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Article Allied Masonic Degrees. Page 1 of 1 Article ST. JOHN'S DAY IN AMERICA 126 YEARS AGO. Page 1 of 2 Article ST. JOHN'S DAY IN AMERICA 126 YEARS AGO. Page 1 of 2 Article ST. JOHN'S DAY IN AMERICA 126 YEARS AGO. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Allied Masonic Degrees.
Allied Masonic Degrees .
GRAND COUNCIL OF ENGLAND AND WALES , & c . The annual meeting of this Grand Council was held at the Mitre H itel , Hampton Court , on Saturday , the nth inst Tierc were present R . W . Bro . Chas . F . Matier , D . * puty Grand Master ; V . W . Bros . Alfred Williams , G . S . W . ; George Lambert , as G . J . W . ; Donald M . Dewar , G . Sec ; VV . Bro . J . L . Mather , as
G . S . D . ; Chas . H . Driver , as G . J . D ; R . Loveland - Loveland , as G . I . G . ; Bros . Roebuck . Dickclts , Berridge , Spice , Spurre !! , Anderson , By water , II . C . Lambert , and others . , Grand Council having been opened in due lorin , the D . G . M . apologised for the unavoidable absence of the M . W . Grand Master , M . W . Bio . thc Rev . Canon Portal . 'The minutes of thc last meeting were read , verified , and
signed . , , The following report for 1 SS 3 was then read , approved , and ordered to be recorded on the minutes : "Since the last m » etingof this Grand Council the various councils and the Degrees under its jurisdiction have made fair progress , and a new council , under the name ot the Four Kings Council , No . 7 , has been duly constituted and consecrated in London , with every promise of success , the
first VV . M . being Br ' o . J . L . Mather , who has fortunately secured the services of Uro . C . I * . Matier , the U . O . M . of the Order , as Secretary . . ¦ ,-.-,. j " The registered number of members is 322 , distributed amongst the subordinate councils as follows : Metropolian Council , T . I ., London , 159 i Escurial Council , I . I ., Havant , 17 ; Matier Council , T . I ., Manchester , iS ; Ebor Council , T . I ., Vork , 22 ; Portal Council , No . 1 , Liverpool , 6 ;; bt . StJohn and StPaul
Cyprian Council , No . 2 , Tunis , 25 ; . . Council , No . 3 , Malta , 36 ; St . George ' s Council , No . 4 , Wigan , 17 ; Great Orme Council , No . 5 , Lllandudno , b ; Excelsior Council , No . 6 , Calcutta ; and Four kings Council , No . 7 , London , 14 ; total , 322 ; but the number is probably considerably more , as returns have not yet been received from the Excelsior Council at Calcutta , nor from the councils at Bolton , Rochdale , or Hull . " The financial position of the Grand Council is
satisfactory , as , after payment of all claims and preliminary expenses , a balance of £ 10 ios . 3 d . remains in the hands of the Grand Treasurer . ~ ,. ,. L „ "Recognising the services of Bro . C . I * . Matier at all times rendered with hearty good will and efficiency , the Grand Master has much pleasure in reappointing him as D . G . M . ( signed ) "DON * . M . DEWAR . Grand Secretary . ' By command of the M . W . G . M . the D . G . M . then appointed the following Grand Ollicers and invested those
present , viz . : . , . ,,, Bro . J . L . Mather Grand S . VV . „ Baron de Ferrieres , M . P . ... Grand J . VV . . „ Rev . A . VV . Hall Grand Chaplain . ,. Samuel Rawson Grand Treas . Donald M . Dewar Grand Sec .
„ „ J . S . Cumberland Grand S . D . „ Arthur Middleton Grand J . D . „ Robert Berridge Grand D . of C . „ J . D . Murray Grand Swd . Br . .. R . Loveiand Loveland Grand I . G .
„ Reginald Young I _ , „ R . P . Spice ... > Grand Stewards . „ J . E . Anderson J Grand Council was then closed in due form .
HAMPTON COURT . —Metropolitan Council ( T . I . )—The installation meeting of this council was held at thc Mitre Hotel , on Saturday , the nth inst ., when Bro . G . Lambert was installed in the chair by R . W . Bro . C . F . Matier , D . G . M ., and afterwards appointed and invested his officers as follows : Bros . Robert Roy , S . VV . ; Henry
Venn , J . W . ; D . M . Dewar , Treas . and Sec . ; Rev . VV . S . Moses , Chap . ; Herbert Dicketts , Conductor ; Thos . C . Walls , S . D . ; Robt . Berridge , J . D . ; R . L . Loveland , I . G . ; j . L . Mather , D . of C ; R . P . Spice , Steward ; and Ewd . Mills , Tyler . . . l The brethren afterwards ce ' ebrated their annual festival , and spent a very pleasant evening under the presidency of the VV . M .
