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Article MS. MASONIC CONSTITUTIONS (OR CHARGES) No. 2. ← Page 3 of 3 Article THE RIGHT HAND OF FELLOWSHIP. Page 1 of 2 →
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Ms. Masonic Constitutions (Or Charges) No. 2.
any other unlawful ! game whereby they may be slandered . 12 . —Alsoe that no Mason shalbe a comon Rybald in Lecherie to make the craft slandered , and that noe fellowe goe into the towne where is a lodge of fcMowes without a fellow with him , that may beare him wittnesse that he was in honest company . 13 . —Alsoe that evry Mr . and fellow come to the
assembly if it be within live miles about him , if lie have any wameing , and to stand at ye rewarde of Maisters and fellowes . li . —Alsoe that evry Maister and fellow if they have trespassed shall stand at the reward of Maisters and fellowes to make them accord ( if they may ) but if they may not , goe to the comon law . 15 . —Alsoe that noe Mason make moulds , square or rule to any rough layers .
1 G . —Alsoe that no Mason set noe laves within a lodge or without to have mould stones with one mould of Iiis workeing . 17 . —Alsoe when the come ovr Ihe countrey to sett them on worke as the maner is ( that is to say ) if they have mould stones in place he shall set him a fortnight in worke at the least and give him his byre , and if there be noe stones for himthen refresh him with
, some money to bring him to the next lodge . 18 . —Alsoe yu shall and every Mason shall serve truely the workes and truely make an end of ye worke , be it taske or journey if yu may have yr pay as yu ought to have . Tunc unus ex senioribus teneat libra et illi vel ille teneat libra et tunc incip . hie
jurare sodales . These charges that wo have rehearsed and all others that belongeth to Masonrie yu shall keepe to the uttermost of yr knowledge soe helpe you be God , and by the contents of this booke .
The Right Hand Of Fellowship.
THE RIGHT HAND OF FELLOWSHIP .
BY JOHN EDWIN MASON , M . D . It has been said by the oldest Masons , that in the early days of Freemasonry in America , visitors Avere Aveleomed in lodges and chapters with the most sincere affection and courtesy . It has been said b
y these oldest Masons now living , that no act of fraternal etiquette was spared to make them understand that they were reall y glad to see them . Visitors Avere greeted with open arms and warm hearts , that showed them that Avherever they travelled
, they found among Masons brethren of the mystic tie Avho were really brothers indeed . Nothing could be more fraternal or cordial than the greeting such bretliren received as they Avere introduced to the lodge-room .
The Master invariably sounded his gavel , and ordered the lodge to take a recess for a few moments , for the purpose of giving the brethren an opportunity of being introduced to the stranger . The Master then took his position beside the visitor , and introduced each member of his lodge by
name ; and thus , in a true fraternal spirit a Masonic acquaintance commenced . Tho brethren , surrounding the visitor , made his stay agreeable in tho lodge ; and when the lodge was closed , all partook of substantial refreshments , and pledged friendship and love as united in the bonds of
brotherhood . If the A'isitor remained a few days in the place , the brethren AVO old call the next and succeeding days at his hotel , and would try to make him happy , and destroy the monotony of life among strangers by all those acts of courtesy and fraternal friendship
which make the time pass pleasantly . When strangers settled in the place , their first business seemed to be to make the visiting brothers acquainted Avith the toAvn and its inhabitants ; and thus enter on life in a now place under the comforting auspices of
the brethren of the Masonic fraternity . If a brother from abroad was taken sick , not only was a proper physician procured , but Avatchers and nurses Avere provided , and brothers visited the bedside so often , that the visiting brother could Avant neither care nov comfort nor attendance . And
when death claimed the visitor , his remains Avould be taken to the loved ones at home with that tender and loving solicitude that characterizes the true Mason from . the heartless and ignorant pretender . All this has changed ! Masonry remains the same in its ritual and its principles ;
but that individual responsibility that each Mason has pledged to another is fast rusting and dying out . Unless it is stopped at once , it Avill entirely change the character of the Order we lovo and cherish .
