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Article TO THE EDITOR. ← Page 3 of 3
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To The Editor.
is most needed by those who most revile and affect to despise it , and who labour to bring its practitioners into contempt—he finds himself in a strange country , and perhaps in tolerably affluent circumstances , his inclinations tending to mix in that sphere of society whicli his profession mig ht close against him , it was necessary he should give some account of himself . To have styled himself Dr . and put M . D . after his name ,
, might have been dangerous ; for , although very useful in the peculiar walk of his profession , had his acquaintance with eminent surgeons and physicians been as easily obtained as with grand officers , he might have required a greater knowledge of the materia medica to escape detection ; and possibly believing that the nearest profession to a doctor is a soldier , he determined to enlist as a general at once—captains and
majors being uncommonly common . This is the worst construction that can be put upon it , for if he be an officer in some village militia , he has as much right to the title of that office as any of the gallant bewhiskered colonels have in England , " who ne ' er set squadron in the field , nor the division of a battle know more than a spinster . " I am not attempting to justify deceit , but I think the case of Bro . Cooke will admit of much palliation , and does not merit the treatment whicli he has received of the Grand Lodge . It speaks well for the heart of Bro .
Cooke , that the deceptions he made ( if he did make any ) were not more to gratify his own vanity , than to render himself benevolent towards that portion of his fellow-mortals whom Providence has placed under our protection . I am even willing to admit that he did impose upon the Craft , more especially upon the grand officers , and is therefore justly liable to reprehension and blame ; but his conduct and
bearing , his generosity and kind feelings , were so conspicuous as to draw from tiie grand officers their warmest approbation , expressed by the bestowing of honours with that unaccountable haste , that the-only justification the grand officers have to plead , is their being struck with Bro . Cooke ' s demeanour and virtues . Is it the peculiar province of Masons to visit with undue severity the failings whicli human flesh is heir to ? Do Masons boast of charity only as clap trap to attract the notice of the passer byand when called upon to exercise it as the spirit of true
, brotherly love should be exemplified , by casting its veil over the delinquencies of an erring brother , do they then act as a procacious prude , who censures and punishes offences , of which if she be not guilty herself , it is only because the coldness of her disposition has prevented her from falling into , or her want of attraction has failed to ensnare ? The generosity of Bro . Cooke has no doubt elicited warm expressions from the lips of many , and flattery possibly bewildered him , and caused him to
commit an act of weakness and vanity , which reflection will teach him was paltry and unbecoming . " Let him that thinks he standeth take heed lest he fall . " To meet tbe derisions of those he has imposed upon must surely be punishment sufficient .
Bro . Cooke is an alien to his country , and the conduct of the Grand Lodge in expelling him from English Masonry , is undignified and unworthy themselves . The want of care and forethought on the part of the grand officers , caused them to be led astray by an individual acting under strong feelings of vanity and indiscretion . It was a duty they owed to the Craft to have been more watchful , and if they have succeeded in branding the name of Bro . Cooke with hypocrisy and deceit , they have obtained for themselves an unenviable fame which will shine out in proportion as Bro . Cooke ' s delinquencies are brought to light . Yours , & c . W . B .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
To The Editor.
is most needed by those who most revile and affect to despise it , and who labour to bring its practitioners into contempt—he finds himself in a strange country , and perhaps in tolerably affluent circumstances , his inclinations tending to mix in that sphere of society whicli his profession mig ht close against him , it was necessary he should give some account of himself . To have styled himself Dr . and put M . D . after his name ,
, might have been dangerous ; for , although very useful in the peculiar walk of his profession , had his acquaintance with eminent surgeons and physicians been as easily obtained as with grand officers , he might have required a greater knowledge of the materia medica to escape detection ; and possibly believing that the nearest profession to a doctor is a soldier , he determined to enlist as a general at once—captains and
majors being uncommonly common . This is the worst construction that can be put upon it , for if he be an officer in some village militia , he has as much right to the title of that office as any of the gallant bewhiskered colonels have in England , " who ne ' er set squadron in the field , nor the division of a battle know more than a spinster . " I am not attempting to justify deceit , but I think the case of Bro . Cooke will admit of much palliation , and does not merit the treatment whicli he has received of the Grand Lodge . It speaks well for the heart of Bro .
Cooke , that the deceptions he made ( if he did make any ) were not more to gratify his own vanity , than to render himself benevolent towards that portion of his fellow-mortals whom Providence has placed under our protection . I am even willing to admit that he did impose upon the Craft , more especially upon the grand officers , and is therefore justly liable to reprehension and blame ; but his conduct and
bearing , his generosity and kind feelings , were so conspicuous as to draw from tiie grand officers their warmest approbation , expressed by the bestowing of honours with that unaccountable haste , that the-only justification the grand officers have to plead , is their being struck with Bro . Cooke ' s demeanour and virtues . Is it the peculiar province of Masons to visit with undue severity the failings whicli human flesh is heir to ? Do Masons boast of charity only as clap trap to attract the notice of the passer byand when called upon to exercise it as the spirit of true
, brotherly love should be exemplified , by casting its veil over the delinquencies of an erring brother , do they then act as a procacious prude , who censures and punishes offences , of which if she be not guilty herself , it is only because the coldness of her disposition has prevented her from falling into , or her want of attraction has failed to ensnare ? The generosity of Bro . Cooke has no doubt elicited warm expressions from the lips of many , and flattery possibly bewildered him , and caused him to
commit an act of weakness and vanity , which reflection will teach him was paltry and unbecoming . " Let him that thinks he standeth take heed lest he fall . " To meet tbe derisions of those he has imposed upon must surely be punishment sufficient .
Bro . Cooke is an alien to his country , and the conduct of the Grand Lodge in expelling him from English Masonry , is undignified and unworthy themselves . The want of care and forethought on the part of the grand officers , caused them to be led astray by an individual acting under strong feelings of vanity and indiscretion . It was a duty they owed to the Craft to have been more watchful , and if they have succeeded in branding the name of Bro . Cooke with hypocrisy and deceit , they have obtained for themselves an unenviable fame which will shine out in proportion as Bro . Cooke ' s delinquencies are brought to light . Yours , & c . W . B .