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Article GENERAL REMARKS. ← Page 2 of 6 →
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General Remarks.
Avhich the great , tlie grand Masonic Union was effected , and most carefully avoid for them any opportunity that mig ht inadvertently lead us to endanger its security ; nor is this all , Ave must not only in ourselves avoid , but we must point out , with all our means and Avith all our heart , the
quicksands which are in the way of those ivho may not by experience , have achieved the means of observation , and which , however dangerous , are nevertheless interposed by way of stimulating the energies of mind to overcome by good conduct , and not , as if they ivere hoodwinked , to stumble and fall against . O The bond of Masonic affection is not an iron cestus ,
coercing within its cincture , but the genial and simple wreath of manly dignity , on Avhich is inscribed the word , " honour , " a wreath , attainable by all , save by him who lacks the inner light to see its beauty , who wants the sense to perceive and garner up its siveetness .
The participation in these peculiar moral advantages is what no other society can offer ; it is the " neutral ground , " which has been so clearly , so beautifully illustrated by one of our distinguished brethren ; * where else can the spot be marked—where else can the opponent in discussions , wliich
so frequently threaten a volcanic eruption in nations , and which so often entirely dissolve friendships in common life , feel the force of forbearance—where else can the enthusiast
in the religion lie honestly believes to be the best mode of addressing the " throne of Grace , " but Avho , in the very warmth of that enthusiasm , denies the dissentient from his mode an equal hope , and thereby impairs the only moral beauty his own prayer possesses;—where else can he feel the chastening inspiration—where is the " neutral ground , " in wliich men , in other respects the most estimable , can meet
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
General Remarks.
Avhich the great , tlie grand Masonic Union was effected , and most carefully avoid for them any opportunity that mig ht inadvertently lead us to endanger its security ; nor is this all , Ave must not only in ourselves avoid , but we must point out , with all our means and Avith all our heart , the
quicksands which are in the way of those ivho may not by experience , have achieved the means of observation , and which , however dangerous , are nevertheless interposed by way of stimulating the energies of mind to overcome by good conduct , and not , as if they ivere hoodwinked , to stumble and fall against . O The bond of Masonic affection is not an iron cestus ,
coercing within its cincture , but the genial and simple wreath of manly dignity , on Avhich is inscribed the word , " honour , " a wreath , attainable by all , save by him who lacks the inner light to see its beauty , who wants the sense to perceive and garner up its siveetness .
The participation in these peculiar moral advantages is what no other society can offer ; it is the " neutral ground , " which has been so clearly , so beautifully illustrated by one of our distinguished brethren ; * where else can the spot be marked—where else can the opponent in discussions , wliich
so frequently threaten a volcanic eruption in nations , and which so often entirely dissolve friendships in common life , feel the force of forbearance—where else can the enthusiast
in the religion lie honestly believes to be the best mode of addressing the " throne of Grace , " but Avho , in the very warmth of that enthusiasm , denies the dissentient from his mode an equal hope , and thereby impairs the only moral beauty his own prayer possesses;—where else can he feel the chastening inspiration—where is the " neutral ground , " in wliich men , in other respects the most estimable , can meet