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Article PROVINCIAL. ← Page 3 of 16 →
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Provincial.
is as bright a gem in the Masonic crown as Brotherly Love . AVho is there that has been afforded an opportunity of relieving the distress of a fellow creature , and has availed himself of it , whose heart has not bounded with joyful emotion that he has wiped away a tear from the eye of the distressed ? In a truly Masonic mind , the pleasure of affording relief is as great , if not greater , than the pleasure imparted by his beneficent acts . It is well said that charity , like her sister mercyis twice
, blessed ; it blesses him that gives as well as him that receives . Who , then , will deny himself so exalted , so pure , so delightful , and so unalloyed a means of gratification ? Let us then , as Masons , cherish this principle , and not suffer a narrow sordid spirit to undermine and sap so important a principle of our Order . " The third principle serving to sustain our moral superstructure is Truth . This may be said , in this instance , to be synonymous with
justice . In Masonry we are called on to relieve ; but justice qualifies the demand , and , in the words of an old saying , teaches us to be just before we are generous . This saying may be rendered , in my humble opinion , more Masonic by a slight alteration : —be just when we are generous . In the demands made on our charity , let us weigh the claim well , as well as our means to meet it ; thus shall we arrive at a proper mode of apportioning out those means , according to the ability-with which Providence has blessed us .
" Truth , however , ends not here ; it has a highly important office in Masonry . It calls on us to be true to ourselves , true to our Brethren , true to the principles of our Order . Let us bear ourselves one towards another without deceit or dissimulation , so shall we support our Order ancl ensure that respect from the world that it so eminently deserves . "Now , Brethren , not one of these principles are opposed to the dictates and precepts of the volume of the Sacred Law . On the contrary , they are all inculcated on usfor our guidance ancl practiceby
, , the most endearing appeals of a father to his children . Masonry binds her children to these principles by oaths and obligations . Away ! then , with those slanderers ! confusion to those calumniators , who assert that we are blasphemers of the Holy One . Let us convince them by our conduct that we are the followers of that law they accuse us of reviling and violating ; that we are not closeted together for sinister purposes ; that our hours are not wasted in rioting and drunkenness ; that Masonry
does not lead to these vices , nor to a neglect of our homes and our families , nor to any of those iniquities and crimes we are so unhesitatingly charged with . Now , it is only by a strict adherence to these princi ples of our Order that we can outlive and subdue these aspersions ; and I appeal to you with confidence , to unite with me in conducting- our Lodge in such conformity to these important principles , that wethe Brethren of Adam ' s Lod may at least be untainted b
, ge , y such follies . Having thus feebly and faintly endeavoured to illustrate the principles of our Order , allow me to say , that I shall maintain the power vested in me with the * strictest jealousy ; for two reasons , —first , that I may shew you the sense I entertain of their value , and of the importance I attach to them ; also to convince you , that as you have thought me worthy to wield those powers , I will take care that they suffer no diminution while in keepingassured that will support
my , you me in the exercise of that with which you have entrusted me . Secondly , that when I deliver up my authority to my successor , he shall find no conduct of mine has impaired the authority , nor lessened the privileges that ought to belong to the Master of a Lodge . VOL . v . „
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Provincial.
is as bright a gem in the Masonic crown as Brotherly Love . AVho is there that has been afforded an opportunity of relieving the distress of a fellow creature , and has availed himself of it , whose heart has not bounded with joyful emotion that he has wiped away a tear from the eye of the distressed ? In a truly Masonic mind , the pleasure of affording relief is as great , if not greater , than the pleasure imparted by his beneficent acts . It is well said that charity , like her sister mercyis twice
, blessed ; it blesses him that gives as well as him that receives . Who , then , will deny himself so exalted , so pure , so delightful , and so unalloyed a means of gratification ? Let us then , as Masons , cherish this principle , and not suffer a narrow sordid spirit to undermine and sap so important a principle of our Order . " The third principle serving to sustain our moral superstructure is Truth . This may be said , in this instance , to be synonymous with
justice . In Masonry we are called on to relieve ; but justice qualifies the demand , and , in the words of an old saying , teaches us to be just before we are generous . This saying may be rendered , in my humble opinion , more Masonic by a slight alteration : —be just when we are generous . In the demands made on our charity , let us weigh the claim well , as well as our means to meet it ; thus shall we arrive at a proper mode of apportioning out those means , according to the ability-with which Providence has blessed us .
" Truth , however , ends not here ; it has a highly important office in Masonry . It calls on us to be true to ourselves , true to our Brethren , true to the principles of our Order . Let us bear ourselves one towards another without deceit or dissimulation , so shall we support our Order ancl ensure that respect from the world that it so eminently deserves . "Now , Brethren , not one of these principles are opposed to the dictates and precepts of the volume of the Sacred Law . On the contrary , they are all inculcated on usfor our guidance ancl practiceby
, , the most endearing appeals of a father to his children . Masonry binds her children to these principles by oaths and obligations . Away ! then , with those slanderers ! confusion to those calumniators , who assert that we are blasphemers of the Holy One . Let us convince them by our conduct that we are the followers of that law they accuse us of reviling and violating ; that we are not closeted together for sinister purposes ; that our hours are not wasted in rioting and drunkenness ; that Masonry
does not lead to these vices , nor to a neglect of our homes and our families , nor to any of those iniquities and crimes we are so unhesitatingly charged with . Now , it is only by a strict adherence to these princi ples of our Order that we can outlive and subdue these aspersions ; and I appeal to you with confidence , to unite with me in conducting- our Lodge in such conformity to these important principles , that wethe Brethren of Adam ' s Lod may at least be untainted b
, ge , y such follies . Having thus feebly and faintly endeavoured to illustrate the principles of our Order , allow me to say , that I shall maintain the power vested in me with the * strictest jealousy ; for two reasons , —first , that I may shew you the sense I entertain of their value , and of the importance I attach to them ; also to convince you , that as you have thought me worthy to wield those powers , I will take care that they suffer no diminution while in keepingassured that will support
my , you me in the exercise of that with which you have entrusted me . Secondly , that when I deliver up my authority to my successor , he shall find no conduct of mine has impaired the authority , nor lessened the privileges that ought to belong to the Master of a Lodge . VOL . v . „