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Article EDITORIAL PRÆCOGNITION. ← Page 5 of 6 →
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Editorial Præcognition.
" Why there it is , " Bro . Sharp resumed , " but they won ' t read—except to cavil and find fault—they don't want to be convinced . But I would urge on the Grand Lodge that Masonry is a progressive science ; and our friend Chambers has said , in a recent number of his excellent Journal , 'in each cycle of human progress , there has usually been some one great spirit brooding over the latent energies of the race , and warming them into life and action . Each department of knowledge has had , in like manner , its
pioneer and guide , wandering far onward before the multitude , and serving as the lantern to their path . ' Dr . Oliver occupies this position in Masonry . He is the pioneer of the Craft , and has broken up a new and inexhaustible mine of greater value than the gold of California ; but who is to work it when he is gathered to his fathers ? He is sinking into years , and of course drawing towards the close of his career . Indeed , he has already announced his farewell to Masonry , and the ' Symbol of Glory' will assuredly be the last of his masonic publications ; and in an introductory address to the
subscribers , as has been announced , he will take a solemn leave of the Craft . But I cannot find on whom his mantle has fallen . We are surrounded , as Dr . Crucefix has justly observed , with adversaries who would convert our very fundamental principles into so many articles of accusation against the institution . The very first of our ancient charges has-shared this fate . These cavillers affect to interpret the passage , the brethren should only be charged to adhere to the essentials of religion in which all men agree , to mean infidelity or deism ; than which nothing can be more diametrically opposed to the real principles of the Order . " Here Sit Lux and Cato rose both together ; hut Cato gave way , and Sit
Lux said— " With respect to the passage in question , which I have deliberately considered in all its bearings , my decided opinion is , that when our ancient brethren in this country and elsewhere were charged to be of that religion in which all men agree , it was meant that they should embrace the established religion , which was Christianity , under one or other of its forms . For even in Italy and Greece , they were not worshippers of Jupiter or Zeus , but Christians ; although there were some points of disagreement between the eastern and western churches ; and amidst all the corruptions
and controversies which periodically shook the church to its basis , all parties were agreed on the essentials , viz ., Christianity . That teas the religion in which all men agreed . The passage in continuation of the charge , —it is now thought expedient , Sec , refers to the period following the Reformation . This is evident from the sixth charge , OF BEHAVIOUR , which has been always strictly enjoined and observed ever since the secession of these kingdoms from the communion of Rome . It follows , therefore , that these charges were drawn up subsequently to that period . And it would be absurd to
contend that any other than the Catholic faith , the religion of tbe holy church throughout the world , could have been considered that religion in whieh all men agree . Now , it is important to observe , that in all these charges , at whatever period published , down to the Union in 1813 , the word Catholic is made use of , thus— ' as Masons , we are of the oldest Catholic religion . ' And in a more ancient and comprehensive code of constitutions—even that which was promulgated by the Grand Lodge at York , under the auspices of Prince Edwin , the first Grand Master , —every Mason , without exception , was enjoined ' to observe the Catholic faith , and kepe its ordinances ; for , ' as the document expresses it ,
' Crist hymself , he techet ous That holy churche is Goddes hous , That ys y-mad for nothynge ellus But for to pray yn , as the bok tellus ; Ther the pepul schal gedur ynne , To pray and wepe for there synne . '
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Editorial Præcognition.
" Why there it is , " Bro . Sharp resumed , " but they won ' t read—except to cavil and find fault—they don't want to be convinced . But I would urge on the Grand Lodge that Masonry is a progressive science ; and our friend Chambers has said , in a recent number of his excellent Journal , 'in each cycle of human progress , there has usually been some one great spirit brooding over the latent energies of the race , and warming them into life and action . Each department of knowledge has had , in like manner , its
pioneer and guide , wandering far onward before the multitude , and serving as the lantern to their path . ' Dr . Oliver occupies this position in Masonry . He is the pioneer of the Craft , and has broken up a new and inexhaustible mine of greater value than the gold of California ; but who is to work it when he is gathered to his fathers ? He is sinking into years , and of course drawing towards the close of his career . Indeed , he has already announced his farewell to Masonry , and the ' Symbol of Glory' will assuredly be the last of his masonic publications ; and in an introductory address to the
subscribers , as has been announced , he will take a solemn leave of the Craft . But I cannot find on whom his mantle has fallen . We are surrounded , as Dr . Crucefix has justly observed , with adversaries who would convert our very fundamental principles into so many articles of accusation against the institution . The very first of our ancient charges has-shared this fate . These cavillers affect to interpret the passage , the brethren should only be charged to adhere to the essentials of religion in which all men agree , to mean infidelity or deism ; than which nothing can be more diametrically opposed to the real principles of the Order . " Here Sit Lux and Cato rose both together ; hut Cato gave way , and Sit
Lux said— " With respect to the passage in question , which I have deliberately considered in all its bearings , my decided opinion is , that when our ancient brethren in this country and elsewhere were charged to be of that religion in which all men agree , it was meant that they should embrace the established religion , which was Christianity , under one or other of its forms . For even in Italy and Greece , they were not worshippers of Jupiter or Zeus , but Christians ; although there were some points of disagreement between the eastern and western churches ; and amidst all the corruptions
and controversies which periodically shook the church to its basis , all parties were agreed on the essentials , viz ., Christianity . That teas the religion in which all men agreed . The passage in continuation of the charge , —it is now thought expedient , Sec , refers to the period following the Reformation . This is evident from the sixth charge , OF BEHAVIOUR , which has been always strictly enjoined and observed ever since the secession of these kingdoms from the communion of Rome . It follows , therefore , that these charges were drawn up subsequently to that period . And it would be absurd to
contend that any other than the Catholic faith , the religion of tbe holy church throughout the world , could have been considered that religion in whieh all men agree . Now , it is important to observe , that in all these charges , at whatever period published , down to the Union in 1813 , the word Catholic is made use of , thus— ' as Masons , we are of the oldest Catholic religion . ' And in a more ancient and comprehensive code of constitutions—even that which was promulgated by the Grand Lodge at York , under the auspices of Prince Edwin , the first Grand Master , —every Mason , without exception , was enjoined ' to observe the Catholic faith , and kepe its ordinances ; for , ' as the document expresses it ,
' Crist hymself , he techet ous That holy churche is Goddes hous , That ys y-mad for nothynge ellus But for to pray yn , as the bok tellus ; Ther the pepul schal gedur ynne , To pray and wepe for there synne . '