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Article THE FREEMASONS' QUARTERLY REVIEW. ← Page 8 of 10 →
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The Freemasons' Quarterly Review.
tates . If they are not , they deceive themselves ; they may be listened to for a time , but only for a time ; the secret of leading the great moral ancl countless numbers , who never speak but by the hand , is to read the heart and then direct its influence ; by any other course than the adoption of
fixed principles , no good can be effected , but evil may be ever expected . Frankness and energy are not incompatible with each other ; hau ghtiness does not grace integrity , although the one may render the other endurable . To whatever hands the executive is entrusted , means are given to
prevent evil and to enforce the law , which if clear and intelligible is a matter of easy fulfilment ; the emendations of the law , as arising from a change in general instructions , lapse of time , or from conviction that the law may not work well , is a subject of deliberate consideration , as is also any new
law growing out of common consent . In this deliberation , the civic virtues of the ruler may be put to some patient endurance of various shades of opinion ; but that endurance will be rendered difficult , or otherwise , as those who assume to speak for others may be directed by their sense of
propriety . Happily , however , we have to state , that in the recent discussion of the great moral question , both in and out of Grand Lodge , the supporters of the Asylum cannot be charged with impatience in their mode of urging their suit . All that deference and forbearance could do , was exercised ;
to have stopped short of the position assumed , would have been the violation of a landmark . The vast resource of numbers , who , in using fair and truly Masonic means , have protected their object by adopting no expedients but justice and decision , yet both tempered by strict moderation , will
give to future Masons a record worthy their example . We write thus without reluctance ; our duty is with the facts of the case , and we will not shrink from stating them . The Grand Lodge has done itself honour , and the Brethren at large have only to observe the recommendation it has
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Quarterly Review.
tates . If they are not , they deceive themselves ; they may be listened to for a time , but only for a time ; the secret of leading the great moral ancl countless numbers , who never speak but by the hand , is to read the heart and then direct its influence ; by any other course than the adoption of
fixed principles , no good can be effected , but evil may be ever expected . Frankness and energy are not incompatible with each other ; hau ghtiness does not grace integrity , although the one may render the other endurable . To whatever hands the executive is entrusted , means are given to
prevent evil and to enforce the law , which if clear and intelligible is a matter of easy fulfilment ; the emendations of the law , as arising from a change in general instructions , lapse of time , or from conviction that the law may not work well , is a subject of deliberate consideration , as is also any new
law growing out of common consent . In this deliberation , the civic virtues of the ruler may be put to some patient endurance of various shades of opinion ; but that endurance will be rendered difficult , or otherwise , as those who assume to speak for others may be directed by their sense of
propriety . Happily , however , we have to state , that in the recent discussion of the great moral question , both in and out of Grand Lodge , the supporters of the Asylum cannot be charged with impatience in their mode of urging their suit . All that deference and forbearance could do , was exercised ;
to have stopped short of the position assumed , would have been the violation of a landmark . The vast resource of numbers , who , in using fair and truly Masonic means , have protected their object by adopting no expedients but justice and decision , yet both tempered by strict moderation , will
give to future Masons a record worthy their example . We write thus without reluctance ; our duty is with the facts of the case , and we will not shrink from stating them . The Grand Lodge has done itself honour , and the Brethren at large have only to observe the recommendation it has