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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
District G. Lodge Of Turkey.
ligious convictions at all . These certainly make very bad Freemasons . We are apt to condemn others for not believing as we believe . In our unfairness , we take it upon ourselves to judge and pronounce sentence upon others . We are even unwilling to accord to them that liberality and
indulgence which we claim for ourselves . Whilst our own religious faith has been the fruit of our earliest education—that of our childhood , and for which we are scarcely responsible- we deny this to others whose faith differs from our own . As we grow up to the age of maturity , these early
conceptions have become strengthened m our minds by education and by all the associations of every-day life . In fact , like the roots of a tree , they become too deeply seated to be easily removed from their native soil ; and too often , when unsettled by new ones , the mind is apt to receive none other , or , at
least , not with the same strength of conviction . This is , I believe , too often the real cause of Atheism . Compulsion certainly never brings sincere conviction , which can only result from research and instruction . What great errors have been committed on this point during the varied period of
man ' s history ; and how cruelly has mankind suffered by a violation of this self-evident fact ! A great change in this respect is , however , now coming over the minds of men of education and reflection . Religious as well as civil liberty is making great progress throughout the civilised world . Men
are becoming year after year more tolerant towards each other in matters of religious convictiongreatly to the advancement of real civilisation and real happiness . This principle of tolerance is now , and always has been , one of the great principles of our time-honoured institution . To it , I fully believe ,
is due in a great measure the perpetuation of our Order , whilst so many other institutions which have been wise have ceased to exist . We only maintain as an obligation from which there can be no deviation , that all men are the children of one common parent , the
Omniscient and Almighty Creator , who uses no force or violence to compel our religious convictions , but leaves each individual free to hold those which he deems correct , and thus renders every one responsible only to Him . It is this innate sense of responsibility to the Divine Creator that elevates man
above the brute creation , where purely animal instincts and passions lead to no thought of a future existence . If , therefore , we call ourselves brethren , it is because we all recognise the paternity of a common Father and Creator ; and to deny this would be to deny that we arc brethren .
" Whatever differences of opinion on matters of religious faith disturb the harmony which should exist among mankind in general , we , here in the East , especially , should never permit them to influence us in our intercourse as Freemasons . Free and sincere on this point , each one is left to
construct the edifice of his own moral and religious character . Let us , therefore , continue to act on this liberal and charitable principle , which is so commendable everywhere , and show , by our example , that notwithstanding thc varied character of our individual convictions , we are all bound
together by the sacred tics of fraternity , and no one should think the less of another because he differs with him . Let each individual , moreover , endeavour to remove the erroneous and highly injurious impression of our being Atheists , or that wc are desirous of introducing a new religion , by a
conscientious discharge of our religious duties , whatever those may be , at all times deeply grateful to the kind Providence which has , for so many centuries , protected and prospered our institution , whilst so many others have ceased to exist . This alone demands of us an increasing devotion to Him
whom we call , in our peculiar language , The Great Architect of the Universe , and a more viligant watchfulness over our lives , so as to render them all the more consistent with the great principles by which we profess to be governed . Freemasonry , like all other human institutions , must derive its
claims to respect and confidence from the character and conduct of its component members . It cannot hope to enjoy a real ancl genuine prosperity , or to accomplish what I regard as its high destiny and duty in this country , unless its members ever keep in view the fact that the privilege of being
Frecmasons brings with it the obligations of walking worthy of their calling . Disdaining all less worthy objects , they should seek to exemplify in their daily lives thc sacred principles of Truth , Virtue , and Benevolence , which have always been the foundation ancl glory of our great institution
and without which it would certainly have long since perished a : , passed away . " Freemasons should also carry with them these same principles , not only into the occupation of their daily lives in thc outer world , but also into
their domestic circles . Harmony and affection should pervade all that surrounds them , ancl , like grateful warmth of the sun over the world , penetrate , with a happy influence , all with whom they associate in their own homes as well as in those of
District G. Lodge Of Turkey.
