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Article CORRESPONDENCE, ← Page 2 of 2
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Correspondence,
to that effect , but also St . Paul , and our traditional Grand Master St , John . The Universalis ! , " hoAvever , denies point blank that Masonry teaches any < uich doctrine , and defies us to point out the passage by Avliich it is established . Why , eA ery tyro in Masonry could tell him that , in the formula adopted by Desaguliers and Anderson at the revival of Masonry in 1717 , ( the former being a Churchman and the latter a Presbyterian minister , ) the doctrine is plainly promulgated , with all the authority of a landmark ,
in the following unmistakable words : " Who is the G . A . O . T . U . ? He that was taken up to the topmost pinnacle of the Temple . " Again , in the Masonic definition of meixy ^—one of the three distinguishing characteristics of a AA orthy Mason—the creation of all things is attributed to our Saviour ( who is , indeed , Mercy personified ) thus : u Mercy is the chief attribute of that Deity on whom the best and AA isest of us must rest his hope and dependence , " & c .
To show mercy and forgiveness is highly pleasing in the sight of our Great Creator , ivho has said , u Blessed are the merciful , for they shall obtain mercy , " & c . Now , every one ( I hope Ave may include the " Universalist" ) knoAvs by whose sacred lips these Avords Avere uttered , in the beautiful Sermon on the Mount . They are the Avords of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ , Avhom our Masonic lectures thus recognize as the G . A . O . T . U . But the passage in the lecture goes on to say that the merciful shall obtain mercy " not only in this transitory life , but at the final day of retribution , and Avhen arraigned at His tribunal , " & c , thus aeknoAVledging Christ as not only our Great Creator , but also as the Almighty Judge before AAhose tribunal the actions of our mortal lives will be unfolded
to Anew . I see nothing else in his letter that requires an ansAver , for it abounds in fallacies , Avhich are so transparent that the most superficial reader may detect them ; and as he emphatically denies the divinity of Christ , if I understand him rightly—and I aver with- St . Athanasius ( for although he did not compose the Creed Avhich bears his name , it Avas certainly framed
from his writings ) that u Jesus Christ the Son of God is God , as Avell as man , ' . the controversy must necessarily end ; because , if Christ be not God , the invocation of His sacred name in Freemasonry ivould scarcely be worth an argument , and therefore I am content to leave it in its present state to the judgment of my Christian Brethren . Yours fraternally , July 1 st 1858 . ' Sit Lux .
Privileges of a Lewis .--The age of a candidate is of no importance , provided he has passed the period Avhich the law assigns as the stated time of maturity and discretion , viz ., twenty-one years ; although in some old regulations twenty-five years was stated as the riiinimuni age . The most ancient Constitutions , hoAvever , specified no particular age , but simply said " of mature and discreet age . " In certain cases even that provision may be dispensed with . It has been a traditional custom amongst Masons from time immemorial , to allow the privilege of initiation at eighteen years of ago to a Lewis , or the son of a Master Mason , provided his ^ ue to tne
-um maae a party U . b \; . and , our present Constitutions empower the ^ rand E aster to issue a dispensation for that purpose . And more than this , it is iurther asserted that the Lewis , can demand precedence of initiation before any otnei- person , whether prince or peer , unless he also possess the same qualificat ion , ^ uch early admissions are , however , by no means to be recommended , cort- ° lear ] mowled £ of t ] ie habits and disposition of the candidate , , and a W ^ umnoe that the study of Masonry will be pursued for its own sake , at / i /« o , J Intimate ' age is attained . —ifyom Dr . Oliver ' s forthcoming work on Mawiic Jurisprudence , u 3
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence,
to that effect , but also St . Paul , and our traditional Grand Master St , John . The Universalis ! , " hoAvever , denies point blank that Masonry teaches any < uich doctrine , and defies us to point out the passage by Avliich it is established . Why , eA ery tyro in Masonry could tell him that , in the formula adopted by Desaguliers and Anderson at the revival of Masonry in 1717 , ( the former being a Churchman and the latter a Presbyterian minister , ) the doctrine is plainly promulgated , with all the authority of a landmark ,
in the following unmistakable words : " Who is the G . A . O . T . U . ? He that was taken up to the topmost pinnacle of the Temple . " Again , in the Masonic definition of meixy ^—one of the three distinguishing characteristics of a AA orthy Mason—the creation of all things is attributed to our Saviour ( who is , indeed , Mercy personified ) thus : u Mercy is the chief attribute of that Deity on whom the best and AA isest of us must rest his hope and dependence , " & c .
To show mercy and forgiveness is highly pleasing in the sight of our Great Creator , ivho has said , u Blessed are the merciful , for they shall obtain mercy , " & c . Now , every one ( I hope Ave may include the " Universalist" ) knoAvs by whose sacred lips these Avords Avere uttered , in the beautiful Sermon on the Mount . They are the Avords of our Lord and
Saviour Jesus Christ , Avhom our Masonic lectures thus recognize as the G . A . O . T . U . But the passage in the lecture goes on to say that the merciful shall obtain mercy " not only in this transitory life , but at the final day of retribution , and Avhen arraigned at His tribunal , " & c , thus aeknoAVledging Christ as not only our Great Creator , but also as the Almighty Judge before AAhose tribunal the actions of our mortal lives will be unfolded
to Anew . I see nothing else in his letter that requires an ansAver , for it abounds in fallacies , Avhich are so transparent that the most superficial reader may detect them ; and as he emphatically denies the divinity of Christ , if I understand him rightly—and I aver with- St . Athanasius ( for although he did not compose the Creed Avhich bears his name , it Avas certainly framed
from his writings ) that u Jesus Christ the Son of God is God , as Avell as man , ' . the controversy must necessarily end ; because , if Christ be not God , the invocation of His sacred name in Freemasonry ivould scarcely be worth an argument , and therefore I am content to leave it in its present state to the judgment of my Christian Brethren . Yours fraternally , July 1 st 1858 . ' Sit Lux .
Privileges of a Lewis .--The age of a candidate is of no importance , provided he has passed the period Avhich the law assigns as the stated time of maturity and discretion , viz ., twenty-one years ; although in some old regulations twenty-five years was stated as the riiinimuni age . The most ancient Constitutions , hoAvever , specified no particular age , but simply said " of mature and discreet age . " In certain cases even that provision may be dispensed with . It has been a traditional custom amongst Masons from time immemorial , to allow the privilege of initiation at eighteen years of ago to a Lewis , or the son of a Master Mason , provided his ^ ue to tne
-um maae a party U . b \; . and , our present Constitutions empower the ^ rand E aster to issue a dispensation for that purpose . And more than this , it is iurther asserted that the Lewis , can demand precedence of initiation before any otnei- person , whether prince or peer , unless he also possess the same qualificat ion , ^ uch early admissions are , however , by no means to be recommended , cort- ° lear ] mowled £ of t ] ie habits and disposition of the candidate , , and a W ^ umnoe that the study of Masonry will be pursued for its own sake , at / i /« o , J Intimate ' age is attained . —ifyom Dr . Oliver ' s forthcoming work on Mawiic Jurisprudence , u 3