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Article M^SOKBS: 4^ TO ← Page 3 of 8 →
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M^Sokbs: 4^ To
centuries , she ranges beneath her banner a larger and a goodlier host than at any preceding period of her history— -all this is not only a glory to her in itself but is a proof beyon foundation sound , her struck perfect of w ^ re ^ The disappointed and
hutrian symp ^ hies a ^ poet , the drearn of ^ consecrated gromd of a , Masorts Lodge , I would say ^ does hot Masonry tell us tliat these are > the realities ^ and dross tUl the pure gram careful indther , appeal to the best feelings of oiir nature ^ and strive by cultivation of th ^ rn to destroy
For which purpose she has laid do love , and belief ^ Truth , viz ., the written ^ and u ^ in the inspired contents o ations and intuM High > Truth absolute ? arid intact , 1 sfc ^ as regards the Giver of the law ; 2 nd , a $ regards the law its
can no more exist w the air we breathe . It is the cement which binds together the whole fabric of Masonry and when an Individual ceases to regard Truth he is no longer a Mason for M be tampered with by Masonry herself , her day s would be numbered ^ arid her destruction nig h *
Brotherly love— -because it is the essence of every scheme of religion , and every system of morality ; a , nd y ^ is the ctyann of the Greek , the charity of the Christian , and the distinguishing and pre ^ erninent quality of ^ te nearness to Him . It is" to think no guile , to speak no evil , to do no wrong to any one in the world , to enwrap our brother in our sympathies as in a thick cloud , to sheltei * hini from the blight Of calumny , to ward off the attacks
of the open enemy and the insidious foe . It is the great corrective against all that is base , mean , and selfish . It teaches that man does not live for himself alone ; that , as a member of society , he has many spheres of duty which can be faithfully dischai'ged only in the spirit of charity . , It has its blessings and reward here in the gratitude of those on whom its gentle influence has fallen as the sunbeain on the ripening grain , or the
dew on the droughty earth ; in the love of those with whom its life is spent ; and in the respect of the wise arid good . And hereafter—eternal as the God from whotn it sprang—it will be perfected in the x * ealms of everlasting love , and form the burden of that glowing strain , and the key-note of that surpassing harmony , which shall resound through the universe for ever . And that we should not confine ourselves to any theory , however sublime , she lays her foundation on Relief—not only that almsgiving which affects the purse , but such relief as time , labour , thought , self-sacrifice , and inconvenience can bestow on our less fortunate fellow-creatures . She knows
that the active discharge of every-day duties best forms the characters which should belong to those who profess her doctrines , and that those who best fulfil those kindly offices will gain the keenest insight into her mysteries . And so , whilst worshipping the sanctity of Truth , and nourishing , as it were , our whole spiritual being on brotherly love , she bids us do justly and love mercy . Is it wonderful that , built on such a foundation . Masonry has endured so long % Is it not rather certain that , if her sons be true to her , Masonry will not cease from the earth till the G . A . O . TMJ . shall bid tjxe new creation rise from the ruins of this lower world ?
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
M^Sokbs: 4^ To
centuries , she ranges beneath her banner a larger and a goodlier host than at any preceding period of her history— -all this is not only a glory to her in itself but is a proof beyon foundation sound , her struck perfect of w ^ re ^ The disappointed and
hutrian symp ^ hies a ^ poet , the drearn of ^ consecrated gromd of a , Masorts Lodge , I would say ^ does hot Masonry tell us tliat these are > the realities ^ and dross tUl the pure gram careful indther , appeal to the best feelings of oiir nature ^ and strive by cultivation of th ^ rn to destroy
For which purpose she has laid do love , and belief ^ Truth , viz ., the written ^ and u ^ in the inspired contents o ations and intuM High > Truth absolute ? arid intact , 1 sfc ^ as regards the Giver of the law ; 2 nd , a $ regards the law its
can no more exist w the air we breathe . It is the cement which binds together the whole fabric of Masonry and when an Individual ceases to regard Truth he is no longer a Mason for M be tampered with by Masonry herself , her day s would be numbered ^ arid her destruction nig h *
Brotherly love— -because it is the essence of every scheme of religion , and every system of morality ; a , nd y ^ is the ctyann of the Greek , the charity of the Christian , and the distinguishing and pre ^ erninent quality of ^ te nearness to Him . It is" to think no guile , to speak no evil , to do no wrong to any one in the world , to enwrap our brother in our sympathies as in a thick cloud , to sheltei * hini from the blight Of calumny , to ward off the attacks
of the open enemy and the insidious foe . It is the great corrective against all that is base , mean , and selfish . It teaches that man does not live for himself alone ; that , as a member of society , he has many spheres of duty which can be faithfully dischai'ged only in the spirit of charity . , It has its blessings and reward here in the gratitude of those on whom its gentle influence has fallen as the sunbeain on the ripening grain , or the
dew on the droughty earth ; in the love of those with whom its life is spent ; and in the respect of the wise arid good . And hereafter—eternal as the God from whotn it sprang—it will be perfected in the x * ealms of everlasting love , and form the burden of that glowing strain , and the key-note of that surpassing harmony , which shall resound through the universe for ever . And that we should not confine ourselves to any theory , however sublime , she lays her foundation on Relief—not only that almsgiving which affects the purse , but such relief as time , labour , thought , self-sacrifice , and inconvenience can bestow on our less fortunate fellow-creatures . She knows
that the active discharge of every-day duties best forms the characters which should belong to those who profess her doctrines , and that those who best fulfil those kindly offices will gain the keenest insight into her mysteries . And so , whilst worshipping the sanctity of Truth , and nourishing , as it were , our whole spiritual being on brotherly love , she bids us do justly and love mercy . Is it wonderful that , built on such a foundation . Masonry has endured so long % Is it not rather certain that , if her sons be true to her , Masonry will not cease from the earth till the G . A . O . TMJ . shall bid tjxe new creation rise from the ruins of this lower world ?