St. John's Day In America 126 Years Ago.
ST . JOHN'S DAY IN AMERICA 126 YEARS AGO .
The following discourse was delivered in Trinity Church , Newport , before , as it was then styled , the Right Worshipful Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , on the 24 th of June , 1757 , by Thomas Pollen , A . M ., Boston . On the same dav on which the discourse was delivered , St . John's
Lodge ( which was then without a name ) resolved " I hat the Worshipful Benjamin Mason , 'Treasurer , our brothers Samuel Brenton , Thomas Vernon , and Edward Cole be a committee to wait on our brother the Rev . Thomas Pollen , and return him the thanks of this Society for his sermon preached this day before them , and icquest of him a copy for the press . " The proposition to print this sermon was
then taken , on Friday , the 13 th day of January , 175 S , to a Grand Lodge held at the Exchange Tavern in Boston , where it was unanimously decided " That the sermon of our Reverend Brother Thomas Pollen , preached before the Right Worshipful Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons at Newport , in Rhode Island , be printed . " lt was thereupon put to press , and in due time appeared in a small quarto
form and of excellent typography . lt is dedicated by its auihor to the Right Worshipful Robert Jenkins , Master ; Alexander Grant , and ) ohn Mawdsley , Wardens ; and the Brcthtrs of the Right Worship ful Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons at Newport . It thus appears lhat 125 years have elapsed since this pamphlet first saw the light . It further appears from the preceding memoranda , that the vet nameless lodiie at Newport was under lhe jurisdiction
of the Grand Lodge at Boston . It was incorporated by the Colony of Rhode Island two years later , in June , 1739 . Th : Grand Lodge of Rhode Island , under whose jurisdiction it now is , was instituted by the two lodges , onc at Newport and the other at Providence , in 1791 . It was not , however , incorporated until 1 S 12 . Itwa" the custom of this Newport 1 odge to celebrate the i- ' e-tival of St . John the Baptist in June , and the Festival of St . John the Evangelist in December . The advertisement for the celebration of the
St. John's Day In America 126 Years Ago.
latter in December , 1758 , taken from the Newport Mercury of that date , we append . " Newport , December 19 th , 1758 . Wednesday , the 27 th inst ., being the anniversary of St . John the Evangelist , the Feast of the Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons will be kept at Bro . Christian Myers' , of which notice is triven to desire all the brethren of the Fraternity to attend at his house at nine o ' clock a . m . NATHANIEL MUM ' , Secretary . "
Of the various gentlemen whose names appear in the foregoing paragraph , we have discovered few particulars . NatEaniel Mumford was a man of some prominence in the colony , being frequently appointed by the general assembly to ofiices of trust and honour . At one time to adjust the accounts of Revolutionary officers , at another General Auditor of Accounts , and in various other capacities . Edward Cole was a Captain in the Rhode Island troops at the sieae of
Louisburg , and afterwards a Lieut .-Colonel at Crown Point . John Mawdsley was a merchant at Newport , of excellent character . When thc British troops evacuated the island Mawdsley went with them to New Vork . The General Assembly passed an act ordering , among others , Mawdsley , if he ever returned within the State , to be forthwith arrested and transported to some place within the dominion of Great Britain . Three years later , 17 S 3 , Mawdsley petitioned
to return , alleging that it had been through compulsion and necessity that he had been obliged to go to New York . His petition was granted , and he was restored to his rights of person and property . Thomas Vernon , Esq ., was nominated by the General Assembly to the Lords of Admiralty , in 175 S , to be Register of the Court of Vice Admiralty , to which o'Hce he
was appointed . In 177 6 , Vernon refused to subscribe to the test oath prescribed by the General Assembly , for which he was deemed unfriendly to the United colonies , and the sheriff was ordered to remove him from Newport to Gloucester , where lie was permitted to go at large on his parole . The sermon which we now present is perhaps the earliest specimen ot Rhode Is ' and Ma-onic literature extant .
