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On Freemasonry. Evidences , Doctrines, And Traditions.
masonry , cannot , be denied ; but the misfortune is , that it has been considered less laborious to assert that the former proceeded from the latter , than to prove the converse of the proposition . I am persuaded , however , that the spurious Freemasonry was a degenerate imitation of some system of truth previously existing ; because I consider such an
opinion to be most congenial with the spirit of our institution . I cannot allow myself to believe that Freemasonry—which is an Order of the greatest purity—which , as an amiable Masonic writer truly asserts , " is a sure foundation of tranquillity amid the various disappointments of life ; a friend that will not deceivebut will comfort and assist in
pros-, perity and adversity ; a blessing that will remain with all times , circumstances , and p laces ; and to which recourse may be had , when other earthly comforts sink into disregard ; which g ives real and intrinsic excellency to man , and renders him fit for the duties of society ; which strengthens the mind against the storms of life , paves the way to peace ,
and p romotes domestic happiness ; which ameliorates the temper , and improves the understanding ; is company in solitude , and gives vivacity , variety , and energy to social conversation ; which governs the passions in youth , and emp loys usefully our most active faculties ; and in age , when sickness , imbecility and disease have benumbed the
corporeal frame , and rendered the union of soul and body almost intolerable , y ields an ample fund of comfort and satisfaction ; " *—I cannot , I repeat , prevail on myself to believe that such a beneficent institution can be indebted
for its existence to systems which enshrined vice on thenaltars as a deitv ; and invested their rites with obscenitv , immorality and atheism . I have considered these desultory remarks necessary to introduce and explain a tradition which is peculiarl y illustrative of the fact , that the true and spurious Freemasonry
held similar views respecting the performance of commemorative rites ON THE HIGHEST OF HILLS , OR IN THE LOWEST OF VALLEYS ; and that the latter were derived from the former . This practice was in hig h esteem amongst all the inhabitants of the ancient world ; from a fixed persuasion that the summit of mountains made a nearer approach to the celestial deities ; and the valley , or hol y cavern , to the in-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry. Evidences , Doctrines, And Traditions.
masonry , cannot , be denied ; but the misfortune is , that it has been considered less laborious to assert that the former proceeded from the latter , than to prove the converse of the proposition . I am persuaded , however , that the spurious Freemasonry was a degenerate imitation of some system of truth previously existing ; because I consider such an
opinion to be most congenial with the spirit of our institution . I cannot allow myself to believe that Freemasonry—which is an Order of the greatest purity—which , as an amiable Masonic writer truly asserts , " is a sure foundation of tranquillity amid the various disappointments of life ; a friend that will not deceivebut will comfort and assist in
pros-, perity and adversity ; a blessing that will remain with all times , circumstances , and p laces ; and to which recourse may be had , when other earthly comforts sink into disregard ; which g ives real and intrinsic excellency to man , and renders him fit for the duties of society ; which strengthens the mind against the storms of life , paves the way to peace ,
and p romotes domestic happiness ; which ameliorates the temper , and improves the understanding ; is company in solitude , and gives vivacity , variety , and energy to social conversation ; which governs the passions in youth , and emp loys usefully our most active faculties ; and in age , when sickness , imbecility and disease have benumbed the
corporeal frame , and rendered the union of soul and body almost intolerable , y ields an ample fund of comfort and satisfaction ; " *—I cannot , I repeat , prevail on myself to believe that such a beneficent institution can be indebted
for its existence to systems which enshrined vice on thenaltars as a deitv ; and invested their rites with obscenitv , immorality and atheism . I have considered these desultory remarks necessary to introduce and explain a tradition which is peculiarl y illustrative of the fact , that the true and spurious Freemasonry
held similar views respecting the performance of commemorative rites ON THE HIGHEST OF HILLS , OR IN THE LOWEST OF VALLEYS ; and that the latter were derived from the former . This practice was in hig h esteem amongst all the inhabitants of the ancient world ; from a fixed persuasion that the summit of mountains made a nearer approach to the celestial deities ; and the valley , or hol y cavern , to the in-