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tion to mutual kindness , feels no source of pride or gratification in the co-operation of his Eraternity with social improvement exhibited in proportion to what it might do ? Suppose he is asked—Does the literature , emanating from your Order , as sueh , prove intellectual advancement to be their study ? What does he reply ? How does he regard the literary organ of his Craft , as it lies on the table ? Does it challenge competition with any periodical , as containing whatever is brightest in science , noblest in history , rarest in literature , latest in intelligence ? Why we are all of us compelled to acknowledge that , except by our schools and charities , there is no ostensible
encouragement given by us to social improvement in letters at all ; nothing eliminated in a literary sense to awaken desire for self-culture in the hearts of our children , nothing to improve ourselves ; and that whatever social principles our Order may possess , their good is limited to the knowledge , intellectually speaking , of a by-gone age . The Mason is ashamed of his Craft , and of its literary organ , if the
latter appears neither more nor less than the record of good eating , followed probably by dyspepsia , of which the first sign is the afterdinner speech , and the former soars no higher in its moral development publicly , than the rank of a powerfully organised benefit club . Wow this may be sharp writing , and we should not indulge in it , were it inconsistent with the truth of every Brother ' s experience ,
and not indispensably necessary if we would restore our Order to its legitimate sphere of good . Moreover , whilst it is no wonder that from this mental inactivity , Masonic excellence has been dulled , and this Magazine , the expositor of the Craft , imperilled until now , the remedy is easy and specific , and we will therefore proceed to fearlessly show the mischief reparable , proving ( as we shall ) that mental torpor is
the very antithesis to the elements of Masonic influence , and that if we pursue certain suggestions , relying upon the active co-operation of the Brotherhood , the residt must issue in the restoration of Masonry to its due place of eminence as an important public instructor , and of our own self-esteem in being members of it . The obiects of interest to men . are three . —erain , politics , religion : The objects of interest to menare three—gainpoliticsreligion ;
, , , , by these their passions are excited , and their oppositions if not their virtues evoked . * It is evident , therefore , that a system which especially cuts off sources of opposition , and reduces communication almost to the absolute " yea" and " nay" of unfermenting union , would be tiresome ; for man cannot endure perfect harmony as yet , without
danger of falling into lethargy . Now it is at this very point of peril , that one of the vital excellences of Masonry ( like many of its other benefits , not sufficiently considered nor acted upon ) , may be peculiarly and most gloriously exhibited : we allude to scientific and literary intercourse , in all the ramifications of intellectual speculation .
We have the myth , we possess the symbol ; because we do not choose to go beyond both , or to ascertain the jewel hidden in the casket , we blame the system , when we should blame ourselves ! Would the casket , the external case , be so rare and nobly carved and blazoned , if knowledge , one of earth ' s brightest jewels , did not lie within ?
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Untitled Article
tion to mutual kindness , feels no source of pride or gratification in the co-operation of his Eraternity with social improvement exhibited in proportion to what it might do ? Suppose he is asked—Does the literature , emanating from your Order , as sueh , prove intellectual advancement to be their study ? What does he reply ? How does he regard the literary organ of his Craft , as it lies on the table ? Does it challenge competition with any periodical , as containing whatever is brightest in science , noblest in history , rarest in literature , latest in intelligence ? Why we are all of us compelled to acknowledge that , except by our schools and charities , there is no ostensible
encouragement given by us to social improvement in letters at all ; nothing eliminated in a literary sense to awaken desire for self-culture in the hearts of our children , nothing to improve ourselves ; and that whatever social principles our Order may possess , their good is limited to the knowledge , intellectually speaking , of a by-gone age . The Mason is ashamed of his Craft , and of its literary organ , if the
latter appears neither more nor less than the record of good eating , followed probably by dyspepsia , of which the first sign is the afterdinner speech , and the former soars no higher in its moral development publicly , than the rank of a powerfully organised benefit club . Wow this may be sharp writing , and we should not indulge in it , were it inconsistent with the truth of every Brother ' s experience ,
and not indispensably necessary if we would restore our Order to its legitimate sphere of good . Moreover , whilst it is no wonder that from this mental inactivity , Masonic excellence has been dulled , and this Magazine , the expositor of the Craft , imperilled until now , the remedy is easy and specific , and we will therefore proceed to fearlessly show the mischief reparable , proving ( as we shall ) that mental torpor is
the very antithesis to the elements of Masonic influence , and that if we pursue certain suggestions , relying upon the active co-operation of the Brotherhood , the residt must issue in the restoration of Masonry to its due place of eminence as an important public instructor , and of our own self-esteem in being members of it . The obiects of interest to men . are three . —erain , politics , religion : The objects of interest to menare three—gainpoliticsreligion ;
, , , , by these their passions are excited , and their oppositions if not their virtues evoked . * It is evident , therefore , that a system which especially cuts off sources of opposition , and reduces communication almost to the absolute " yea" and " nay" of unfermenting union , would be tiresome ; for man cannot endure perfect harmony as yet , without
danger of falling into lethargy . Now it is at this very point of peril , that one of the vital excellences of Masonry ( like many of its other benefits , not sufficiently considered nor acted upon ) , may be peculiarly and most gloriously exhibited : we allude to scientific and literary intercourse , in all the ramifications of intellectual speculation .
We have the myth , we possess the symbol ; because we do not choose to go beyond both , or to ascertain the jewel hidden in the casket , we blame the system , when we should blame ourselves ! Would the casket , the external case , be so rare and nobly carved and blazoned , if knowledge , one of earth ' s brightest jewels , did not lie within ?