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Article TABLE OF CONTENTS. Page 1 of 1 Article THE RELATION of ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST TO FREEMASONRY. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Table Of Contents.
TABLE OF CONTENTS .
PAGE T HE RELATION OF ST . J OHN THE BAPTIST TO FREEMASONRY iog A NCIENT AND MODERN MYSTERIES no LEAVES FROM MY LIBRARY ... no T HE CRAFT—Metropolitan and Provincial in and 112
I NSTRUCTION—Metropolitan 112 ROYAL ARCH—Provincial 112 MARK MASONRY—Provincial 113 ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE—Provincial ... 113 MASONIC SOIREE AND BALL AT SHEERNESS ... 113 MASONIC MEETINGS FOR NEXT WEEK 113
A RETROSPECT 114 GRAND LODGE NOTES 114 MULTUM IN PARVO 114 UNITED GRAND LODGE 115 .. 1 KI 116 ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCERoyal Jiasonic Benevolent Institution ... ... 117
The Chapter of Prudent Brethren 117 Domatic Lodge , No . 177 ... ... ... ... 117 "The Masonie Tobacco-box" ... ... ... 117 Uniformity of Working ... ... ... ... 117 THE VICEROY OF INDIA AND THE FREEMASONS OF CALCUTTA nS
The Relation Of St. John The Baptist To Freemasonry.
THE RELATION of ST . JOHN THE BAPTIST TO FREEMASONRY .
BY BRO . CHALMERS I . PATON , Member ofthe Masonic Arch ecological Institute of England , etc . , etc . The great " Patron Saint" of Freemasons is St . John the Baptist , and next to him , St . John the Evangelist . To them the lodges in Great
Britian and other Christian countries are ahvays dedicated , and their festivals , in June and November , are observed with special honour . Protestant Freemasons , of course , do not worship them in any way—do dot look to their patronage or intercession in heaven for anybenefit—although
they leave others to act according to their own convictions and principles in that matter , having , as Freemasons , no right to interfere with the religion of their brethren beyond demanding , according to the fundamental laws of Freemasonry , that every brother shall acknowledge
God and the doctrine of a future state of being . They delight , however , in honouring the memory of St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist , in contemplating the virtue of their lives , and the peculiar excellencies of character which they exhibited ; excellencies which it is the aim
of every true Freemason to imitate , and towards which all must seek to aspire . The character of St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist exhibit in the highest degree those virtues which ought to be thc aim of every Masonic lodge to cultivate , and of which the reflection ought to appear
in every brother . In St . John the Baptist we see the interests of morality maintained in the face of danger , and at the cost of life itself ; for he died a martyr because of his faithfulness in condemning vice , even when the guilty part ) - was a king , who had power to imprison him and behead
him ; 111 St . John tlie Evangelist we see the most beautiful exhibition which ever was given to the world by any mere man , of that brotherly love which as Freemasons we are bound in the highest degree to cherish in our hearts and lo display in
our lives . Xo wonder , then , that these should be the patron saints of Freemasonry , ever held in honoured remembrance , and placed before the eyes of all brethren as patterns to be studied and copied . In one of the best-known symbols of
Freemasonry , St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist are called to our continual remembrance . In every regular and well-governed lodge there i . s to be seen a figure of a Paint ic /' l / iin a circle—the point representing an individual brother , the circle , the boundary line of his conduct towards God and man , beyond which he is
never to suffer his passions , prejudices , or interest . * : , on any occasion to betray him . 7 'lie circle is tmbordercd by two perpendicular parallel lines , which are to be understood as representing these saints—St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist—whilst upon thc vertex rests the Book of the Law , the Holy Scriptures , exhibiting the whole duty of man . In going round this circle ,
we necessarily touch upon these two lines , as well as upon the Holy Scriptures , and whilst a Freemason keeps within these limits he cannot seriously err . But let him look to the limits , for any transgression of them is fraught with fatal consequences ; let him look to the Holy Scripture
and the divine law therein contained ; let him look to the lines of the two saints whom he acknowledges with especial honour , and let him see that his own life is according to the laws which are thus laid down for him—that he lives within , and does not go beyond , the circle which is thus marked .
