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Article IS MASONRY A RELIGIOUS SYSTEM? ← Page 2 of 3 Article IS MASONRY A RELIGIOUS SYSTEM? Page 2 of 3 →
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Is Masonry A Religious System?
strange that they should succeed so admirably , in establishing their deplorable ignorance of the subject . But ib is indeed surprising that there should be among the initiated such diverse opinions as are
put forth by brethren Avhose feet have trod the holy place , whose hands have pressed the ancient altar , ancl whose eyes have opened by that "light " in whicli alone the only true answer to our interrogatory can be given . That there should be
these diverse opinions , cannot be charged as a fault of the Masonic Institution ; for every initiate travels iu the same Avay , the same road ; receives in the same manner the same instructions , that have been handed down from generation to
generation , from time immemorial . Clearly , then , the fault is ivith the recipient , and not with the source from which his instructions emanate . The simple declaration to an initiate , at the time of his initiation , affirming or denying Masonhy to
be a religious system , would not be a finality upon the subject , to an intelligent mind ; because the society is so constituted , its manner of unfolding
its mysteries , and teaching the every-day lessons of life , are so peculiarly its OAvn , and are so imbued with the great two-fold principle Avhich declares '" the supremacy of God , the perfect equality of men , " that the judgment of the initiate is formed
by a general impression , rather than by a particular declaration . And , as the excellence of a photograph depends much upon the preparation of the plate , so correctness of Masonic impressions depends in a measure upon existing mental
conditions , which have been formed by the life experiences of the candidate . This proposition being true , it will be readily understood that the candidate will be pleased most by the features in the ceremonies that are the
nearest in consonance with his modes of thought and life . If he is ( we dislike to say it ) a mercenary man , he will be pleased most with any manifestation of charity that he may behold , and hope to turn it to account at the first convenient
opportunity . If he is a benevolent man he will rejoice in the same exhibition of charity , but hope to turn it to the account of others .
If he is a devout man , and makes , as every man should , his religion the chief concern of his life , he will doubtless see , not only in the reverence paid to the name of Deity , but in many of the shadowy forms and mystic ceremonies , living
Is Masonry A Religious System?
likenesses of living truths that , to him , ivill be endowed ivith a new radiance , because they have been life principles in his heart , and now for the first time he beholds and touches their symbols , aud his heart pulsates quicker at the contact .
The Christian ; the Jew ; the Mohamedan , the believer in any yarticu ar or ed that rac . orjnizas thi one ever-living and true oil as supremo , may here find his love of justice , of truth , of humanity , strengthened , and to that extent , and more , fiud
points that are in keeping with , and do no violence to his religious belief . In fact he will find many of the peculiar tenets of his religion practically illustrated ; and if immediately after contemplating the scene presented to him , ho was asked the
question : "Is Masonry a religious system ? " lie would perhaps answer in the affirmative , which would be a very grave mistake . Indeed . Ave have known a newly made brother to declare that Masonry was Christianity , and another that it
vvas purely Judaism , whicli serves to show the different stand-points from which tho two brethren viewed it .
We can bear ivith such assertions from young Masons , because we think they will learn better in time ; but when older Masons , particularly those who are in the habit of addressing the public through the pulpit , the platform , or the press , and
are supposed to understand the subjects of Avhicli they speak or write , attempt to set Masonry up as a religious society or religious system , our patience gives out , and Ave can only pity the poverty of enterprise which has led them to suppose that
they can comprehend in an hour , and that , too without study or research , all the delicacy of a system of ethics that has taken hundreds of years to crystalize into its present forms of grace and beauty . The frost-work on a window pane is not
more delicate than the significance of some of the symbols and ceremonies of Masonry , and their beauty is as easily destroyed by improper handling . We are Avell aware that many good brethren ,
who are good Masons both in Avords and deeds , desire all the world to have a G'ood opinion of o J . the institution which they themselves love so well ; and , with their life interest wrapped up iu their religion , they fall quite naturally into the belief
that they could nob love Masonry so well if it Avere not religious ; and holding conscientiously to this doctriue , though without thinking to examine
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Is Masonry A Religious System?
