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Article FREEMASONRY AND THE FRATERNITY.* ← Page 3 of 3 Article ARCHITECTURE AND ARCHÆOLOGY. Page 1 of 2 →
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Freemasonry And The Fraternity.*
self , and incessantly work at his own perfection , in order that the love within him which rejoices , blesses , and renders happy , may be more and more freed from the ties of selfishness , of sensuality , and of indolence ; only then shall he try to propagate around him truth , beauty , and virtue , aud to advance the welfare of man in obedience to God and without selfish intentions .
Beauty and truth also must be aimed at with disregard to all personal views , in such a manner that both are produced as natural consequences of the ideal impulse , for both have no substance in themselves , but only acquire it by their manifestation through religion and charity . This inmost feelingthis divine charity ,
, comprises all that is good and desirable ; , but then this inmost feeling must be manifested by action . There is , indeed , no perfection possible without the amendment of the human will . Mankind must be educated , but not beginning by the outside to proceed , but taking the contrary way . This with all its
consequences being applied to our association , it will be found necessary that in some way or another the ideal human will should be aroused by evident notions of beauty , of truth , and of goodness . If the society consist only of such members iu whom divine charit y prevails over selfishness , there can be no doubt but that , by the ideality perceptible in each individual , they will influence and attract one another . Striving men have united in the lodge ; they strive for the highest aud the best on earth .
Thus they shall lay down before the brethren , and for their use and benefit , what they have attained by striving . So they will profit themselves and the brothers , either by the perception of their own progress or by the example of others progressed already , so that the following quotation from Schleiermacher may be lied to the lodge : —
app " To present a rational and holy life is considered by each of them as a study and an art , and each endeavours to make himself perfect in some particular respect . A noble emulation prevails amongst them , and the desire to offer something worthy of such an assembly incites each of them faithfully and assiduously to acquire such things as are most congenial to his nature . The more readily one
communicates his acquirements to the other , the more they unite . None of them has a consciousness of himself alone , he also has that of others . " Thus the lodge is an efficacious institution , not only for the meeting and intercourse of true friends after the model of perfect society , but also for the education of its members for the world , for mankind . Thus , lodges
in reality are "workshops in which the members work , in order that the type of pure humanity , which by the manifold severing and deforming influences and conditions of society has been lost , may be restored , first , in the narrow circle of the brotherhood , then be improved by mutual activity , and , at last , if possible , may be made the common property of mankind .
THE MOCKING-Bum . —One of these little fellows , who had selected for his perch the topmost twig of an orange-tree not far off , amused us vastly . He danced about in a manner truly comical , all the while jerking up bis tail ; and then in a sort of frenzy of ecstacy , he flew up some feet in the air , and tumbled , as it were , with his head downwards till he reached his perch , when he turned round , and , with his wings still spread , continued a sportive sort of gesticulation as he sang , as though laughing at us . This little fellow seemed
perfectly conscious that we were observing him ; indeed , tho mocking-bird is always bold and forward in his behaviour , inviting , rather than avoiding , notice , but this one danced about with a gaiety and rapidity of movement that was quite irresistible . "While he was thus exerting himself , something occasioned my friend to sneeze , and immediately it was echoed from tree to tree" _ Ah-tu-chow , ah-tu-chew "—till he would have fancied it was either an echo , or that half-a-dozen persons had been similarly Englishwoman ' s Domestic Magazine .
Architecture And Archæology.
ARCHITECTURE AND ARCH ? OLOGY .
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE . —IS IT ADAPTED FOE ECCLESIASTICAL AND BUILDING- PURPOSES ?* Fifteen centuries have passed from the stage of time since the north-eastern part of Europe was inhabited by a number of barbarous tribes , who , by uniting , became a
powerful confederacy , and , thus feeling their power , commenced a bloody scene of war and carnage in the south of Europe , which eventually ended in the subjugation of Rome , the annihilation of her empire , and the spoiling of her noble city .
Why the supporters of the Pointed style are called Goths seems likely to remain a vexed question . Some writers assert that the Goths neither introduced , or practised the style ; others , that they were the originator ' s and the first to carry it out ; it does not appear to me that a bloodthirsty , barbarous people could in any way influence the progress of art , or appreciate the sublime and beautiful .