Concerning this symbol of Freemasonry , it may be proper here to remark that it had its origin in the very first ages of the world , although , of course , the parallel lines representing St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist , as well as the representation of the Book
of the Law on the vertex , are of more recent date . It may be well supposed that the first idea which would present itself to Adam , when engaged in reflections on his own situation , and on everything presented to his view , would be that creation was a circle and himself the centre .
And thus the universe appears to the uninstructed at the present clay . The earth a circular p lane , bounded by a horizon , which may be interrupted by hills or mountains , but of which the circular form cannot fail to be recognized ; and every one naturally ( and in some respects properly ) regards himself as the centre of the whole system . He
views all its relations to himself . Let him him keep within the circle—let him look to the parallel lines , let him duly observe tlie Book of the Law , which crowns-all—and all is well . But if he forgets the limits which these emblems signify , and goes beyond them in his conduct , it is to his own injury and that of all connected with him .
St . John the Baptist was one of the bravest and most noble of men . It is not neccessary to insist on the peculiar circumstances of his birth , recorded in the gospels , or on the fact of his having been mentioned by ancient prophets as the forerunner of the Messiah . Fie was , in his
infancy , declared to be one who would be ' * the prophet of the Highest ; " one who would " go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways ;" one who would " give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death , " and thus guide God ' s people out of the way of danger
and "into the way of peace . " He " grew , " we are told , " and waxed strong in spirit , and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel . " He was temperate in his early years , and grew up to be the great prophet of Israel , the forerunner of the Messiah , preaching
repentance to a people deeply immersed in sensuality and vice , or full of confidence in iheir own virtue and counting upon the favour of ( lod because of their wry birth ancl because of their own righteousness . He unsparingly denounced tlieir wickedness , and exposed the falsehood of their
coniidence in their imaginary good works . St . John the Baptist exhibited his faith by his works , and in his own life demonstrated the excellence ofthe principles which he inculcated upon other ... He lived in an age of dress and cifeminacy , and he appeared wearing a rough
garment of camel ' s hair , with a leather girdle about his loins . It was not merel y because he was a prophet and came forward as an instructor of the people that their minds might be impressed by his appearance , but tli . it he might exhibit the character which he desired them to attain , lie
appeared amongst a people whose God was their beliy , and who delighted in the indulgence of every sensual lust and passion . He lived on locusts and wild honey , rebuking them by his plain and simple diet . He was sent into the midst of a conceited , arrogant , and self-righteous
people , ready at all times to boast of their descent from Abraham , and to thank God they were not as other men are , and he thundered in tlieir ears the great doctrine of Repentance , a total change of heart and life , a reform of principle
and practice , flic Pharisees and Sad < lucees came to be baptised by him in the eclat which at first attended his ministry , and he said , **<) h , generaion of vipers , who hath warned you to ( lee from the wrath to come ? " " Bring ' first fruits meet for
repentance , he continued , detecting the hollowness of their temporary zeal , " Think not to say within yourselves , " he went on to add , " that we have Abraham for our father , " as if hereditary descent could be accepted by either God or man instead of personal worth , or of genuine religion
in the soul . Ancl then he warned them that the axe would be applied to the root of every tree ; he told them that " every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire , " and that the Great Husbandman will thoroughly purge his flour and gather his wheat
into the garner , " but will " burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire . " How admirable , also , were the doctrines which he preached ! "He that hath two coats , let him impart unto him that has none ; and he that hath
meat let him do likewise . " We commonly look upon St . John the Baptist as the representative of the sterner virtues , and St . John the Evangelist as of the milder and gentler . But in both characters both are combined . We find here in
the Evangelist inculcating brotherly love in the strongest manner , and we find also St . John the Baptist denouncing in the strongest terms all intercourse with those who hold evil principles or walk in evil ways . It is almost unnecessary to quote the words in which St . John the Baptist
admonished the publicans or tax-gatherers , who were notorious for their extortions , " Exact no more than that which is appointed you ; " or to the soldiers , ' Do violence to no man , neither accuse any falsely , but be content with your wages . "
Better lessons of morality were never taught by man , although the great purpose of St . John ' s ministry was not to teach morality , but to "prepare the way of the Lord , " and to announce beforehand thc coming of tlie Messiah .
