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Article ON FREEMASONRY. ← Page 8 of 9 →
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On Freemasonry.
displays an utter ignorance of the true design of Freemasonry . On the very threshold of the First degree , ivhen the candidate represents the corner-stone of the intended building , the intent of the Order is expounded as a moral edifice of the love of man founded on the love of God , and of three great duties linked togetherand proceeding from
, each other , the basis being his duty to . his dependence on , and his reverence for , the Great Architect of the Universe . Nothing can be clearer than this exposition;—nothing can more satisfactorily show that in whatever manner we may perform our duty to our neighbour or ourselves , by conferring benefits , all must be founded on a love of God .
under the name of the Great Architect of the Universe , Avhich , to the Christian Mason , means Jesus Christ . OBJECTIONS . To understand this objection rightly it will be necessary to premise that there are three Avays of using the holy Name of God , Avhich have been pronounced sinful . I . By wilful perjury . 2 . By rash and profane
swearing . 3 . By an irreverent use of it in common conversation . It does not appear , however , that either of these is included in the objection , although it is so looselv
expressed as to render the precise meaning rather equivocal . The words are— "it , is fully acknowledged that this Name is never introduced with , levity , but Avith the greatest reverence . , "j * et is , not its , use in some degree objectionable , in the , same Avay , as its heedless introduction into any ordinary discourse ?" . . .. Npw . it . appears to me that if it be not used in
the . Lodge with levity , it cannot justly be classed Avith the " ¦ heedless introduction , of , it into any ordinary , discourse . " The first application of this Name is not sinful except in its violation ., It is introduced into all legal institutions in every part of the ivorld , without the least impropriety . Moses says— " Thou shalt fear the Lord thy Godand shalt swear
, by his Name . " And Bishop Sanderson remarks , " the obligation : of an oath ariseth precisely from this , that God is invoked as a ivitness and avenger . And it is a matter well worthy of the consideration of every man , that as the object of a lawful oath is God alone , so it contains a solemn confession of his omnipresencehis omniscienceand his
omni-, , potence . " Apply this reasoning to Freemasonry , and it will appear perfectly justified in the limited use of God's name which prevails in our Lodges . I am unwilling to believe that the use of the name of tho
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry.
displays an utter ignorance of the true design of Freemasonry . On the very threshold of the First degree , ivhen the candidate represents the corner-stone of the intended building , the intent of the Order is expounded as a moral edifice of the love of man founded on the love of God , and of three great duties linked togetherand proceeding from
, each other , the basis being his duty to . his dependence on , and his reverence for , the Great Architect of the Universe . Nothing can be clearer than this exposition;—nothing can more satisfactorily show that in whatever manner we may perform our duty to our neighbour or ourselves , by conferring benefits , all must be founded on a love of God .
under the name of the Great Architect of the Universe , Avhich , to the Christian Mason , means Jesus Christ . OBJECTIONS . To understand this objection rightly it will be necessary to premise that there are three Avays of using the holy Name of God , Avhich have been pronounced sinful . I . By wilful perjury . 2 . By rash and profane
swearing . 3 . By an irreverent use of it in common conversation . It does not appear , however , that either of these is included in the objection , although it is so looselv
expressed as to render the precise meaning rather equivocal . The words are— "it , is fully acknowledged that this Name is never introduced with , levity , but Avith the greatest reverence . , "j * et is , not its , use in some degree objectionable , in the , same Avay , as its heedless introduction into any ordinary discourse ?" . . .. Npw . it . appears to me that if it be not used in
the . Lodge with levity , it cannot justly be classed Avith the " ¦ heedless introduction , of , it into any ordinary , discourse . " The first application of this Name is not sinful except in its violation ., It is introduced into all legal institutions in every part of the ivorld , without the least impropriety . Moses says— " Thou shalt fear the Lord thy Godand shalt swear
, by his Name . " And Bishop Sanderson remarks , " the obligation : of an oath ariseth precisely from this , that God is invoked as a ivitness and avenger . And it is a matter well worthy of the consideration of every man , that as the object of a lawful oath is God alone , so it contains a solemn confession of his omnipresencehis omniscienceand his
omni-, , potence . " Apply this reasoning to Freemasonry , and it will appear perfectly justified in the limited use of God's name which prevails in our Lodges . I am unwilling to believe that the use of the name of tho