The Goths , as a power , did not exist before the third century , and ceased to exist as such in the early part of the eighth , that being five hundred years before the style was known in Europe . I have no doubt the name was given , not because the Goths had any influence in its origin , but to distinguish it from the Greek or Roman , the then Classic styles , by calling it the Gothic or Barbarous .
The origin of Gothic architecture , like its name , is enveloped iu mystery—few writers on the style agree upon the subject , and various causes are assigned and arguments used to carry out their opinions or establish their points . Some say that rJature herself gave the idea in the pointed appearance of' those trees that formed the sacred groves for the ancient worship of our forefathers , thus fixing its
influence on their minds , so that after their conversion to Christianity they built their temples to imitate the groves , and so formed the lancet-headed or Early English style ; others suppose that after the destruction of the Western or Roman Empire the nations that formed themselves from its ruins did all in their power to deviate as much as possible from the old models of tho beam and semiarch—thus
giving rise to the segmental or pointed . As to the former of these opinions , I would say the style was not general in England , France , or Germany , till the latter part of the twelfth century , and only one or two specimens in the early part thereof , thus showing the Druid priest had for 1100 years ceased to walk the sacred groves and offer the human sacrifices under nature ' s formed arch or heavens ^ canopy ; their groves had been destroyed and the Druidical worshippers' children ' s children passed from the society of
mau . This being the case , I cannot see that nature's influence , associated with this form of worship , had much to do , if anything , with its introduction , although it is a remarkable fact that in those countries where the Druidical worship was practised , the Gothic or Pointed style is general . As to tho former of these two reasons , tho antipathy towards Borne and her Classic style , it may have had its
influence ; for we know that a nation , or to come nearer home , an individual , having been under the tyranny and desjDotic rule of another , and being freed from that yoke , holds with utter hatred all that his oppressor loved . But Borne had ceased to be an Empire , and had given up her crown as mistress of the world eight centuries before tho style was general in England , France , Germany or
Spain . Indeed , it is my opinion that England cannot boast of its origin ; no , nor even Europe . I think Asia must be crowned with that laurel ; for as eai-ly as the reign of Constantine , in the fourth century , a church was raised over the Hoiy Sejmlchrc , and a mosque was built by the Arabs in the ninth century -with the pointed arch , that being 300 years before it was general in Europe , As to the introduction , I think we must attribute it to tho Crusades ; my reason for thinking so is the fact that at this time tho
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Freemasonry And The Fraternity.*
self , and incessantly work at his own perfection , in order that the love within him which rejoices , blesses , and renders happy , may be more and more freed from the ties of selfishness , of sensuality , and of indolence ; only then shall he try to propagate around him truth , beauty , and virtue , aud to advance the welfare of man in obedience to God and without selfish intentions .
Beauty and truth also must be aimed at with disregard to all personal views , in such a manner that both are produced as natural consequences of the ideal impulse , for both have no substance in themselves , but only acquire it by their manifestation through religion and charity . This inmost feelingthis divine charity ,
, comprises all that is good and desirable ; , but then this inmost feeling must be manifested by action . There is , indeed , no perfection possible without the amendment of the human will . Mankind must be educated , but not beginning by the outside to proceed , but taking the contrary way . This with all its
consequences being applied to our association , it will be found necessary that in some way or another the ideal human will should be aroused by evident notions of beauty , of truth , and of goodness . If the society consist only of such members iu whom divine charit y prevails over selfishness , there can be no doubt but that , by the ideality perceptible in each individual , they will influence and attract one another . Striving men have united in the lodge ; they strive for the highest aud the best on earth .
Thus they shall lay down before the brethren , and for their use and benefit , what they have attained by striving . So they will profit themselves and the brothers , either by the perception of their own progress or by the example of others progressed already , so that the following quotation from Schleiermacher may be lied to the lodge : —
app " To present a rational and holy life is considered by each of them as a study and an art , and each endeavours to make himself perfect in some particular respect . A noble emulation prevails amongst them , and the desire to offer something worthy of such an assembly incites each of them faithfully and assiduously to acquire such things as are most congenial to his nature . The more readily one
communicates his acquirements to the other , the more they unite . None of them has a consciousness of himself alone , he also has that of others . " Thus the lodge is an efficacious institution , not only for the meeting and intercourse of true friends after the model of perfect society , but also for the education of its members for the world , for mankind . Thus , lodges
in reality are "workshops in which the members work , in order that the type of pure humanity , which by the manifold severing and deforming influences and conditions of society has been lost , may be restored , first , in the narrow circle of the brotherhood , then be improved by mutual activity , and , at last , if possible , may be made the common property of mankind .
