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Article GLEANINGS FROM MASONRY. ← Page 4 of 4
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Gleanings From Masonry.
has contracted a friendship for the reptiles of his dungeon ; and if there " is such a yeaviiinp ; in the . heart of man , what must be its yileasuvable emotions when it finds a legitimate object ? And legitimate objects are as plentiful as the necessity of practising this virtue is imperative . The desire only is wanting , and blessed be that holy institution which ever strives to awaken in us the will . There is a short sentence often upon the tongues of persons when they wish to express a listless and apathetic
state by a simile , it is " cold as charity . " I never hear it but I blush for the man who utters it ; and it occurs so frequently , that did I not see the fruits of charity ripening around me , I should be tempted to believe the world ignorant of the virtue . Cold as charity ! What a libel upon one of the holiest impulses of the sou !! '' Cold as charity !" then where shall we look for warmth ? Try it ; exercise the virtue , be it in never so small a degree , and say if your heart do not burn within
you . " Cold as charity ! " say rather , " cold as the heart where charity is not . " Inducements even of a selfish nature are not wanting to incite us to acts of benevolence . Our Lodge is furnished with Mosaic work to remind us of the precariousness of our state on earth . We know not how long the sun of fortune may shine upon us , or how soon the depths of adversity may ingulf us . To-day we may tread in prosperity , tomorrow we may totter on the uneven paths of weakness , temptation and
adversity . Such being the mutability of terrestrial things , how wise to make ourselves friends , even of the Mammon of unrighteousness . We know not but that the disease-stricken hand which our bounty is restoring to health , may ere long be the humble instrument whose grasp shall save us , when the waters of sorrow are about to overwhelm us in their dark and chilly depths . The crushed and stricken heart , upon whose wounds we are now
pouring the oil of consolation , may ere long be the one , sole ministering angel ivhose sympathy shall support us , amid tlie wreck of hopes now in appearance budding into reality . Should the dreaded and bitter hour arrive , where would be our help , had we suffered that friendly hand to stiffen in death ; and where our consolation had that heart ' s fond beat been stilled . Among the other selfish inducements to acts of benevolencemay be
, classed the pleasurable emotions which are experienced during their exercise . We are told it is more blessed to give than to receive ; we read of the luxury of doing good ; a luxury which , far from enervating , strengthens the mind , and through the mind the body . What millions of golden pieces are squandered , and what millions of aching heads and hearts are caused , in procuring pleasures , whose roost intense and selfgratifying exercise is as nothing , compared with the soul-exalting ,
ecstatic enjoyment , of doing good . CATO . ( To be conlinitud . )
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Gleanings From Masonry.
has contracted a friendship for the reptiles of his dungeon ; and if there " is such a yeaviiinp ; in the . heart of man , what must be its yileasuvable emotions when it finds a legitimate object ? And legitimate objects are as plentiful as the necessity of practising this virtue is imperative . The desire only is wanting , and blessed be that holy institution which ever strives to awaken in us the will . There is a short sentence often upon the tongues of persons when they wish to express a listless and apathetic
state by a simile , it is " cold as charity . " I never hear it but I blush for the man who utters it ; and it occurs so frequently , that did I not see the fruits of charity ripening around me , I should be tempted to believe the world ignorant of the virtue . Cold as charity ! What a libel upon one of the holiest impulses of the sou !! '' Cold as charity !" then where shall we look for warmth ? Try it ; exercise the virtue , be it in never so small a degree , and say if your heart do not burn within
you . " Cold as charity ! " say rather , " cold as the heart where charity is not . " Inducements even of a selfish nature are not wanting to incite us to acts of benevolence . Our Lodge is furnished with Mosaic work to remind us of the precariousness of our state on earth . We know not how long the sun of fortune may shine upon us , or how soon the depths of adversity may ingulf us . To-day we may tread in prosperity , tomorrow we may totter on the uneven paths of weakness , temptation and
adversity . Such being the mutability of terrestrial things , how wise to make ourselves friends , even of the Mammon of unrighteousness . We know not but that the disease-stricken hand which our bounty is restoring to health , may ere long be the humble instrument whose grasp shall save us , when the waters of sorrow are about to overwhelm us in their dark and chilly depths . The crushed and stricken heart , upon whose wounds we are now
pouring the oil of consolation , may ere long be the one , sole ministering angel ivhose sympathy shall support us , amid tlie wreck of hopes now in appearance budding into reality . Should the dreaded and bitter hour arrive , where would be our help , had we suffered that friendly hand to stiffen in death ; and where our consolation had that heart ' s fond beat been stilled . Among the other selfish inducements to acts of benevolencemay be
, classed the pleasurable emotions which are experienced during their exercise . We are told it is more blessed to give than to receive ; we read of the luxury of doing good ; a luxury which , far from enervating , strengthens the mind , and through the mind the body . What millions of golden pieces are squandered , and what millions of aching heads and hearts are caused , in procuring pleasures , whose roost intense and selfgratifying exercise is as nothing , compared with the soul-exalting ,
ecstatic enjoyment , of doing good . CATO . ( To be conlinitud . )