UNIVERSAL LOVE . I . John , iv ., 7 : " Beloved , lei us love one another . " This was the exhortation of that disciple whom Jesus loved ; and who , having imbibed the spirit of love which his blessed Master had so largely poured out to him , did afterwards himself breathe forth almost nothing else in this and his other epistles . Doubtless he thereby intended that it might spread itself throughout the world . And God ,
who then guided the pen of this most benevolent writer , had intended the same from the very beginning ; for though our Lord justly styles it , in a figurative sense , a new commandment , that we love one another , yet if taken literally it is as old as the world itself . It was first given to the whole people of God , at least by the voice of nature and afterwards to his peculiar people the Jews , by the voice both of nature and revelation ; but they had confined their obedience to it within too narrow bounds in many respects .
and particularly in respect to its object . Our Lord , therefore , who came to renew the divine commandments , which had , as it were , grown obsolete through their abuse of them , renewed this of loving one another , and carried its object as God had first intended it to all mankind . This he did by commanding us to look upon every man breathing as our neighbour , and to love him as ourselves ; wherefore this loving ot one another may be properly called universal love , which I shall now recommend to your meditation and
practice . We may observe that the commandment expressly given to man just after his creation was , "Be fruitful and multiply ; " and that the commandment expressly given to man just before his redemption was , " Love one another . " These two commandments plainly intimate that man was neither created nor redeemed only for himself ; forif it had been so . it mitrht probably have been said to him , just after
his creation , " Multiply not , but enjoy atone this world and all that is therein ; " or just before his redemption , " Love thyself alone and not another . " Indeed to love ourselves has been at no time , that I can remember , expressly commanded us ; because the divine law-giver knows full well that we shall hardly be deficient in that part of our duty . When therefore He commands us to love our neighbour as ourselves , He proposes our love of ourselves as a rule
whereby to measure our love of our neighbour . " For no man , " as St . Paul says , " ever yet hated his own flesh , but nourisheth it and cherisheth it . " Nay , He has made our love of our brother the test of our love of Himself . For St . John , through His direction , thus reasons : " He that loveth not his His brother whom he hath seen , how can he love God , who he hath not seen ? " and then he proceeds to tell us that" This commandment have we from Him , that he
who loveth God loves his brother also . ' Hence we may conclude that we ourselves are taught of God to love one another . And what He has taught , he has also enforced by his own example . It was through the principle of universal love that God made the world , and that His Spirit moving upon the face of the waters , gave it not only motion , but order , beauty , light , and life . As God was perfectly happy in Himself , he needed not to make a world that it might
render him more so . It was therefore pure , disinterested love that prompted him to bring forth this great something out of nothing . . It is through the principle of universal love that God preserves the world . Insomuch , that was this divine principle to withdraw its influence but for a moment , the world would drop into the womb of nothing , out of which it was brought forth . God is Love , and every particle of it is a rav of his divinity . We may therefore assert without
profaneness , that in love the world lives and moves and has its being . , It was through the principle of universal love that God redeemed the world . It might have been reasonably expected that if , after He had through love first made and then preserved the world , man , for whose sake chiefly He had made and preserved it , had proved unthankful for those his benefits , his love would have ( led from it and left it to be destroyed by his hate . But his love still remained , and found a way to redeem man from eternal , and for his sake the world to this day , from temporal
destruction . Thus we find that God has enforced this lesson He has taught , of acting through the principle of universal love by his own example . And the great use of man ' s acting through this princip le will appear , if we further consider , that it was through the principle of universal love as well as of necessity that men formed themselves into society . And that true sociableness which may be discovered among generous and honest men , is a part of this principle . Uni-
St. John's Day In America 126 Years Ago.
