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Article ARRIVALS, SURVIVALS, AND REVIVALS. ← Page 6 of 7 →
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Arrivals, Survivals, And Revivals.
monument of our admiration for the martyrs and of our gratitude to the brother in furtherance of Avhose generous purpose they died . And after all , I am driven back for a a illustration of a survival and a revival to the glorious old Craft under ivhose flag Ave sail . And Avhat does that flag symbolise ? not a creed , for it lemurcs no sectarian profession , —not a principle , for millions who have not shared in its illumination have" as entertaining angels unawares" practised its teachings—as witness the
, , six "iillant tars I have alluded to , for we are forbidden to assume that they Avere all brethren of the square and level , —not a system of theology—not a religion—for all men in whom the germs , the rudiments , of religious profession , can be surely ascertained , are eligible for ftee admission to its privileges—privileges granted to all men " free ancl of good report , " " full measure , pressed down and running' over . " I am driven back , I say , for full illustration of my title , an arrival , a survival , and a revival in one . to the system—ah ! that is
the word—whioh is most peculiarly interesting to the male readers of these poges . le who lave " seen the light" reflect how Avonderfully my title applies to our beloved Craft—An arrival 1 Why every week sees a Avelcome addition to the family of our adored mother—A survival ! Carry your minds back , learned brother antiquarians , and think how many storms the old barque has lived through , how much misrepresentation she has ridden over , how much obloquy she has run doivn , how many narrow prejudices she has rammed in . Has she not borne unscathed the broadside of kingl y decree and priestly denunciation ! Have
not the insidious torpedoes of ignorant misapprehension . ancl popular indifference been laid for her in vain 1 and she has remained , she has flourished to be—what" It is a serious question , brother Freemasons . but let us thank God that we can answer it confidentl y and calmly . 5 lhe has remained to be a safe refuge from the persecution that operates in one place by open oppression , in another by cynical derision . She has remained to be a neutral deck lvhere all rihteous men of all creeds may labour for good together . Her flag
g shelters no rival factions , flies over no conflicting aims . The glory of God and the good of man are the objects desiderated and composedly , but determinedly , pursued . Surely at this time , Avith the proclamation of the herald angels ringing in the air , it is not unseeml y to remind our brethren of this—to afford , so far , to the outer world a proud reason for the faith that is in us .
I had intended to illustrate the fact that Freemasonry is also a revival , but it is unnecessary . We live iu au age of revivals . The Church of England , Dissent , nay , even the Jewish and Mahommedan Churches , show evidence of that restless vitality , which , involving more extended spiritual activity , finds popular expression in the convenient word , revival . In politics the old vulgar and short-sighted
profession" I don't trouble my head AvitU affairs of the nation , I've enough of my own for to mind , " is long ago exploded . The advance of education , the accessibility of the suffrage , hare resulted in a greater number interesting their minds in imperial , national , and local concerns , than at any previous period of our history . Art has had a " great upheaval , " to use Lord Bacon ' s expressive term , in the extended number not only of its patrons , but ot critics that advanced intelligence and liberal and greater educational facibties have
more Produced , Science is even feverish Avith activity in presence of the already achieved Miracles of the age ; its professors eagerly contemplating each new achievement as but earnest of the things that they shall do , " and in Freemasonry each day sees a graver , nobler , 1 wper view , taken of its meanings and its teachings . Regarded less than a hundred J > u's ag 0 as mereiy an excuse for convivial meeting ., in the days when convivial meetings
wpied a great , an unduly great , proportion of life ' s golden hours , it had to Avork off ie slough of its mean estate , and rise to the level of the responsibilitei of its mighty iMitaiice . It has had its reward . Its beautiful system of symbolic teaching is more ' . ' nore studied . Its excellent discipline more and more conscientiously observed . Its scly ordained offices more and more faithfullfilled . Its exquisitely eloquent ritual more
y ! i . mv f intelligently and gracefully interpreted . Tes , our Craft is a great reality , a ^• ng of much beaut y , a mighty instrument for good . In this grand revival we can all j ill ( '' P Ibis colossal structure every labourer can find work . Lord Bacon has Luciitl y Sllit { t [ U ((; cvell ju i ^ e mos ^ lively strains of music the discerning ear may B 2
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Arrivals, Survivals, And Revivals.
