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Article CLASSICAL AND GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE. ← Page 2 of 2 Article MASONRY A FULFILLER OF PROPHECY. Page 1 of 1 Article MASONRY A FULFILLER OF PROPHECY. Page 1 of 1 Article SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS TO YOUNG MASONS. Page 1 of 2 →
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Classical And Gothic Architecture.
style so chosen , with its application in a truly national spirit , exhibits no ignorance of the rules of propriety . Is it not quite as absurd to take tho many fine remains of castles and ¦ abbeys , which wore built hundreds of years ago , which adorn our land and are no doubt worthy of admiration , and imitate them in our modern dwelling houses ? Would there not
be just as much propriety in a man going about in a monk ' s habit and cowl , or adopting the manners of the twelfth , thirteenth or fourteenth century , wearing armour , carrying a long bow , and having recourse to the old means of defence % We believe that the supremacy of the art of the ancient Greeks—rightly called the classical—is as incontrovertible as
is the superiority of modern Europeans in mental and moral philosophy : every discovery tends to the establishment of this fact . The Greeks ever will be our masters in art , and those who follow them , as the Romans and artists of the revival , have their proportionate measure of universal regard . But the most strenuous advocates of- Gothic mediaeval architecture do not direct their strictures to the use , but the abuse of classical architecture .
Masonry A Fulfiller Of Prophecy.
MASONRY A FULFILLER OF PROPHECY .
BY BOB JIOEEIS . " Tho wolf shall dwell with the lamb , and the leopard shall lie down with the kid , and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together ; and a little child shall lead them . " THE sacred writer penned this remarkable passage in view of a state of things altogether in the future , There was no analogy in the world ' s history since the departure from Eden
to this peaceful condition of the world which he describes . Abroad , all was warfare , military terror , destruction and despair . At home , domestic disorders , treasons , intestine commotions , disunion , and that fearful state of things ( may God ever preserve our beloved country from such !) which so naturally precedes a nation ' s destruction . In an age of gloom and i
gnorance , and Godforsaken nationality , the prophet had sufficient faith to look beyond this discouraging state of things , and he points to a time when the appetite for bloodshed shall be changed into a holy desire for peace , and all the warring creatures of destruction , bound as by the threefold cord of love , into a fraternal band . This strong and unflinching faith is worthy of our imitation in those times , sometimes permitted by the Almighty , when our trust in
God ' s future mercies , must take the place of present encouragements . Nearly three thousand years have passed since this was written , and time has rung its thousand changes , and yet the prophecy of Isaiah is yet unfulfilled . Mede and Persian , Greek and Roman , alike , have had their term of triumph
and their term of defeat , and for each of them the page of history has been opened and filled and closed , to be opened no more until the breaking of God ' s judgment seal . The Crusader and the Saracen have swept with the sword of wrath the peaceful garden of theprophet , andhaveeach in turn been swept away by the mi ghtier sword of death . Babylon has received
the long line of mourning captives , whose harps were loin * time hung on the willows for heavy grief , and her proud gates have seen that nation again passing Zionward to regain the homes of their fathers , and Babylon and Jerusalem , and the long line of captives and their oppressive conquerors , have passed away as visions of the nihtthe hethimself
g ; prop , ; has crumbled into undistinguishable dust , yet the prediction , of universal peace , which stands out upon the sacred page as a piece of gloriousl y gilded work , yet awaits its fulfilment in the future .
What , then ; shall wc consider that the promises of God are void—that the vision of the ancient seer was unsettled , or that his hopes , too much buoyed up on the wings of fancy , drew to his hand impossible things 1 No ; but rather as some profoundl y conceived problem , couched in algebraic symbols ; connecting the simple known with the distant and
Masonry A Fulfiller Of Prophecy.
wonderful and complicated unknown—as such a problem , at the first opening too hard for our understanding , leads us from truth to truth , yet blindly and ignorantly as to the results ; as such a problem , drawing nearer and nearer to its conclusion , at length yields us a ray or two , feeble enough , yet hopeful , which promises us soon an ample
reward for our labour , so the great problem of universal peace ; at first mysterious and profoundly perplexing , yet carrying the inquirer onward from progress to progress , becoming more and more interesting , now yields a presage , faint it may be , yet in good faith , hopeful of near fulfilment ; that great problem , starting in the death shades of Isaiah's
age , has been steadily unfolding under the eye of God , until we mav read that its solution is " not far from any one of us . " " Wonderful are the means , various the instruments used in the hand of God , to bring about a promised result . Mystery is the simplicity of Jehovahand the weakness of God is
, more than the wisdom of men . Among the causes which , in God's providence , have conduced to plant in men ' s hearts a general desire for peace , we perceive none so promising in its origin , so successful in its results as the institution of Freemasonry .
Suggestive Thoughts To Young Masons.
SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS TO YOUNG MASONS .
