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  • Sept. 3, 1859
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    Article MASONRY AND ITS MISSION. ← Page 2 of 5 →
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Masonry And Its Mission.

lished by the Grand Lodge , which is open to the inspection of every one , be he a Mason or one of the uninitiated ( which book is particularly presented to the notice of every newly initiated member ) as from it he will learn his duties to the Craft in general—in this book , I say , one of the first passages is , " As a Mason I would first recommend to your

most serious contemplation the volume of the sacred law , charging you to consider it as the unerring standard of truth and justice , and to regulate your actions by the divine precepts it contains . Therein you will learn your duties to God , to your neighbour , and yourself - to God by never mentioning his name but with that awe and reverence which

are due from the creature to his Creator , by imploring his aid on all your lawful undertakings , and by looking up to him in every emergency for comfort and support . To your neighbour by acting with him upon the square , by rendering him every kind office in your poAver , ivhich justice or mercy may require ; by relieving his distresses , soothing his

afflictions , and by ahvays doing to him as you would he should do unto you . To yourself b y such a prudent and Avell regulated course of disci pline as may tend to preserve the faculties of your mind and bod y in their fullest energy , and may enable you to exert most usefully the talents with which God has blessed you , as well to his glory as to the welfare of your felloAV creatures . " What is there savouring of

infidelity , rebellion , or anything impure in that ? - The next grave charge against us , and one whicli many think weighs hardest upon us is that of deism . Here again see what the Book of Constitutions says : — " A Mason is obliged by his tenure to observe the moral law as a true Noachida , and if he ri ghtly understand the Craft he Avill never be a stupid

atheist or an irreligious libertine , nor act against conscience . In ancient times the Christian Masons were charged to comply with the Christian usages of each country where they travelled or worked , but Masonry being found of all nations , even of divers religions , they are now generally charged to adhere to that reli gion in which all men agree ( leaving to

each brother his own particular opinion ) , that is , to be good men and true , men of honour and honesty , by whatever names , religions or persuasions they may be distinguished , for they all agree in the three great articles of Noah , enough to preserve the cement of the Lodge . " And in an . ancient MS . found in the British Museum , and lately published by

Mr . Halliwell ( which is well Avorthy the attention not only of Masons but of all antiquarians ) full directions arc given as to their manner of life , their duty to their superiors , their employers , and their God , and even IIOAV they are to conduct themselves Avhen they attend at divine service in any of those noble buildings of which they erected so many to God ' s glory . These remain lasting memorials of their skill and

perseverance , and also are sermons in stones , forcibly shoiving that Freemasons were neither atheists nor deists . The charge of being nests ' of rebels and places for hatching conspiracies and revolutionary practices is only another specimen of the ignorance and imbecile credulity of our aspersers * it arose at the close of the last century : —

"About the year 1773-6 , " says an interesting paper in thc ¦ b' reeiiMsons Magazine , "Adam Weishaupt , a professor of canon law in tho University of Ingoldstadt , in Bavaria , in conjunction with some others , formed a secret society , called the llluminati . Weishaupt himself is said to have been an extreme political reformer and an infidel ; and the common belief

was that the French revolution and its subsequent train 01 horrors were the results of conspiracies hatched under the auspices , and in the club , of the llluminati . At the formation of his society Weishaupt was not a Freemason , but thinking that to be associated even , in the slightest degree with so excellent and time honoured an institution Avould

add credit and firmness to his new society , he became a member of a Lod ge at Munich here ho at first drew over acme young and enthusiastic members to join him , but as

soon as they witnessed the development of his hi gh degree they Avithdrew in disgust , and some of them betraying its principles , an examination was made into the charges brought against it , and the result was that the Elector of Bavaria suppressed the society in his dominions ; it had not , in fact , and no proof can be adduced that it ever had , any connection

ivith Masonry . " Had our calumniators looked into the Book of Constitutions , they would have seen that a Mason must be a peaceable subject , never concerned in plots against the state , nor disrespectful to inferior magistrates . As to the charge of impure and unholy rites , is it possible that a body of men of mature ageamongst whom it is no

, uncommon thing to find many ministers of our holy religion , would meet for such a purpose * or even if they did , would they ahvays open their Lodges and commence their proceedings Avith solemn prayer to the most high God . Would men of refined intellect , scholars , statesmen , fathers of families , and rulers of the land sanction any such improper proceedings

by their presence—far less would they , as is often the case , present their sons for initiation into the Order ? Would such words as the folloAving have been addressed by a father to his son on his initiation , Prince Ferdinand being Grancl Master , " I congratulate you on your admission into the most ancientand perhaps the most respectable society in thc

, universe . This moment , my son , you owe to me a second birth . Should your / conduct in life correspond with the principles of Masonry , my remaining years AA'ill pass away with p leasure and satisfaction . " These are not lig ht words , but well each' brother knoAvs that a good Mason must be a

good man , and that they are pregnant with truth and sincerity . What , then , is the mission of Freemasonry 1 It is to teach mon the 2 »* actice of morality , which Archdeacon Paley defines to be " that science Avhich teaches men their duty , and the reasons of it . " And here let me most distinctly assert that

