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Article THE FREEMASONS' LEXICON. ← Page 3 of 11 →
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The Freemasons' Lexicon.
of them that has done thc society any real harm . Wc do not know to " this day the real secrets of the ancient mysteries , but we know many of their cercnlonies of initiation , ancl if those ceremonies had not been described then and handed down to us , wc should have been dissatisfied . This is certain , that that Brother who does not increase his knowledge of the Order by the study ofthe best Masonic works will make a slow progress in Masonic practiceif he does not become disappointed altogether . We
, must remember that the Members of several Lodges only meet once a month , and that many Members who reside whore there is no Lodge do not visit one even in that time , and that there is not always sufficient time to communicate instruction on the regular Lodge nights , and to do the other business of the Lodge at the same time . Many " Brethren , who have printed Masonic works , can with justice refer to Grand Lodges , who have shown them the example . We may particularly refer to the
Constitution Book of the old Grand Lodge in London . The History of Freemasonry , and of the Lodges in Scotland , by Laurie : Dr . Grundversig , the Grand Lodge , Royal York , at Berlin ; the Constitution Book ofthe Lodge Archimedes , at the Three Reisebrctten in Altenberg ; the Vienna Journal ofthe Lodge zur Eintracht , and many song books , published by different Lodges . The most of those works may be bought of any bookseller . There are certainly very few Lodges now which refuse
to procure any Masonic works when published . If the Master ofthe Lodge finds a Masonic work to be of no use , let him point out to the Brethren , in open Lodge , the falsehoods or errors it may contain , and he may then be assured that it will do little or no harm . Many men , who are now Brethren , read much . of the Order before they were initiated , and this
was the very reason of their being initiated ; reading did not , or could not , satisfy them . But let him who writes and publishes anything be discreet—let him instruct the Brethren agreeable to the rules of the Order ; but do not let him for one moment forget that he owes obedience to the rules , laws , and regulations of the Order . Freundschaft . Friendship . —If any one inquires , "Does the Brotherly love of Freemasons give them a claim to the rights ancl privileges
of friendship towards each other ? " The answer is , Yes . ' To the indissoluble friendship which , in tbe true spirit of humanity , is united a love , whicli remains pure ancl true until death . But tho rights and privileges of private friendship , the fellowship of Freemasonry , cannot give . Personal friendship , as such , depends upon habits , manners , disposition , condition or rank in life , & c , & c , which may be termed individual personalities , and lives in personal love . The Brotherly union of
Freemasonry , on the contrary , is founded upon the universal principles whereby man is distinguished as a man , and a healthy worthy member of society and upon universal philanthropy . Personal friendshi p is thus easier divided ancl weakened by time and distance ; but the universal friendship of Freemasonry is less dependant upon time and place . Yet personal friendship does not require more from a friend than the pure philantropie friendship of Freemasonry . He who enters into the
Order of Freemasonry must not upon that account give up his friendship with others , but must hold it as sacred as he did before ; he is even more bound in duty to be the true friend of his friend . Frederick II . Frederic II ., called also the Great Frederick , khuj of Prussia , born 24 th January , 1712 died 17 th August , 1786 . This great man must be highly honoured by every Freemason of every country , ami not merely by the Prussian Brethren only , ought to bo blessed by
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Freemasons' Lexicon.
of them that has done thc society any real harm . Wc do not know to " this day the real secrets of the ancient mysteries , but we know many of their cercnlonies of initiation , ancl if those ceremonies had not been described then and handed down to us , wc should have been dissatisfied . This is certain , that that Brother who does not increase his knowledge of the Order by the study ofthe best Masonic works will make a slow progress in Masonic practiceif he does not become disappointed altogether . We
, must remember that the Members of several Lodges only meet once a month , and that many Members who reside whore there is no Lodge do not visit one even in that time , and that there is not always sufficient time to communicate instruction on the regular Lodge nights , and to do the other business of the Lodge at the same time . Many " Brethren , who have printed Masonic works , can with justice refer to Grand Lodges , who have shown them the example . We may particularly refer to the
Constitution Book of the old Grand Lodge in London . The History of Freemasonry , and of the Lodges in Scotland , by Laurie : Dr . Grundversig , the Grand Lodge , Royal York , at Berlin ; the Constitution Book ofthe Lodge Archimedes , at the Three Reisebrctten in Altenberg ; the Vienna Journal ofthe Lodge zur Eintracht , and many song books , published by different Lodges . The most of those works may be bought of any bookseller . There are certainly very few Lodges now which refuse
to procure any Masonic works when published . If the Master ofthe Lodge finds a Masonic work to be of no use , let him point out to the Brethren , in open Lodge , the falsehoods or errors it may contain , and he may then be assured that it will do little or no harm . Many men , who are now Brethren , read much . of the Order before they were initiated , and this
was the very reason of their being initiated ; reading did not , or could not , satisfy them . But let him who writes and publishes anything be discreet—let him instruct the Brethren agreeable to the rules of the Order ; but do not let him for one moment forget that he owes obedience to the rules , laws , and regulations of the Order . Freundschaft . Friendship . —If any one inquires , "Does the Brotherly love of Freemasons give them a claim to the rights ancl privileges
of friendship towards each other ? " The answer is , Yes . ' To the indissoluble friendship which , in tbe true spirit of humanity , is united a love , whicli remains pure ancl true until death . But tho rights and privileges of private friendship , the fellowship of Freemasonry , cannot give . Personal friendship , as such , depends upon habits , manners , disposition , condition or rank in life , & c , & c , which may be termed individual personalities , and lives in personal love . The Brotherly union of
Freemasonry , on the contrary , is founded upon the universal principles whereby man is distinguished as a man , and a healthy worthy member of society and upon universal philanthropy . Personal friendshi p is thus easier divided ancl weakened by time and distance ; but the universal friendship of Freemasonry is less dependant upon time and place . Yet personal friendship does not require more from a friend than the pure philantropie friendship of Freemasonry . He who enters into the
Order of Freemasonry must not upon that account give up his friendship with others , but must hold it as sacred as he did before ; he is even more bound in duty to be the true friend of his friend . Frederick II . Frederic II ., called also the Great Frederick , khuj of Prussia , born 24 th January , 1712 died 17 th August , 1786 . This great man must be highly honoured by every Freemason of every country , ami not merely by the Prussian Brethren only , ought to bo blessed by