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  • April 1, 1877
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The Masonic Magazine, April 1, 1877: Page 26

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    Article THE JEALOUS SCEPTIC. ← Page 2 of 3 →
Page 26

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Jealous Sceptic.

The world was chaos , now ' tis mystery , Except where science speaks philosophy . The little world of boasting self-conceit Is full of paths where spite and envy meet ; And though fair flowers may bloom to please the eye And rills ancl rivulets come sparkling by ,

And tuneful song-birds carol lays of love Among the trees and in the sky above , Man ' s morbid sense no beauty sees , or hears The music ringing in the heavenly spheres . All wrapped in self the egotist but knows That birds do livethere ' s colour in the

, rose , The water trickles when a fountain plays , And glist'ning streams are nature ' s waterways .

His sense of sound ancl si ght is dulled and bleared , No living thing his deadened soul hath cheered ; A misanthrope , a God-forsaken man , So worldly wise that the Creator ' s plan

Of heaven and earth , and all celestial things Is but a myth , or man ' s imaginings . Ancl this is reason , better on the whole Than doctrines taught about the human soul ,

And future pains and punishments for sin Devised by men of pristine origin . A teaching made for bigots ancl for fools , The dupes of priests and proselyting tools . All arch divines are mercenary men , And darkly work their way by voice and pen ;

They aim at power , at riches , and command , Enthrall the weak and decimate the land . A blot on life , ancl warping nature ' s self , Beclouding the unclouded , and for pelf .

1 he man with Reason for his only guide May argue thus , ancl fill himself with pride , And scoff at holy men and heavenly things Till unbelief sad retribution brings . The good can pray , and , with a contrite heart , Sincerely thank their Maker for their part . The jealous sceptic nothing good can see , A praying man ' s a wretched devotee .

His hardened heart forgets its childhood ' s days , And simple prayers and pureness of its ways ;

At home with sin , it revels for a time In its debasement and immoral slime . When sickness comes the wicked are afraid , And call aloud for Great Jehovah's aid ; Their load of guilt now heavy on them wei ghs

, As fitful shades revive their evil clays ; And the last scene no true repentance brings As Death ( their terror ) spreads his darkling wings .

The minds of men refreshed by love and peace , AVith holy calm expect their soul ' s release , And joyful sounds the " ransomed sinner " hears AVhen called to Rest , he quits " the vale of

tears ;" The angel-hosts triumphant shout aloud As the redeemed put off their earthly shroud Ancl bliss divine—eternal joys profound—Await the chosen and the glory-crowned .

And puny man will dare assert his power , Deny his God , aud at his wisdom lower ; 'Tis well for him his littleness to know—The speck he is—an atom here below—AVithin himself to look , for his soul ' s sake , Ancl bid his sleeping conscience quick

awake . The powers of life may wane at any hour , And vaunting man , enfeebled , shake and cower ;

His weakened brain , by sleepless visions worn , Hath frenzy , fear , and such disorders born ; And these malignant things the body wear , Till palsied limbs soon show the evil there . The minddepressed by abject passion ' s

, power , Where gloomy thoughts by day aud nig ht devour The moral goodness of the human heart , Is bent to play the coward ' s cringing part .

Nay , worse , the morbid mind to madness turns , Ancl mutt ' ring melancholy mocks and burns . To some such fate the sceptic hastens on And treads the paths of darkness which anon