Freemasonry is not a religion , though a reverend brother in America haswell denominated it as "the handmaid of religion . " I think , indeed , the words of the celebrated Dr . Johnson will most plainly convey my meaning;— "When the obligations of morality are taught , " says he , "let the sanctions of Christianity never be forgotten ; by whicli it will be

shown that they give strength and lustre to each other ' relig ion Avill appear to be the voice of reason , and morality Avill be the will of God . " Speculative Masonry is so far intei-AVOveii with relig ion as to lay us under tho strongest obligation to pay that rational homage to the Deity which at once constitutes onr duty and our happiness . It leads the contemplative to vieAV with reverence and admiration the glorious works of the creation , and inspires them with the most exalted ideas of the perfections of the divine Creator . Its system exhibits

a stupendous aud beautiful fabric , founded on universal piety ; unfolding- its gates to receive the worthy professors of every description of genuine religion ; concentrating as it were into one body their just tenets , unencumbered by the disputable peculiarities of sects and persuasions ; in a word , it is tho practice of every moral and social virtue . Its mission , then ,

is the promulgation , and practice of virtue , or , as a reverend divine has explained it , the doing good to mankind in obedience to the will of God , and for the sake of everlasting happiness . The constitution of human creatures , and indeed of all creatures that come under our notice is such , as that they are capable of naturally becoming qualified for states of life for

which they were once wholly unqualified . We find ourselves endued ivith capacities not only of perceiving ideas and of knoAvledge , or perceiving truth , but also of storing up our ideas and knoAvledge by memory . We are capable not only of acting , and of having different momentary impressions made upon us , but of getting a JICAV facility in every kind of action- —and of settled alterations in our temper and character ; the power of thc IAVO last is the power of habit . Our happiness and misery arc entrusted to our conduct , and made to de «

“The Freemasons' Monthly Magazine: 1859-09-03, Page 3” Masonic Periodicals Online, Library and Museum of Freemasonry, 11 July 2025, django:8000/periodicals/mmr/issues/mmr_03091859/page/3/.
  • List
  • Grid
Title Category Page
RANDOM THOUGHTS—II. Article 1
MASONRY AND ITS MISSION. Article 2
THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON. Article 6
ARCHÆCLOGY . Article 7
MASONIC NOTES AND QUERIES. Article 8
THE FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE AND THE CRAFT. Article 10
Literature. Article 10
Poetry. Article 14
CORRESPONDENCE. Article 15
THE MARK MASTER'S JEWEL. Article 15
APPOINTMENT OF GRAND OFFICERS. Article 16
THE MASONIC MIRROR. Article 16
MARK MASONRY. Article 17
COLONIAL. Article 17
AMERICA. Article 18
THE WEEK. Article 19
PUBLIC AMUSEMENTS. Article 20
Obituary. Article 20
TO CORRESPONDENTS. Article 20
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.

Masonry And Its Mission.

lished by the Grand Lodge , which is open to the inspection of every one , be he a Mason or one of the uninitiated ( which book is particularly presented to the notice of every newly initiated member ) as from it he will learn his duties to the Craft in general—in this book , I say , one of the first passages is , " As a Mason I would first recommend to your

most serious contemplation the volume of the sacred law , charging you to consider it as the unerring standard of truth and justice , and to regulate your actions by the divine precepts it contains . Therein you will learn your duties to God , to your neighbour , and yourself - to God by never mentioning his name but with that awe and reverence which

are due from the creature to his Creator , by imploring his aid on all your lawful undertakings , and by looking up to him in every emergency for comfort and support . To your neighbour by acting with him upon the square , by rendering him every kind office in your poAver , ivhich justice or mercy may require ; by relieving his distresses , soothing his

afflictions , and by ahvays doing to him as you would he should do unto you . To yourself b y such a prudent and Avell regulated course of disci pline as may tend to preserve the faculties of your mind and bod y in their fullest energy , and may enable you to exert most usefully the talents with which God has blessed you , as well to his glory as to the welfare of your felloAV creatures . " What is there savouring of

infidelity , rebellion , or anything impure in that ? - The next grave charge against us , and one whicli many think weighs hardest upon us is that of deism . Here again see what the Book of Constitutions says : — " A Mason is obliged by his tenure to observe the moral law as a true Noachida , and if he ri ghtly understand the Craft he Avill never be a stupid

atheist or an irreligious libertine , nor act against conscience . In ancient times the Christian Masons were charged to comply with the Christian usages of each country where they travelled or worked , but Masonry being found of all nations , even of divers religions , they are now generally charged to adhere to that reli gion in which all men agree ( leaving to

each brother his own particular opinion ) , that is , to be good men and true , men of honour and honesty , by whatever names , religions or persuasions they may be distinguished , for they all agree in the three great articles of Noah , enough to preserve the cement of the Lodge . " And in an . ancient MS . found in the British Museum , and lately published by

