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On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions.
ON FREEMASONRY . EVIDENCES , DOCTRINES , AND TRADITIONS .
( No . I . ) BY THE REV . G . OLIVER , D . JD . THE eager curiosity which pervades the present age respecting the science of Freemasonry , and its influence on
the morals of society , may be attributed , in some measure , to the circulation of the Freemasons' Quarterly Review Public attention has been strongly excited , and the impression is decidedly favourable ; as is plainly evidenced by the great increase in the number of initiations , and the marked improvement whicli is visible in the internal management of
our Lodges . These causes have induced scientific individuals to join us , for the purpose of contributing the powerful aid of their talents towards working out the system , and placing its merits on their proper basis .
It has long been evident to every reflecting Mason , that the day approached when the science and morality of the Institution should be better known and appreciated than they were forty years ago . And this auspicious event has not been a little accelerated by the scientific character and eminence of our princely Grand Master ; who , as President
of the Royal Society , the Society of Arts , and many other literary , religious , and benevolent institutions , has contributed much to the celebrity of Freemasonry ; and caused it to become deservedly popular amongst many influential persons , who had bestowed upon it no previous consideration ; or if they had thought of it at all , it was with feelings of indifference , and perhaps contempt .
Speculative Masonry embraces a wide range of human science ; but its elements are circumscribed within a compass which is attainable by every Brother who possesses moderate abilities and common industry . Its Evidences , Doctrines , and Traditions are within his reach ; and without a competent knowledge of these leading principles—which form
the horn-book of Masonry—he will stumble at the threshold , and never attain a right understanding of the VOL . VII . c
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions.
ON FREEMASONRY . EVIDENCES , DOCTRINES , AND TRADITIONS .
( No . I . ) BY THE REV . G . OLIVER , D . JD . THE eager curiosity which pervades the present age respecting the science of Freemasonry , and its influence on
the morals of society , may be attributed , in some measure , to the circulation of the Freemasons' Quarterly Review Public attention has been strongly excited , and the impression is decidedly favourable ; as is plainly evidenced by the great increase in the number of initiations , and the marked improvement whicli is visible in the internal management of
our Lodges . These causes have induced scientific individuals to join us , for the purpose of contributing the powerful aid of their talents towards working out the system , and placing its merits on their proper basis .
It has long been evident to every reflecting Mason , that the day approached when the science and morality of the Institution should be better known and appreciated than they were forty years ago . And this auspicious event has not been a little accelerated by the scientific character and eminence of our princely Grand Master ; who , as President
of the Royal Society , the Society of Arts , and many other literary , religious , and benevolent institutions , has contributed much to the celebrity of Freemasonry ; and caused it to become deservedly popular amongst many influential persons , who had bestowed upon it no previous consideration ; or if they had thought of it at all , it was with feelings of indifference , and perhaps contempt .
Speculative Masonry embraces a wide range of human science ; but its elements are circumscribed within a compass which is attainable by every Brother who possesses moderate abilities and common industry . Its Evidences , Doctrines , and Traditions are within his reach ; and without a competent knowledge of these leading principles—which form
the horn-book of Masonry—he will stumble at the threshold , and never attain a right understanding of the VOL . VII . c