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Article AMERICA, (UNITED STATES). ← Page 2 of 4 →
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America, (United States).
community of Masons , than he would be at a similar paucity of information on history , philosophy , and the fine arts , amongst some classes of his countrymen . The philosopher anticipates and believes in the effects of education on the morals and habits of individuals , and its consequent improvement of society ; and he will as surely speculate on the advancement of society itself in its modes and means of happiness as it from the state of the back-woods-man and frontier settlerto
emerges , that of the independent and wealthy agriculturist , and the diligent and thriving merchant . In the United States , society is in a continuous and continual state of improvement . The tide of emigration from Europe and the elder states presses onward to the west . The travel of a thousand miles in America is as little thought of as a journey from London to Edinburgh , by an Englishman . In our own day the forest has been clearedand cities and towns erected—populouswealthand enlihtened
, , y , g by luminaries from the colleges of New England , and every part of Europe . Still the tide presses onward ; a part now rushes into the Floridas , and another towards the rocky mountains . More or less of Masonic knowledge accompanies this motley crowd of human life in its rush to the wilderness . As the population becomes dense , churches and schools are erected , a post-office is established ; the blacksmith , the
wheelwright , and the merchant , cluster around the church and the school-house . Next comes the physician , seeking to identify himself with the new settlement ; and , in the absence of other employment , plants and hoes his own Indian corn and potatoes , as his neighbours do . After a little time , there are Masons enough in the settlement to form a Lodge , and a dispensation or warrant being obtained from one of the nearest Grand Lodges , the Light of Masonry begins to shed its rays before the of the
stumps old forest trees have disappeared from the fields around . In the progress of a few years the face of the country changes ; the settlements spread , they approach each other ; social intercourse is free ; hospitality abounds . Masonry harmonizes with the principles , the habits , and propensities of the people , antl Lodges are added , until , for the convenience of the officers , and possibly from that innate love of independence which accompanies the American wherethey form
every , a constitution , separate from their Mother Grand Lodge , and with her concurrence , commence a regular form of government over the Masons in the territory . From these newly-formed Grand Lodges we can reasonably expect but little information beyond the simple facts of their regular organization , their annual elections , the names and places of their Lodges , and the regulations which they adopt , from time to time , adapted to their
circumstances . There has recently been erected a Grand Lodge in Illinois , and another in Arkansas . Of the latter we know nothing . It has not been recognized by the old Grand Lodges of the States ; but the Grand Lodge of Illinois has been regularly formed , and the Lodges which derived their warrants from Kentucky have been transferred to its jurisdiction . In these New States Masonry be usefullat workalthough there
may y , are no splendid temples dedicated to its use ; but we should not be surprised to learn that , in many instances , the practice of the Lodges is loose and irregular . That they will become in time strictly conformable to the best models of the order , we have the best evidence in the onward march of those which have preceded them .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
America, (United States).
community of Masons , than he would be at a similar paucity of information on history , philosophy , and the fine arts , amongst some classes of his countrymen . The philosopher anticipates and believes in the effects of education on the morals and habits of individuals , and its consequent improvement of society ; and he will as surely speculate on the advancement of society itself in its modes and means of happiness as it from the state of the back-woods-man and frontier settlerto
emerges , that of the independent and wealthy agriculturist , and the diligent and thriving merchant . In the United States , society is in a continuous and continual state of improvement . The tide of emigration from Europe and the elder states presses onward to the west . The travel of a thousand miles in America is as little thought of as a journey from London to Edinburgh , by an Englishman . In our own day the forest has been clearedand cities and towns erected—populouswealthand enlihtened
, , y , g by luminaries from the colleges of New England , and every part of Europe . Still the tide presses onward ; a part now rushes into the Floridas , and another towards the rocky mountains . More or less of Masonic knowledge accompanies this motley crowd of human life in its rush to the wilderness . As the population becomes dense , churches and schools are erected , a post-office is established ; the blacksmith , the
wheelwright , and the merchant , cluster around the church and the school-house . Next comes the physician , seeking to identify himself with the new settlement ; and , in the absence of other employment , plants and hoes his own Indian corn and potatoes , as his neighbours do . After a little time , there are Masons enough in the settlement to form a Lodge , and a dispensation or warrant being obtained from one of the nearest Grand Lodges , the Light of Masonry begins to shed its rays before the of the
stumps old forest trees have disappeared from the fields around . In the progress of a few years the face of the country changes ; the settlements spread , they approach each other ; social intercourse is free ; hospitality abounds . Masonry harmonizes with the principles , the habits , and propensities of the people , antl Lodges are added , until , for the convenience of the officers , and possibly from that innate love of independence which accompanies the American wherethey form
every , a constitution , separate from their Mother Grand Lodge , and with her concurrence , commence a regular form of government over the Masons in the territory . From these newly-formed Grand Lodges we can reasonably expect but little information beyond the simple facts of their regular organization , their annual elections , the names and places of their Lodges , and the regulations which they adopt , from time to time , adapted to their
circumstances . There has recently been erected a Grand Lodge in Illinois , and another in Arkansas . Of the latter we know nothing . It has not been recognized by the old Grand Lodges of the States ; but the Grand Lodge of Illinois has been regularly formed , and the Lodges which derived their warrants from Kentucky have been transferred to its jurisdiction . In these New States Masonry be usefullat workalthough there
may y , are no splendid temples dedicated to its use ; but we should not be surprised to learn that , in many instances , the practice of the Lodges is loose and irregular . That they will become in time strictly conformable to the best models of the order , we have the best evidence in the onward march of those which have preceded them .