Mr . Halliwell ( which is well Avorthy the attention not only of Masons but of all antiquarians ) full directions arc given as to their manner of life , their duty to their superiors , their employers , and their God , and even IIOAV they are to conduct themselves Avhen they attend at divine service in any of those noble buildings of which they erected so many to God ' s glory . These remain lasting memorials of their skill and

perseverance , and also are sermons in stones , forcibly shoiving that Freemasons were neither atheists nor deists . The charge of being nests ' of rebels and places for hatching conspiracies and revolutionary practices is only another specimen of the ignorance and imbecile credulity of our aspersers * it arose at the close of the last century : —

"About the year 1773-6 , " says an interesting paper in thc ¦ b' reeiiMsons Magazine , "Adam Weishaupt , a professor of canon law in tho University of Ingoldstadt , in Bavaria , in conjunction with some others , formed a secret society , called the llluminati . Weishaupt himself is said to have been an extreme political reformer and an infidel ; and the common belief

was that the French revolution and its subsequent train 01 horrors were the results of conspiracies hatched under the auspices , and in the club , of the llluminati . At the formation of his society Weishaupt was not a Freemason , but thinking that to be associated even , in the slightest degree with so excellent and time honoured an institution Avould

add credit and firmness to his new society , he became a member of a Lod ge at Munich here ho at first drew over acme young and enthusiastic members to join him , but as

soon as they witnessed the development of his hi gh degree they Avithdrew in disgust , and some of them betraying its principles , an examination was made into the charges brought against it , and the result was that the Elector of Bavaria suppressed the society in his dominions ; it had not , in fact , and no proof can be adduced that it ever had , any connection

ivith Masonry . " Had our calumniators looked into the Book of Constitutions , they would have seen that a Mason must be a peaceable subject , never concerned in plots against the state , nor disrespectful to inferior magistrates . As to the charge of impure and unholy rites , is it possible that a body of men of mature ageamongst whom it is no

, uncommon thing to find many ministers of our holy religion , would meet for such a purpose * or even if they did , would they ahvays open their Lodges and commence their proceedings Avith solemn prayer to the most high God . Would men of refined intellect , scholars , statesmen , fathers of families , and rulers of the land sanction any such improper proceedings

by their presence—far less would they , as is often the case , present their sons for initiation into the Order ? Would such words as the folloAving have been addressed by a father to his son on his initiation , Prince Ferdinand being Grancl Master , " I congratulate you on your admission into the most ancientand perhaps the most respectable society in thc

, universe . This moment , my son , you owe to me a second birth . Should your / conduct in life correspond with the principles of Masonry , my remaining years AA'ill pass away with p leasure and satisfaction . " These are not lig ht words , but well each' brother knoAvs that a good Mason must be a

good man , and that they are pregnant with truth and sincerity . What , then , is the mission of Freemasonry 1 It is to teach mon the 2 »* actice of morality , which Archdeacon Paley defines to be " that science Avhich teaches men their duty , and the reasons of it . " And here let me most distinctly assert that

Freemasonry is not a religion , though a reverend brother in America haswell denominated it as "the handmaid of religion . " I think , indeed , the words of the celebrated Dr . Johnson will most plainly convey my meaning;— "When the obligations of morality are taught , " says he , "let the sanctions of Christianity never be forgotten ; by whicli it will be

shown that they give strength and lustre to each other ' relig ion Avill appear to be the voice of reason , and morality Avill be the will of God . " Speculative Masonry is so far intei-AVOveii with relig ion as to lay us under tho strongest obligation to pay that rational homage to the Deity which at once constitutes onr duty and our happiness . It leads the contemplative to vieAV with reverence and admiration the glorious works of the creation , and inspires them with the most exalted ideas of the perfections of the divine Creator . Its system exhibits

a stupendous aud beautiful fabric , founded on universal piety ; unfolding- its gates to receive the worthy professors of every description of genuine religion ; concentrating as it were into one body their just tenets , unencumbered by the disputable peculiarities of sects and persuasions ; in a word , it is tho practice of every moral and social virtue . Its mission , then ,

is the promulgation , and practice of virtue , or , as a reverend divine has explained it , the doing good to mankind in obedience to the will of God , and for the sake of everlasting happiness . The constitution of human creatures , and indeed of all creatures that come under our notice is such , as that they are capable of naturally becoming qualified for states of life for

which they were once wholly unqualified . We find ourselves endued ivith capacities not only of perceiving ideas and of knoAvledge , or perceiving truth , but also of storing up our ideas and knoAvledge by memory . We are capable not only of acting , and of having different momentary impressions made upon us , but of getting a JICAV facility in every kind of action- —and of settled alterations in our temper and character ; the power of thc IAVO last is the power of habit . Our happiness and misery arc entrusted to our conduct , and made to de «

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