On Liberty Of The Masonic Press.

Golden-square brethron that it is altogether too lato now to attempt imposing upon tho world tho antiquity of Masonry , moro especially of IJosicrncianism , with trumpery relics , lint ah ! " Masonic courtesy " and " Masonic forbearanco" forbade him speaking the truth . However , Bro . W . ' s paragraph has already appeared iu ono American paper ; il will doubtless make a circuit through all our North American Masonio

papers , aud ere long our garrulous high degree Bro . iSoodle will wax eloquent in a St . John ' s day oration , upon tho high authority of the London Freemason , tho undonbted Masonry of Confucius , aud tho Eosicrucianism of Henry IV . of Franco . I must horo add , that I entertain the best feelings towards the publisher , as well as tho editor of the Freemason . Besides being

indebted to those brethren for personal favours , I shall never forget that , from the very start of that journal , when Masonic readers were less informed than they aro now , articles appeared in that journal , from the pen of Bro . Buchau as woll as from my own , which a majority of our American Masonic editors would reject as unorthodox oven today . Indeed , I havo more than once pointed out that the English paper

was moro liberal than our American Masonic press . I havo moro than onco had a friendly fight in the Freemason , with a former editor , as well as with tho present oue ; and I hope , therefore , that ho will reconsider his resolution of abridging the freedom of his paper upon any qnostion whatever . Slander , coarse personalities , or unbecoming language , an editor has a right to exclndo ; but our editor of tho Frcauasou

should at least allow contributors to do what ho very often does himself . I havo no desire to give offonco to my friend of tho Freemason , but surely it is a well known fact that ho himself never sticks at trifles , nor thinks about offending feelings whpu attacking an opponent . Why , then , should ho take umbrage at my remarks about tho High Graders ? As already said , if I am wrong , then attack my

statements without regard to any conscientious views I may entertain ; bnt if I am right , why shonld I bo debarred from publishing the truth ? Again , within a few months , an American Judge , visited many large cities in tho United States , Boston included , and organized iu thoso cities the " Memphis Rite . " Tho Scoth Eitors , who generally edit our Masonic papers , denounced the said jadgo as a " fraud , " an

" illegitimate , " an " expelled Mason , " and in othor elegant adjectives of that nature . The truth is , one Eite is jast as great a fraud as tho other , the only difference is , tho said judge charged ten dollars for 91 or 90 degrees , and the Scotch Riters charge I believe 120 dollars for 32 degrees . But any how , onr Scotch writers never took into consideration tho " conscientious view" of tho Memphis Biters , and

why shonld they take umbrage because I disregarded their so-called conscientious views ? My conscientious view is , that it is high timo to pub an end to all kind of Masonic frauds . Let us therefore havo au untrammelled Masonic press , and by its aid reason will be placed on tho pinnaclo of onr Masonic structure . Illumined by that light , errors and tomfooleries imposed by dreamers

and charlatans upon our fraternity , during tho dark ages of . tho last aud present century , will dissolve and vanish from our midst . Aud then , the torm "High Masons , " will not be appropriated by beliovers in this or that religion , but will bo applied to good and true men of all religions , who practise in all sincerity our Masonic principles of " Brotherly love , relief , and truth . " So mote it be . BOSTON , U . S . 25 th Juno 1 S 80 .

True Principles Of Masonry.

TRUE PRINCIPLES OF MASONRY .

BY THE EEV . J . J . CLEMENS , OF TEXAS . FROM THE VOICE OF MASONRY AND FAMIJVY MAGAZINE . " For inquire , I pray thee , of the former age , and prepare thyself to the search of their Fathers . Shall they not teach thee , and tell thee ?"—Job viii . 8 and 10 .

MANY learned critics contend that the Patriarch Job lived before the time of Moses . They say that the writings of Israel ' s Ieadei proved that he must have been acquainted with tho writings of the patient man from tho land of Uz . But other critics , equally learned , contend that Job lived in the days of King Solomon . It matters little , however , when tho patriarch lived . Of ono thing wc are

confident : Job was a theoretic Mason . Of course I do not mean to say that there were Masonic Lodges in the land of Uz , fifteen hundred years beforo tho Christian Era , nor do I care to assert , that Job had ever been initiated into tho mysteries of our Fraternit y , fifteen hundred years after the Creatiou , but I do assert , confidently

, that theoretically Job was as much a member of tho Craft as was over King Solomon or the Holy Saint John . Of course , you will ask for proof ; yon will say , on what grounds do I make such an assertion ? All Masons wish to trace tho antiquity of their Order to tho very Creation , if possible . The more ancient the better , for tho farther

back we go , the nearer we come to that GJUND MASTER who first said ) "Let there be light . " If , then , I take the opinion that Job lived before the time of Moses , which I do , then if Job was a theoretic Mason , theoretic Masonry is older than tho building of King Solomon ' s Temple ; or older , even , than the giving of tho Law on Mount Sinai !

