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Article THE PRINCIPLES OF FREE MASONRY EXPLAINED. ← Page 13 of 15 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Principles Of Free Masonry Explained.
virion of ' some arbitrary ceremony . An oath , therefore , properly considered , is little more than a promise unfolded and displayed m all its - parts ; and , on this account , the one is by far more awhil and t . emenduous than the other : for in an oath , a person sees distinc tly tne stnU ties he comes under , but-they appear more Obscurely to him in a promise . If then a promise of secrecy may be lawfully exacted before we lawfully de
communicate our secrets to any person , Freemasons may - mand an oath of secrecy from all who want to be initiated into theirs , and these may lawfully swear it . . . . . . It is further tinted againft Freemasons , that their society is not founded on universal " Benevolence , because they oblige themselves to be kindest and most to their own members . 1 ins indeed is the
generous case ; but it would be the greatest injustice if it were otherwise ^ Might not this objection be used , with equal force , against Christianity itself ? A great teacher of our excellent relig ion exhorts us , as we have opportunity td do good mito all men , especially unto them who are of the household of faith . That is , , we are to perform good offices to all men without distinction : but , were a Pagan and a Christian in distress ht to the prefe
to solicit our assistance at the same time ,- we oug give - rence to the latter in bur benevolence . Freemasonry requires nothing more to be done for those who profess it ; and to this they certainly have a right ; for every person , at his admission into a regular lodge , puts a certain sum of money into the hands of the treasurer for charitable purposes ; and , white . he continues a member , pays certa-in .. pe-If unavoidable misfortunesshould
riodical sums for the same purposes . - afterwards reduce him to a . state of indigence , that called for the generosity of his brethren , he would surely have a stronger claim to their assistance , than a man who had never contributed to the support of we society This particular attention , however , which Freemasons pay to the necessities of one another , does not lock up their hearts against the distresses of the rest of mankind ; they look on all their fellorv-creatures as entitled to their humanity ; and are ready to give such proofs ef it as their several circumstances will permit .
A third objection against Freemasonry is , that if it had a good tendency , irreligion , profligacy , and folly , would not form the character of so ' manv of its professors . But nothing can be more unfair and unjust than to depreciate and abuse any institution , good in itself , on account of the faults of those who pretend to adhere to it . This objection would hold against the most innocent comforts- of life : Thus , have been intoxicated bit
. wine must not be tasted , because many y ; animal food is certainly pernicious tp the health , because many have died by surfeits of it ; and fire ought to be extinguished all over die world , because it has occasioned humberless mischiefs . Nay , if Christianity itself , the mtost excellent institution that ever mankind were fa' voured with to be judged onlbthe lives of who call
them-, were y y many selves Christians ; our holy relig ion , instead of being brought from heaven , would appear to an untutored Pagan , to be contrived by some wicked spirit , and p ublished for the destruction of the human race . _ Hence you see the malice or follv of those who argue against the _ mtrmsw ' VOL . IL C
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Principles Of Free Masonry Explained.
virion of ' some arbitrary ceremony . An oath , therefore , properly considered , is little more than a promise unfolded and displayed m all its - parts ; and , on this account , the one is by far more awhil and t . emenduous than the other : for in an oath , a person sees distinc tly tne stnU ties he comes under , but-they appear more Obscurely to him in a promise . If then a promise of secrecy may be lawfully exacted before we lawfully de
communicate our secrets to any person , Freemasons may - mand an oath of secrecy from all who want to be initiated into theirs , and these may lawfully swear it . . . . . . It is further tinted againft Freemasons , that their society is not founded on universal " Benevolence , because they oblige themselves to be kindest and most to their own members . 1 ins indeed is the
generous case ; but it would be the greatest injustice if it were otherwise ^ Might not this objection be used , with equal force , against Christianity itself ? A great teacher of our excellent relig ion exhorts us , as we have opportunity td do good mito all men , especially unto them who are of the household of faith . That is , , we are to perform good offices to all men without distinction : but , were a Pagan and a Christian in distress ht to the prefe
to solicit our assistance at the same time ,- we oug give - rence to the latter in bur benevolence . Freemasonry requires nothing more to be done for those who profess it ; and to this they certainly have a right ; for every person , at his admission into a regular lodge , puts a certain sum of money into the hands of the treasurer for charitable purposes ; and , white . he continues a member , pays certa-in .. pe-If unavoidable misfortunesshould
riodical sums for the same purposes . - afterwards reduce him to a . state of indigence , that called for the generosity of his brethren , he would surely have a stronger claim to their assistance , than a man who had never contributed to the support of we society This particular attention , however , which Freemasons pay to the necessities of one another , does not lock up their hearts against the distresses of the rest of mankind ; they look on all their fellorv-creatures as entitled to their humanity ; and are ready to give such proofs ef it as their several circumstances will permit .
A third objection against Freemasonry is , that if it had a good tendency , irreligion , profligacy , and folly , would not form the character of so ' manv of its professors . But nothing can be more unfair and unjust than to depreciate and abuse any institution , good in itself , on account of the faults of those who pretend to adhere to it . This objection would hold against the most innocent comforts- of life : Thus , have been intoxicated bit
. wine must not be tasted , because many y ; animal food is certainly pernicious tp the health , because many have died by surfeits of it ; and fire ought to be extinguished all over die world , because it has occasioned humberless mischiefs . Nay , if Christianity itself , the mtost excellent institution that ever mankind were fa' voured with to be judged onlbthe lives of who call
them-, were y y many selves Christians ; our holy relig ion , instead of being brought from heaven , would appear to an untutored Pagan , to be contrived by some wicked spirit , and p ublished for the destruction of the human race . _ Hence you see the malice or follv of those who argue against the _ mtrmsw ' VOL . IL C