versal love was at first implanted in human nature on purpose to draw by its magnetic virtue all men to one centre , the common good . It must be confessed that the principle of self-love has often interposed , and drawn them quite a contrary way . So that from social creatures , born for each others' suppart and comfort , some men are becomeas beasts of prey , biting and devouring one another . But still it is to be hoped the former principle , like truth , is great and
will prevail . And as it was through the principle of universal love that men formed themselves into society , so it is this principle alone which , under God's Providence , can keep any society whatever from being dissolved . Even Christianity itself , that must perfect society of all , that building of Gud so fitly framed together , is upheld by the cement of universal love . For otherwise , cracked and divided as it is into so many
parts , which bear so little connection with one another , it would soon fall asunder and be as was the first matter , without form and void . VVe may then look upon society to be one grand machine , consisting of many resources both great and small , which , by a kind of reciprocal force , move and sustain each other , but of which the master one is universal love . While this continues strong and active , those continue so too . But as soon as this begins to fail ,
those begin to fail likewise , till at last the whole becomes weak , irregular , and useless to all good purposes . VVe see then how great a blessing universal love must be to any society whatever ; but most especially where a monstrous diversity of religious tenets , a mad contention ab ut little honours , a furious clashing in wordl y interests , and an unchristian enmity between rival families , are rending the very bowels of a society in pieces , what greater blessing
can descend from heaven upon it than universal love with healing in its wings ? If we pass from society to particular men , we shall discover universal love even there to be as necessary as anywhere . Love , when it is dispensed in due proportions , administers health and safety to others as well as to ourselves . But when the whole spirit of it remains contracted within us , it is like the poison of asps . For , however it may enliven and defend ourselvesit carries with it a
, hurtful quality to others . Nay , in regard to ourselves also , universal love , while it darts forth its heavenly rays both far and near , not only shines the brighter and stronger for it , but from the returns that are made it receives back again into its orb a fresh supply of light and heat . Whereas self love burns inward like a sullen fire ; neither heats nor is heated , neither
shines nor is shined upon . Universal love feels a pleasure which self love has not the least conception of . Self love is always mixed with a dogged humour which makes us feel no pleasure in others , and no true one in ourselves . But universal love keeps us always pleased , both with ourselves and others . Hence it delights to spread its wings abroad in the world , and , like Noah ' s dove , as soon as it meets with a reception there , disdains any longer to hover
about the confines of a wooden mansion . And now , I presume , 1 need not expressly declare that the occasion of , my recommending universal love at present in terms so high ( though not so high perhaps as its deserves ) is this day ' s assembling together of a society , the badge of whose profession is to promote it in the world ; and that this society has a direct tendency towards doing so , ye may be abundantly satisfied if ye compare it with some other
societies . Some other societies are founded merely on self-interest , and each member of them , so far , and no farther , consults the interest of the rest , than as it coincides with his own . But this society is founded upon a nobler plan , the very same as that of the greatest and best society that ever was and ever will be upon earth , viz ., the Christian . For the very same inscription is required to be written in the heart
of each member of the former as of the latter : " Look not every man on his own things , but every man also on the things of others . " Some other societies receive among them men of one nation only , which is apt to create a monopolising spirit , so prejudicial to the good of mankind in general , and even of that one nation in particular . But this society opens wide its arms to every nation under heaven , and offers to take in
both Jews and Ureeks , both Cretes and Arabians , following the steps of their master , Christ , whose design was in that blessed society Himself instituted to make all the kindreds of the earth become one people . Some other societies , especially when grown numerous , oftentimes disturb and divide the country under whose protection they subsist , by framing a constitution which interferes with that of the country itself or b y setting up some new party therein . But this society has framed a
constitution so happily calculated as exactly to square with the better constitutions of all the countries in the universe , and religiously observes to be of no party at all . Therefore it is so far from disturbing and dividing the country under whose protection it subsists , that it contributes not a little to infuse throughout it a spirit of peace and unity . For a proof of this I need only refer you to those many countries so various in their policy , wherein it has of late years been not only suffered but even encouraged to begin and to continue .
Notwithstanding the truth of what I have advanced , many of them who are not initiated into the mysteries of this society , if they do not peremptorily judge , yet too hastily imagine it to be trifling at best . But however trifling they may imagine it to be , who imagine everything to be so , wherein their worldly interest is not immediately concerned , yet surely men's " assembling of themselves together to provoke one another unto love and to good works , "
is not so trifling . Besides , to enlarge the narrowness of man ' s understanding , to smooth the roughness of their will ., and to level the unevenness of their passions , is a most useful undertaking and hard to accomplish . Yet I may safely appeal to any one who has been long a member of this society , if he has not perceived that undertaking to go on more prosperously in this than any other private society he knows of , if the several members of it , however different in principle , temper ,
or carnagp , have not oftentimes parted wiser men , truer friends , andbetier citizens than they were before they met . What I have said , I hope , will be sufficient to draw the esteem of some of this society , and remove the prejudices of others far off from it . And as to you , my brethren , the worthy members thereof , be not discouraged at the small * ness of your numbers , and the slowness of your progress . For , naturally speaking , the spirit of universal love ( which is or ought to be the chief motive of men's desire to come among you ) cannot so easily find an entrance into those
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Allied Masonic Degrees.