The ministry of St . John the Baptist was not , however , of long duration , and the most glorious part of his life is the close of it . He died a martyr because of his faithfulness in condemning
sin . He bore his testimony openly and publicly against the conduct of Herod in marrying his brother ' s wife . The laws of God was violated , and thc servant of God could not be silent . He said to Herod : "It is not lawful for thee to have
her . " And when the profligate King would have put him to death , " he feared the multitude , for they counted him as a prophet . " " But when Herod ' s birthday was kept , the daughter of Herodius danced before him , and pleased Herod . Whereupon he promised , with an oath , to give
her whatever she asked . And she , being instructed of her mother , said , Give me here John the Baptist ' s head on a charger . And the King was sorry : nevertheless , for his oath ' s sake , and them which sat with him at meat , he commanded it to be given her . And lie sent and
beheaded John in the prison . And his head was brought on a charger and given to the damsel : and she brought it to her mother . " Thus ended one of the noblest lives of which we have any record , in a scene the horrors of which it is almost impossible for us now to imagine ,
not so much of the beheading 111 the prison , as of the "damsel" who had just danced before Herod bearing the bloody head on the charger to her wicked and incestuous mother . Is there a giri in Britain , we may ask , who would do the like in anv circumstances or on any account
whatever ? 7 'he whole story presents to us a terrible picture of the times in which John the Baptist lived : a picture , however , which it is necessary to contemplate that we may know how admirable his character was , and how worthy of being kept in continual remembrance .
Freemasons do well 111 honouring the memory of Si . John the Baptist . The honour that they show to him , however , i . s not merely the keeping of his festival , although from a very early period —from the reign of Vespasian , A . D . 69—they have recognised him as their Patron Saint . Far more honour is done to him in the imitation of
his example , when Freemasons conform themselves to the rules which he taught , and their lives , in such measure as may be , to the pattern of his life . On the contrary , his memory is dishonoured , when thc life of a Freemason exhibits any of these vices which he reproved , and , even more , when in any lodge those who are known to be guilty of such vices are allowed to pass
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Table Of Contents.
TABLE OF CONTENTS .
PAGE T HE RELATION OF ST . J OHN THE BAPTIST TO FREEMASONRY iog A NCIENT AND MODERN MYSTERIES no LEAVES FROM MY LIBRARY ... no T HE CRAFT—Metropolitan and Provincial in and 112
I NSTRUCTION—Metropolitan 112 ROYAL ARCH—Provincial 112 MARK MASONRY—Provincial 113 ANCIENT AND ACCEPTED RITE—Provincial ... 113 MASONIC SOIREE AND BALL AT SHEERNESS ... 113 MASONIC MEETINGS FOR NEXT WEEK 113
A RETROSPECT 114 GRAND LODGE NOTES 114 MULTUM IN PARVO 114 UNITED GRAND LODGE 115 .. 1 KI 116 ORIGINAL CORRESPONDENCERoyal Jiasonic Benevolent Institution ... ... 117
The Chapter of Prudent Brethren 117 Domatic Lodge , No . 177 ... ... ... ... 117 "The Masonie Tobacco-box" ... ... ... 117 Uniformity of Working ... ... ... ... 117 THE VICEROY OF INDIA AND THE FREEMASONS OF CALCUTTA nS
The Relation Of St. John The Baptist To Freemasonry.
THE RELATION of ST . JOHN THE BAPTIST TO FREEMASONRY .
