitic , and these Christian orders , full of historical facts , full of learned researches , full of the most sublime charity , be in this country forcibly proscribed as schismatical , if not heretical , and out of the pale of Freemasonry , when they form in all the other parts of the globe its principal ornament ? To this doctrine no well-informed and experienced Freemason can subscribe , if they are duly convinced
of the truth we learn from our Masonic circle , which is without end , and in its universal charity endeavours to renew neglected science , and to revive forsaken Orders , whereby the grand principles of brotherly love , relief , and truth , may be actively applied for the benefit of mankind .
I o found , therefore , the universality of our Freemasonry upon the few traditions S . T . W ., which we are taught in the three initiatory degrees , is flying in the face of Masonic experience , and of our universally spread doctrines , and is in opposition to the first principles of the craft . The Jews , no doubt , as I have shown in a foregoing account , had imbibed the principles of secrecy from the Egyptians during their captivity ; they continued , under their great , learned , and inspired leader
, those principles founded upon the law of God . But as Freemasons , we are only bound to believe that the secret societies established amongst them were governed , guided , and kept alive by the knoivn principles of our order , namely , charity to all mankind , relief to the distressed , and truth in our relation with others . But believing in those principles , so essential in all societies regularly constituted , we are by no means bound to believe in all the idle tales of S . T . and W . being the
same now as they were at the time of the exit of Moses , or in some sill y and ridiculous traditions invented by fertile brains , and so glaringly depicted in pretended Masonic books , such as the silly book called Jachin and Boaz , and many others , for by whatever exterior marks or signs the brethren of the ancient secret societies knew each other , matters little to the universality of our doctrines , provided the grand principle be strictly observed . The Jews , for 500 years after their delivery from Egypt , have left us not a single Masonic tradition beyond that recorded in the first degree ; and as the second degree treats upon the arts and sciences ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Lectures On Freemasonry ,
gressive Masonic studies in the ( 3 , he must consider himself debarred from attaining that knowledge in Freemasonry wliich is the bri ghtest jewel in our Order , and which very interesting information to him as a Jew , was , by the new system introduced , improperly withheld from him . The enlightened Israelite mi ght farther observe , that he cannot possibly be disappointed or prevented in his Masonic studiesif his
, Masonic Brethren of the Christian religion assemble in a very few Christian orders , under the dispensation of their creed , adorned with decorations different from his , and armed with S . T . and W ., whereby to exclude him from partaking in their mysteries . As a Freemason , he is convinced that the science , continued under the new law , has an equal claim to universality with that under the old law , because it retains the principal landmarks of Freemasonry , namelybrotherllovereliefand
, y , , truth . If the Jews of former times confined their studies in Masonry to a very few degrees , it went hand in hand with the other arts and sciences , because the strict talmutic explanations of the books of Moses debarred them from any of the greater attainments in the sciences , and their chief occupation was that of a pastoral people . Traditions were highly respected by them ; and the higher Hebrew Masonic orders abound in the most instructive and edif ying traditions , as well as in
recorded facts . The question may now be asked , shall these highly interesting Israelitic , and these Christian orders , full of historical facts , full of learned researches , full of the most sublime charity , be in this country forcibly proscribed as schismatical , if not heretical , and out of the pale of Freemasonry , when they form in all the other parts of the globe its principal ornament ? To this doctrine no well-informed and experienced Freemason can subscribe , if they are duly convinced
of the truth we learn from our Masonic circle , which is without end , and in its universal charity endeavours to renew neglected science , and to revive forsaken Orders , whereby the grand principles of brotherly love , relief , and truth , may be actively applied for the benefit of mankind .
I o found , therefore , the universality of our Freemasonry upon the few traditions S . T . W ., which we are taught in the three initiatory degrees , is flying in the face of Masonic experience , and of our universally spread doctrines , and is in opposition to the first principles of the craft . The Jews , no doubt , as I have shown in a foregoing account , had imbibed the principles of secrecy from the Egyptians during their captivity ; they continued , under their great , learned , and inspired leader
, those principles founded upon the law of God . But as Freemasons , we are only bound to believe that the secret societies established amongst them were governed , guided , and kept alive by the knoivn principles of our order , namely , charity to all mankind , relief to the distressed , and truth in our relation with others . But believing in those principles , so essential in all societies regularly constituted , we are by no means bound to believe in all the idle tales of S . T . and W . being the
same now as they were at the time of the exit of Moses , or in some sill y and ridiculous traditions invented by fertile brains , and so glaringly depicted in pretended Masonic books , such as the silly book called Jachin and Boaz , and many others , for by whatever exterior marks or signs the brethren of the ancient secret societies knew each other , matters little to the universality of our doctrines , provided the grand principle be strictly observed . The Jews , for 500 years after their delivery from Egypt , have left us not a single Masonic tradition beyond that recorded in the first degree ; and as the second degree treats upon the arts and sciences ,