THE MOCKING-Bum . —One of these little fellows , who had selected for his perch the topmost twig of an orange-tree not far off , amused us vastly . He danced about in a manner truly comical , all the while jerking up bis tail ; and then in a sort of frenzy of ecstacy , he flew up some feet in the air , and tumbled , as it were , with his head downwards till he reached his perch , when he turned round , and , with his wings still spread , continued a sportive sort of gesticulation as he sang , as though laughing at us . This little fellow seemed
perfectly conscious that we were observing him ; indeed , tho mocking-bird is always bold and forward in his behaviour , inviting , rather than avoiding , notice , but this one danced about with a gaiety and rapidity of movement that was quite irresistible . "While he was thus exerting himself , something occasioned my friend to sneeze , and immediately it was echoed from tree to tree" _ Ah-tu-chow , ah-tu-chew "—till he would have fancied it was either an echo , or that half-a-dozen persons had been similarly Englishwoman ' s Domestic Magazine .
Architecture And Archæology.
ARCHITECTURE AND ARCH ? OLOGY .
GOTHIC ARCHITECTURE . —IS IT ADAPTED FOE ECCLESIASTICAL AND BUILDING- PURPOSES ?* Fifteen centuries have passed from the stage of time since the north-eastern part of Europe was inhabited by a number of barbarous tribes , who , by uniting , became a
powerful confederacy , and , thus feeling their power , commenced a bloody scene of war and carnage in the south of Europe , which eventually ended in the subjugation of Rome , the annihilation of her empire , and the spoiling of her noble city .
Why the supporters of the Pointed style are called Goths seems likely to remain a vexed question . Some writers assert that the Goths neither introduced , or practised the style ; others , that they were the originator ' s and the first to carry it out ; it does not appear to me that a bloodthirsty , barbarous people could in any way influence the progress of art , or appreciate the sublime and beautiful .
The Goths , as a power , did not exist before the third century , and ceased to exist as such in the early part of the eighth , that being five hundred years before the style was known in Europe . I have no doubt the name was given , not because the Goths had any influence in its origin , but to distinguish it from the Greek or Roman , the then Classic styles , by calling it the Gothic or Barbarous .
The origin of Gothic architecture , like its name , is enveloped iu mystery—few writers on the style agree upon the subject , and various causes are assigned and arguments used to carry out their opinions or establish their points . Some say that rJature herself gave the idea in the pointed appearance of' those trees that formed the sacred groves for the ancient worship of our forefathers , thus fixing its
influence on their minds , so that after their conversion to Christianity they built their temples to imitate the groves , and so formed the lancet-headed or Early English style ; others suppose that after the destruction of the Western or Roman Empire the nations that formed themselves from its ruins did all in their power to deviate as much as possible from the old models of tho beam and semiarch—thus
giving rise to the segmental or pointed . As to the former of these opinions , I would say the style was not general in England , France , or Germany , till the latter part of the twelfth century , and only one or two specimens in the early part thereof , thus showing the Druid priest had for 1100 years ceased to walk the sacred groves and offer the human sacrifices under nature ' s formed arch or heavens ^ canopy ; their groves had been destroyed and the Druidical worshippers' children ' s children passed from the society of
mau . This being the case , I cannot see that nature's influence , associated with this form of worship , had much to do , if anything , with its introduction , although it is a remarkable fact that in those countries where the Druidical worship was practised , the Gothic or Pointed style is general . As to tho former of these two reasons , tho antipathy towards Borne and her Classic style , it may have had its
influence ; for we know that a nation , or to come nearer home , an individual , having been under the tyranny and desjDotic rule of another , and being freed from that yoke , holds with utter hatred all that his oppressor loved . But Borne had ceased to be an Empire , and had given up her crown as mistress of the world eight centuries before tho style was general in England , France , Germany or
Spain . Indeed , it is my opinion that England cannot boast of its origin ; no , nor even Europe . I think Asia must be crowned with that laurel ; for as eai-ly as the reign of Constantine , in the fourth century , a church was raised over the Hoiy Sejmlchrc , and a mosque was built by the Arabs in the ninth century -with the pointed arch , that being 300 years before it was general in Europe , As to the introduction , I think we must attribute it to tho Crusades ; my reason for thinking so is the fact that at this time tho