[ From the American Voice of Masonry . ] AN anonymous correspondent from New York thus forcibly presents some thoughts which wc could wish every young Mason , and some elderly ones would peruse . They tire directed against ail evil which , wc conceive , ought to be opposed by every thoughtful Mason . AVill you permit me through your columns to call the attention
of the Craft to a subject , which , to me , appears one of vital importance , but which , from our familiarity with it , is generally but little considered . I allude to the light and frivolous maimer in which some Masons speak of the ceremonies of the Lodge while conversinc with the uninitiated .
Many Masons when questioned in regard to the ceremonies of the Lodge ( questioned not from a prurient curiosity to pry into the secrets of the Order , but from a desire to be informed of what may be proper for the uninitiated to know ) , will only promulgate the grossest absurdities , thinking that from their very absurdity they will not be believed , and that they are very cunning in thus evading an answer to what the uninitiated may suppose to be a
very proper question . What is more natural than that a person who thinks of joining the society , should wish to find out all that may be proper for him to know , that he may be better enabled to judge whether it would suit him V AVhat impropriety is there in his asking of one whom he believes to be a Mason , ' What can you tell me of the ceremony of initiation V How would Masons answer such
many a question ? Some would talk mysteriously of a " goat , " with very sharp horns , and very hard to ride , of ' a ' gridiron , ' 'lightning , ' or some foolishness of that kind . Others will not be so explicit , but vaguely hint that initiation is something startling , terrible , requiring nerve or strength , and that it is not every one who is able to go through with it . Ask them what it is that is so
trying , difficult , and terrible , a mysterious wink or a knowing shrug is the only reply , leaving the inquirer to conjure up something , and ever after believe that he has guessed the truth . Press them closer , and the reply will be ' you can learn nothing more unless you join them . ' Even after a person has concluded to join the society , applied for admission , been elected , and presents himself for initiation , the
same system is pursued . He presents himself at the Lodge ; an officer , clothed in his regalia , comes out of the Lodge room , and asks him— "Do you wish to take the first degree to-ni ghtV " " Yes , sir , that is my wish . " " AVell , we'll put you through it if 3 ou can stand it , " or some other remark of like character , and the probability is that , before he enters the Lodge , two or three other officers will amuse themselves b " poking fun" at him
y . I have seen hanging in the ante-room of a Lodge a card of a manufacturer of Masonic jewels and regalia , on which was depicted various Masonic emblems , and conspicuous in the midst of them was a goat rampant , and a gridiron . This was , most likely , thought to be a good joke . It may have been to those who knew its absurdity ( though I confess I cannot quite see the point of it );
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Classical And Gothic Architecture.
style so chosen , with its application in a truly national spirit , exhibits no ignorance of the rules of propriety . Is it not quite as absurd to take tho many fine remains of castles and ¦ abbeys , which wore built hundreds of years ago , which adorn our land and are no doubt worthy of admiration , and imitate them in our modern dwelling houses ? Would there not
be just as much propriety in a man going about in a monk ' s habit and cowl , or adopting the manners of the twelfth , thirteenth or fourteenth century , wearing armour , carrying a long bow , and having recourse to the old means of defence % We believe that the supremacy of the art of the ancient Greeks—rightly called the classical—is as incontrovertible as
is the superiority of modern Europeans in mental and moral philosophy : every discovery tends to the establishment of this fact . The Greeks ever will be our masters in art , and those who follow them , as the Romans and artists of the revival , have their proportionate measure of universal regard . But the most strenuous advocates of- Gothic mediaeval architecture do not direct their strictures to the use , but the abuse of classical architecture .
Masonry A Fulfiller Of Prophecy.
MASONRY A FULFILLER OF PROPHECY .
BY BOB JIOEEIS . " Tho wolf shall dwell with the lamb , and the leopard shall lie down with the kid , and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together ; and a little child shall lead them . " THE sacred writer penned this remarkable passage in view of a state of things altogether in the future , There was no analogy in the world ' s history since the departure from Eden
to this peaceful condition of the world which he describes . Abroad , all was warfare , military terror , destruction and despair . At home , domestic disorders , treasons , intestine commotions , disunion , and that fearful state of things ( may God ever preserve our beloved country from such !) which so naturally precedes a nation ' s destruction . In an age of gloom and i
gnorance , and Godforsaken nationality , the prophet had sufficient faith to look beyond this discouraging state of things , and he points to a time when the appetite for bloodshed shall be changed into a holy desire for peace , and all the warring creatures of destruction , bound as by the threefold cord of love , into a fraternal band . This strong and unflinching faith is worthy of our imitation in those times , sometimes permitted by the Almighty , when our trust in
God ' s future mercies , must take the place of present encouragements . Nearly three thousand years have passed since this was written , and time has rung its thousand changes , and yet the prophecy of Isaiah is yet unfulfilled . Mede and Persian , Greek and Roman , alike , have had their term of triumph
and their term of defeat , and for each of them the page of history has been opened and filled and closed , to be opened no more until the breaking of God ' s judgment seal . The Crusader and the Saracen have swept with the sword of wrath the peaceful garden of theprophet , andhaveeach in turn been swept away by the mi ghtier sword of death . Babylon has received
the long line of mourning captives , whose harps were loin * time hung on the willows for heavy grief , and her proud gates have seen that nation again passing Zionward to regain the homes of their fathers , and Babylon and Jerusalem , and the long line of captives and their oppressive conquerors , have passed away as visions of the nihtthe hethimself
g ; prop , ; has crumbled into undistinguishable dust , yet the prediction , of universal peace , which stands out upon the sacred page as a piece of gloriousl y gilded work , yet awaits its fulfilment in the future .
