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Article ON FREEMASONRY. ← Page 6 of 10 →
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On Freemasonry.
nent as well as in Great Britain during the middle ages , because a rich series of splendid buildings was produced which owe their existence to the Freemasons of that period , but no records remain , not even a solitary MS . to shew that they congregated in Lodges ; appointed Grand Masters , or acted in concert as a body endowed with exclusize
privileges . * The continental Lodges appear in the general history of Masonry , onl y as scions from the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland , which had been the conservators of Masonry in the dark ages of superstition ; and had succeeded in preserving its princi ples unsullied amidst every vicissitude of its chequered fortunes . Better evidence could
not be desired of the hi gh estimation which the Brethren of all ages in Great Britain have entertained for the Institution . Even when proscribed b y royal authority , its members were ever faithful ; and in secret conclaves , at the risk of life and limb , its rites and observances were transmitted unimpaired from generation to generation .
Lodges were p lanted in Holland , Sweden , Denmark , Prussia , and Germany , before the middle of the 18 th century ; but , in the latter country , Freemasonary unfortunatel y degenerated into a political institution of the very worst character ; and its pure princi p les were sacrificed , along with our most hol y faith , at the polluted shrine of party
intrigue and personal animosity . The members of this spurious Order , which cast a stain on the sacred name of Masonry , rejected the New Testament , renounced the Saviour , and exchanged the ancient rites of our Order , for new ceremonies and new doctrines , which had for their object the subversion of every civil and religious institution .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry.
nent as well as in Great Britain during the middle ages , because a rich series of splendid buildings was produced which owe their existence to the Freemasons of that period , but no records remain , not even a solitary MS . to shew that they congregated in Lodges ; appointed Grand Masters , or acted in concert as a body endowed with exclusize
privileges . * The continental Lodges appear in the general history of Masonry , onl y as scions from the Grand Lodges of England and Scotland , which had been the conservators of Masonry in the dark ages of superstition ; and had succeeded in preserving its princi ples unsullied amidst every vicissitude of its chequered fortunes . Better evidence could
not be desired of the hi gh estimation which the Brethren of all ages in Great Britain have entertained for the Institution . Even when proscribed b y royal authority , its members were ever faithful ; and in secret conclaves , at the risk of life and limb , its rites and observances were transmitted unimpaired from generation to generation .
Lodges were p lanted in Holland , Sweden , Denmark , Prussia , and Germany , before the middle of the 18 th century ; but , in the latter country , Freemasonary unfortunatel y degenerated into a political institution of the very worst character ; and its pure princi p les were sacrificed , along with our most hol y faith , at the polluted shrine of party
intrigue and personal animosity . The members of this spurious Order , which cast a stain on the sacred name of Masonry , rejected the New Testament , renounced the Saviour , and exchanged the ancient rites of our Order , for new ceremonies and new doctrines , which had for their object the subversion of every civil and religious institution .