monument of our admiration for the martyrs and of our gratitude to the brother in furtherance of Avhose generous purpose they died . And after all , I am driven back for a a illustration of a survival and a revival to the glorious old Craft under ivhose flag Ave sail . And Avhat does that flag symbolise ? not a creed , for it lemurcs no sectarian profession , —not a principle , for millions who have not shared in its illumination have" as entertaining angels unawares" practised its teachings—as witness the
, , six "iillant tars I have alluded to , for we are forbidden to assume that they Avere all brethren of the square and level , —not a system of theology—not a religion—for all men in whom the germs , the rudiments , of religious profession , can be surely ascertained , are eligible for ftee admission to its privileges—privileges granted to all men " free ancl of good report , " " full measure , pressed down and running' over . " I am driven back , I say , for full illustration of my title , an arrival , a survival , and a revival in one . to the system—ah ! that is
the word—whioh is most peculiarly interesting to the male readers of these poges . le who lave " seen the light" reflect how Avonderfully my title applies to our beloved Craft—An arrival 1 Why every week sees a Avelcome addition to the family of our adored mother—A survival ! Carry your minds back , learned brother antiquarians , and think how many storms the old barque has lived through , how much misrepresentation she has ridden over , how much obloquy she has run doivn , how many narrow prejudices she has rammed in . Has she not borne unscathed the broadside of kingl y decree and priestly denunciation ! Have
not the insidious torpedoes of ignorant misapprehension . ancl popular indifference been laid for her in vain 1 and she has remained , she has flourished to be—what" It is a serious question , brother Freemasons . but let us thank God that we can answer it confidentl y and calmly . 5 lhe has remained to be a safe refuge from the persecution that operates in one place by open oppression , in another by cynical derision . She has remained to be a neutral deck lvhere all rihteous men of all creeds may labour for good together . Her flag
g shelters no rival factions , flies over no conflicting aims . The glory of God and the good of man are the objects desiderated and composedly , but determinedly , pursued . Surely at this time , Avith the proclamation of the herald angels ringing in the air , it is not unseeml y to remind our brethren of this—to afford , so far , to the outer world a proud reason for the faith that is in us .
I had intended to illustrate the fact that Freemasonry is also a revival , but it is unnecessary . We live iu au age of revivals . The Church of England , Dissent , nay , even the Jewish and Mahommedan Churches , show evidence of that restless vitality , which , involving more extended spiritual activity , finds popular expression in the convenient word , revival . In politics the old vulgar and short-sighted
profession" I don't trouble my head AvitU affairs of the nation , I've enough of my own for to mind , " is long ago exploded . The advance of education , the accessibility of the suffrage , hare resulted in a greater number interesting their minds in imperial , national , and local concerns , than at any previous period of our history . Art has had a " great upheaval , " to use Lord Bacon ' s expressive term , in the extended number not only of its patrons , but ot critics that advanced intelligence and liberal and greater educational facibties have
more Produced , Science is even feverish Avith activity in presence of the already achieved Miracles of the age ; its professors eagerly contemplating each new achievement as but earnest of the things that they shall do , " and in Freemasonry each day sees a graver , nobler , 1 wper view , taken of its meanings and its teachings . Regarded less than a hundred J > u's ag 0 as mereiy an excuse for convivial meeting ., in the days when convivial meetings
wpied a great , an unduly great , proportion of life ' s golden hours , it had to Avork off ie slough of its mean estate , and rise to the level of the responsibilitei of its mighty iMitaiice . It has had its reward . Its beautiful system of symbolic teaching is more ' . ' nore studied . Its excellent discipline more and more conscientiously observed . Its scly ordained offices more and more faithfullfilled . Its exquisitely eloquent ritual more
y ! i . mv f intelligently and gracefully interpreted . Tes , our Craft is a great reality , a ^• ng of much beaut y , a mighty instrument for good . In this grand revival we can all j ill ( '' P Ibis colossal structure every labourer can find work . Lord Bacon has Luciitl y Sllit { t [ U ((; cvell ju i ^ e mos ^ lively strains of music the discerning ear may B 2