their brethren . In this manner , Freemasonry will be a beacon-light to those who are in darkness , and will commend itself to those who are witnesses of the blessings which it imparts . " I would also add that our simple and harmless conventional signs are not only the object of the
curiosity , but also of the mistrust and alarm of such as are not Freemasons . It is held by them that because these signs , & c ., are secret and confined to ourselves , they must be wrong and designed to conceal some hidden and sinful mystery . Strange that such an absurd argument should be held by persons who
are indulgent in their opinions with regard to so much that is withheld from their knowledge in the daily intercourse and concerns of life , and who are well aware that amongst Freemasons there are , in all countries , some of the most learned and pious men , and others , again , filling the highest and most
responsible positions of official life ! How much also there is in nature and religion which is hidden from human intelligence , and yet conceals no wrong or evil ! Some of these figure in our symbols , all illustrations of great truths , and in this manner are made apparent to our ordinary senses . Why
not , then , permit a Freemason to use symbols and signs in order to make himself known to his brethren of all countries , speaking each a different tongue , by what may be called a ' universal language , ' without exposing himself to suspicion and calumny ? If his conduct and character be correct ,
if he follow strictly the dictates of his own conscience with regard to his religious faith , whatever it may be , and so commend himself to the respect of the world , surely these innocent signs and symbols need not only served to condemn him in the estimation of anyone ignorant of their true meaning .
They serve , in fact , as a ' mystic chain . '—like that of the great invention of modern times—to unite men together , though widely spread over the most distant portions of the globe ; and , if not with the ' subtle fluid ' of electricity , at least they electrify them with fraternal recognition and brotherly
affection . " Interesting to us all as may be the rites and ceremonies of our lodges , every Freemason should look beyond them to the more essential , the allimportant principles which are deduced from Speculative Masonry . Charity is , indeed , the
corner-stone' of our Masonic edifice ; brotherly love , relief , and truth are the tenets of our profession ; and our symbolic ritual inculcates at every point the great duty of universal benevolence between manand man . By this rule , whatever may be the faults of one of our members , the world should
learn them from any other tongue than that of a brother . " As we have the selection of our own materials for our Masonic edifice , the fault will be our own if it does not rise beautiful in the perfect symmetry of its moral proportions . Let , therefore , the rough
ashlar be squared and fashioned in the quarry before it be allowed a place in the north-east corner of the building . In every community the name of ' Freemason' should be synonymous with all that is large-hearted , disinterested , noble and pure . Let us all , then , discountenance profanity and excesses ;
let us be kind to one another , tender-hearted , forbearing ancl forgiving . Let us be courteous ancl affable in our intercourse with each other and with thc world . Thus , wc will realise the great aims of our beloved Institution , reach the goal of its real objects , and so form a teal' Masonic Brotherhood . '
Freemasonry , in its broader signification , calls foran ardent desire forself-improvemcnt , morally and intellectually . Thc very fact that we call the Divine Creator by the expression of The Great Architect ofthe Universe , naturally leads us to the study and investigation of His universe . Such a study is one
of thc best remedies for any one who has been so unfortunate as to entertain doubts of the existence of such an Omnipotent and Omniscient' Great Architect . ' I hold it as an utter impossibility for any one who investigates the wonders of His Creation to be misled into what is called Materialism ,
according to which this world ancl the millions of other worlds , immensely greater , surrounding it ancl composing His Universe , owe their existence to certain ' unknown ancl independent causes , ' called attractions and reflections , all clearly due to a Supreme First Cause . Even the infinitely small
atom with which some suppose this globe to have commenced must have been created . Thus , compelled toadmitand acknowledge the existence of thc Great Architect of the Universe , thc Materialist sees fade away before him , like the ' baseless fabric of a vision , ' the whole foundation on which his
untenable theory reposes . If to be governed by the'Laws of Nature'is to recognise their Divine Creator , we may be almost led to the supposition that all things which have a living existence recognise and acknowledge Him ; and shall intelligent
and intellectual Man , who has been created in a condition so vastly superior to all other beings , deny His existence ? Surely , no person , sincerely and from the depths of his heart , can , really and truly , entertain such a conviction ! For thc fair
District G. Lodge Of Turkey.