“The Masonic Magazine: 1877-04-01, Page 26” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 1 June 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmg/issues/mmg_01041877/page/26/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
"DYBOTS." Article 1
Untitled Article 2
Monthly Masonic Summary. Article 3
EXTRACTS FROM THE MINUTES OF THE ROYAL ARCH CHAPTER OF CONCORD ATTACHED TO THE ANCHOR AND HOPE LODGE, No. 37, BOLTON. Article 4
SONNET. Article 8
LETTER OF BRO. W. J. HUGHAN, OF ENGLAND, TO THE GRAND LODGE OF OHIO. Article 8
AN OLD, OLD STORY. Article 13
THREE CHARGES. Article 14
WONDERS OF OPERATIVE MASONRY. Article 14
ON FATHER FOY'S NOTES. Article 18
A TRIP TO DAI-BUTSU. Article 19
THE HAPPY HOUR. Article 21
NOTES ON THE OLD MINUTE BOOKS OF THE BRITISH UNION LODGE, No. 114, IPSWICH. A.D. 1762. Article 21
THE QUESTION OF THE COLOURED FREEMASONS IN THE UNITED STATES. Article 24
THE JEALOUS SCEPTIC. Article 25
THE LADY MURIEL. Article 27
THE MASSORAH. Article 29
THE BRIGHT SIDE. Article 32
HOPE. Article 33
ON THE EXCESSIVE INFLUENCE OF WOMEM. Article 34
Our Archaeological Corner. Article 39
FREEMASONRY IN FRANCE. Article 40
THE ORIGIN AND REFERENCES OF THE HERMESIAN SPURIOUS FREEMASONRY. Article 43
NOTES ON LITERATURE, SCIENCE AND ART. Article 46
A MASONIC ENIGMA. Article 50
BORN IN MARCH. Article 50
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Page 26

Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

The Jealous Sceptic.

The world was chaos , now ' tis mystery , Except where science speaks philosophy . The little world of boasting self-conceit Is full of paths where spite and envy meet ; And though fair flowers may bloom to please the eye And rills ancl rivulets come sparkling by ,

And tuneful song-birds carol lays of love Among the trees and in the sky above , Man ' s morbid sense no beauty sees , or hears The music ringing in the heavenly spheres . All wrapped in self the egotist but knows That birds do livethere ' s colour in the

, rose , The water trickles when a fountain plays , And glist'ning streams are nature ' s waterways .

His sense of sound ancl si ght is dulled and bleared , No living thing his deadened soul hath cheered ; A misanthrope , a God-forsaken man , So worldly wise that the Creator ' s plan

Of heaven and earth , and all celestial things Is but a myth , or man ' s imaginings . Ancl this is reason , better on the whole Than doctrines taught about the human soul ,

And future pains and punishments for sin Devised by men of pristine origin . A teaching made for bigots ancl for fools , The dupes of priests and proselyting tools . All arch divines are mercenary men , And darkly work their way by voice and pen ;

They aim at power , at riches , and command , Enthrall the weak and decimate the land . A blot on life , ancl warping nature ' s self , Beclouding the unclouded , and for pelf .

1 he man with Reason for his only guide May argue thus , ancl fill himself with pride , And scoff at holy men and heavenly things Till unbelief sad retribution brings . The good can pray , and , with a contrite heart , Sincerely thank their Maker for their part . The jealous sceptic nothing good can see , A praying man ' s a wretched devotee .

His hardened heart forgets its childhood ' s days , And simple prayers and pureness of its ways ;

At home with sin , it revels for a time In its debasement and immoral slime . When sickness comes the wicked are afraid , And call aloud for Great Jehovah's aid ; Their load of guilt now heavy on them wei ghs

, As fitful shades revive their evil clays ; And the last scene no true repentance brings As Death ( their terror ) spreads his darkling wings .

The minds of men refreshed by love and peace , AVith holy calm expect their soul ' s release , And joyful sounds the " ransomed sinner " hears AVhen called to Rest , he quits " the vale of

tears ;" The angel-hosts triumphant shout aloud As the redeemed put off their earthly shroud Ancl bliss divine—eternal joys profound—Await the chosen and the glory-crowned .

And puny man will dare assert his power , Deny his God , aud at his wisdom lower ; 'Tis well for him his littleness to know—The speck he is—an atom here below—AVithin himself to look , for his soul ' s sake , Ancl bid his sleeping conscience quick

awake . The powers of life may wane at any hour , And vaunting man , enfeebled , shake and cower ;

His weakened brain , by sleepless visions worn , Hath frenzy , fear , and such disorders born ; And these malignant things the body wear , Till palsied limbs soon show the evil there . The minddepressed by abject passion ' s

, power , Where gloomy thoughts by day aud nig ht devour The moral goodness of the human heart , Is bent to play the coward ' s cringing part .

Nay , worse , the morbid mind to madness turns , Ancl mutt ' ring melancholy mocks and burns . To some such fate the sceptic hastens on And treads the paths of darkness which anon

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