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Article CORRESPONDENCE. ← Page 2 of 2 Article TO THE EDITOR. Page 1 of 2 →
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Correspondence.
dec . iyed Brethren are bri ght jems in the Masonic diadem , and deserve our utmost support . On the threshold of Freemasonry weare taught the advantages of education iu the explanation of the working tools ; to extend that blessing to those who otherwise might be left in darkness , is a duty as well as a privilege ; but the Royal Benevolent Institution for the aged , at the present time especially , claims our assistance . For the young there is little to fear : those who care for
tlie aged cannot forget them . Hoping that all the Masonic charities will meet with more than ordinary support during the year 1851 , 1 remain , Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , JNO . HOJIGICINSOIV ,
To The Editor.
TO THE EDITOR .
Sut AND BUOTIIEB , —Until I saw the " Freemasons' Quarterly Review" last week , I had heard nothing of the hero rejoicing in the euphonious name of Trevilian , nor of his performances . I call him a hero , because he must be a very bold man who , in such a manner , would risk his reputation ( if he have any ) , as a Christian and a gentleman , and , I was about to say , as a Mason , but that is a character which , fortunatelyhe repudiates ; andI presumeno Mason will claim him
, , , as a Brother . He must be a man of small judgment and less temper who could write in such intemperate terms and so dogmatically on a subject on whicli he is so totally uninformed . But 1 leave this professed Christian , par excellence , to your more able handling , as 1 wish to submit to your consideration a few remarks on a subject which appears to me to be but imperfectly understood amongst us . Dr . Oliver , and other Masonic writers , have laboured , by ingenious
argument , to prove Freemasonry to be a Christian institution . But , with proper deference to Brethren so much better qualified than myself to argue this subject , I must say that I have not been convinced by their reasonings .
Freemasonry may , shortly , be defined to be a social and charitable private society , acting upon , and entirely guided by , principles which are not only moral , but strictly religious , and entirely accordant with , and similar to , the purest principles of Christianity . This definition , as it appears to me , expresses truly the nature of our fraternization , whilst it obviates those differences of opinion which prevail respecting it .
The argument , that it is a Christian institution , seems conclusively answered by our universal belief that it existed long before our Saviour ' s appearance ; whilst to insist on its being so , would exclude from it not only a large number of Jews , who are zealous members of the fraternity , but all persons , of every nation , who do not profess Christianity , which would destroy its universality . If it is to be considered simply a Christian society , the experience of nearly 2000 years renders it more than a
probability that it would soon become sectarian . It has for centuries past , and does still , include men of every clime and creed in one united brotherhood ; but , in the event I am supposing , how many years is it likely that such a union would last ? Tho foundation aud superstuic-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
dec . iyed Brethren are bri ght jems in the Masonic diadem , and deserve our utmost support . On the threshold of Freemasonry weare taught the advantages of education iu the explanation of the working tools ; to extend that blessing to those who otherwise might be left in darkness , is a duty as well as a privilege ; but the Royal Benevolent Institution for the aged , at the present time especially , claims our assistance . For the young there is little to fear : those who care for
tlie aged cannot forget them . Hoping that all the Masonic charities will meet with more than ordinary support during the year 1851 , 1 remain , Sir and Brother , Yours fraternally , JNO . HOJIGICINSOIV ,
To The Editor.
TO THE EDITOR .
Sut AND BUOTIIEB , —Until I saw the " Freemasons' Quarterly Review" last week , I had heard nothing of the hero rejoicing in the euphonious name of Trevilian , nor of his performances . I call him a hero , because he must be a very bold man who , in such a manner , would risk his reputation ( if he have any ) , as a Christian and a gentleman , and , I was about to say , as a Mason , but that is a character which , fortunatelyhe repudiates ; andI presumeno Mason will claim him
, , , as a Brother . He must be a man of small judgment and less temper who could write in such intemperate terms and so dogmatically on a subject on whicli he is so totally uninformed . But 1 leave this professed Christian , par excellence , to your more able handling , as 1 wish to submit to your consideration a few remarks on a subject which appears to me to be but imperfectly understood amongst us . Dr . Oliver , and other Masonic writers , have laboured , by ingenious
argument , to prove Freemasonry to be a Christian institution . But , with proper deference to Brethren so much better qualified than myself to argue this subject , I must say that I have not been convinced by their reasonings .
Freemasonry may , shortly , be defined to be a social and charitable private society , acting upon , and entirely guided by , principles which are not only moral , but strictly religious , and entirely accordant with , and similar to , the purest principles of Christianity . This definition , as it appears to me , expresses truly the nature of our fraternization , whilst it obviates those differences of opinion which prevail respecting it .
The argument , that it is a Christian institution , seems conclusively answered by our universal belief that it existed long before our Saviour ' s appearance ; whilst to insist on its being so , would exclude from it not only a large number of Jews , who are zealous members of the fraternity , but all persons , of every nation , who do not profess Christianity , which would destroy its universality . If it is to be considered simply a Christian society , the experience of nearly 2000 years renders it more than a
probability that it would soon become sectarian . It has for centuries past , and does still , include men of every clime and creed in one united brotherhood ; but , in the event I am supposing , how many years is it likely that such a union would last ? Tho foundation aud superstuic-