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Article ON THE STUDY OF MASONIC ANTIQUITIES. ← Page 5 of 6 →
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On The Study Of Masonic Antiquities.
of Memphis and Thebes—Luxor ancl Carnac—the Sphynx—the Pyramids—and those other imperishable relics of ancient grandeur , the temples and palaces still remaining in the fertile valley of the Nile , or standing in silent majesty upon the verge of the desert . Let us regard the mysterious temples of Elora , so symmetrical in their proportions , yet hewn entirely out of the living rock—the wondrous caves of Elephantaand those ancient fortresses in central Asialaboriouslshaped
, , y into form by the persevering efforts of the chisel . Let us regard Balbec and Palmyra—the temple-crested Acropolis—and the grandeur of ancient Rome , ancl we shall thus see that from the earliest times , and in almost every habitable part of the globe , abundant evidence still remains to shew the connection which formerly existed between operative and speculative Masonry , an union as clearly perceptible in ancient Egypt , Greece , and Rome , as in England during the middle ages .
Included , however , in speculative Masonry , which embraces a range of thought as wide as it is possible for the human intellect to penetrate , is an attribute which is worthy of being separately considered . 1 allude to Masonry in its moral character . Iu this sense Freemasonry is to be regarded as a system bearing corroborative evidence of the truths of revelation—leading to the knowledge of the true God—unfolding the sublime doctrines of resurrection from the dead and the immortality of the soul
—and enforcing with the most impressive energy the precepts of universal benevolence , and the practice of every virtue which can ennoble the mind , and endear man to his fellow-creatures . It is in this respect that Freemasonry presents itself to us in its most attractive guise ; it is , in fact , the character which it assumes when properly practised at the
present day—and as investigation will shew , it is the character under whicli it first appeared when mankind was blessed by its earliest advent . It may , however , be asked , how can Freemasonry answer this description , ancl constitute a school of religion and morality unknown to the rest of the world ? The answer simply is , that Freemasonry does not assume to teach a system of morality differing from revelation , but that in fact it teaches , in their most exalted sense , the practice of all the Christian virtuesThis
. , however , is done in a particular manner , calculated to impress these doctrines more forcibly on the mind , Freemasonry being in fact " a peculiar system of morality , veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols . " In this view then , Masonry appears before us in its most sublime character , and in conducting our researches into its antiquity , it is in fact the presence of these peculiar allegories and symbols , which must constitute the object of our search in endeavouring to determine its existence in any particular age or country . We must take care not to be
dazzled by any false light , however alluring ; but if the peculiar mode of symbolical and spiritual illustration existing amongst the Fraternity , can be traced to have been in active operation in any particular country or amongst any particular class of people , we may reasonably assume , and in most cases prove to demonstration , that they formed part of that comprehensive and universal system which is at present designated under the term Freemasonry , and that the light shined in darkness , though the darkness comprehended it not .
Now it is evident , that to embrace a subject so vast in its nature , the term " Freemasonry , " as applied solely in its ordinary and popular sense , is totally insufficient to convey any tiling like an adequate meaning . Wc must , therefore , give it a more extensive signification , and its original
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Study Of Masonic Antiquities.
of Memphis and Thebes—Luxor ancl Carnac—the Sphynx—the Pyramids—and those other imperishable relics of ancient grandeur , the temples and palaces still remaining in the fertile valley of the Nile , or standing in silent majesty upon the verge of the desert . Let us regard the mysterious temples of Elora , so symmetrical in their proportions , yet hewn entirely out of the living rock—the wondrous caves of Elephantaand those ancient fortresses in central Asialaboriouslshaped
, , y into form by the persevering efforts of the chisel . Let us regard Balbec and Palmyra—the temple-crested Acropolis—and the grandeur of ancient Rome , ancl we shall thus see that from the earliest times , and in almost every habitable part of the globe , abundant evidence still remains to shew the connection which formerly existed between operative and speculative Masonry , an union as clearly perceptible in ancient Egypt , Greece , and Rome , as in England during the middle ages .
Included , however , in speculative Masonry , which embraces a range of thought as wide as it is possible for the human intellect to penetrate , is an attribute which is worthy of being separately considered . 1 allude to Masonry in its moral character . Iu this sense Freemasonry is to be regarded as a system bearing corroborative evidence of the truths of revelation—leading to the knowledge of the true God—unfolding the sublime doctrines of resurrection from the dead and the immortality of the soul
—and enforcing with the most impressive energy the precepts of universal benevolence , and the practice of every virtue which can ennoble the mind , and endear man to his fellow-creatures . It is in this respect that Freemasonry presents itself to us in its most attractive guise ; it is , in fact , the character which it assumes when properly practised at the
present day—and as investigation will shew , it is the character under whicli it first appeared when mankind was blessed by its earliest advent . It may , however , be asked , how can Freemasonry answer this description , ancl constitute a school of religion and morality unknown to the rest of the world ? The answer simply is , that Freemasonry does not assume to teach a system of morality differing from revelation , but that in fact it teaches , in their most exalted sense , the practice of all the Christian virtuesThis
. , however , is done in a particular manner , calculated to impress these doctrines more forcibly on the mind , Freemasonry being in fact " a peculiar system of morality , veiled in allegory and illustrated by symbols . " In this view then , Masonry appears before us in its most sublime character , and in conducting our researches into its antiquity , it is in fact the presence of these peculiar allegories and symbols , which must constitute the object of our search in endeavouring to determine its existence in any particular age or country . We must take care not to be
dazzled by any false light , however alluring ; but if the peculiar mode of symbolical and spiritual illustration existing amongst the Fraternity , can be traced to have been in active operation in any particular country or amongst any particular class of people , we may reasonably assume , and in most cases prove to demonstration , that they formed part of that comprehensive and universal system which is at present designated under the term Freemasonry , and that the light shined in darkness , though the darkness comprehended it not .
Now it is evident , that to embrace a subject so vast in its nature , the term " Freemasonry , " as applied solely in its ordinary and popular sense , is totally insufficient to convey any tiling like an adequate meaning . Wc must , therefore , give it a more extensive signification , and its original