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Article FBEEMASONRY ILLUSTRATED. ← Page 5 of 16 →
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Fbeemasonry Illustrated.
of that limit or division where such Lodge is kept . '' And again : — "No person shall be made or accepted a Freemason , unless , " & c . A Lodge is generally understood to be the room in which a regularly-constituted body of Freemasons assembles for the purposes connected with the Institution . The term is also used to designate
the collection of Masons thus assembled , just as we use the word " church " to signify the building in which a congregation of worshippers meet , as well as the congregation itself . Ragon says that the word "Lodge" is derived from the Sanscrit loga , which signifies the loorld . Our lectures define a Lodge to be an assembly of Masons , just-, perfect , and regular , who are met together to expatiate on the
beauties and mysteries of the Order , lb is just , because it contains the volume of the Sacred Law unfolded ; perfect , from its numbers , every order of Masons being virtually present by its representatives , to ratify and confirm its proceedings ; and regular , from its warrant of constitution , which implies that it meets and works under the sanction of the Grand Master of the country in which the Lodge is held . A Lodge-room should always , if possible , be situated due east and west . Its form should be that of a parallelogram or oblong square .
The approaches should be angular , for Oliver says , — "A straight entrance is un-Masonic . " There should be two ante-rooms adjoining it , the one nearest being the preparation room , and the outer the Tyler ' s room . Symbolically , a Mason ' s Lodge is a representation of the world . Its clouded canopy is an emblem of those mansions of unutterable bliss where the Grrajid Master of the universe for ever reigns , whose all-seeing eye beholds , with unceasing complacency , the efforts of His creatures , to do His will . To that abode of the blessed the
Mason is taught to aspire , while the path is indicated by the theological ladder , whose principal rounds are faith , hope , and charity . The sun , —the eternal fountain of light , the unwearied ruler of the day , shines in the Lodge , a bright exponent of the great Creator ' s power ; while the moon—the glorious orb of night , repeats the lesson of Divine munificence . Here , too , we are taught that the vast
universe over which this omnipotence presides , was no work of chance , but that its foundations were laid in wisdom , supported by strength , and adorned with beauty . And as the presence of the Almighty illuminates with refulgent splendour the most distant recesses of the
universe , so is the Lodge enlightened by the presence of His revealed will . And hence the Bible , as it is of all lights the most pure , is to the Mason most indispensable . And , finalty , as this world , vast in its extent and complicated in its motions , is governed and regulated with unceasing concord and harmony—so is the Lodge controlled and directed by the
same spirit of peace , which , emanating from the exercise of brotherly love , relief , and truth , reaps its fruits in universal charity . Having thus far defined the objects of the Institution , the qualifications of its members , and the form of the Lodge—we shall in our next article proceed to illustrate the mode of obtaining a charter , and the opening and consecration of a new Lodge ,
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Fbeemasonry Illustrated.
of that limit or division where such Lodge is kept . '' And again : — "No person shall be made or accepted a Freemason , unless , " & c . A Lodge is generally understood to be the room in which a regularly-constituted body of Freemasons assembles for the purposes connected with the Institution . The term is also used to designate
the collection of Masons thus assembled , just as we use the word " church " to signify the building in which a congregation of worshippers meet , as well as the congregation itself . Ragon says that the word "Lodge" is derived from the Sanscrit loga , which signifies the loorld . Our lectures define a Lodge to be an assembly of Masons , just-, perfect , and regular , who are met together to expatiate on the
beauties and mysteries of the Order , lb is just , because it contains the volume of the Sacred Law unfolded ; perfect , from its numbers , every order of Masons being virtually present by its representatives , to ratify and confirm its proceedings ; and regular , from its warrant of constitution , which implies that it meets and works under the sanction of the Grand Master of the country in which the Lodge is held . A Lodge-room should always , if possible , be situated due east and west . Its form should be that of a parallelogram or oblong square .
The approaches should be angular , for Oliver says , — "A straight entrance is un-Masonic . " There should be two ante-rooms adjoining it , the one nearest being the preparation room , and the outer the Tyler ' s room . Symbolically , a Mason ' s Lodge is a representation of the world . Its clouded canopy is an emblem of those mansions of unutterable bliss where the Grrajid Master of the universe for ever reigns , whose all-seeing eye beholds , with unceasing complacency , the efforts of His creatures , to do His will . To that abode of the blessed the
Mason is taught to aspire , while the path is indicated by the theological ladder , whose principal rounds are faith , hope , and charity . The sun , —the eternal fountain of light , the unwearied ruler of the day , shines in the Lodge , a bright exponent of the great Creator ' s power ; while the moon—the glorious orb of night , repeats the lesson of Divine munificence . Here , too , we are taught that the vast
universe over which this omnipotence presides , was no work of chance , but that its foundations were laid in wisdom , supported by strength , and adorned with beauty . And as the presence of the Almighty illuminates with refulgent splendour the most distant recesses of the
universe , so is the Lodge enlightened by the presence of His revealed will . And hence the Bible , as it is of all lights the most pure , is to the Mason most indispensable . And , finalty , as this world , vast in its extent and complicated in its motions , is governed and regulated with unceasing concord and harmony—so is the Lodge controlled and directed by the
same spirit of peace , which , emanating from the exercise of brotherly love , relief , and truth , reaps its fruits in universal charity . Having thus far defined the objects of the Institution , the qualifications of its members , and the form of the Lodge—we shall in our next article proceed to illustrate the mode of obtaining a charter , and the opening and consecration of a new Lodge ,