What Is Freemasonry?

child ; has nothing to do with politics , owns a fine garden just by the town gate ; is of decent parentage , has never had a suit at law ; is head-over-ears in love with the girl ; but yet—he is a Freemason ! What shall we do , dear Mike ? must we give him the girl ? Please to advise your friend .

ANSWER . M y Dear Friend , —Throw the girl with the beautiful eyes into his arms , and I will wager he won't let her fall , but that she will soon feel quite at home . Do not listen to the tales of your female chatterboxes , that can discern nothing but black rust in their chimney-corners , and shut your ears to the empty gossip of your boon companions , who condemn everything they cannot measure with

the yardstick or weigh with a patent balance . I do assure you the most stupid quality of man is that stupidity of knowing too much , which is self-conceit , or of not knowing enough , which is superstition and prejudice . You see , dear friend , I speak plainly ; 1 use no mask . I will tell you now what the Freemasons are not , for by this means you will be rightly informed . There are Freemasons in all countries . They are of

high repute in France and Prussia , in Spain and Austria , in Russia and Denmark , and in England , of course . And therefore their societies were greatly esteemed centuries ago , and many princes and great men became Masons ; even King Frederick the Great , of Prussia , himself , who wanted to look into the bottom of every well , belonged to the Order . Now , I would ask your godfather what cause he has to fear the secrets of State of the Freemasonswhen

, princes , kings , and emperors are satisfied ? The Order of Freemasonry unites the herrnhutter with the Catholic priest , the reformed preacher with the deacon ; and it cares not what coat each one wears , or what wig , or whether he be unshaven or shorn , so long as the heart sits in the right place . And I may , therefore , ask your neighbour ' s wife whether all these gentlemenin every condition of life and standingand of

, , all religious creeds , meet to concoct new bibles ? You can easily perceive that these people do not desire an alteration of the religious system , because centuries have passed by without having brought forth anything of the kind ; and , as to citing spirits that , I am sure , the Masons know the least of . Not the Freemasons , but the schoolmasters , cite spirits , and therefore should all those who feel the want of spirits go to school aud learn something of them .

Finally , in regard to the noble and truly valuable art of gold-making , I can only say how very desirable it would be for us to know all about it ; but , alas ! we know the process of boiling potatoes well enough , but as to gold , the scarcity of it will prove how unfortunately innocent we are in the premises . I tell you what it is : if we knew how to make gold , Emperor , Pope , and Soldan only would be Freemasons , and nobody else . I have told you now what the Freemasons are notand have to lain next

, exp what they are . This is a little more difficult , but you can almost guess it ; and the poor old sick man in your town , whom they assisted in his sorrows , can tell you , also , I suspect . Those that meet for the purpose of inquiring where a sufferer is to be found whom they may assist , cannot be called bad , graceless , and debauched . If this is debauchery , I wish all mankind would join it ; and , I am sure , the world would fare better with it than with all that

righteousness that breaks your neighbour ' s neck for Christian charity ! Some centuries ago a few noble-minded men said one to another : " The Temple at Jerusalem is destroyed , and not one stone remains on another . Let us that have love one for another , and venerate in humility the Lord of Hosts , the Great Architect of the Universe , combine to erect a new Temple to the honour of His hi gh name . But we will not build a visible , but an invisible one . The foundation shall be charit y , and the copestone piety . This temple shall reach from West to East , through all lands and climes , where God and virtue are venerated . Instead of stones , we will unite souls ; and instead of