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Article ANCIENT MASONS' MARKS. ← Page 5 of 9 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ancient Masons' Marks.
as the case may be , while our babble lasted . Whether that act savours more of sanity or the reverse , wc leave others to judge . To the second , on the principle of not criminating ourselves , we vouchsafe no answer . To the third , how unwillingly we approach . Its full importance conceded , we draw near the mysterious throne of the spirit of Masonry ,
with feelings of mingled dread and hope : of dread lest we should rashly encroach on her time-honoured landmarks , and wrongly interpret her doctrines and genius , which , being those of an institution truly termed Catholic , extending from east to west , found alike under the palm of the tropics and the dark ine of the northhave lasted for so
p , many ages , as yet uninjured by the lapse of time : and of hope that , before the completion of that mighty circle , when time itself shall cease to have a being , the ' minds of men may be deeply imbued with the pure principles of our Order , and enable some one yet unborn to say of Masonry , what one poet has finely said of the sway
exercised by the genius of a brother bard , " now the wide world is its empire , and its throne the heart of man . " Having now considerably li g htened our conscience , we
must perforce reply to charge the third . In doing so , as young Masons , we shall of course rely on a mild verdict from those who have not yet become entitled to the judge ' s ermine , or rank among the " most potent , grave , and reverend signiors of the Craft . " The symbolical importance of that jewel , whose teaching we are accused of having
neglected , we cannot deny v but the circle of Masonry is far-stretching , and although it may be given to a favoured few , as with an eagle ' s glance , to fathom its farthest depths , the many , at all events the young , may be pardoned if occasionally they throw a passing shadow on some point for which they fondlhoped a brihter dawn was rising .
y g Or , entering the lists on other grounds , we may urge in our defence , that having properly levelled the footstone and dedicated the work , we are fully at liberty to proceed with the design , altering and amending as we proceed ; now throwing out a light flying buttress , now deepening the shadow on that centre toweruntil finishing the arch of
, triumph , we come to that line where the arms of the cross branch off . Then in the south we see a glorious light within a circle ; obedient to the builders' hands in that direction the structure rises—the square is completed . Death with relentless hand has carried off the master of the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ancient Masons' Marks.
as the case may be , while our babble lasted . Whether that act savours more of sanity or the reverse , wc leave others to judge . To the second , on the principle of not criminating ourselves , we vouchsafe no answer . To the third , how unwillingly we approach . Its full importance conceded , we draw near the mysterious throne of the spirit of Masonry ,
with feelings of mingled dread and hope : of dread lest we should rashly encroach on her time-honoured landmarks , and wrongly interpret her doctrines and genius , which , being those of an institution truly termed Catholic , extending from east to west , found alike under the palm of the tropics and the dark ine of the northhave lasted for so
p , many ages , as yet uninjured by the lapse of time : and of hope that , before the completion of that mighty circle , when time itself shall cease to have a being , the ' minds of men may be deeply imbued with the pure principles of our Order , and enable some one yet unborn to say of Masonry , what one poet has finely said of the sway
exercised by the genius of a brother bard , " now the wide world is its empire , and its throne the heart of man . " Having now considerably li g htened our conscience , we
must perforce reply to charge the third . In doing so , as young Masons , we shall of course rely on a mild verdict from those who have not yet become entitled to the judge ' s ermine , or rank among the " most potent , grave , and reverend signiors of the Craft . " The symbolical importance of that jewel , whose teaching we are accused of having
neglected , we cannot deny v but the circle of Masonry is far-stretching , and although it may be given to a favoured few , as with an eagle ' s glance , to fathom its farthest depths , the many , at all events the young , may be pardoned if occasionally they throw a passing shadow on some point for which they fondlhoped a brihter dawn was rising .
y g Or , entering the lists on other grounds , we may urge in our defence , that having properly levelled the footstone and dedicated the work , we are fully at liberty to proceed with the design , altering and amending as we proceed ; now throwing out a light flying buttress , now deepening the shadow on that centre toweruntil finishing the arch of
, triumph , we come to that line where the arms of the cross branch off . Then in the south we see a glorious light within a circle ; obedient to the builders' hands in that direction the structure rises—the square is completed . Death with relentless hand has carried off the master of the