Selfishness , conceit , ambition , and avarice Avill take the place of love , charity , and disinterested friendship . In no Avay can this change be so surely felt as travelling among Masons and visiting lodges at the present clay . In small towns and sparselsettled communitiesthe
visity , ing Mason may yet receive a cordial Avelcome ; but in all our large cities he will not . The visiting brother applies at the ante *
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ms. Masonic Constitutions (Or Charges) No. 2.
any other unlawful ! game whereby they may be slandered . 12 . —Alsoe that no Mason shalbe a comon Rybald in Lecherie to make the craft slandered , and that noe fellowe goe into the towne where is a lodge of fcMowes without a fellow with him , that may beare him wittnesse that he was in honest company . 13 . —Alsoe that evry Mr . and fellow come to the
assembly if it be within live miles about him , if lie have any wameing , and to stand at ye rewarde of Maisters and fellowes . li . —Alsoe that evry Maister and fellow if they have trespassed shall stand at the reward of Maisters and fellowes to make them accord ( if they may ) but if they may not , goe to the comon law . 15 . —Alsoe that noe Mason make moulds , square or rule to any rough layers .
1 G . —Alsoe that no Mason set noe laves within a lodge or without to have mould stones with one mould of Iiis workeing . 17 . —Alsoe when the come ovr Ihe countrey to sett them on worke as the maner is ( that is to say ) if they have mould stones in place he shall set him a fortnight in worke at the least and give him his byre , and if there be noe stones for himthen refresh him with
, some money to bring him to the next lodge . 18 . —Alsoe yu shall and every Mason shall serve truely the workes and truely make an end of ye worke , be it taske or journey if yu may have yr pay as yu ought to have . Tunc unus ex senioribus teneat libra et illi vel ille teneat libra et tunc incip . hie
jurare sodales . These charges that wo have rehearsed and all others that belongeth to Masonrie yu shall keepe to the uttermost of yr knowledge soe helpe you be God , and by the contents of this booke .
The Right Hand Of Fellowship.
THE RIGHT HAND OF FELLOWSHIP .
BY JOHN EDWIN MASON , M . D . It has been said by the oldest Masons , that in the early days of Freemasonry in America , visitors Avere Aveleomed in lodges and chapters with the most sincere affection and courtesy . It has been said b
y these oldest Masons now living , that no act of fraternal etiquette was spared to make them understand that they were reall y glad to see them . Visitors Avere greeted with open arms and warm hearts , that showed them that Avherever they travelled
, they found among Masons brethren of the mystic tie Avho were really brothers indeed . Nothing could be more fraternal or cordial than the greeting such bretliren received as they Avere introduced to the lodge-room .
The Master invariably sounded his gavel , and ordered the lodge to take a recess for a few moments , for the purpose of giving the brethren an opportunity of being introduced to the stranger . The Master then took his position beside the visitor , and introduced each member of his lodge by
name ; and thus , in a true fraternal spirit a Masonic acquaintance commenced . Tho brethren , surrounding the visitor , made his stay agreeable in tho lodge ; and when the lodge was closed , all partook of substantial refreshments , and pledged friendship and love as united in the bonds of
brotherhood . If the A'isitor remained a few days in the place , the brethren AVO old call the next and succeeding days at his hotel , and would try to make him happy , and destroy the monotony of life among strangers by all those acts of courtesy and fraternal friendship
which make the time pass pleasantly . When strangers settled in the place , their first business seemed to be to make the visiting brothers acquainted Avith the toAvn and its inhabitants ; and thus enter on life in a now place under the comforting auspices of
the brethren of the Masonic fraternity . If a brother from abroad was taken sick , not only was a proper physician procured , but Avatchers and nurses Avere provided , and brothers visited the bedside so often , that the visiting brother could Avant neither care nov comfort nor attendance . And
when death claimed the visitor , his remains Avould be taken to the loved ones at home with that tender and loving solicitude that characterizes the true Mason from . the heartless and ignorant pretender . All this has changed ! Masonry remains the same in its ritual and its principles ;
but that individual responsibility that each Mason has pledged to another is fast rusting and dying out . Unless it is stopped at once , it Avill entirely change the character of the Order we lovo and cherish .
Selfishness , conceit , ambition , and avarice Avill take the place of love , charity , and disinterested friendship . In no Avay can this change be so surely felt as travelling among Masons and visiting lodges at the present clay . In small towns and sparselsettled communitiesthe
visity , ing Mason may yet receive a cordial Avelcome ; but in all our large cities he will not . The visiting brother applies at the ante *