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Article FREEMASONRY ILLUSTRATED. Page 1 of 10 →
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Freemasonry Illustrated.
PEEEMASONET ILLTJSTEATED .
" Although the origin of our fraternity is clouded with darkness , and its history is , to a great extent , obscure , yet we can confidently say that it is the most ancient society in the world ; and we are equally certain that its principles are based on pure morality- —that its ethics are the ethics of Christianity—its doctrines , the doctrine ^ of patriotism and brotherly love— -and its sentiments the sentiments of exalted benevolence . Upon these points there can be no doubt ; All that is good and kind and charitable it encourages—all that is vicious and cruel and oppressive ¦
it reprobates / —De Witt Churtoh , Governor of the Stcde of Wew YorhylS ^ i , In explain , the ceremonies and symb ols of Freemasonry , we do not profess to do that ^ together tlie results of the lab ours of others in a clear and readable form , ^ as a te ^ Lodges ^ for the instruction , of the younger members of the Craft . In writing upon our ceremonies and mysteries great caution must ,
of course , be at all times used , lest we should go too far , and lay bare to ; those who are not members of the Order secrets only to be divulged to the Brethren , and then only under circumstances well understood by Masons . Our object being to illustrate the different degrees of Freemasonry , it may naturally be expected that we should offer some conjectures as to its origin . None of the ancient historians furnish us with actual testimony on this point ; but oral tradition refers us to the east , and traces its rise to King Solomon . ,
The institution of Freemasonry undoubtedly must have been framed by a people who had made considerable advance in science * The Egyptians in the time of Moses were proficient in all the arts and sciences , as the gigantic works constructed in those early ages still existing prove . Their language was mystical , and their priests secured the mysteries of their religion from the knowledge of the vulgar or
uninitiated by symbols and hieroglyphics comprehensible alone to those of their order . We are told that the fraternity of ancient Egypt w as denominated the Hiero-Laotomi , or sacred builders . They were a selected first caste , and connected with the government and priesthood , being , in fact , Masons of the priestly order ; whilst the ordinary
Masons or artificers were of an inferior caste . Champollion says , — " A theocracy or government of priests was the first known to the Egyptians , and it is necessary to give the word priests the acceptation that it bore in ancient times , when the ministers of religion were also the ministers of science and learning ; so that they TOL . IV . E
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry Illustrated.
PEEEMASONET ILLTJSTEATED .
" Although the origin of our fraternity is clouded with darkness , and its history is , to a great extent , obscure , yet we can confidently say that it is the most ancient society in the world ; and we are equally certain that its principles are based on pure morality- —that its ethics are the ethics of Christianity—its doctrines , the doctrine ^ of patriotism and brotherly love— -and its sentiments the sentiments of exalted benevolence . Upon these points there can be no doubt ; All that is good and kind and charitable it encourages—all that is vicious and cruel and oppressive ¦
it reprobates / —De Witt Churtoh , Governor of the Stcde of Wew YorhylS ^ i , In explain , the ceremonies and symb ols of Freemasonry , we do not profess to do that ^ together tlie results of the lab ours of others in a clear and readable form , ^ as a te ^ Lodges ^ for the instruction , of the younger members of the Craft . In writing upon our ceremonies and mysteries great caution must ,
of course , be at all times used , lest we should go too far , and lay bare to ; those who are not members of the Order secrets only to be divulged to the Brethren , and then only under circumstances well understood by Masons . Our object being to illustrate the different degrees of Freemasonry , it may naturally be expected that we should offer some conjectures as to its origin . None of the ancient historians furnish us with actual testimony on this point ; but oral tradition refers us to the east , and traces its rise to King Solomon . ,
The institution of Freemasonry undoubtedly must have been framed by a people who had made considerable advance in science * The Egyptians in the time of Moses were proficient in all the arts and sciences , as the gigantic works constructed in those early ages still existing prove . Their language was mystical , and their priests secured the mysteries of their religion from the knowledge of the vulgar or
uninitiated by symbols and hieroglyphics comprehensible alone to those of their order . We are told that the fraternity of ancient Egypt w as denominated the Hiero-Laotomi , or sacred builders . They were a selected first caste , and connected with the government and priesthood , being , in fact , Masons of the priestly order ; whilst the ordinary
Masons or artificers were of an inferior caste . Champollion says , — " A theocracy or government of priests was the first known to the Egyptians , and it is necessary to give the word priests the acceptation that it bore in ancient times , when the ministers of religion were also the ministers of science and learning ; so that they TOL . IV . E