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Article POPULAR LECTURE ON FREEMASONRY. ← Page 3 of 4 →
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Popular Lecture On Freemasonry.
the principles of the Order . The Queen subsequently expressed her confidence in the body ; and , as is well known , showed great favour to Sir Christopher AA ^ ren , who was Grand Master of the Order , in 1567 , ancl resided in Bishopsgate-street , nearly opposite the venerable structure in which the lecturer and his audience were now assembled .
He would proceed however with a brief definition of what Freemasonry was . He hacl often regretted that he was restrained from developing to dear and intimate friends among the uninitiated , some of its most sublime and imposing beauties ; but even without the sacred recesses of our assemblies , there was ample scope for elucidation . The Masonic institution exhibited one harmonious ancl stupendous fabric , founded on universal piety , unfolding its capacious portals to receive , without prejudice or discriminationthe worthy professors of every description
, of genuine religion ; concentrating in one great body just tenets , unencumbered by those disputed points which have dissevered every society but our own ; and in storing up the most approved scheme of ethics adopted by the different nations of the civilized ivorld . The system originated in the earliest ages , and among the wisest of men ; ancl , unlike the frail fabrics which practical masons had raised , the fabric of speculative Masonry remained firm and unshaken ; and century after century
had conducted it to maturity and perfection . It was not a false science which tended to bewilder , to dazzle , or to blind , but an institution wherein , under apt figures , select numbers , and choice emblems , solemn and important truths , tending to warm the heart , to strengthen the understanding , and to bind mankind more closely together , were most expressly enforced . A large proportion of the wise ancl good in every rank , language , and clime , have been Masons ; must not Masonry then possess an inherent worth , unknown to the outer world ! How oft has the endearing epithet of " Brother " been the means of protecting life ,
and reconciling the most conflicting interests , and converting the fiercest enemies into the warmest friends ! FYeemasonry is a school of moral and intellectual discipline , in which all the higher faculties of our nature are trained and exercised—in ivhich we recognize religion as the school master , without whose influence our craftsmanship would be but vanity . Agreeably to the tenets of the Order , the fair sex were excluded from associating in the mysteries and profession , not because they were deemed unworthy of the secretnor from want of mechanical skillbut
, , from a solemn consciousness of the univorthiness of man himself . For should ladies once be permitted to enter a Masonic Loclge , Cupid would be sure to follow , and jealousy ancl its consequences might take possession of the hearts of the Brethren . Thus , by the magic poiver of beauty , fraternal affection ivould be converted into mere rivalry ! QThis portion of the lecture excited a good deal of mirth among the ladies present . ] But , though the most amiable and lovely of nature ' s works were excluded
from their Lodges , the Order boasted the knightly attribute of protecting the weaker vessel from the attacks of vicious and unprincipled men . The feelings of the gentler sex were , however , unquestionably finer , ancl tlieir sympathies more easily awakened to the misfortunes of their fellow creatures , than those of rude man . The soft tear of pity sparkled on their cheeks at the tale of woe , ancl their gentle bosoms heaved with tender emotion at the sight of human wretchedness . They required not the adventitious aids of mystic institutions to urge them to acts of charity and benevolence , nor the use of symbols to lead them to virtue .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Popular Lecture On Freemasonry.
the principles of the Order . The Queen subsequently expressed her confidence in the body ; and , as is well known , showed great favour to Sir Christopher AA ^ ren , who was Grand Master of the Order , in 1567 , ancl resided in Bishopsgate-street , nearly opposite the venerable structure in which the lecturer and his audience were now assembled .
He would proceed however with a brief definition of what Freemasonry was . He hacl often regretted that he was restrained from developing to dear and intimate friends among the uninitiated , some of its most sublime and imposing beauties ; but even without the sacred recesses of our assemblies , there was ample scope for elucidation . The Masonic institution exhibited one harmonious ancl stupendous fabric , founded on universal piety , unfolding its capacious portals to receive , without prejudice or discriminationthe worthy professors of every description
, of genuine religion ; concentrating in one great body just tenets , unencumbered by those disputed points which have dissevered every society but our own ; and in storing up the most approved scheme of ethics adopted by the different nations of the civilized ivorld . The system originated in the earliest ages , and among the wisest of men ; ancl , unlike the frail fabrics which practical masons had raised , the fabric of speculative Masonry remained firm and unshaken ; and century after century
had conducted it to maturity and perfection . It was not a false science which tended to bewilder , to dazzle , or to blind , but an institution wherein , under apt figures , select numbers , and choice emblems , solemn and important truths , tending to warm the heart , to strengthen the understanding , and to bind mankind more closely together , were most expressly enforced . A large proportion of the wise ancl good in every rank , language , and clime , have been Masons ; must not Masonry then possess an inherent worth , unknown to the outer world ! How oft has the endearing epithet of " Brother " been the means of protecting life ,
and reconciling the most conflicting interests , and converting the fiercest enemies into the warmest friends ! FYeemasonry is a school of moral and intellectual discipline , in which all the higher faculties of our nature are trained and exercised—in ivhich we recognize religion as the school master , without whose influence our craftsmanship would be but vanity . Agreeably to the tenets of the Order , the fair sex were excluded from associating in the mysteries and profession , not because they were deemed unworthy of the secretnor from want of mechanical skillbut
, , from a solemn consciousness of the univorthiness of man himself . For should ladies once be permitted to enter a Masonic Loclge , Cupid would be sure to follow , and jealousy ancl its consequences might take possession of the hearts of the Brethren . Thus , by the magic poiver of beauty , fraternal affection ivould be converted into mere rivalry ! QThis portion of the lecture excited a good deal of mirth among the ladies present . ] But , though the most amiable and lovely of nature ' s works were excluded
from their Lodges , the Order boasted the knightly attribute of protecting the weaker vessel from the attacks of vicious and unprincipled men . The feelings of the gentler sex were , however , unquestionably finer , ancl tlieir sympathies more easily awakened to the misfortunes of their fellow creatures , than those of rude man . The soft tear of pity sparkled on their cheeks at the tale of woe , ancl their gentle bosoms heaved with tender emotion at the sight of human wretchedness . They required not the adventitious aids of mystic institutions to urge them to acts of charity and benevolence , nor the use of symbols to lead them to virtue .