Allied Masonic Degrees .
GRAND COUNCIL OF ENGLAND AND WALES , & c . The annual meeting of this Grand Council was held at the Mitre H itel , Hampton Court , on Saturday , the nth inst Tierc were present R . W . Bro . Chas . F . Matier , D . * puty Grand Master ; V . W . Bros . Alfred Williams , G . S . W . ; George Lambert , as G . J . W . ; Donald M . Dewar , G . Sec ; VV . Bro . J . L . Mather , as
G . S . D . ; Chas . H . Driver , as G . J . D ; R . Loveland - Loveland , as G . I . G . ; Bros . Roebuck . Dickclts , Berridge , Spice , Spurre !! , Anderson , By water , II . C . Lambert , and others . , Grand Council having been opened in due lorin , the D . G . M . apologised for the unavoidable absence of the M . W . Grand Master , M . W . Bio . thc Rev . Canon Portal . 'The minutes of thc last meeting were read , verified , and
signed . , , The following report for 1 SS 3 was then read , approved , and ordered to be recorded on the minutes : "Since the last m » etingof this Grand Council the various councils and the Degrees under its jurisdiction have made fair progress , and a new council , under the name ot the Four Kings Council , No . 7 , has been duly constituted and consecrated in London , with every promise of success , the
first VV . M . being Br ' o . J . L . Mather , who has fortunately secured the services of Uro . C . I * . Matier , the U . O . M . of the Order , as Secretary . . ¦ ,-.-,. j " The registered number of members is 322 , distributed amongst the subordinate councils as follows : Metropolian Council , T . I ., London , 159 i Escurial Council , I . I ., Havant , 17 ; Matier Council , T . I ., Manchester , iS ; Ebor Council , T . I ., Vork , 22 ; Portal Council , No . 1 , Liverpool , 6 ;; bt . StJohn and StPaul
Cyprian Council , No . 2 , Tunis , 25 ; . . Council , No . 3 , Malta , 36 ; St . George ' s Council , No . 4 , Wigan , 17 ; Great Orme Council , No . 5 , Lllandudno , b ; Excelsior Council , No . 6 , Calcutta ; and Four kings Council , No . 7 , London , 14 ; total , 322 ; but the number is probably considerably more , as returns have not yet been received from the Excelsior Council at Calcutta , nor from the councils at Bolton , Rochdale , or Hull . " The financial position of the Grand Council is
satisfactory , as , after payment of all claims and preliminary expenses , a balance of £ 10 ios . 3 d . remains in the hands of the Grand Treasurer . ~ ,. ,. L „ "Recognising the services of Bro . C . I * . Matier at all times rendered with hearty good will and efficiency , the Grand Master has much pleasure in reappointing him as D . G . M . ( signed ) "DON * . M . DEWAR . Grand Secretary . ' By command of the M . W . G . M . the D . G . M . then appointed the following Grand Ollicers and invested those
present , viz . : . , . ,,, Bro . J . L . Mather Grand S . VV . „ Baron de Ferrieres , M . P . ... Grand J . VV . . „ Rev . A . VV . Hall Grand Chaplain . ,. Samuel Rawson Grand Treas . Donald M . Dewar Grand Sec .
„ „ J . S . Cumberland Grand S . D . „ Arthur Middleton Grand J . D . „ Robert Berridge Grand D . of C . „ J . D . Murray Grand Swd . Br . .. R . Loveiand Loveland Grand I . G .
„ Reginald Young I _ , „ R . P . Spice ... > Grand Stewards . „ J . E . Anderson J Grand Council was then closed in due form .
HAMPTON COURT . —Metropolitan Council ( T . I . )—The installation meeting of this council was held at thc Mitre Hotel , on Saturday , the nth inst ., when Bro . G . Lambert was installed in the chair by R . W . Bro . C . F . Matier , D . G . M ., and afterwards appointed and invested his officers as follows : Bros . Robert Roy , S . VV . ; Henry
Venn , J . W . ; D . M . Dewar , Treas . and Sec . ; Rev . VV . S . Moses , Chap . ; Herbert Dicketts , Conductor ; Thos . C . Walls , S . D . ; Robt . Berridge , J . D . ; R . L . Loveland , I . G . ; j . L . Mather , D . of C ; R . P . Spice , Steward ; and Ewd . Mills , Tyler . . . l The brethren afterwards ce ' ebrated their annual festival , and spent a very pleasant evening under the presidency of the VV . M .
