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Article THE DUTIES OF FREEMASONRY. Page 1 of 4 →
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The Duties Of Freemasonry.
THE DUTIES OF FREEMASONRY .
[ Translated by " \ V . B ., IS Rose Croix . ] Fouif . questions having been proposed in the Grand Orient of France , by a decree of the Grand Master , dated August Mth , 1856 , for the consideration of the Brethren in France—the folloAving paper on the subject was drawn up by the 111 . Bro . G . Joubert , 18 ° ,
Lieutenant of Artillery , and Chevalier of fche Legion of Honour , and read in the Lodge of Vincennes;—Q . What degree of instruction ought a Freemason to possess in order to fulfil his duties AA'ell , and Avhat are these duties in general % A . To reply to this interesting question , let us see of Avhat Freemasonry consists . Freemasonry is not an end , but a means . It is
the most powerful means that mankind possesses for improvement . Freemasonry exists for man the most really perfect thing that the Avorld has—the greatest possible amount of happiness . What do reli gions propose—the happiness of man , not only during life , but above all afterwards . They have created beliefs , systems ; they have produced revelations , prophecies—set forth miracles . To arrive at their
ends they have taken man from the cradle ; they have imposed upon him their laAvs , in forming ideas to their Avill . What happens then 1 Beason and conscience , those two Avitnesses of Cod , in time pronounce
them erroneous . Beli gions have produced good only by the principles Avhich they may have contained . If by supposition Ave substitute for reli gions Freemasonry from the beginning of time , to what degree of vitality would mankind not have arrived . Christianity Avas born in a stable ; it had for its rcvealer a carpenter , a divine martyr ; for apostles , fishermen , labourers ; and because it Avas a collection of
truths and sentiments , it rose upon , the ruins of the Boman empire , to go thence , and thus to create the great civilization of that period . Everything impregnated ivith it succeeded . Everything that deviated from it vegetated . Freemasonry is more than Christianity : ifc is the practice of reason , the image of truth . In the bony box called the human skull a constant fermentation animates the iritual
sp state with a growing progression ivhich warms the heart . From time to time this state , a sort of immaterial leaven , leaves behind it closed sepulchres to pass into open cradles . The genius of one age aAvakes generations who in their turn will sleep . This genius is the result of science , the arts , philosophy , and morals . Tho more it is imbued Avith truth the more force it has . Truth is its sunif it is
; robbed of it , it fi ghts until it has obtained it . Whilst man Avrestles a refuge is prepared for him ; ivhen ifc is a Aveary Avar , he has but to come unto Freemasonry—he will find there Avherewith to temper , refresh , and rest himself . Freemasonry hovers over all human institu-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Duties Of Freemasonry.
THE DUTIES OF FREEMASONRY .
[ Translated by " \ V . B ., IS Rose Croix . ] Fouif . questions having been proposed in the Grand Orient of France , by a decree of the Grand Master , dated August Mth , 1856 , for the consideration of the Brethren in France—the folloAving paper on the subject was drawn up by the 111 . Bro . G . Joubert , 18 ° ,
Lieutenant of Artillery , and Chevalier of fche Legion of Honour , and read in the Lodge of Vincennes;—Q . What degree of instruction ought a Freemason to possess in order to fulfil his duties AA'ell , and Avhat are these duties in general % A . To reply to this interesting question , let us see of Avhat Freemasonry consists . Freemasonry is not an end , but a means . It is
the most powerful means that mankind possesses for improvement . Freemasonry exists for man the most really perfect thing that the Avorld has—the greatest possible amount of happiness . What do reli gions propose—the happiness of man , not only during life , but above all afterwards . They have created beliefs , systems ; they have produced revelations , prophecies—set forth miracles . To arrive at their
ends they have taken man from the cradle ; they have imposed upon him their laAvs , in forming ideas to their Avill . What happens then 1 Beason and conscience , those two Avitnesses of Cod , in time pronounce
them erroneous . Beli gions have produced good only by the principles Avhich they may have contained . If by supposition Ave substitute for reli gions Freemasonry from the beginning of time , to what degree of vitality would mankind not have arrived . Christianity Avas born in a stable ; it had for its rcvealer a carpenter , a divine martyr ; for apostles , fishermen , labourers ; and because it Avas a collection of
truths and sentiments , it rose upon , the ruins of the Boman empire , to go thence , and thus to create the great civilization of that period . Everything impregnated ivith it succeeded . Everything that deviated from it vegetated . Freemasonry is more than Christianity : ifc is the practice of reason , the image of truth . In the bony box called the human skull a constant fermentation animates the iritual
sp state with a growing progression ivhich warms the heart . From time to time this state , a sort of immaterial leaven , leaves behind it closed sepulchres to pass into open cradles . The genius of one age aAvakes generations who in their turn will sleep . This genius is the result of science , the arts , philosophy , and morals . Tho more it is imbued Avith truth the more force it has . Truth is its sunif it is
; robbed of it , it fi ghts until it has obtained it . Whilst man Avrestles a refuge is prepared for him ; ivhen ifc is a Aveary Avar , he has but to come unto Freemasonry—he will find there Avherewith to temper , refresh , and rest himself . Freemasonry hovers over all human institu-