-
Articles/Ads
Article M^SOKBS: 4^ TO ← Page 4 of 8 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
M^Sokbs: 4^ To
Srich are the glories of Masonry truth and love compel the faithfuhM evils which defile our Lod glory we must turn to the vanity of Masonry . 1 st . There is ^ I ^ g indolence disgusting in any relations of life , but among Masons peculiarly arid
disgraceful ; This is why our instruction schools are emp ^ , ^ Lodges irreyereritly ^ ur ^^ jgnorantly conducted . It rnust be reformed root . " .. arid branch , and the duties of high offi tipon the good-nature of some friendly brother , or what i ^ gated to some professional hireling .- ^ E do his Own Work , theri what a well-instrticted there be . Our ceremonial would then be interesting and impressive ; not asit too often is- ^ -dull , lifeless , atrid ridiculous .
2 nd . There is too great a love of orriatnent , arid then too much of a system most unmasonic , which w ^ rich man ' s Imury rather than , the poor man s consolaMgri . Masonry is of the heart ; and if he who has passed through all the < % ^ too !—be not a Mason unless its real secrets be im ^ liow much less is he number of his jewels , the breadth of his riband , or the brillm Oh , vanity of vanities l ^ -is not this to whiten the sepulchre and pi ace the wreath on the dead man ' s skull ? Does it not tell us that earnestness and truth are
passing away from us , that the tone of our morality is deteriorating , arid that our iritelleOtual positibri is degraded ? Arid 3 rd . The love of feasting is too rife amongst us . Of course , as Brethren , we miist cultivate the delights of social arid convivial intercourse ; but is it well to carry it to such an extent that the exterior world believes banqueting and revelry to be the mainspring of our Order , and rank us merely as a first-class benefit club ? Do we not exclude many men who
would be ornaments to our Order , from the expense which these entertainments and jewels would involve ? Would it not be well to see more of the u feast of reason and the flow of soul , " less of the symposium and the banquet ? Should we not be better in ourselves , and more highly thought of in the world , if we had more labour and somewhat less refreshment ? And , lastly , as might be expected from these evils , merit now is unrecognized and unrewarded .
Is it not shocking that the quiet , simple discharge of a man ' s Masonic duties should fail to advance him in an Order whose watchwords are equality and justice— -that fitness should be a thing of nought—that [ money and position should be the passports to preferment among modern Masons ? The good old doctrine of " detur meliori" ( let the best have it ) is translated in a mammon-worshipping generation—let wealth , position , and favouritism be the steps by which a man shall be advanced in Masonry .
This is a sore evil ; it not only fills Masonry with men incapable of discharging their duties and unworthy of their position , but it paralyzes the rising generation . And by excluding worth , energy , and . earnestness from the benefits of patronage , it exposes Masonry to the suspicions and jeers of the world , and impairs the love and confidence with which her own initiates should regard her . One consolation is , that Masonry is
recovering from her slumber ; that these things will not be long unreformed . In an age of energy and progress like ours , Masonry will not be content to lag behind . She ' will be up and doing , will look her abuses boldly in the face , will cast from her the soiled garment of sloth and selfishness , and robe herself in her own garb of purity . In this great work , Brethren , you and I must take our part ; we must TOL . IV . I
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
M^Sokbs: 4^ To
Srich are the glories of Masonry truth and love compel the faithfuhM evils which defile our Lod glory we must turn to the vanity of Masonry . 1 st . There is ^ I ^ g indolence disgusting in any relations of life , but among Masons peculiarly arid
disgraceful ; This is why our instruction schools are emp ^ , ^ Lodges irreyereritly ^ ur ^^ jgnorantly conducted . It rnust be reformed root . " .. arid branch , and the duties of high offi tipon the good-nature of some friendly brother , or what i ^ gated to some professional hireling .- ^ E do his Own Work , theri what a well-instrticted there be . Our ceremonial would then be interesting and impressive ; not asit too often is- ^ -dull , lifeless , atrid ridiculous .
2 nd . There is too great a love of orriatnent , arid then too much of a system most unmasonic , which w ^ rich man ' s Imury rather than , the poor man s consolaMgri . Masonry is of the heart ; and if he who has passed through all the < % ^ too !—be not a Mason unless its real secrets be im ^ liow much less is he number of his jewels , the breadth of his riband , or the brillm Oh , vanity of vanities l ^ -is not this to whiten the sepulchre and pi ace the wreath on the dead man ' s skull ? Does it not tell us that earnestness and truth are
passing away from us , that the tone of our morality is deteriorating , arid that our iritelleOtual positibri is degraded ? Arid 3 rd . The love of feasting is too rife amongst us . Of course , as Brethren , we miist cultivate the delights of social arid convivial intercourse ; but is it well to carry it to such an extent that the exterior world believes banqueting and revelry to be the mainspring of our Order , and rank us merely as a first-class benefit club ? Do we not exclude many men who
would be ornaments to our Order , from the expense which these entertainments and jewels would involve ? Would it not be well to see more of the u feast of reason and the flow of soul , " less of the symposium and the banquet ? Should we not be better in ourselves , and more highly thought of in the world , if we had more labour and somewhat less refreshment ? And , lastly , as might be expected from these evils , merit now is unrecognized and unrewarded .
Is it not shocking that the quiet , simple discharge of a man ' s Masonic duties should fail to advance him in an Order whose watchwords are equality and justice— -that fitness should be a thing of nought—that [ money and position should be the passports to preferment among modern Masons ? The good old doctrine of " detur meliori" ( let the best have it ) is translated in a mammon-worshipping generation—let wealth , position , and favouritism be the steps by which a man shall be advanced in Masonry .
This is a sore evil ; it not only fills Masonry with men incapable of discharging their duties and unworthy of their position , but it paralyzes the rising generation . And by excluding worth , energy , and . earnestness from the benefits of patronage , it exposes Masonry to the suspicions and jeers of the world , and impairs the love and confidence with which her own initiates should regard her . One consolation is , that Masonry is
recovering from her slumber ; that these things will not be long unreformed . In an age of energy and progress like ours , Masonry will not be content to lag behind . She ' will be up and doing , will look her abuses boldly in the face , will cast from her the soiled garment of sloth and selfishness , and robe herself in her own garb of purity . In this great work , Brethren , you and I must take our part ; we must TOL . IV . I