St. John's Day In America 126 Years Ago.
ST . JOHN'S DAY IN AMERICA 126 YEARS AGO .
The following discourse was delivered in Trinity Church , Newport , before , as it was then styled , the Right Worshipful Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons , on the 24 th of June , 1757 , by Thomas Pollen , A . M ., Boston . On the same dav on which the discourse was delivered , St . John's
Lodge ( which was then without a name ) resolved " I hat the Worshipful Benjamin Mason , 'Treasurer , our brothers Samuel Brenton , Thomas Vernon , and Edward Cole be a committee to wait on our brother the Rev . Thomas Pollen , and return him the thanks of this Society for his sermon preached this day before them , and icquest of him a copy for the press . " The proposition to print this sermon was
then taken , on Friday , the 13 th day of January , 175 S , to a Grand Lodge held at the Exchange Tavern in Boston , where it was unanimously decided " That the sermon of our Reverend Brother Thomas Pollen , preached before the Right Worshipful Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons at Newport , in Rhode Island , be printed . " lt was thereupon put to press , and in due time appeared in a small quarto
form and of excellent typography . lt is dedicated by its auihor to the Right Worshipful Robert Jenkins , Master ; Alexander Grant , and ) ohn Mawdsley , Wardens ; and the Brcthtrs of the Right Worship ful Lodge of Free and Accepted Masons at Newport . It thus appears lhat 125 years have elapsed since this pamphlet first saw the light . It further appears from the preceding memoranda , that the vet nameless lodiie at Newport was under lhe jurisdiction
of the Grand Lodge at Boston . It was incorporated by the Colony of Rhode Island two years later , in June , 1739 . Th : Grand Lodge of Rhode Island , under whose jurisdiction it now is , was instituted by the two lodges , onc at Newport and the other at Providence , in 1791 . It was not , however , incorporated until 1 S 12 . Itwa" the custom of this Newport 1 odge to celebrate the i- ' e-tival of St . John the Baptist in June , and the Festival of St . John the Evangelist in December . The advertisement for the celebration of the
St. John's Day In America 126 Years Ago.
latter in December , 1758 , taken from the Newport Mercury of that date , we append . " Newport , December 19 th , 1758 . Wednesday , the 27 th inst ., being the anniversary of St . John the Evangelist , the Feast of the Ancient and Honourable Society of Free and Accepted Masons will be kept at Bro . Christian Myers' , of which notice is triven to desire all the brethren of the Fraternity to attend at his house at nine o ' clock a . m . NATHANIEL MUM ' , Secretary . "
Of the various gentlemen whose names appear in the foregoing paragraph , we have discovered few particulars . NatEaniel Mumford was a man of some prominence in the colony , being frequently appointed by the general assembly to ofiices of trust and honour . At one time to adjust the accounts of Revolutionary officers , at another General Auditor of Accounts , and in various other capacities . Edward Cole was a Captain in the Rhode Island troops at the sieae of
Louisburg , and afterwards a Lieut .-Colonel at Crown Point . John Mawdsley was a merchant at Newport , of excellent character . When thc British troops evacuated the island Mawdsley went with them to New Vork . The General Assembly passed an act ordering , among others , Mawdsley , if he ever returned within the State , to be forthwith arrested and transported to some place within the dominion of Great Britain . Three years later , 17 S 3 , Mawdsley petitioned
to return , alleging that it had been through compulsion and necessity that he had been obliged to go to New York . His petition was granted , and he was restored to his rights of person and property . Thomas Vernon , Esq ., was nominated by the General Assembly to the Lords of Admiralty , in 175 S , to be Register of the Court of Vice Admiralty , to which o'Hce he
was appointed . In 177 6 , Vernon refused to subscribe to the test oath prescribed by the General Assembly , for which he was deemed unfriendly to the United colonies , and the sheriff was ordered to remove him from Newport to Gloucester , where lie was permitted to go at large on his parole . The sermon which we now present is perhaps the earliest specimen ot Rhode Is ' and Ma-onic literature extant .
