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Article THE MASONIC PHILOSOPHY. ← Page 2 of 2
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The Masonic Philosophy.
doctrine that man is immortal . Aside from these two principles it makes DO demands upon the credulity of its membership of faith in anything belonging to speculative philosophy . Its aims are practical and conservative , having more
particular reference to personal duties and relative obligations than to any of the theological theories of ancient or modern times . It knows no church and ignores none . Its members are gathered from all communionsfrom all religious faithsand
, , from all grades of men of good report . It constitutionally declares in favour of the most liberal forms of moral government , as well as for the most liberal recognition of man ' s universal brotherhood . What it is in faith it aims to be in
practice , a society of hitman reliance , of brotherly love , relief and truth . It knows no nationality , claims no sectionality , and never for a moment disdains any man on account of his religious or theological notions . And yet it always looks at the man , and if he is honourable in lifeguarding his
in-, tegrity , walking in the line of his obligations , and useful among his fellow-men , he is set clown as being worthy of the brotherhood and counted a true Mason .
The fact that he is a Hebrew does not unchristianize him , and the fact that he is a Christian does not in any sense militate against his character . Once made a Mason by the mystic rites of his obligations , he is ever afterwards the vice-regent of his own lifeand the obligated brother
, of every true Mason . He then belongs to the family of man in a sense he never did before . A believer in God , he is man ' s friend as well as the obligated guardian of himself , tie knows no divisions in the human famil
y and no good reasons why he should proscribe any man for his faith , his religion , his polities , or his nationality . He worships God by serving his fellowmen , aud glorifies his Maker b y being true to bis creatures . Honest in life , gentle in it
s PU' , faithful in his relationships , and full 01 the spirit of toleration and charity ; he Js the peer of the best , the full equal of Tr Mothers , and the true representative of " ^ ncient and honourable body . Ihis , and all this , we say of him , not Because he has been initiated into the ea ° f the fraternity in some lodge room
but because he is made acquainted with the true theory of personal and moral government . That which is his duty he performs , and that which the sectarian' too often condemns he toleratesfor he asks no man his
, faith , or his religion , or his politics . Trained in this school , man becomes conservative , liberal and humane . They fear God as the son fears his father , and they know that they cannot do otherwise and be true to themselves or their fellowmen .
Devotion to to the Great Father of _ 1 is manifested by them not in creeds or 1 n ceremonies or relationships , but in the exercise of true charity to their fellow-men . They are too well educated to believe that mere songs , or prayers , or lodge ceremonies
can answer the place of liberality or charity , and they know from the teachings of the simplest Masonic lessons that God only is worshipped in grace and truth , where man is served in sympathy and love . Thisindeedis the order of the
, , divine government , as it is plainly made known in the Holy Writings , and it is this that gives to the craft the divine authority to act as the conservators of suffering humanity in every country and dime under the whole heavens .
On this basis its philosophy is built , and on it rests its prestige , with all that it proposes for the benefit and blessing of men . It pretends to no moral monopoly and lays no claims to any superiority over any other institution .
What it has done belongs to the history of owv race , and what it is , in its genius , its labours and humane influences , it leaves without fear or favour to the
ultimate judgment of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords . The divine government is the only rule of its principles , as it is also of its appeals for the right . With these broad and liberal views it
has erected its lodges among the nations of the earth , and silently worked its way alongside of all other organisms , without jealousy or the spirit of competitiveness or a single instance of persecution of any contemporary power . Thus founded and
thus governed , it has kept its march amid the melancholy ruins of ages — the grandest mystic body the world has ever known . X
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Masonic Philosophy.
doctrine that man is immortal . Aside from these two principles it makes DO demands upon the credulity of its membership of faith in anything belonging to speculative philosophy . Its aims are practical and conservative , having more
particular reference to personal duties and relative obligations than to any of the theological theories of ancient or modern times . It knows no church and ignores none . Its members are gathered from all communionsfrom all religious faithsand
, , from all grades of men of good report . It constitutionally declares in favour of the most liberal forms of moral government , as well as for the most liberal recognition of man ' s universal brotherhood . What it is in faith it aims to be in
practice , a society of hitman reliance , of brotherly love , relief and truth . It knows no nationality , claims no sectionality , and never for a moment disdains any man on account of his religious or theological notions . And yet it always looks at the man , and if he is honourable in lifeguarding his
in-, tegrity , walking in the line of his obligations , and useful among his fellow-men , he is set clown as being worthy of the brotherhood and counted a true Mason .
The fact that he is a Hebrew does not unchristianize him , and the fact that he is a Christian does not in any sense militate against his character . Once made a Mason by the mystic rites of his obligations , he is ever afterwards the vice-regent of his own lifeand the obligated brother
, of every true Mason . He then belongs to the family of man in a sense he never did before . A believer in God , he is man ' s friend as well as the obligated guardian of himself , tie knows no divisions in the human famil
y and no good reasons why he should proscribe any man for his faith , his religion , his polities , or his nationality . He worships God by serving his fellowmen , aud glorifies his Maker b y being true to bis creatures . Honest in life , gentle in it
s PU' , faithful in his relationships , and full 01 the spirit of toleration and charity ; he Js the peer of the best , the full equal of Tr Mothers , and the true representative of " ^ ncient and honourable body . Ihis , and all this , we say of him , not Because he has been initiated into the ea ° f the fraternity in some lodge room
but because he is made acquainted with the true theory of personal and moral government . That which is his duty he performs , and that which the sectarian' too often condemns he toleratesfor he asks no man his
, faith , or his religion , or his politics . Trained in this school , man becomes conservative , liberal and humane . They fear God as the son fears his father , and they know that they cannot do otherwise and be true to themselves or their fellowmen .
Devotion to to the Great Father of _ 1 is manifested by them not in creeds or 1 n ceremonies or relationships , but in the exercise of true charity to their fellow-men . They are too well educated to believe that mere songs , or prayers , or lodge ceremonies
can answer the place of liberality or charity , and they know from the teachings of the simplest Masonic lessons that God only is worshipped in grace and truth , where man is served in sympathy and love . Thisindeedis the order of the
, , divine government , as it is plainly made known in the Holy Writings , and it is this that gives to the craft the divine authority to act as the conservators of suffering humanity in every country and dime under the whole heavens .
On this basis its philosophy is built , and on it rests its prestige , with all that it proposes for the benefit and blessing of men . It pretends to no moral monopoly and lays no claims to any superiority over any other institution .
What it has done belongs to the history of owv race , and what it is , in its genius , its labours and humane influences , it leaves without fear or favour to the
ultimate judgment of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords . The divine government is the only rule of its principles , as it is also of its appeals for the right . With these broad and liberal views it
has erected its lodges among the nations of the earth , and silently worked its way alongside of all other organisms , without jealousy or the spirit of competitiveness or a single instance of persecution of any contemporary power . Thus founded and
thus governed , it has kept its march amid the melancholy ruins of ages — the grandest mystic body the world has ever known . X