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Article PRECEPT AND PRACTICE. Page 1 of 2 Article PRECEPT AND PRACTICE. Page 1 of 2 →
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Precept And Practice.
PRECEPT AND PRACTICE .
IT is an old story , yet it is none the less astonishing * , that whilst tho bands of brotherhood are theoretically presumed to unite all Freemasons into one happy family , where nob so much as the slightest whisper of strife is ever hoard , or likely to be
heard , there are few , if any , societies in which litigious differences are so common . We know well enough that in Freemasonry , as in Religion , to expect anything like perfection were an absurdity . It is not in the order of things that men should live on from year to year without
having their differences of a more or less serious character , but it is one thing to know that such differences must arise , and another to force them into being at every available
opportunity . We are not so silly as to expect that every proposition which may be made will meet with general favour or support , but we do think it both reasonable and desirable that when one is made it should bo treated with
a certain degree of consideration . If the minds of different men are so constituted that it is impossible they should over be brought to look upon one particular object in one and the same light , there is not the slightest reason why these different men should not be satisfied with expressing
their disagreement amicably . Thero is no need for any among thera to indulge in harsh language , or suggest unpleasant inuendoes in respect of those who havo tlio misfortune to think differently . In the political world this truth is pretty generally recognised in these days ,
and the instances are rare , indeed , where men who tako opposite views on the great questions which arc always agitating the world now exhibit any feeling of personal hostility towards each other . So in the legal world , the
advocates who figuratively pummel each other m the interests of their respective clients when in court , are privately the best of friends . Of this we have a memorable instance in the celebrated trial nf " Bardell v .
Pickwick , when , to his surprise , and we fear we must add , his indignation , the latter gentleman saw Serjeant Buzfuz and the learned leader on his own side saluting each other cordially after the manner of two old friends . We know , too , that differences of religious faith are no obstacle to
tho purest and most disinterested friendship . But though squabbles are by no means infrequent among other classes of men , we confess , without the slightest feeling of hesitation , that considering the tenets they profess , there is , as
we have before remarked , no society in which angry differences so frequently arise as in Freemasonry . Why this should be the caso is a matter wo dare not attempt to explain : all we can venture to note is the fact of its being so .
"he present year—and one half of it has not yet expired—has been more than usually fruitful of these interfraternal disturbances . At two of its Communications Grand Lodge has been made tho scene of an unwonted excitement , such as will not be remembered as among
the pleasurable episodes of the year's Masonic history , " here has been evinced in connection with the conduct of both onr Schools , and not once only , but on various occasions , a bitterness of spirit which has not been creditable to those who have indulged in it . Some very harsh
things have been said about those have been and still arc advocating the establishment of a new and special Fund , though we cannot see why those who take an active part in favour of or against the formation of tin ' s supplementary Charitable Fund cannot manage to think or speak-
Precept And Practice.
charitably of their brethren . AU this- has led to a vast amount of angry coiTespondence , and that portion of it which appeared in the columns of our contemporary seems to havo so seriously perplexed tho brains of its Editor that ho has been under the necessity of furbishing up his
choicest vocaoulary , so that he may bo fully equal to tho occasion when the next explosion of temper among any of his brethren takes place . We havo no wish to Inflict a homily on our readers . Nevertheless , it seems necessary from time to time to
remind them that the word Charity has an important significance , while the principle of which it is the written expression is tho quintessence of Freemasonry . Deprive it of this principle ' of Charity , and our Society at once loses tho very reason of its being . Many , of course , will turn
round and say , Look at onr magnificent Institutions , and tho thousands wo raise annually for their support ! Arc there not always over 200 children being educated in each of our Schools , and does not tho Benevolent do much towards the support of upwards of 800 old men and women ? Thon
there is Grand Lodge itself , which , by the medium ol : the Board of Benevolence , annually dispenses its thousands , to say nothing of what is done by individual Lodges , local Associations , & c . & c . Well , granted , say wo . AU this almsgiving bespeaks a generous spirit on the part of the
Society , but almsgiving is only a very inconsiderable part of what is meant by Charity . Tho "woman who cast her mite into the Treasury was in that one respect as charitable as the wealthiest who may have given several talents ; while the Pharisee who gavo the titho of all he possessed to the
poor was a mere proud boaster by comparison with the humble Saddncec he so cordially despised . Brethren are too apt to run away with tho idea that they best illustrate the virtue of Charity who give of their substance most freely . Yet there aro many people who , though thoy never
g ive alms , aro animated by the purest spirit of charity . They have a kind word for everybody ; they never think or suggest evil of others . They sympathise actively , as well
as deeply , with human suffering . In short , they strive to the best of their ability to fulfil their duties as Masons , and this they do quietly and unostentatiously , the only reward they desire to obtain being tho love of their fellows .