UNIVERSAL LOVE . I . John , iv ., 7 : " Beloved , lei us love one another . " This was the exhortation of that disciple whom Jesus loved ; and who , having imbibed the spirit of love which his blessed Master had so largely poured out to him , did afterwards himself breathe forth almost nothing else in this and his other epistles . Doubtless he thereby intended that it might spread itself throughout the world . And God ,
who then guided the pen of this most benevolent writer , had intended the same from the very beginning ; for though our Lord justly styles it , in a figurative sense , a new commandment , that we love one another , yet if taken literally it is as old as the world itself . It was first given to the whole people of God , at least by the voice of nature and afterwards to his peculiar people the Jews , by the voice both of nature and revelation ; but they had confined their obedience to it within too narrow bounds in many respects .
and particularly in respect to its object . Our Lord , therefore , who came to renew the divine commandments , which had , as it were , grown obsolete through their abuse of them , renewed this of loving one another , and carried its object as God had first intended it to all mankind . This he did by commanding us to look upon every man breathing as our neighbour , and to love him as ourselves ; wherefore this loving ot one another may be properly called universal love , which I shall now recommend to your meditation and
practice . We may observe that the commandment expressly given to man just after his creation was , "Be fruitful and multiply ; " and that the commandment expressly given to man just before his redemption was , " Love one another . " These two commandments plainly intimate that man was neither created nor redeemed only for himself ; forif it had been so . it mitrht probably have been said to him , just after
his creation , " Multiply not , but enjoy atone this world and all that is therein ; " or just before his redemption , " Love thyself alone and not another . " Indeed to love ourselves has been at no time , that I can remember , expressly commanded us ; because the divine law-giver knows full well that we shall hardly be deficient in that part of our duty . When therefore He commands us to love our neighbour as ourselves , He proposes our love of ourselves as a rule
whereby to measure our love of our neighbour . " For no man , " as St . Paul says , " ever yet hated his own flesh , but nourisheth it and cherisheth it . " Nay , He has made our love of our brother the test of our love of Himself . For St . John , through His direction , thus reasons : " He that loveth not his His brother whom he hath seen , how can he love God , who he hath not seen ? " and then he proceeds to tell us that" This commandment have we from Him , that he
who loveth God loves his brother also . ' Hence we may conclude that we ourselves are taught of God to love one another . And what He has taught , he has also enforced by his own example . It was through the principle of universal love that God made the world , and that His Spirit moving upon the face of the waters , gave it not only motion , but order , beauty , light , and life . As God was perfectly happy in Himself , he needed not to make a world that it might
render him more so . It was therefore pure , disinterested love that prompted him to bring forth this great something out of nothing . . It is through the principle of universal love that God preserves the world . Insomuch , that was this divine principle to withdraw its influence but for a moment , the world would drop into the womb of nothing , out of which it was brought forth . God is Love , and every particle of it is a rav of his divinity . We may therefore assert without
profaneness , that in love the world lives and moves and has its being . , It was through the principle of universal love that God redeemed the world . It might have been reasonably expected that if , after He had through love first made and then preserved the world , man , for whose sake chiefly He had made and preserved it , had proved unthankful for those his benefits , his love would have ( led from it and left it to be destroyed by his hate . But his love still remained , and found a way to redeem man from eternal , and for his sake the world to this day , from temporal
destruction . Thus we find that God has enforced this lesson He has taught , of acting through the principle of universal love by his own example . And the great use of man ' s acting through this princip le will appear , if we further consider , that it was through the principle of universal love as well as of necessity that men formed themselves into society . And that true sociableness which may be discovered among generous and honest men , is a part of this principle . Uni-
St. John's Day In America 126 Years Ago.
