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Article FBEEMASONRY ILLUSTRATED. ← Page 3 of 16 →
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Fbeemasonry Illustrated.
1 u Possessed of this amiable , this godlike disposition , Masons are shocked at misery , under every form and appearance . When they behold an object pining under the miseries of a distressed body or mind , the healing accents which flow from the tongue mitigate the pain of the unhappy sufferer , and make even adversity , in its dismal state , look gay . When pity
is excited , the Mason will assuage grief , and cheerfully relieve distress . If a Brother be in want , every heart is moved ; when he is hungry , we feed him ; when he is naked , we clothe him ; when he is in trouble , we fly to his reliefs Thus we confirm the propriety of the title we bear ; and convince the world at large that Brother , among Masons , is more than the name . "
The principles above enunciated are , to a great extent , though not to the extent we desire , and which we shall ever labour to attain , developed by our benevolent institutions . It is not necessary for us to allude to these institutions further in this article than to say that they provide for the exigencies of every stage of life ; through them weeducate and clothe the young ; we provide annuities , and an asylum in the decline of life , for the distressed brethren and their widows ; whilst , for the relief of casual and sudden calamity , we have an income , administered through the Board of Benevolence , of
something like £ 4 , 000 a-year . The Eev . Bro . JFawcett says : " Charity is a complete and consistent thing . It is not a segment , but a circle . Its affections stream from (> od , their centre ; all mankind compose their circumference ; they go forth not only in one , but in all directions , towards the production of others good . "
In carrying out the principles of charity to their full and legitimate extent , the Brethren are enjoined , as we shall hereafter show in our lectures , ever to bear in mind and act upon the dictates of brotherly love , relief , and truth ; the first rendering us affectionate , the second generous , and the third just . Masonry , as it at present exists , is described as of two denominations—operative and speculative ; and upon the latter it is that our Order is founded . On this subject , we read in Preston : —
" By the former , we allude to a proper application of the useful rules of architecture , whence a structure derives figure , strength , and beauty ; and whence result a due proportion and a just correspondence in all its parts . By the latter , we learn to rule and direct the passions , act upon the square , keep a tongue of good report , maintain secrecy , practise charity , and every other virtue that can adorn the man .
" Speculative Masonry is so far interwoven with religion , as to lay us under the strongest obligations to pay that rational homage to the Deity which at once constitutes our duty and our happiness . It leads the contemplative to view with reverence and admiration the glorious works of creation , and inspires them with the most exalted ideas of the perfections
of the divine Creator . Operative Masonry furnishes us with dwellings , and convenient shelter from the inclemencies of seasons ; and whilst it displays the effects of human wisdom , as well in the choice as in the arrangement of the materials of which an edifice is composed , it demonstrates that a fund of science and industry is implanted in man , for the best , most salutary , and beneficent purposes . L 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Fbeemasonry Illustrated.
1 u Possessed of this amiable , this godlike disposition , Masons are shocked at misery , under every form and appearance . When they behold an object pining under the miseries of a distressed body or mind , the healing accents which flow from the tongue mitigate the pain of the unhappy sufferer , and make even adversity , in its dismal state , look gay . When pity
is excited , the Mason will assuage grief , and cheerfully relieve distress . If a Brother be in want , every heart is moved ; when he is hungry , we feed him ; when he is naked , we clothe him ; when he is in trouble , we fly to his reliefs Thus we confirm the propriety of the title we bear ; and convince the world at large that Brother , among Masons , is more than the name . "
The principles above enunciated are , to a great extent , though not to the extent we desire , and which we shall ever labour to attain , developed by our benevolent institutions . It is not necessary for us to allude to these institutions further in this article than to say that they provide for the exigencies of every stage of life ; through them weeducate and clothe the young ; we provide annuities , and an asylum in the decline of life , for the distressed brethren and their widows ; whilst , for the relief of casual and sudden calamity , we have an income , administered through the Board of Benevolence , of
something like £ 4 , 000 a-year . The Eev . Bro . JFawcett says : " Charity is a complete and consistent thing . It is not a segment , but a circle . Its affections stream from (> od , their centre ; all mankind compose their circumference ; they go forth not only in one , but in all directions , towards the production of others good . "
In carrying out the principles of charity to their full and legitimate extent , the Brethren are enjoined , as we shall hereafter show in our lectures , ever to bear in mind and act upon the dictates of brotherly love , relief , and truth ; the first rendering us affectionate , the second generous , and the third just . Masonry , as it at present exists , is described as of two denominations—operative and speculative ; and upon the latter it is that our Order is founded . On this subject , we read in Preston : —
" By the former , we allude to a proper application of the useful rules of architecture , whence a structure derives figure , strength , and beauty ; and whence result a due proportion and a just correspondence in all its parts . By the latter , we learn to rule and direct the passions , act upon the square , keep a tongue of good report , maintain secrecy , practise charity , and every other virtue that can adorn the man .
" Speculative Masonry is so far interwoven with religion , as to lay us under the strongest obligations to pay that rational homage to the Deity which at once constitutes our duty and our happiness . It leads the contemplative to view with reverence and admiration the glorious works of creation , and inspires them with the most exalted ideas of the perfections
of the divine Creator . Operative Masonry furnishes us with dwellings , and convenient shelter from the inclemencies of seasons ; and whilst it displays the effects of human wisdom , as well in the choice as in the arrangement of the materials of which an edifice is composed , it demonstrates that a fund of science and industry is implanted in man , for the best , most salutary , and beneficent purposes . L 2