Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
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BMhreti , as b wMpveii ^^ ¦ pr ^ jnvty ^ Br ;
The next . ^ $ i ^< sg ^ awlinson ' s Collection is the continuation of a | amphlet ^ i ^ of Fre ^
KThe ^ ;^ : ^ - ; The , ' ^ ^ The Second * , giving an acco ^ t ^ of 4 i The Most A ^
^ the Manner of iW ' Witn a ^^^ << Together with t ^ ^ without ^ b y previbtisly undergo thei Form of Degradation ; ^ ^ ow firs t set forth for te ; , / ,-: * ¦ locus ' erat * -h : ; . ¦ ' ;; ' ' ' ¦ . < .- ; : y- . ,- ;¦ v > ¦ ' V irg . ^ My
: ¦ C London-: ; - 44 Printed b ^ A ^ M ^
A Letter to a Friend GoNCERNiNa the Society of Free-Masons . ^ Sir , —The Command , you have been pleas'd to lay upon me , is not to be discharg'd in a few Words : You require of me . To give you an account of the Fraternity ( as you are pleas'd to term it ) which call themselves Freemasons - togetherwith my opinion about them , and their Tenets . "• This , Sir , will cause some little Time to be spent ; first , in Enquiry after their Tenets ; and then in maturely judging and reasoning upon 'em : for rash and unpremeditated Determinations in such Matters , will only expose their Authors ; and give Strength and Reputation to the opposite Parties .
" As for their Tenets , they seem to be all Riddle and Mystery , to every Body but themselves and I make a Doubt , whether or no , they be able to give any fair and satisfactory Account of ' em . By what I can learn they are under an Oath or some solemn obligatory Tie , not to make known or divulge their A rcavm to any , except to members of their own Society . This I presume , is because they are either so nonsensically ludicrous , and foolish , or else so horribly lewd , and blasphemous that ' they will not endure aPublick Censure .
" They set a huge Value upon themselves , in regard of being Free-Masons : entertaining strange , awkward Notions of the word Masons ; such as it never had belonging to it in Hebrew , Greek , Latin , English , or , I believe in any language under Heaven . They seem to be listed under the Patronage ofHvram , the King of Tyrewho was doubtless an Heathen , unless converted to Judaism after
, his Acquaintance with Solomon : They tell strange foppish Stories pf a Tree , which grew out of Hiram ' s Tomb , with wonderful Lewes , and Fruit of a monstrous Quality ; although at the same Time , they know neither where , nor when he dy'd ; nor anything more of his Tomb , than they do of Pompey's . But to stop the Mouths of their ignorant , crack brain'd Disciples , ( such as Ak-houseJceepers , Botchm
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Ssjfr^
BMhreti , as b wMpveii ^^ ¦ pr ^ jnvty ^ Br ;
The next . ^ $ i ^< sg ^ awlinson ' s Collection is the continuation of a | amphlet ^ i ^ of Fre ^
KThe ^ ;^ : ^ - ; The , ' ^ ^ The Second * , giving an acco ^ t ^ of 4 i The Most A ^
^ the Manner of iW ' Witn a ^^^ << Together with t ^ ^ without ^ b y previbtisly undergo thei Form of Degradation ; ^ ^ ow firs t set forth for te ; , / ,-: * ¦ locus ' erat * -h : ; . ¦ ' ;; ' ' ' ¦ . < .- ; : y- . ,- ;¦ v > ¦ ' V irg . ^ My
: ¦ C London-: ; - 44 Printed b ^ A ^ M ^
A Letter to a Friend GoNCERNiNa the Society of Free-Masons . ^ Sir , —The Command , you have been pleas'd to lay upon me , is not to be discharg'd in a few Words : You require of me . To give you an account of the Fraternity ( as you are pleas'd to term it ) which call themselves Freemasons - togetherwith my opinion about them , and their Tenets . "• This , Sir , will cause some little Time to be spent ; first , in Enquiry after their Tenets ; and then in maturely judging and reasoning upon 'em : for rash and unpremeditated Determinations in such Matters , will only expose their Authors ; and give Strength and Reputation to the opposite Parties .
" As for their Tenets , they seem to be all Riddle and Mystery , to every Body but themselves and I make a Doubt , whether or no , they be able to give any fair and satisfactory Account of ' em . By what I can learn they are under an Oath or some solemn obligatory Tie , not to make known or divulge their A rcavm to any , except to members of their own Society . This I presume , is because they are either so nonsensically ludicrous , and foolish , or else so horribly lewd , and blasphemous that ' they will not endure aPublick Censure .
" They set a huge Value upon themselves , in regard of being Free-Masons : entertaining strange , awkward Notions of the word Masons ; such as it never had belonging to it in Hebrew , Greek , Latin , English , or , I believe in any language under Heaven . They seem to be listed under the Patronage ofHvram , the King of Tyrewho was doubtless an Heathen , unless converted to Judaism after
, his Acquaintance with Solomon : They tell strange foppish Stories pf a Tree , which grew out of Hiram ' s Tomb , with wonderful Lewes , and Fruit of a monstrous Quality ; although at the same Time , they know neither where , nor when he dy'd ; nor anything more of his Tomb , than they do of Pompey's . But to stop the Mouths of their ignorant , crack brain'd Disciples , ( such as Ak-houseJceepers , Botchm