BY BRO . CHALMERS I . PATON , Member ofthe Masonic Arch ecological Institute of England , etc . , etc . The great " Patron Saint" of Freemasons is St . John the Baptist , and next to him , St . John the Evangelist . To them the lodges in Great
Britian and other Christian countries are ahvays dedicated , and their festivals , in June and November , are observed with special honour . Protestant Freemasons , of course , do not worship them in any way—do dot look to their patronage or intercession in heaven for anybenefit—although
they leave others to act according to their own convictions and principles in that matter , having , as Freemasons , no right to interfere with the religion of their brethren beyond demanding , according to the fundamental laws of Freemasonry , that every brother shall acknowledge
God and the doctrine of a future state of being . They delight , however , in honouring the memory of St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist , in contemplating the virtue of their lives , and the peculiar excellencies of character which they exhibited ; excellencies which it is the aim
of every true Freemason to imitate , and towards which all must seek to aspire . The character of St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist exhibit in the highest degree those virtues which ought to be thc aim of every Masonic lodge to cultivate , and of which the reflection ought to appear
in every brother . In St . John the Baptist we see the interests of morality maintained in the face of danger , and at the cost of life itself ; for he died a martyr because of his faithfulness in condemning vice , even when the guilty part ) - was a king , who had power to imprison him and behead
him ; 111 St . John tlie Evangelist we see the most beautiful exhibition which ever was given to the world by any mere man , of that brotherly love which as Freemasons we are bound in the highest degree to cherish in our hearts and lo display in
our lives . Xo wonder , then , that these should be the patron saints of Freemasonry , ever held in honoured remembrance , and placed before the eyes of all brethren as patterns to be studied and copied . In one of the best-known symbols of
Freemasonry , St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist are called to our continual remembrance . In every regular and well-governed lodge there i . s to be seen a figure of a Paint ic /' l / iin a circle—the point representing an individual brother , the circle , the boundary line of his conduct towards God and man , beyond which he is
never to suffer his passions , prejudices , or interest . * : , on any occasion to betray him . 7 'lie circle is tmbordercd by two perpendicular parallel lines , which are to be understood as representing these saints—St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist—whilst upon thc vertex rests the Book of the Law , the Holy Scriptures , exhibiting the whole duty of man . In going round this circle ,
we necessarily touch upon these two lines , as well as upon the Holy Scriptures , and whilst a Freemason keeps within these limits he cannot seriously err . But let him look to the limits , for any transgression of them is fraught with fatal consequences ; let him look to the Holy Scripture
and the divine law therein contained ; let him look to the lines of the two saints whom he acknowledges with especial honour , and let him see that his own life is according to the laws which are thus laid down for him—that he lives within , and does not go beyond , the circle which is thus marked .
Concerning this symbol of Freemasonry , it may be proper here to remark that it had its origin in the very first ages of the world , although , of course , the parallel lines representing St . John the Baptist and St . John the Evangelist , as well as the representation of the Book
of the Law on the vertex , are of more recent date . It may be well supposed that the first idea which would present itself to Adam , when engaged in reflections on his own situation , and on everything presented to his view , would be that creation was a circle and himself the centre .
And thus the universe appears to the uninstructed at the present clay . The earth a circular p lane , bounded by a horizon , which may be interrupted by hills or mountains , but of which the circular form cannot fail to be recognized ; and every one naturally ( and in some respects properly ) regards himself as the centre of the whole system . He
views all its relations to himself . Let him him keep within the circle—let him look to the parallel lines , let him duly observe tlie Book of the Law , which crowns-all—and all is well . But if he forgets the limits which these emblems signify , and goes beyond them in his conduct , it is to his own injury and that of all connected with him .