Far bo it from us to say one word which might be considered as suggesting that almsgiving is no part of Charity . The Craft has taken upon itself the duties and responsibilities of supporting certain institutions with a view to helping those whom the sad vicissitudes of fortune
have reduced from a state of comparative affluence to that of comparative , if not actual , poverty . What we arc desirous of pointing out is that this is by no means the " be-all and end-all " of Freemasonry . Wo appreciate and applaud these good deeds of the Craft ; but at tho same time we
should like to see moro of tho sympathetic feeling which theoretically is supposed to bind us together as brethren of tho mystic tie . We tako the greatest pride in the principles we profess , and wc know that that pride is best exhibited by a faithful and active interpretation of those princi ples .
We do not , for instance , give tho best evidence we can of the love wo boar our neighbour , when—figuratively speaking of course—wo belabour him or kick him downstairs . When we show ourselves indifferent to tlio behests of dul y constituted authority , wo bv no means give the bc . ? t
illustration it is in our power to give of our respect for the laws and constitutions of our Order . Wo do not best illustrate the virtne of Charity when wo travel out of our way to use harsh words of a brother , to impute motives to him , or to suggest his ignorance of the amenities , as well as of the
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Precept And Practice.
PRECEPT AND PRACTICE .
IT is an old story , yet it is none the less astonishing * , that whilst tho bands of brotherhood are theoretically presumed to unite all Freemasons into one happy family , where nob so much as the slightest whisper of strife is ever hoard , or likely to be
heard , there are few , if any , societies in which litigious differences are so common . We know well enough that in Freemasonry , as in Religion , to expect anything like perfection were an absurdity . It is not in the order of things that men should live on from year to year without
having their differences of a more or less serious character , but it is one thing to know that such differences must arise , and another to force them into being at every available
opportunity . We are not so silly as to expect that every proposition which may be made will meet with general favour or support , but we do think it both reasonable and desirable that when one is made it should bo treated with
a certain degree of consideration . If the minds of different men are so constituted that it is impossible they should over be brought to look upon one particular object in one and the same light , there is not the slightest reason why these different men should not be satisfied with expressing
their disagreement amicably . Thero is no need for any among thera to indulge in harsh language , or suggest unpleasant inuendoes in respect of those who havo tlio misfortune to think differently . In the political world this truth is pretty generally recognised in these days ,
and the instances are rare , indeed , where men who tako opposite views on the great questions which arc always agitating the world now exhibit any feeling of personal hostility towards each other . So in the legal world , the
advocates who figuratively pummel each other m the interests of their respective clients when in court , are privately the best of friends . Of this we have a memorable instance in the celebrated trial nf " Bardell v .
Pickwick , when , to his surprise , and we fear we must add , his indignation , the latter gentleman saw Serjeant Buzfuz and the learned leader on his own side saluting each other cordially after the manner of two old friends . We know , too , that differences of religious faith are no obstacle to
tho purest and most disinterested friendship . But though squabbles are by no means infrequent among other classes of men , we confess , without the slightest feeling of hesitation , that considering the tenets they profess , there is , as
we have before remarked , no society in which angry differences so frequently arise as in Freemasonry . Why this should be the caso is a matter wo dare not attempt to explain : all we can venture to note is the fact of its being so .