fame and reputation of our Order , I am sure that none of our brethren will ever allow themselves to be drawn into so dreadful a vortex of self-destruction , and the ruin of all of the best and most consolatory hopes of mankind . It is , therefore , the duty of every Freemason , not only to increase his
own stock of knowledge , but also to endeavour to promote the same salutory principle among others . All the greater sciences are the particular province of the Freemason ; and these open to him a vast field of enquiry and research , not only for his own benefit , but also for the benefit of those who
surround him . There are no barren and sterile lands in Nature for him who sincerely seeks to cultivate his mind , and so become still more able to comprehend , in however small a degree , the greatness of his Creator through His works . In these , he will find that all is Truth , Harmony , and Infallibility .
" There are some excellent books on the subject of the history and principles of Freemasonry , from which any one , desirous of knowing more than the ordinary ritual and ceremonies of initiation , may acquire instruction on what we call * the beauties and mysteries' of our Order . I fear that , in too
many cases , these he buried in Darkness , ' unknown to those who really desire to know them , yet without making any effort to obtain ' Light' on what must be to them a subject of so much interest , and what it is even there duty to know . Its origin is
traced back by some to periods too remote for other proofs than those which are derived from the everexisting principles connected with the spiritual character of mankind ; and its history , like many other histories , varies with the means of information within the reach ofthe authors at the time of
writing . There are , however , sufficient facts existing , on which to base a connection , symbolical as well as practical , with the earliest ages . Freemasonry will be all the mpre highly appreciated if these be examined : and I earnestly invite the attention ofthe Officers ofthe District Grand Lodge , and
ofthe Masters of lodges under its jurisdiction , to the necessity of such an instruction , so as to be all the more able to impart it to those who may not have it in their reach . There is much less really 'hidden and mysterious' in Freemasonry than the outer world supposes ; and there is also much that we can
frankly impart without any deviation from our obligations . Young Masons , especially , should be convinced ofthe fact that by merely taking the degrees of Freemasonry , they have only reachedits threshold , and that these same degrees are only the keys which open to them the portals of the Order . The
knowledge which they desire must be sought for , and cannot be obtained except by Labour . Much , also , is not written ; but a knowledge of this is within the reach of every Mason entitled to receive it . It is his duty to acquire it , and he will find it greatly to his advantage .
Finally , —If Freemasonry be regarded only as a splcnded myth , or a beautiful theory , it is certainly , also , an effective reality , with a strong practical bearing , the object of which is to benefit mankind , to unite them together on a thoroughly neutral ground in matters of religion and nationality , and
to allay and assuage all of those harsher feelings to which these , unfortunately , give rise among men who arc , nevertheless , brothers . Its age and history show that it is an edifice not built upon a sandy foundation ; that , on thc contrary , its stands like a lofty monument upon the summit of a mountain ,
against which the elements of ignorance and prejudice have beaten in vain ; and we may confidently hope that here in the East , in its native land , it will , under the blessing of Divine Providence , be the means of uniting a large number of men together as brothers , who are now kept apart by many of tlie
prejudices to which weak human nature is subject . " It has been wisely said that' There is no royal road to learning' and wc may add , with equal correctness , that there is none to Freemasonry . Although we number in our beloved Institution sovereigns , princes , and statesmen of the highest rank
ancl greatest eminence , they have all , like each one of ourselves , been allowed to enter it as a . privilege , ancl none , I am sure , have overbad any cause to regret that their request was granted . Thc light of Freemasonry now shines upon their hearts , and sheds around them far more blessings , comforts , and enjoyments than they anticipated .
PRECAUTIONS OF THE CLERGY AGAINST APOI'I . . —Under such a press of good cheer , eating and drinking became a serious process , so that one cannot feel much surprised that the lord steward ofthe entertainment , in sending in his little bill , inserted a claim " ad sangninem minuenduin , " in other words , for being bled . Strange as it may appear , the churchmen were so much in
the habit of systematically over-eating themselves , that they were obliged to have regular recourse to this safety valve , so as to throw off all chance of apoplexy . Indeed , Lanfranc , in his ordinances to be observed by the Benedictines , laid it down as advisable that the members ofthe order should be bled at least four times a year . —Food Journal .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
District G. Lodge Of Turkey.