What , then ; shall wc consider that the promises of God are void—that the vision of the ancient seer was unsettled , or that his hopes , too much buoyed up on the wings of fancy , drew to his hand impossible things 1 No ; but rather as some profoundl y conceived problem , couched in algebraic symbols ; connecting the simple known with the distant and
Masonry A Fulfiller Of Prophecy.
wonderful and complicated unknown—as such a problem , at the first opening too hard for our understanding , leads us from truth to truth , yet blindly and ignorantly as to the results ; as such a problem , drawing nearer and nearer to its conclusion , at length yields us a ray or two , feeble enough , yet hopeful , which promises us soon an ample
reward for our labour , so the great problem of universal peace ; at first mysterious and profoundly perplexing , yet carrying the inquirer onward from progress to progress , becoming more and more interesting , now yields a presage , faint it may be , yet in good faith , hopeful of near fulfilment ; that great problem , starting in the death shades of Isaiah's
age , has been steadily unfolding under the eye of God , until we mav read that its solution is " not far from any one of us . " " Wonderful are the means , various the instruments used in the hand of God , to bring about a promised result . Mystery is the simplicity of Jehovahand the weakness of God is
, more than the wisdom of men . Among the causes which , in God's providence , have conduced to plant in men ' s hearts a general desire for peace , we perceive none so promising in its origin , so successful in its results as the institution of Freemasonry .
Suggestive Thoughts To Young Masons.
SUGGESTIVE THOUGHTS TO YOUNG MASONS .
[ From the American Voice of Masonry . ] AN anonymous correspondent from New York thus forcibly presents some thoughts which wc could wish every young Mason , and some elderly ones would peruse . They tire directed against ail evil which , wc conceive , ought to be opposed by every thoughtful Mason . AVill you permit me through your columns to call the attention
of the Craft to a subject , which , to me , appears one of vital importance , but which , from our familiarity with it , is generally but little considered . I allude to the light and frivolous maimer in which some Masons speak of the ceremonies of the Lodge while conversinc with the uninitiated .
Many Masons when questioned in regard to the ceremonies of the Lodge ( questioned not from a prurient curiosity to pry into the secrets of the Order , but from a desire to be informed of what may be proper for the uninitiated to know ) , will only promulgate the grossest absurdities , thinking that from their very absurdity they will not be believed , and that they are very cunning in thus evading an answer to what the uninitiated may suppose to be a
very proper question . What is more natural than that a person who thinks of joining the society , should wish to find out all that may be proper for him to know , that he may be better enabled to judge whether it would suit him V AVhat impropriety is there in his asking of one whom he believes to be a Mason , ' What can you tell me of the ceremony of initiation V How would Masons answer such
many a question ? Some would talk mysteriously of a " goat , " with very sharp horns , and very hard to ride , of ' a ' gridiron , ' 'lightning , ' or some foolishness of that kind . Others will not be so explicit , but vaguely hint that initiation is something startling , terrible , requiring nerve or strength , and that it is not every one who is able to go through with it . Ask them what it is that is so
trying , difficult , and terrible , a mysterious wink or a knowing shrug is the only reply , leaving the inquirer to conjure up something , and ever after believe that he has guessed the truth . Press them closer , and the reply will be ' you can learn nothing more unless you join them . ' Even after a person has concluded to join the society , applied for admission , been elected , and presents himself for initiation , the
same system is pursued . He presents himself at the Lodge ; an officer , clothed in his regalia , comes out of the Lodge room , and asks him— "Do you wish to take the first degree to-ni ghtV " " Yes , sir , that is my wish . " " AVell , we'll put you through it if 3 ou can stand it , " or some other remark of like character , and the probability is that , before he enters the Lodge , two or three other officers will amuse themselves b " poking fun" at him
y . I have seen hanging in the ante-room of a Lodge a card of a manufacturer of Masonic jewels and regalia , on which was depicted various Masonic emblems , and conspicuous in the midst of them was a goat rampant , and a gridiron . This was , most likely , thought to be a good joke . It may have been to those who knew its absurdity ( though I confess I cannot quite see the point of it );