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Article ON FREEMASONRY. ← Page 5 of 9 →
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On Freemasonry.
religion ; whereas , in fact , it merely embraces one branch of religion , Avhich is common to all the modes of ivorshipping God that exist upon the eavth . " It is a system of morality , veiled in allegory , and illustrated by symbols . " The arguments , therefore , are unsound , and the conclusion groundless ; as will appear from a sliht examination of their
g tendency . 1 . This objection pronounces it improper to offer uppnTyers to God without a reference to the mediation of Christ . Now , although prayer is undoubtedly of much greater efficacy when used in the Redeemer ' s name , yet it will not be difficult to that the offering of such is
prove up prayers not without precedent , even amongst the formularies of devotion which have been prescribed for the observance of Christians . ^ Nor will it be necessary to cite the extreme cases of Socinians and Roman Catholics —the former denying the efficacy of Christ ' s atonement , and the latter in some cases using the mediation of the Virgin and Saints , in proof
of the position . In the Liturgy of our own church , we have no reference to the mediation of Christ in many of the prayers . For instance , in the prayer of St . Chrysostom , the collect for Trinity Sunday , the bishop ' s prayer in the confirmation service , and , most of all , in that divine prayer which Jesus Christ recommended to his disciles for their
p daily use . This constitutes an undeniable proof that those pious and holy men who compiled our formularies , did not maintain the exclusive opinion that prayer to God ivould be unacceptable , even though under peculiar circumstances , the name of Christ Avere not directly used .
: It may however be demanded of the objectors to verify their assertion , that our prayers have no reference to a Saviour ; because nothing can be more incorrect ; for in all our appeals to God , His Name is actually used , ancl His mediation implied . The legitimate prayers of Freemasonry , are short
addresses to the GREAT ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE , for a blessing on our labours . NOAV , AA'I IO is this divine Being whom we thus invoke ? Why , according to the interpretation of our ancient Brethren— " Him that was carried to the top pinnacle of the Holy Temple , " or Jesus Christ . Nor is Freemasonry singular in this interpretation , St . Paul says , " Jesus Christ laid the foundations of the earth , and the heavens are the work of his hands ; " or in other VOL . II . 3 F
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry.
religion ; whereas , in fact , it merely embraces one branch of religion , Avhich is common to all the modes of ivorshipping God that exist upon the eavth . " It is a system of morality , veiled in allegory , and illustrated by symbols . " The arguments , therefore , are unsound , and the conclusion groundless ; as will appear from a sliht examination of their
g tendency . 1 . This objection pronounces it improper to offer uppnTyers to God without a reference to the mediation of Christ . Now , although prayer is undoubtedly of much greater efficacy when used in the Redeemer ' s name , yet it will not be difficult to that the offering of such is
prove up prayers not without precedent , even amongst the formularies of devotion which have been prescribed for the observance of Christians . ^ Nor will it be necessary to cite the extreme cases of Socinians and Roman Catholics —the former denying the efficacy of Christ ' s atonement , and the latter in some cases using the mediation of the Virgin and Saints , in proof
of the position . In the Liturgy of our own church , we have no reference to the mediation of Christ in many of the prayers . For instance , in the prayer of St . Chrysostom , the collect for Trinity Sunday , the bishop ' s prayer in the confirmation service , and , most of all , in that divine prayer which Jesus Christ recommended to his disciles for their
p daily use . This constitutes an undeniable proof that those pious and holy men who compiled our formularies , did not maintain the exclusive opinion that prayer to God ivould be unacceptable , even though under peculiar circumstances , the name of Christ Avere not directly used .
: It may however be demanded of the objectors to verify their assertion , that our prayers have no reference to a Saviour ; because nothing can be more incorrect ; for in all our appeals to God , His Name is actually used , ancl His mediation implied . The legitimate prayers of Freemasonry , are short
addresses to the GREAT ARCHITECT OF THE UNIVERSE , for a blessing on our labours . NOAV , AA'I IO is this divine Being whom we thus invoke ? Why , according to the interpretation of our ancient Brethren— " Him that was carried to the top pinnacle of the Holy Temple , " or Jesus Christ . Nor is Freemasonry singular in this interpretation , St . Paul says , " Jesus Christ laid the foundations of the earth , and the heavens are the work of his hands ; " or in other VOL . II . 3 F