ligious convictions at all . These certainly make very bad Freemasons . We are apt to condemn others for not believing as we believe . In our unfairness , we take it upon ourselves to judge and pronounce sentence upon others . We are even unwilling to accord to them that liberality and
indulgence which we claim for ourselves . Whilst our own religious faith has been the fruit of our earliest education—that of our childhood , and for which we are scarcely responsible- we deny this to others whose faith differs from our own . As we grow up to the age of maturity , these early
conceptions have become strengthened m our minds by education and by all the associations of every-day life . In fact , like the roots of a tree , they become too deeply seated to be easily removed from their native soil ; and too often , when unsettled by new ones , the mind is apt to receive none other , or , at
least , not with the same strength of conviction . This is , I believe , too often the real cause of Atheism . Compulsion certainly never brings sincere conviction , which can only result from research and instruction . What great errors have been committed on this point during the varied period of
man ' s history ; and how cruelly has mankind suffered by a violation of this self-evident fact ! A great change in this respect is , however , now coming over the minds of men of education and reflection . Religious as well as civil liberty is making great progress throughout the civilised world . Men
are becoming year after year more tolerant towards each other in matters of religious convictiongreatly to the advancement of real civilisation and real happiness . This principle of tolerance is now , and always has been , one of the great principles of our time-honoured institution . To it , I fully believe ,
is due in a great measure the perpetuation of our Order , whilst so many other institutions which have been wise have ceased to exist . We only maintain as an obligation from which there can be no deviation , that all men are the children of one common parent , the
Omniscient and Almighty Creator , who uses no force or violence to compel our religious convictions , but leaves each individual free to hold those which he deems correct , and thus renders every one responsible only to Him . It is this innate sense of responsibility to the Divine Creator that elevates man
above the brute creation , where purely animal instincts and passions lead to no thought of a future existence . If , therefore , we call ourselves brethren , it is because we all recognise the paternity of a common Father and Creator ; and to deny this would be to deny that we arc brethren .
" Whatever differences of opinion on matters of religious faith disturb the harmony which should exist among mankind in general , we , here in the East , especially , should never permit them to influence us in our intercourse as Freemasons . Free and sincere on this point , each one is left to
construct the edifice of his own moral and religious character . Let us , therefore , continue to act on this liberal and charitable principle , which is so commendable everywhere , and show , by our example , that notwithstanding thc varied character of our individual convictions , we are all bound
together by the sacred tics of fraternity , and no one should think the less of another because he differs with him . Let each individual , moreover , endeavour to remove the erroneous and highly injurious impression of our being Atheists , or that wc are desirous of introducing a new religion , by a
conscientious discharge of our religious duties , whatever those may be , at all times deeply grateful to the kind Providence which has , for so many centuries , protected and prospered our institution , whilst so many others have ceased to exist . This alone demands of us an increasing devotion to Him
whom we call , in our peculiar language , The Great Architect of the Universe , and a more viligant watchfulness over our lives , so as to render them all the more consistent with the great principles by which we profess to be governed . Freemasonry , like all other human institutions , must derive its
claims to respect and confidence from the character and conduct of its component members . It cannot hope to enjoy a real ancl genuine prosperity , or to accomplish what I regard as its high destiny and duty in this country , unless its members ever keep in view the fact that the privilege of being
Frecmasons brings with it the obligations of walking worthy of their calling . Disdaining all less worthy objects , they should seek to exemplify in their daily lives thc sacred principles of Truth , Virtue , and Benevolence , which have always been the foundation ancl glory of our great institution
and without which it would certainly have long since perished a : , passed away . " Freemasons should also carry with them these same principles , not only into the occupation of their daily lives in thc outer world , but also into
their domestic circles . Harmony and affection should pervade all that surrounds them , ancl , like grateful warmth of the sun over the world , penetrate , with a happy influence , all with whom they associate in their own homes as well as in those of
District G. Lodge Of Turkey.
