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Article "LABOUR AND REFRESHMENT." Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
"Labour And Refreshment."
" LABOUR AND REFRESHMENT /
AN ADDRESS BY BR 0 . THE REV . JOHN KINGSTON , BISHOP COSIN E S HALL , DURHAM Fellow Masons , —The time is , indeed , come when the Brethren must apply themselves in earnest to the work of reformation . "Undeterred by the apathy which overspreads the Craft generally ,
those of us who realize their solemn responsibilities and value their important privileges , must beware of shrinking from the former or of abusing the latter . That the privileges of the Order have been conferred on the unworthy , and that as a consequence the responsibilities attaching , to those privileges have been disregarded , is undeniable . Such a state of things must surely cause grief and pain to us ; but rectify them we eventually will , provided we invite to us as auxiliaries ,
Temperance , Fortitude , Frudence , and Justice . Now it is on the first of these virtues I would take the liberty of specially addressing you . It is , you must be aware , a prevalent opinion , though , I need not say , a most unfounded one , that Masonic Lodges are mere convivial meetings , around which the veil of mystery is thrown , for the purpose of unrestrained indulgence in wine-bibbing and revelry . It was only this day I met with the following passage from Dr . Macnish ,
quoted in " The Glass and its Victims , " by Samuel Laird , M . D . : " Let the frequenter of drinking clubs , Masonic Lodges , and other bacchanalian assemblages ; , leave off attending these places ; and , if he must drink , let him do so at home , where there is every likelihood his potations will be less liberal . " Palse and calumnious as this reflection on our Craft is , I should not have noticed it , but that I consider it an exponent of the
estimation in which we are held by too many of the uninitiated , whose good-will and respect it would be both our duty and our interest to cultivate and maintain . And , indeed , to speak candidly , we are , I think , ourselves somewhat blame able in this matter ; for why should we not at once , with true Masonic " fortitude , " cut down this root of bitterness , and remove the stumbling-block by which so many of " the poor , pitiable uninitiated " are tripped up ? And sure I am , that no Brother who has the real interests of Masonry at
heart , will ever regret the exercise of that self-denial which , with the blessing of the G . A . O . T . U ., would be instrumental in producing the following supremely important ^ results : — Firstly . —The removal of general prejudice above alluded to . Secondl y . —The repulsion of such of the uninitiated as are influenced by unworthy motives to seek admission into the Order , and "whose lives , after their initiation , give the lie to the pure and noble princi ples which they profess ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
"Labour And Refreshment."
" LABOUR AND REFRESHMENT /
AN ADDRESS BY BR 0 . THE REV . JOHN KINGSTON , BISHOP COSIN E S HALL , DURHAM Fellow Masons , —The time is , indeed , come when the Brethren must apply themselves in earnest to the work of reformation . "Undeterred by the apathy which overspreads the Craft generally ,
those of us who realize their solemn responsibilities and value their important privileges , must beware of shrinking from the former or of abusing the latter . That the privileges of the Order have been conferred on the unworthy , and that as a consequence the responsibilities attaching , to those privileges have been disregarded , is undeniable . Such a state of things must surely cause grief and pain to us ; but rectify them we eventually will , provided we invite to us as auxiliaries ,
Temperance , Fortitude , Frudence , and Justice . Now it is on the first of these virtues I would take the liberty of specially addressing you . It is , you must be aware , a prevalent opinion , though , I need not say , a most unfounded one , that Masonic Lodges are mere convivial meetings , around which the veil of mystery is thrown , for the purpose of unrestrained indulgence in wine-bibbing and revelry . It was only this day I met with the following passage from Dr . Macnish ,
quoted in " The Glass and its Victims , " by Samuel Laird , M . D . : " Let the frequenter of drinking clubs , Masonic Lodges , and other bacchanalian assemblages ; , leave off attending these places ; and , if he must drink , let him do so at home , where there is every likelihood his potations will be less liberal . " Palse and calumnious as this reflection on our Craft is , I should not have noticed it , but that I consider it an exponent of the
estimation in which we are held by too many of the uninitiated , whose good-will and respect it would be both our duty and our interest to cultivate and maintain . And , indeed , to speak candidly , we are , I think , ourselves somewhat blame able in this matter ; for why should we not at once , with true Masonic " fortitude , " cut down this root of bitterness , and remove the stumbling-block by which so many of " the poor , pitiable uninitiated " are tripped up ? And sure I am , that no Brother who has the real interests of Masonry at
heart , will ever regret the exercise of that self-denial which , with the blessing of the G . A . O . T . U ., would be instrumental in producing the following supremely important ^ results : — Firstly . —The removal of general prejudice above alluded to . Secondl y . —The repulsion of such of the uninitiated as are influenced by unworthy motives to seek admission into the Order , and "whose lives , after their initiation , give the lie to the pure and noble princi ples which they profess ,