versal love was at first implanted in human nature on purpose to draw by its magnetic virtue all men to one centre , the common good . It must be confessed that the principle of self-love has often interposed , and drawn them quite a contrary way . So that from social creatures , born for each others' suppart and comfort , some men are becomeas beasts of prey , biting and devouring one another . But still it is to be hoped the former principle , like truth , is great and
will prevail . And as it was through the principle of universal love that men formed themselves into society , so it is this principle alone which , under God's Providence , can keep any society whatever from being dissolved . Even Christianity itself , that must perfect society of all , that building of Gud so fitly framed together , is upheld by the cement of universal love . For otherwise , cracked and divided as it is into so many
parts , which bear so little connection with one another , it would soon fall asunder and be as was the first matter , without form and void . VVe may then look upon society to be one grand machine , consisting of many resources both great and small , which , by a kind of reciprocal force , move and sustain each other , but of which the master one is universal love . While this continues strong and active , those continue so too . But as soon as this begins to fail ,
those begin to fail likewise , till at last the whole becomes weak , irregular , and useless to all good purposes . VVe see then how great a blessing universal love must be to any society whatever ; but most especially where a monstrous diversity of religious tenets , a mad contention ab ut little honours , a furious clashing in wordl y interests , and an unchristian enmity between rival families , are rending the very bowels of a society in pieces , what greater blessing
can descend from heaven upon it than universal love with healing in its wings ? If we pass from society to particular men , we shall discover universal love even there to be as necessary as anywhere . Love , when it is dispensed in due proportions , administers health and safety to others as well as to ourselves . But when the whole spirit of it remains contracted within us , it is like the poison of asps . For , however it may enliven and defend ourselvesit carries with it a
, hurtful quality to others . Nay , in regard to ourselves also , universal love , while it darts forth its heavenly rays both far and near , not only shines the brighter and stronger for it , but from the returns that are made it receives back again into its orb a fresh supply of light and heat . Whereas self love burns inward like a sullen fire ; neither heats nor is heated , neither
shines nor is shined upon . Universal love feels a pleasure which self love has not the least conception of . Self love is always mixed with a dogged humour which makes us feel no pleasure in others , and no true one in ourselves . But universal love keeps us always pleased , both with ourselves and others . Hence it delights to spread its wings abroad in the world , and , like Noah ' s dove , as soon as it meets with a reception there , disdains any longer to hover
about the confines of a wooden mansion . And now , I presume , 1 need not expressly declare that the occasion of , my recommending universal love at present in terms so high ( though not so high perhaps as its deserves ) is this day ' s assembling together of a society , the badge of whose profession is to promote it in the world ; and that this society has a direct tendency towards doing so , ye may be abundantly satisfied if ye compare it with some other
societies . Some other societies are founded merely on self-interest , and each member of them , so far , and no farther , consults the interest of the rest , than as it coincides with his own . But this society is founded upon a nobler plan , the very same as that of the greatest and best society that ever was and ever will be upon earth , viz ., the Christian . For the very same inscription is required to be written in the heart
of each member of the former as of the latter : " Look not every man on his own things , but every man also on the things of others . " Some other societies receive among them men of one nation only , which is apt to create a monopolising spirit , so prejudicial to the good of mankind in general , and even of that one nation in particular . But this society opens wide its arms to every nation under heaven , and offers to take in
both Jews and Ureeks , both Cretes and Arabians , following the steps of their master , Christ , whose design was in that blessed society Himself instituted to make all the kindreds of the earth become one people . Some other societies , especially when grown numerous , oftentimes disturb and divide the country under whose protection they subsist , by framing a constitution which interferes with that of the country itself or b y setting up some new party therein . But this society has framed a
constitution so happily calculated as exactly to square with the better constitutions of all the countries in the universe , and religiously observes to be of no party at all . Therefore it is so far from disturbing and dividing the country under whose protection it subsists , that it contributes not a little to infuse throughout it a spirit of peace and unity . For a proof of this I need only refer you to those many countries so various in their policy , wherein it has of late years been not only suffered but even encouraged to begin and to continue .
Notwithstanding the truth of what I have advanced , many of them who are not initiated into the mysteries of this society , if they do not peremptorily judge , yet too hastily imagine it to be trifling at best . But however trifling they may imagine it to be , who imagine everything to be so , wherein their worldly interest is not immediately concerned , yet surely men's " assembling of themselves together to provoke one another unto love and to good works , "
is not so trifling . Besides , to enlarge the narrowness of man ' s understanding , to smooth the roughness of their will ., and to level the unevenness of their passions , is a most useful undertaking and hard to accomplish . Yet I may safely appeal to any one who has been long a member of this society , if he has not perceived that undertaking to go on more prosperously in this than any other private society he knows of , if the several members of it , however different in principle , temper ,
or carnagp , have not oftentimes parted wiser men , truer friends , andbetier citizens than they were before they met . What I have said , I hope , will be sufficient to draw the esteem of some of this society , and remove the prejudices of others far off from it . And as to you , my brethren , the worthy members thereof , be not discouraged at the small * ness of your numbers , and the slowness of your progress . For , naturally speaking , the spirit of universal love ( which is or ought to be the chief motive of men's desire to come among you ) cannot so easily find an entrance into those