their brethren . In this manner , Freemasonry will be a beacon-light to those who are in darkness , and will commend itself to those who are witnesses of the blessings which it imparts . " I would also add that our simple and harmless conventional signs are not only the object of the
curiosity , but also of the mistrust and alarm of such as are not Freemasons . It is held by them that because these signs , & c ., are secret and confined to ourselves , they must be wrong and designed to conceal some hidden and sinful mystery . Strange that such an absurd argument should be held by persons who
are indulgent in their opinions with regard to so much that is withheld from their knowledge in the daily intercourse and concerns of life , and who are well aware that amongst Freemasons there are , in all countries , some of the most learned and pious men , and others , again , filling the highest and most
responsible positions of official life ! How much also there is in nature and religion which is hidden from human intelligence , and yet conceals no wrong or evil ! Some of these figure in our symbols , all illustrations of great truths , and in this manner are made apparent to our ordinary senses . Why
not , then , permit a Freemason to use symbols and signs in order to make himself known to his brethren of all countries , speaking each a different tongue , by what may be called a ' universal language , ' without exposing himself to suspicion and calumny ? If his conduct and character be correct ,
if he follow strictly the dictates of his own conscience with regard to his religious faith , whatever it may be , and so commend himself to the respect of the world , surely these innocent signs and symbols need not only served to condemn him in the estimation of anyone ignorant of their true meaning .
They serve , in fact , as a ' mystic chain . '—like that of the great invention of modern times—to unite men together , though widely spread over the most distant portions of the globe ; and , if not with the ' subtle fluid ' of electricity , at least they electrify them with fraternal recognition and brotherly
affection . " Interesting to us all as may be the rites and ceremonies of our lodges , every Freemason should look beyond them to the more essential , the allimportant principles which are deduced from Speculative Masonry . Charity is , indeed , the
corner-stone' of our Masonic edifice ; brotherly love , relief , and truth are the tenets of our profession ; and our symbolic ritual inculcates at every point the great duty of universal benevolence between manand man . By this rule , whatever may be the faults of one of our members , the world should
learn them from any other tongue than that of a brother . " As we have the selection of our own materials for our Masonic edifice , the fault will be our own if it does not rise beautiful in the perfect symmetry of its moral proportions . Let , therefore , the rough
ashlar be squared and fashioned in the quarry before it be allowed a place in the north-east corner of the building . In every community the name of ' Freemason' should be synonymous with all that is large-hearted , disinterested , noble and pure . Let us all , then , discountenance profanity and excesses ;
let us be kind to one another , tender-hearted , forbearing ancl forgiving . Let us be courteous ancl affable in our intercourse with each other and with thc world . Thus , wc will realise the great aims of our beloved Institution , reach the goal of its real objects , and so form a teal' Masonic Brotherhood . '
Freemasonry , in its broader signification , calls foran ardent desire forself-improvemcnt , morally and intellectually . Thc very fact that we call the Divine Creator by the expression of The Great Architect ofthe Universe , naturally leads us to the study and investigation of His universe . Such a study is one
of thc best remedies for any one who has been so unfortunate as to entertain doubts of the existence of such an Omnipotent and Omniscient' Great Architect . ' I hold it as an utter impossibility for any one who investigates the wonders of His Creation to be misled into what is called Materialism ,
according to which this world ancl the millions of other worlds , immensely greater , surrounding it ancl composing His Universe , owe their existence to certain ' unknown ancl independent causes , ' called attractions and reflections , all clearly due to a Supreme First Cause . Even the infinitely small
atom with which some suppose this globe to have commenced must have been created . Thus , compelled toadmitand acknowledge the existence of thc Great Architect of the Universe , thc Materialist sees fade away before him , like the ' baseless fabric of a vision , ' the whole foundation on which his
untenable theory reposes . If to be governed by the'Laws of Nature'is to recognise their Divine Creator , we may be almost led to the supposition that all things which have a living existence recognise and acknowledge Him ; and shall intelligent
and intellectual Man , who has been created in a condition so vastly superior to all other beings , deny His existence ? Surely , no person , sincerely and from the depths of his heart , can , really and truly , entertain such a conviction ! For thc fair
District G. Lodge Of Turkey.
