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Article PEEEMASONET ILLTJSTEATED. ← Page 10 of 10 Article IMPROVEMENT IN MASONRY. Page 1 of 1
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Peeemasonet Illtjsteated.
satisfaction . These are its general advantages ; to enumerate them separately would be an endless labour . It may be sufficient to
observe , that he who cultivates this science ; and acts agreeably to the character of a Mason , has within himself the spring and support of every social virtue ; -a subject of contemplation that enlarges the mind and expands all its powers ; a theme that is inexhaustible , ever new , and always interesting . "
Having thus spoken upon the general principles of Freemasonry , we shall hereafter proceed to illustrate its ceremonies , lectures , and symbols ^ occasionally bringing the engraver ' s art to our assistance .
Improvement In Masonry.
.-. ' : IMPROVEMENT IN M ... V
There are some men who never try to learn anything that is useful or good . They pass from boyhood to old age With idle , listless , and vacant minds . Of such a man it is im Any person of good mother wit > ordinary memory / and active hahitSj . hy conversing ^ ithwelhinfo sections <& the Hue degrees in three months , without any interference with his ordinary avocation ; and with proper application he may learn the heautiful
Lectures upon all three of the degrees in twelve months- —and this regardless of his earlyeducation . Masonry educates a man . Some of the brightest Masons in our country—some of the most accurate and eloquent lecturers—are men who received but little or no early education . Masonry found them in the field and in the workshop , took them by the hand , led them into her temple , unfolded to them her sublime mysteries , imparted to them a new language , and clothed their tongues with an eloquence that is not to be found in books , or learned in colleges .
My brother , turn your mind back for a moment to the happy years of early boyhood . What thrilling scenes and pleasing reminiscences come rushing back to memory , shaded by the melancholy reflection that they are gone for ever ! Do you not remember the log cabin in the beautiful grove ; the spring that gushed up at the foot of the hill , and sent its bright waters leaping and laughing through the vale—the play-ground , the nimble feet that bounded after the flying ball , and the merry voices that mingled their shouts in the youthful sports—the pretty girl for whom you constructed the summer-house of the branches of the green trees , and embellished it with flowers , and whose sweet smile awakened the first
tender emotions in your youthful heart ! But do you not also remember the old-fashioned schoolmaster , who , morning , noon , and evening , with the rod in his hand and the glasses on his nose , drew up the whole school in a half circle , and drilled them in the art of spelling ! How intently you studied the pages of Webster ' s Spelling-hoolc to master the hard words —such as Phthisic , Micliilimackinaclc , Ohevaux defrize . How ambitious you were to stand at the head of the class , and how deeply mortified you were to find yourself at the foot on the close of the exercises !
My brother , why does that laudable ambition sleep now since you have grown up to be a man and a Mason ? Why do you not strive to excel in Masonry as you did then in spelling ? Why are you content to stand at the foot among your Brethren in the Lodge 'I The same industry and application that made you a good speller when a boy , will place you side by side with the brightest of your Brethren , if not at the head . The only distinction recognized among Masons is that of an excellence in virtue and intelligence . In all other respects they stand upon a level . —From the Cincinnati Masonic Review *
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Peeemasonet Illtjsteated.
satisfaction . These are its general advantages ; to enumerate them separately would be an endless labour . It may be sufficient to
observe , that he who cultivates this science ; and acts agreeably to the character of a Mason , has within himself the spring and support of every social virtue ; -a subject of contemplation that enlarges the mind and expands all its powers ; a theme that is inexhaustible , ever new , and always interesting . "
Having thus spoken upon the general principles of Freemasonry , we shall hereafter proceed to illustrate its ceremonies , lectures , and symbols ^ occasionally bringing the engraver ' s art to our assistance .
Improvement In Masonry.
.-. ' : IMPROVEMENT IN M ... V
There are some men who never try to learn anything that is useful or good . They pass from boyhood to old age With idle , listless , and vacant minds . Of such a man it is im Any person of good mother wit > ordinary memory / and active hahitSj . hy conversing ^ ithwelhinfo sections <& the Hue degrees in three months , without any interference with his ordinary avocation ; and with proper application he may learn the heautiful
Lectures upon all three of the degrees in twelve months- —and this regardless of his earlyeducation . Masonry educates a man . Some of the brightest Masons in our country—some of the most accurate and eloquent lecturers—are men who received but little or no early education . Masonry found them in the field and in the workshop , took them by the hand , led them into her temple , unfolded to them her sublime mysteries , imparted to them a new language , and clothed their tongues with an eloquence that is not to be found in books , or learned in colleges .
My brother , turn your mind back for a moment to the happy years of early boyhood . What thrilling scenes and pleasing reminiscences come rushing back to memory , shaded by the melancholy reflection that they are gone for ever ! Do you not remember the log cabin in the beautiful grove ; the spring that gushed up at the foot of the hill , and sent its bright waters leaping and laughing through the vale—the play-ground , the nimble feet that bounded after the flying ball , and the merry voices that mingled their shouts in the youthful sports—the pretty girl for whom you constructed the summer-house of the branches of the green trees , and embellished it with flowers , and whose sweet smile awakened the first
tender emotions in your youthful heart ! But do you not also remember the old-fashioned schoolmaster , who , morning , noon , and evening , with the rod in his hand and the glasses on his nose , drew up the whole school in a half circle , and drilled them in the art of spelling ! How intently you studied the pages of Webster ' s Spelling-hoolc to master the hard words —such as Phthisic , Micliilimackinaclc , Ohevaux defrize . How ambitious you were to stand at the head of the class , and how deeply mortified you were to find yourself at the foot on the close of the exercises !
My brother , why does that laudable ambition sleep now since you have grown up to be a man and a Mason ? Why do you not strive to excel in Masonry as you did then in spelling ? Why are you content to stand at the foot among your Brethren in the Lodge 'I The same industry and application that made you a good speller when a boy , will place you side by side with the brightest of your Brethren , if not at the head . The only distinction recognized among Masons is that of an excellence in virtue and intelligence . In all other respects they stand upon a level . —From the Cincinnati Masonic Review *