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Article AN OLD MASON'S ADVICE TO HIS NEPHEW. ← Page 4 of 6 →
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An Old Mason's Advice To His Nephew.
The abnegation of Christianity , you continue , was once more publicly asserted under circumstances of a very painful nature . In the addresses of Bro . Tucker , Prov . Grand M ^ following language , occurs : — " The formation of a Lodge , the appointin of
ment of the various officer ^ must always put mind duties and requirements of our most sacred Christian religion . Our Lodge is holy , sacred , and universal , for reasons which have been often explained and impressed on you . Our officers are appointed by threes , which must constantly imprint on our minds the sublime doctrine of the Triune Jehovah . Our eyes are as continually
directed to the point , which is placed in the centre in the third degree , the initial letter in the second , and the blazing star in the first ; these as forcibly point out to us the divine doctohie of the Unity ; and these two combined teach us the truth whichy as Christians , we hold most sacred that * the Trinity in "Unity , and TJnity in Trinity
is to be worshipped . ' But We still have remaining a , iiother and a most important point ; and this is the light which illumines the Master ' s chair , where our blessed Saviour is alluded to in plain and direct terms such as cannot be mistaken or invaded . "—Freemasons
Quarterly' JSevwwy 1 . 84 b 6 , p . 157 . These , in the opinion of our late worthy Brother , are the true and ancient principles of the Order . But , unfortunately , as you further inform me , in his zeal for Masonry , and with the purpose of identifying himself with it in an unmistakable manner , he inconsiderately committed a breach of Masonic law "b y appearing before the Brethren of his province in the clothing of an acknowledged Christian order .
Such a public demonstration was considered by the authorities to be so unmasonic , that in order to save and defend the Order from the suspicion of sectarianism , he was promptly removed from his office . The sentence was communicated to him in an official letter signed by the Grand Secretary , who , while condemning his clothing , pronounced his doctrine to be destructive of universality , and historically incorrect ,
in the following express terms : — " The doctrines you have promulgated are so opposed to the universality of the Craft—which admits witjiin its pale all who believe in the glorious Architect of heaven and earth , and practice the sacred duties of morality , and that without inquiry into their particular mode of worship—that the Craft cannot
be permitted while in the Lodge , to introduce subjects of controversy and thereby risk the breaking asunder those ties by which the virtuous of every persuasion may be united in the firm and pleasing bond of fraternal love . You say that with your robe , and in addition to it , you wore your full clothing as Prov . G . M . That it is which makes it
obnoxious to the law ; out of the Lodge , every one may wear whatever decorations he chooses , and express whatever opinions may please him ; it is only within the Lodge walls that the laws forbid the introduction of aught which might excite differences of feeling , and be a prelude to personal discord and contention . It is not here necessary ^ Qiite ? upon w e ^ mi ^ atipn of the statements ma . de in your address , *
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
An Old Mason's Advice To His Nephew.
The abnegation of Christianity , you continue , was once more publicly asserted under circumstances of a very painful nature . In the addresses of Bro . Tucker , Prov . Grand M ^ following language , occurs : — " The formation of a Lodge , the appointin of
ment of the various officer ^ must always put mind duties and requirements of our most sacred Christian religion . Our Lodge is holy , sacred , and universal , for reasons which have been often explained and impressed on you . Our officers are appointed by threes , which must constantly imprint on our minds the sublime doctrine of the Triune Jehovah . Our eyes are as continually
directed to the point , which is placed in the centre in the third degree , the initial letter in the second , and the blazing star in the first ; these as forcibly point out to us the divine doctohie of the Unity ; and these two combined teach us the truth whichy as Christians , we hold most sacred that * the Trinity in "Unity , and TJnity in Trinity
is to be worshipped . ' But We still have remaining a , iiother and a most important point ; and this is the light which illumines the Master ' s chair , where our blessed Saviour is alluded to in plain and direct terms such as cannot be mistaken or invaded . "—Freemasons
Quarterly' JSevwwy 1 . 84 b 6 , p . 157 . These , in the opinion of our late worthy Brother , are the true and ancient principles of the Order . But , unfortunately , as you further inform me , in his zeal for Masonry , and with the purpose of identifying himself with it in an unmistakable manner , he inconsiderately committed a breach of Masonic law "b y appearing before the Brethren of his province in the clothing of an acknowledged Christian order .
Such a public demonstration was considered by the authorities to be so unmasonic , that in order to save and defend the Order from the suspicion of sectarianism , he was promptly removed from his office . The sentence was communicated to him in an official letter signed by the Grand Secretary , who , while condemning his clothing , pronounced his doctrine to be destructive of universality , and historically incorrect ,
in the following express terms : — " The doctrines you have promulgated are so opposed to the universality of the Craft—which admits witjiin its pale all who believe in the glorious Architect of heaven and earth , and practice the sacred duties of morality , and that without inquiry into their particular mode of worship—that the Craft cannot
be permitted while in the Lodge , to introduce subjects of controversy and thereby risk the breaking asunder those ties by which the virtuous of every persuasion may be united in the firm and pleasing bond of fraternal love . You say that with your robe , and in addition to it , you wore your full clothing as Prov . G . M . That it is which makes it
obnoxious to the law ; out of the Lodge , every one may wear whatever decorations he chooses , and express whatever opinions may please him ; it is only within the Lodge walls that the laws forbid the introduction of aught which might excite differences of feeling , and be a prelude to personal discord and contention . It is not here necessary ^ Qiite ? upon w e ^ mi ^ atipn of the statements ma . de in your address , *