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On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions.
travels with us , and adds amusement and pleasure to rural retirement . " Freemasonry arrays before the inquiring eye , in all their beauteous charms , the theological virtues , so often the themes of elucidation in our Lectures . Faith points out the way to heaven—Hope cheers the faithful Brother in his pilgrimage with her brilliant beams—Charity animates his bosom with divine love .
rt O er Masons presiding , these virtues combine—Faith beckons to join the . Grand Master above ; Hope points through heaven ' s arch to the regions divine , And Charity teaches peace , friendship , and love . " The true Mason , when he contemplates the covering of his Lodge , and the steps which lead to it , will see b y the eye of faith these three celestial qualities read y to bear him to his father and his God;—he will hear them whisper , with the voice of angels ,
" Sister spirit , come away ;" and he will—in the mercy ofthe Most Hi gh—pass from this world to another and a better , with the bri ght hope upon his mind of rest and peace " In the world beyond the grave . "
It is now time we began to think of our traditions , ancl many a young and ardent Brother will alread y have deprecated our gossi pping prelude , in his anxiety to receive some novel and interesting details , which may furnish him with agreeable subjects of reflection and researchIt is doubtful
. , however , whether he will receive any extraordinary gratification m the present paper . We must commence with the beginning , and rise graduall y to the superior degrees ; and during the process , he will perhaps find unveiled to his view , some ^ curious matters which may excite his admiration ancl surprise . It will be howe in instances
necessary , ver , some , to blend the higher and lower degrees , when treating of subjects which run through the whole system of Freemasonry And it will be found b y the reflecting Mason , that in every legend there is a mystical reference which does not appear on the surface ; an application whicheven Lectures do
, , our not notice , to events that ought to have an influence on our conduct in every situation of life . The first object that presents itself to our notice , is the celebrated STONE OF FOUNDATION , respecting which so many opinions were afloat at the commencement of my
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions.
travels with us , and adds amusement and pleasure to rural retirement . " Freemasonry arrays before the inquiring eye , in all their beauteous charms , the theological virtues , so often the themes of elucidation in our Lectures . Faith points out the way to heaven—Hope cheers the faithful Brother in his pilgrimage with her brilliant beams—Charity animates his bosom with divine love .
rt O er Masons presiding , these virtues combine—Faith beckons to join the . Grand Master above ; Hope points through heaven ' s arch to the regions divine , And Charity teaches peace , friendship , and love . " The true Mason , when he contemplates the covering of his Lodge , and the steps which lead to it , will see b y the eye of faith these three celestial qualities read y to bear him to his father and his God;—he will hear them whisper , with the voice of angels ,
" Sister spirit , come away ;" and he will—in the mercy ofthe Most Hi gh—pass from this world to another and a better , with the bri ght hope upon his mind of rest and peace " In the world beyond the grave . "
It is now time we began to think of our traditions , ancl many a young and ardent Brother will alread y have deprecated our gossi pping prelude , in his anxiety to receive some novel and interesting details , which may furnish him with agreeable subjects of reflection and researchIt is doubtful
. , however , whether he will receive any extraordinary gratification m the present paper . We must commence with the beginning , and rise graduall y to the superior degrees ; and during the process , he will perhaps find unveiled to his view , some ^ curious matters which may excite his admiration ancl surprise . It will be howe in instances
necessary , ver , some , to blend the higher and lower degrees , when treating of subjects which run through the whole system of Freemasonry And it will be found b y the reflecting Mason , that in every legend there is a mystical reference which does not appear on the surface ; an application whicheven Lectures do
, , our not notice , to events that ought to have an influence on our conduct in every situation of life . The first object that presents itself to our notice , is the celebrated STONE OF FOUNDATION , respecting which so many opinions were afloat at the commencement of my