fame and reputation of our Order , I am sure that none of our brethren will ever allow themselves to be drawn into so dreadful a vortex of self-destruction , and the ruin of all of the best and most consolatory hopes of mankind . It is , therefore , the duty of every Freemason , not only to increase his
own stock of knowledge , but also to endeavour to promote the same salutory principle among others . All the greater sciences are the particular province of the Freemason ; and these open to him a vast field of enquiry and research , not only for his own benefit , but also for the benefit of those who
surround him . There are no barren and sterile lands in Nature for him who sincerely seeks to cultivate his mind , and so become still more able to comprehend , in however small a degree , the greatness of his Creator through His works . In these , he will find that all is Truth , Harmony , and Infallibility .
" There are some excellent books on the subject of the history and principles of Freemasonry , from which any one , desirous of knowing more than the ordinary ritual and ceremonies of initiation , may acquire instruction on what we call * the beauties and mysteries' of our Order . I fear that , in too
many cases , these he buried in Darkness , ' unknown to those who really desire to know them , yet without making any effort to obtain ' Light' on what must be to them a subject of so much interest , and what it is even there duty to know . Its origin is
traced back by some to periods too remote for other proofs than those which are derived from the everexisting principles connected with the spiritual character of mankind ; and its history , like many other histories , varies with the means of information within the reach ofthe authors at the time of
writing . There are , however , sufficient facts existing , on which to base a connection , symbolical as well as practical , with the earliest ages . Freemasonry will be all the mpre highly appreciated if these be examined : and I earnestly invite the attention ofthe Officers ofthe District Grand Lodge , and
ofthe Masters of lodges under its jurisdiction , to the necessity of such an instruction , so as to be all the more able to impart it to those who may not have it in their reach . There is much less really 'hidden and mysterious' in Freemasonry than the outer world supposes ; and there is also much that we can
frankly impart without any deviation from our obligations . Young Masons , especially , should be convinced ofthe fact that by merely taking the degrees of Freemasonry , they have only reachedits threshold , and that these same degrees are only the keys which open to them the portals of the Order . The
knowledge which they desire must be sought for , and cannot be obtained except by Labour . Much , also , is not written ; but a knowledge of this is within the reach of every Mason entitled to receive it . It is his duty to acquire it , and he will find it greatly to his advantage .
Finally , —If Freemasonry be regarded only as a splcnded myth , or a beautiful theory , it is certainly , also , an effective reality , with a strong practical bearing , the object of which is to benefit mankind , to unite them together on a thoroughly neutral ground in matters of religion and nationality , and
to allay and assuage all of those harsher feelings to which these , unfortunately , give rise among men who arc , nevertheless , brothers . Its age and history show that it is an edifice not built upon a sandy foundation ; that , on thc contrary , its stands like a lofty monument upon the summit of a mountain ,
against which the elements of ignorance and prejudice have beaten in vain ; and we may confidently hope that here in the East , in its native land , it will , under the blessing of Divine Providence , be the means of uniting a large number of men together as brothers , who are now kept apart by many of tlie
prejudices to which weak human nature is subject . " It has been wisely said that' There is no royal road to learning' and wc may add , with equal correctness , that there is none to Freemasonry . Although we number in our beloved Institution sovereigns , princes , and statesmen of the highest rank
ancl greatest eminence , they have all , like each one of ourselves , been allowed to enter it as a . privilege , ancl none , I am sure , have overbad any cause to regret that their request was granted . Thc light of Freemasonry now shines upon their hearts , and sheds around them far more blessings , comforts , and enjoyments than they anticipated .
PRECAUTIONS OF THE CLERGY AGAINST APOI'I . . —Under such a press of good cheer , eating and drinking became a serious process , so that one cannot feel much surprised that the lord steward ofthe entertainment , in sending in his little bill , inserted a claim " ad sangninem minuenduin , " in other words , for being bled . Strange as it may appear , the churchmen were so much in
the habit of systematically over-eating themselves , that they were obliged to have regular recourse to this safety valve , so as to throw off all chance of apoplexy . Indeed , Lanfranc , in his ordinances to be observed by the Benedictines , laid it down as advisable that the members ofthe order should be bled at least four times a year . —Food Journal .