St . John the Baptist was one of the bravest and most noble of men . It is not neccessary to insist on the peculiar circumstances of his birth , recorded in the gospels , or on the fact of his having been mentioned by ancient prophets as the forerunner of the Messiah . Fie was , in his
infancy , declared to be one who would be ' * the prophet of the Highest ; " one who would " go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways ;" one who would " give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death , " and thus guide God ' s people out of the way of danger
and "into the way of peace . " He " grew , " we are told , " and waxed strong in spirit , and was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel . " He was temperate in his early years , and grew up to be the great prophet of Israel , the forerunner of the Messiah , preaching
repentance to a people deeply immersed in sensuality and vice , or full of confidence in iheir own virtue and counting upon the favour of ( lod because of their wry birth ancl because of their own righteousness . He unsparingly denounced tlieir wickedness , and exposed the falsehood of their
coniidence in their imaginary good works . St . John the Baptist exhibited his faith by his works , and in his own life demonstrated the excellence ofthe principles which he inculcated upon other ... He lived in an age of dress and cifeminacy , and he appeared wearing a rough
garment of camel ' s hair , with a leather girdle about his loins . It was not merel y because he was a prophet and came forward as an instructor of the people that their minds might be impressed by his appearance , but tli . it he might exhibit the character which he desired them to attain , lie
appeared amongst a people whose God was their beliy , and who delighted in the indulgence of every sensual lust and passion . He lived on locusts and wild honey , rebuking them by his plain and simple diet . He was sent into the midst of a conceited , arrogant , and self-righteous
people , ready at all times to boast of their descent from Abraham , and to thank God they were not as other men are , and he thundered in tlieir ears the great doctrine of Repentance , a total change of heart and life , a reform of principle
and practice , flic Pharisees and Sad < lucees came to be baptised by him in the eclat which at first attended his ministry , and he said , **<) h , generaion of vipers , who hath warned you to ( lee from the wrath to come ? " " Bring ' first fruits meet for
repentance , he continued , detecting the hollowness of their temporary zeal , " Think not to say within yourselves , " he went on to add , " that we have Abraham for our father , " as if hereditary descent could be accepted by either God or man instead of personal worth , or of genuine religion
in the soul . Ancl then he warned them that the axe would be applied to the root of every tree ; he told them that " every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down and cast into the fire , " and that the Great Husbandman will thoroughly purge his flour and gather his wheat
into the garner , " but will " burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire . " How admirable , also , were the doctrines which he preached ! "He that hath two coats , let him impart unto him that has none ; and he that hath
meat let him do likewise . " We commonly look upon St . John the Baptist as the representative of the sterner virtues , and St . John the Evangelist as of the milder and gentler . But in both characters both are combined . We find here in
the Evangelist inculcating brotherly love in the strongest manner , and we find also St . John the Baptist denouncing in the strongest terms all intercourse with those who hold evil principles or walk in evil ways . It is almost unnecessary to quote the words in which St . John the Baptist
admonished the publicans or tax-gatherers , who were notorious for their extortions , " Exact no more than that which is appointed you ; " or to the soldiers , ' Do violence to no man , neither accuse any falsely , but be content with your wages . "
Better lessons of morality were never taught by man , although the great purpose of St . John ' s ministry was not to teach morality , but to "prepare the way of the Lord , " and to announce beforehand thc coming of tlie Messiah .
The ministry of St . John the Baptist was not , however , of long duration , and the most glorious part of his life is the close of it . He died a martyr because of his faithfulness in condemning
sin . He bore his testimony openly and publicly against the conduct of Herod in marrying his brother ' s wife . The laws of God was violated , and thc servant of God could not be silent . He said to Herod : "It is not lawful for thee to have
her . " And when the profligate King would have put him to death , " he feared the multitude , for they counted him as a prophet . " " But when Herod ' s birthday was kept , the daughter of Herodius danced before him , and pleased Herod . Whereupon he promised , with an oath , to give
her whatever she asked . And she , being instructed of her mother , said , Give me here John the Baptist ' s head on a charger . And the King was sorry : nevertheless , for his oath ' s sake , and them which sat with him at meat , he commanded it to be given her . And lie sent and
beheaded John in the prison . And his head was brought on a charger and given to the damsel : and she brought it to her mother . " Thus ended one of the noblest lives of which we have any record , in a scene the horrors of which it is almost impossible for us now to imagine ,
not so much of the beheading 111 the prison , as of the "damsel" who had just danced before Herod bearing the bloody head on the charger to her wicked and incestuous mother . Is there a giri in Britain , we may ask , who would do the like in anv circumstances or on any account
whatever ? 7 'he whole story presents to us a terrible picture of the times in which John the Baptist lived : a picture , however , which it is necessary to contemplate that we may know how admirable his character was , and how worthy of being kept in continual remembrance .
Freemasons do well 111 honouring the memory of Si . John the Baptist . The honour that they show to him , however , i . s not merely the keeping of his festival , although from a very early period —from the reign of Vespasian , A . D . 69—they have recognised him as their Patron Saint . Far more honour is done to him in the imitation of
his example , when Freemasons conform themselves to the rules which he taught , and their lives , in such measure as may be , to the pattern of his life . On the contrary , his memory is dishonoured , when thc life of a Freemason exhibits any of these vices which he reproved , and , even more , when in any lodge those who are known to be guilty of such vices are allowed to pass