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  • The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine
  • Nov. 10, 1866
  • Page 2
  • PROFESSOR ROBERTSON ON FREEMASONRY.
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The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine, Nov. 10, 1866: Page 2

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    Article HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN CORNWALL. ← Page 2 of 2
    Article HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN CORNWALL. Page 2 of 2
    Article PROFESSOR ROBERTSON ON FREEMASONRY. Page 1 of 2 →
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History Of Freemasonry In Cornwall.

p ied the chair . Such would not be right UOAV . The next minute concludes with "The question demanded and nothing proposed , loclge closed in due form ( the Master was in the chair ) , and adjourned to the next regular lodge night . " Then follow the minutes of

several meetings , showing that great activity prevailed in the lodge , and in consequence much work of a general nature Avas despatched each even , and the meetings were both frequent and well attended . February llth , 1762 . — " Lodge of Masters opened in due form . ; ' The W . M . was in the chair , and after

the usual routine , and ceremonies of an ancient aud sacred character had been observed , a subject of peculiarly solemn import was introduced and discussed . It appears that oue of the members had been charged Avith a breach of his Masonic obligations , aud accordingly it Avas proposed by the W . M ., and

unanimously agreed to that " Brother Polack be refused admittance iu this lodge , until he has acquitted himself of a complaint laid against him of a breach of the degree of a Master Mason , and that notice thereof be sent to the lodges in the couuty . " Of AA'hat nature the alleged crime Avas , is not recorded ( and Avisely

not , most probably ) . The Secretary AA- £ S fined 7 s . Gd . on March llth , "for not sending the key" (!) . We think the question of fines has not received that amount of attention it deserves , as surely their infliction would tend to secure more diligence and

jnmetuality from the brethren of the lodge , and the cause of Masonry itself AVOUM thus be advanced by newly admitted members Avitnessing the eagerness aud aim of every officer to acquit himself creditably , and be at his post at the appointed hour . Our Falmouth friends Avere alive to this fact , and no doubt

reaped the benefit of several such Avholesome penalties . On January 2 Sth , 1762 , Bro . Charles Bennett Avas admitted a joining member of the lodge . He Avas initiated at Truro according to our belief , and Avas the author of tiiat vigorous Masonic song , "On the Revival of Masonry , " commencing Avith " When

Masonry expiring lay . " Ifc is a production superior to many of its class . Masonic poetry does not occupy so high a position as it should in England . In Scotland happily lodges in several instances appoint competent brethren to the office of Poet

Laureate , and thus give honour to those Avho commit the " sin of rhyme . " Before me is a neat little hook containing the byelaws of the Cannongato Kilwinning Lodge , No . 2 , Edinburgh . The o'iice of Poet Laureate is placed in the list of Office Beavers in that loclge betvreen the

Inner Guard and the Master of Ceremonies . We are informed in the choice "Songs and Ballads , " by the present Poet Laureate of the loclge , that the laureateship of the Cannongate Kilwinning Avas instituted to do honour to Robert Burns , and after his

History Of Freemasonry In Cornwall.

death it Avas conferred upon James Hogg , the Ettrick Shepherd , who again was succeeded by William Pringle . Anthony Oneal Haye was the next appointed , and we believe this accomplished scholar and Mason still occupies that distinguished position . We have been led a little aside from the dry details

of minutes because of a correspondent of the FKEEJiAsOiVs' MAGAZINE seeking light on this subject . ( To be continued . )

Professor Robertson On Freemasonry.

PROFESSOR ROBERTSON ON FREEMASONRY .

( Continued from page 262 . ) Now , Ave cannot conceive that in this article , which , clearl y sets forth the mind of Scri pture , there is anything condemnatory of the Masonic OB . Ifc is vain and rash , swearing thai is therein

deprecated ¦ and surel y there is nothing vain or rasli in the oath administered to the Freemason . It is not vain / for it is taken in the cause of charity . It is not rash , for it is not proposed Avithout consideration , nor until the candidate has

had ample opportunity of withdraAving , should he wish ifc . The article goes on to say , " A man rnav swear AA'hen the magistrate reciuireth in a cause of faith and charity . " May Ave be permitted to g ive the folloAving quotation from

Professor Harold Browne ' s able " Exposition of the Thirty Nine Articles" on this point ? He says , '• ' It is probably an admitted fact that oaths were laAvful under the Old Testament . This article

refers to a passage in the Prophet Jeremiah ( iv . 2 ) , Thou shalt swear , the Lord liveth , in truth , in judgment , and iu ri ghteousness / The onl y prohibition Avas against false swearing , or SAvearing by false gods . Ifc seems likel y that the

Jeivs someivhafc abused this permission , and Avere rather free in their use of oaths , and of the name of the Almi ghty on trivial occasions . Accordingly , some strict and ascetic sects among them Avere led to the opposite extreme of refusing to

take an oath under any circumstances . If the JCAVS were thus profane and careless in swearing , Ave can readil y see the object of our Saviour ' s denunciation of rash oaths . There are obvious and very great dangers in a habit of this kind .

