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Article LECTURES ON FREEMASONRY , ← Page 7 of 8 →
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Lectures On Freemasonry ,
again being employed in the erection of edifices to God under the Mosaic dispensation , they began to erect temples to God under the laws of the Redeemer , which soon spread all over the east , arid of which numerous ruins are visible in our days . The Masonic ^ now changed its supporters , and two principal champions of the new law took the place of two crowned heads . This change is adopted all over the globe in the three initiatory degrees , as well as in the ft where part
, of a chapter of the Christian law is read to the initiated companion of that beautiful and instructive Order , to elucidate the discovery of the lost treasure * . All this shows that Freemasonry is by no means stationary , and exclusively Israelitic universal , but that it embraces every useful institution which time and circumstances may present to her notice . Masonry has thus , under the standard of Christianity , continued her labours in the west , whilst the destructive sword of the Otto-Christian les of the eastand esta
man power has laid waste the temp , - blished her secret society under the standard of Mahomet , which being fully , in the east as well as in the west , as congenial to the feelings of its votaries , as it was at the time of the building of Solomon ' s temple to the Jews under their dispensation , embraces the whole within the Masonic circle . The Jew , the Christian , and the Turk , all believing in Godbeing good exerting brotherlloveand promoters of
, men , y , truth , are members of universal Freemasonry , be their S . T . aud W . Christian , Jewish , or Turkish . There is no doubt but that the Jews , in " the days of Moses , had their mysteries conveyed to the members of their secret societies under Egyptian hierogylphics ; and we may
conjecture , that during a space of nearly 500 years irom the liberation of the Jews to the building of Solomon's temple , they must have frequently found it expedient to alter and substitute ceremonials in their secret societies , without in the least altering their doctrinal parts . If we admit that what at present constitute the S . T . and W . and the symbols in use in our Lodges , that they ivere adapted by the Tyrians to the passing events at the building of the Temple of Jerusalem , we admittinthat at the still event
have equally great reason for g greater than all the others that have preceded under the Jewish dispensation , namely , at the promulgation of the law of our Redeemer , the Fraternity of Freemasons found it prudent , ii' not in many cases absolutely necessary , to establish Christian landmarks for the satisfaction of the brethren . Changes of this nature alluding merely to discipline , can never effect the fundamental rinciles of society . We all knowthat even in
p p any , religion , the ceremonials of the Jews of our days are different from those of the days of Solomon , and much more so from those of the days of Moses , and still more so from the time of Abraham ; although it would be presuming to assert , that from the great care the Jews have ever paid to the preservation of their sacred writings , that the real principles of their relig ion had undergone a change . There is a great difference between ceremonials and princilesand the Jews and Christians
p , are but too frequently charged with changing their religious principles , when , bona fide , they are only changes in ceremonials and discipline , rendered necessary by time , place , and circumstance . Although I am far from numbering the scientific Order of Freemasonry amongst the religious creeds , yet what I have observed may be very justly applied to Freemasonry , and will never lessen its value , much less will it banish
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Lectures On Freemasonry ,
again being employed in the erection of edifices to God under the Mosaic dispensation , they began to erect temples to God under the laws of the Redeemer , which soon spread all over the east , arid of which numerous ruins are visible in our days . The Masonic ^ now changed its supporters , and two principal champions of the new law took the place of two crowned heads . This change is adopted all over the globe in the three initiatory degrees , as well as in the ft where part
, of a chapter of the Christian law is read to the initiated companion of that beautiful and instructive Order , to elucidate the discovery of the lost treasure * . All this shows that Freemasonry is by no means stationary , and exclusively Israelitic universal , but that it embraces every useful institution which time and circumstances may present to her notice . Masonry has thus , under the standard of Christianity , continued her labours in the west , whilst the destructive sword of the Otto-Christian les of the eastand esta
man power has laid waste the temp , - blished her secret society under the standard of Mahomet , which being fully , in the east as well as in the west , as congenial to the feelings of its votaries , as it was at the time of the building of Solomon ' s temple to the Jews under their dispensation , embraces the whole within the Masonic circle . The Jew , the Christian , and the Turk , all believing in Godbeing good exerting brotherlloveand promoters of
, men , y , truth , are members of universal Freemasonry , be their S . T . aud W . Christian , Jewish , or Turkish . There is no doubt but that the Jews , in " the days of Moses , had their mysteries conveyed to the members of their secret societies under Egyptian hierogylphics ; and we may
conjecture , that during a space of nearly 500 years irom the liberation of the Jews to the building of Solomon's temple , they must have frequently found it expedient to alter and substitute ceremonials in their secret societies , without in the least altering their doctrinal parts . If we admit that what at present constitute the S . T . and W . and the symbols in use in our Lodges , that they ivere adapted by the Tyrians to the passing events at the building of the Temple of Jerusalem , we admittinthat at the still event
have equally great reason for g greater than all the others that have preceded under the Jewish dispensation , namely , at the promulgation of the law of our Redeemer , the Fraternity of Freemasons found it prudent , ii' not in many cases absolutely necessary , to establish Christian landmarks for the satisfaction of the brethren . Changes of this nature alluding merely to discipline , can never effect the fundamental rinciles of society . We all knowthat even in
p p any , religion , the ceremonials of the Jews of our days are different from those of the days of Solomon , and much more so from those of the days of Moses , and still more so from the time of Abraham ; although it would be presuming to assert , that from the great care the Jews have ever paid to the preservation of their sacred writings , that the real principles of their relig ion had undergone a change . There is a great difference between ceremonials and princilesand the Jews and Christians
p , are but too frequently charged with changing their religious principles , when , bona fide , they are only changes in ceremonials and discipline , rendered necessary by time , place , and circumstance . Although I am far from numbering the scientific Order of Freemasonry amongst the religious creeds , yet what I have observed may be very justly applied to Freemasonry , and will never lessen its value , much less will it banish