strange that they should succeed so admirably , in establishing their deplorable ignorance of the subject . But ib is indeed surprising that there should be among the initiated such diverse opinions as are
put forth by brethren Avhose feet have trod the holy place , whose hands have pressed the ancient altar , ancl whose eyes have opened by that "light " in whicli alone the only true answer to our interrogatory can be given . That there should be
these diverse opinions , cannot be charged as a fault of the Masonic Institution ; for every initiate travels iu the same Avay , the same road ; receives in the same manner the same instructions , that have been handed down from generation to
generation , from time immemorial . Clearly , then , the fault is ivith the recipient , and not with the source from which his instructions emanate . The simple declaration to an initiate , at the time of his initiation , affirming or denying Masonhy to
be a religious system , would not be a finality upon the subject , to an intelligent mind ; because the society is so constituted , its manner of unfolding
its mysteries , and teaching the every-day lessons of life , are so peculiarly its OAvn , and are so imbued with the great two-fold principle Avhich declares '" the supremacy of God , the perfect equality of men , " that the judgment of the initiate is formed
by a general impression , rather than by a particular declaration . And , as the excellence of a photograph depends much upon the preparation of the plate , so correctness of Masonic impressions depends in a measure upon existing mental
conditions , which have been formed by the life experiences of the candidate . This proposition being true , it will be readily understood that the candidate will be pleased most by the features in the ceremonies that are the
nearest in consonance with his modes of thought and life . If he is ( we dislike to say it ) a mercenary man , he will be pleased most with any manifestation of charity that he may behold , and hope to turn it to account at the first convenient
opportunity . If he is a benevolent man he will rejoice in the same exhibition of charity , but hope to turn it to the account of others .
If he is a devout man , and makes , as every man should , his religion the chief concern of his life , he will doubtless see , not only in the reverence paid to the name of Deity , but in many of the shadowy forms and mystic ceremonies , living
Is Masonry A Religious System?
likenesses of living truths that , to him , ivill be endowed ivith a new radiance , because they have been life principles in his heart , and now for the first time he beholds and touches their symbols , aud his heart pulsates quicker at the contact .
The Christian ; the Jew ; the Mohamedan , the believer in any yarticu ar or ed that rac . orjnizas thi one ever-living and true oil as supremo , may here find his love of justice , of truth , of humanity , strengthened , and to that extent , and more , fiud
points that are in keeping with , and do no violence to his religious belief . In fact he will find many of the peculiar tenets of his religion practically illustrated ; and if immediately after contemplating the scene presented to him , ho was asked the
question : "Is Masonry a religious system ? " lie would perhaps answer in the affirmative , which would be a very grave mistake . Indeed . Ave have known a newly made brother to declare that Masonry was Christianity , and another that it
vvas purely Judaism , whicli serves to show the different stand-points from which tho two brethren viewed it .
We can bear ivith such assertions from young Masons , because we think they will learn better in time ; but when older Masons , particularly those who are in the habit of addressing the public through the pulpit , the platform , or the press , and
are supposed to understand the subjects of Avhicli they speak or write , attempt to set Masonry up as a religious society or religious system , our patience gives out , and Ave can only pity the poverty of enterprise which has led them to suppose that
they can comprehend in an hour , and that , too without study or research , all the delicacy of a system of ethics that has taken hundreds of years to crystalize into its present forms of grace and beauty . The frost-work on a window pane is not
more delicate than the significance of some of the symbols and ceremonies of Masonry , and their beauty is as easily destroyed by improper handling . We are Avell aware that many good brethren ,
who are good Masons both in Avords and deeds , desire all the world to have a G'ood opinion of o J . the institution which they themselves love so well ; and , with their life interest wrapped up iu their religion , they fall quite naturally into the belief
that they could nob love Masonry so well if it Avere not religious ; and holding conscientiously to this doctriue , though without thinking to examine