If , on every trivial occasion , Ave have recourse to an oath for attestation , ifc Avill almost necessarily folloiv that Ave shall li g htly regard an ordinary assertion , and thafc the sanctity of an oath itself Avill be less revered . Hence , such swearing must foster a spirit of untruthfulness . And again , the

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1866-11-10, Page 2” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 10 May 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_10111866/page/2/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
HISTORY OF FREEMASONRY IN CORNWALL. Article 1
PROFESSOR ROBERTSON ON FREEMASONRY. Article 2
EARS OF WHEAT FROM A CORNUCOPIA. Article 3
MASONIC JURISPRUDENCE. Article 5
THE NEMESIS: A TALE OF THE DAYS OF TRAJAN. Article 6
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 9
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 10
CAUTION AS TO THE ADMISSION OF CANDIDATES. Article 10
Untitled Article 11
MASONIC MEM. Article 11
METROPOLITAN. Article 11
PROVINCIAL. Article 13
ROYAL ARCH. Article 15
CHANNEL ISLANDS. Article 15
Obituary. Article 16
MASONIC FESTIVITIES. Article 16
Poetry. Article 17
MEETINGS OF THE SCIENTIFIC AND LEARNED SOCIETIES FOR THE WEEK ENDING NOV. 17TH, 1866. Article 18
THE WEEK. Article 18
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

History Of Freemasonry In Cornwall.

p ied the chair . Such would not be right UOAV . The next minute concludes with "The question demanded and nothing proposed , loclge closed in due form ( the Master was in the chair ) , and adjourned to the next regular lodge night . " Then follow the minutes of

several meetings , showing that great activity prevailed in the lodge , and in consequence much work of a general nature Avas despatched each even , and the meetings were both frequent and well attended . February llth , 1762 . — " Lodge of Masters opened in due form . ; ' The W . M . was in the chair , and after

the usual routine , and ceremonies of an ancient aud sacred character had been observed , a subject of peculiarly solemn import was introduced and discussed . It appears that oue of the members had been charged Avith a breach of his Masonic obligations , aud accordingly it Avas proposed by the W . M ., and

unanimously agreed to that " Brother Polack be refused admittance iu this lodge , until he has acquitted himself of a complaint laid against him of a breach of the degree of a Master Mason , and that notice thereof be sent to the lodges in the couuty . " Of AA'hat nature the alleged crime Avas , is not recorded ( and Avisely

not , most probably ) . The Secretary AA- £ S fined 7 s . Gd . on March llth , "for not sending the key" (!) . We think the question of fines has not received that amount of attention it deserves , as surely their infliction would tend to secure more diligence and

jnmetuality from the brethren of the lodge , and the cause of Masonry itself AVOUM thus be advanced by newly admitted members Avitnessing the eagerness aud aim of every officer to acquit himself creditably , and be at his post at the appointed hour . Our Falmouth friends Avere alive to this fact , and no doubt

reaped the benefit of several such Avholesome penalties . On January 2 Sth , 1762 , Bro . Charles Bennett Avas admitted a joining member of the lodge . He Avas initiated at Truro according to our belief , and Avas the author of tiiat vigorous Masonic song , "On the Revival of Masonry , " commencing Avith " When

Masonry expiring lay . " Ifc is a production superior to many of its class . Masonic poetry does not occupy so high a position as it should in England . In Scotland happily lodges in several instances appoint competent brethren to the office of Poet

Laureate , and thus give honour to those Avho commit the " sin of rhyme . " Before me is a neat little hook containing the byelaws of the Cannongato Kilwinning Lodge , No . 2 , Edinburgh . The o'iice of Poet Laureate is placed in the list of Office Beavers in that loclge betvreen the

Inner Guard and the Master of Ceremonies . We are informed in the choice "Songs and Ballads , " by the present Poet Laureate of the loclge , that the laureateship of the Cannongate Kilwinning Avas instituted to do honour to Robert Burns , and after his

History Of Freemasonry In Cornwall.

death it Avas conferred upon James Hogg , the Ettrick Shepherd , who again was succeeded by William Pringle . Anthony Oneal Haye was the next appointed , and we believe this accomplished scholar and Mason still occupies that distinguished position . We have been led a little aside from the dry details

of minutes because of a correspondent of the FKEEJiAsOiVs' MAGAZINE seeking light on this subject . ( To be continued . )

Professor Robertson On Freemasonry.

PROFESSOR ROBERTSON ON FREEMASONRY .

( Continued from page 262 . ) Now , Ave cannot conceive that in this article , which , clearl y sets forth the mind of Scri pture , there is anything condemnatory of the Masonic OB . Ifc is vain and rash , swearing thai is therein

deprecated ¦ and surel y there is nothing vain or rasli in the oath administered to the Freemason . It is not vain / for it is taken in the cause of charity . It is not rash , for it is not proposed Avithout consideration , nor until the candidate has

had ample opportunity of withdraAving , should he wish ifc . The article goes on to say , " A man rnav swear AA'hen the magistrate reciuireth in a cause of faith and charity . " May Ave be permitted to g ive the folloAving quotation from

Professor Harold Browne ' s able " Exposition of the Thirty Nine Articles" on this point ? He says , '• ' It is probably an admitted fact that oaths were laAvful under the Old Testament . This article

refers to a passage in the Prophet Jeremiah ( iv . 2 ) , Thou shalt swear , the Lord liveth , in truth , in judgment , and iu ri ghteousness / The onl y prohibition Avas against false swearing , or SAvearing by false gods . Ifc seems likel y that the

Jeivs someivhafc abused this permission , and Avere rather free in their use of oaths , and of the name of the Almi ghty on trivial occasions . Accordingly , some strict and ascetic sects among them Avere led to the opposite extreme of refusing to

take an oath under any circumstances . If the JCAVS were thus profane and careless in swearing , Ave can readil y see the object of our Saviour ' s denunciation of rash oaths . There are obvious and very great dangers in a habit of this kind .

If , on every trivial occasion , Ave have recourse to an oath for attestation , ifc Avill almost necessarily folloiv that Ave shall li g htly regard an ordinary assertion , and thafc the sanctity of an oath itself Avill be less revered . Hence , such swearing must foster a spirit of untruthfulness . And again , the

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