"he present year—and one half of it has not yet expired—has been more than usually fruitful of these interfraternal disturbances . At two of its Communications Grand Lodge has been made tho scene of an unwonted excitement , such as will not be remembered as among
the pleasurable episodes of the year's Masonic history , " here has been evinced in connection with the conduct of both onr Schools , and not once only , but on various occasions , a bitterness of spirit which has not been creditable to those who have indulged in it . Some very harsh
things have been said about those have been and still arc advocating the establishment of a new and special Fund , though we cannot see why those who take an active part in favour of or against the formation of tin ' s supplementary Charitable Fund cannot manage to think or speak-
Precept And Practice.
charitably of their brethren . AU this- has led to a vast amount of angry coiTespondence , and that portion of it which appeared in the columns of our contemporary seems to havo so seriously perplexed tho brains of its Editor that ho has been under the necessity of furbishing up his
choicest vocaoulary , so that he may bo fully equal to tho occasion when the next explosion of temper among any of his brethren takes place . We havo no wish to Inflict a homily on our readers . Nevertheless , it seems necessary from time to time to
remind them that the word Charity has an important significance , while the principle of which it is the written expression is tho quintessence of Freemasonry . Deprive it of this principle ' of Charity , and our Society at once loses tho very reason of its being . Many , of course , will turn
round and say , Look at onr magnificent Institutions , and tho thousands wo raise annually for their support ! Arc there not always over 200 children being educated in each of our Schools , and does not tho Benevolent do much towards the support of upwards of 800 old men and women ? Thon
there is Grand Lodge itself , which , by the medium ol : the Board of Benevolence , annually dispenses its thousands , to say nothing of what is done by individual Lodges , local Associations , & c . & c . Well , granted , say wo . AU this almsgiving bespeaks a generous spirit on the part of the
Society , but almsgiving is only a very inconsiderable part of what is meant by Charity . Tho "woman who cast her mite into the Treasury was in that one respect as charitable as the wealthiest who may have given several talents ; while the Pharisee who gavo the titho of all he possessed to the
poor was a mere proud boaster by comparison with the humble Saddncec he so cordially despised . Brethren are too apt to run away with tho idea that they best illustrate the virtue of Charity who give of their substance most freely . Yet there aro many people who , though thoy never
g ive alms , aro animated by the purest spirit of charity . They have a kind word for everybody ; they never think or suggest evil of others . They sympathise actively , as well
as deeply , with human suffering . In short , they strive to the best of their ability to fulfil their duties as Masons , and this they do quietly and unostentatiously , the only reward they desire to obtain being tho love of their fellows .
Far bo it from us to say one word which might be considered as suggesting that almsgiving is no part of Charity . The Craft has taken upon itself the duties and responsibilities of supporting certain institutions with a view to helping those whom the sad vicissitudes of fortune
have reduced from a state of comparative affluence to that of comparative , if not actual , poverty . What we arc desirous of pointing out is that this is by no means the " be-all and end-all " of Freemasonry . Wo appreciate and applaud these good deeds of the Craft ; but at tho same time we
should like to see moro of tho sympathetic feeling which theoretically is supposed to bind us together as brethren of tho mystic tie . We tako the greatest pride in the principles we profess , and wc know that that pride is best exhibited by a faithful and active interpretation of those princi ples .
We do not , for instance , give tho best evidence we can of the love wo boar our neighbour , when—figuratively speaking of course—wo belabour him or kick him downstairs . When we show ourselves indifferent to tlio behests of dul y constituted authority , wo bv no means give the bc . ? t
illustration it is in our power to give of our respect for the laws and constitutions of our Order . Wo do not best illustrate the virtne of Charity when wo travel out of our way to use harsh words of a brother , to impute motives to him , or to suggest his ignorance of the amenities , as well as of the