Again , then , I assert that I believe Job was a theoretic Mason , and why ? Because Masonry is a religion , and Job was a believer in that reli gion which Masonry teaches , and consequently ho was what I call a " theoretic Mason . " Just here comes the question , what is religion ? Religion is any system of Faith , or Worship , which teaches tho

existence of a Supremo Being , and man ' s duty to obey tho commands of that Supreme Being ; consequently Mohammedanism is a religion , because it torches the existence of the OAE GOD , and man's duty to serve and worship Him . Paganism is a religion , whether called JSrahmin , Buddhist , or Zoroastrian , for the same reasons . And , par excellence , Judaism is a religion , because tho belief in God ,

True Principles Of Masonry.

and of His absolnto sovereignty ovor ITis creatures , aro its fnndaiuenlal characteristics . In fact , " an intuition ol" Coo , a sense of human weakness and dependence , a belief iti tho DiYitie Govermont of tho world , a distinction between right and wrong , ami a hope of a hotter life , theso aro some of the radical elements of all religions . " Undoubtedly , therefore . Masonry is a religion , boeausc it , embraces

every necessary element to constitute it as such . Mark , however , I do not say Masonry is the rrH . / i" /! , but a religion , because it teaches tho existence of an Almighty 0 oi >; it teaches tho authenticity and inspiration of the Holy Scriptures ; it inculcates tho duty of man to worship flop , and it teaches tho reality of a futnro state of rewards and punishments . Not an element is wanting to make ft a religion ,

and only such a religion ns it teaches was known to the TMriarch Job . His faith , as gathorml from his Book in tho Hol y Bible , was as nearly akin to tho faith of modern Masonry as very well could be , aud therefore I say Job was a tlu'ordic Mason . But / advance a step further . Not only was Job a Mason flicovcHfitllij , but he was ono prurlirtitlij , also Boarinr' in mind what I havo beforo stated , that T do not moan to

say that Job was over an initatcd Mason , or that ho ever dreamed of such art organization as that of ours , yot from his own words I can prove that he believed in aud taught tho practical ideas of modern Masonry , For instance , ho certainly believed in GOD—that is tho Koystono of Masonry . Just as certainly ho bolioved that GOD had revealed His will to His creatures , either by writing or by tradition , for

in tho very text I have taken ho says : "Inquire , I pray thee , of tho former age , and prepare thyself to tho search of their fathers , "thereby intimating that something had been written , or was otherwise known , of tho Will of tho Deity . Woll , the Holy Biblo is made tho true source of Masonic Light , because it is believed to bo the revealed Word of Goo .

Again , Job certainly proved by hia life that ho believed it necossarv and right for men to ohrg tho Will of GOD , ovon though it mi ght cost them suffering and death . In all its formnlarios , Masonry is equally emphatic and agreeable . Onco more , tho patriarch nnqnostionably believed in the immortality of tho soul , and in a future state , whoro that soul would be happy or miserable , according to its past record .

Certainly , Masonry enforces this samo doctrino as strongly as ever did Job . Further , ho undoubtedly had faith in tho resurrection of tho body , for he distinctly says , " Although worms may destroy this body , yet iu my flesh shall I seo Gon . " Turn to our Masonic Service for the burial of tho dead and wo read : " Wo therefore commit his bod y to tho ground , looking for tho general resurrection of tho last day ,

when tho earth and sea shall give up thoir dead . " Now , tho soul is not dead . Masonry teaches , that that part of man can never dio , nor can it bo buried ; that , therefore , which tho earth and the sea is to deliver up must be tho body , for not long beforo wo say , "Tho spirit hath returned to GOD who gavo it . " Therefore , Masonry , like Job , teaches the resurrection of the body . Lastly , Job undeniably behoved iu a " Goel , " or Eodccmor—ono

who was to bo au Umpire , an Advocate , between himself and Goo . Nay , more than this , this Goel , or Redeemer , was the ground of his hope in tho resurrection of tho body , for ho exclaims , " I know that my Redeemer livoth , and that ho shall stand at tho latter day upon tho earth , " and therefore , " although after my skin , worms destroy this body , yet in my flesh shall I seo Goo . " Therofore , that is because of tho fact that this Redeemer livcth , this resurrection was to take Dlace .

Turn once moro to our Masonic Burial Offico and wo find the vory words of Job quoted , in the samo connection—for after the body has been lowered into the grave , and wo have expressed our belief that tho spirit has returned to the GOD who gave it , the Master says , " How important it is for us to remember that our Redeemer liveth ; and that at the lattor clay He shall stand upon the earth . " Why is ifc

important for Masons to behove this ? Undoubtedl y because their expressed hope of a resurrection is supposed by Masonry to depend on tho reality of this Redeemer ' s existence and power . And therefore the Master lays the evergreen branch upon the coffin to show that Masons believe , not only in the immortality of the soul , but also that in some futuro time , by tho power of that living Redeemer , the

body and tho soul will be raised and reunited beyond tho grave , and live for ever and ever . Evidently , then , Masouic faith in the immortality of tho soul , and in fcho resurrection of the body , is founded on that highor faith in a personal , living Redeemer , by whose power all this is to be accomplished . Masonry and Job are alike in thoir practical doctrines , as thoy agree in their theoretical teachings ,

and therefore I say , that Job was a practical as well as a theoretical Mason . Wo have then , brethren , "inquired of the former age , " and prepared ourselves " to tho search of thoir fathers , " aud wo find that Masonry is a religion , tho principles of which are certainly as okl as tho days of Job ; and this naturally leads to another and far more important point . From onr own printed , and therefore Public Offices ,

I havo shown that Masonry contains the principles of a religion ; theso principles must of course havo a tendency toward something else . A principle , in the case of any religion , is to the life and practice of its followers what steam is to the engine , or electricity to the telegraph—it is the motive power , it is the cause of certain effects . Masonry , thon , is a religion , because it possesses certain

principles . These principles must tend to something greater and higher than themselves , or else they would be wrong , false principles . Now , to what do the principles of Masonry tend ? The immortality of the sonl and the resurrection of the body we have alread y seen are parts of tho teachings of Masonry . A future state for both soul and body is , therefore , undeniably inculcated , and tho prayers in use by our Fraternity prove that that future state is one of reward or

punishment , of happiness or misery . Now , to what , or Whom , do such teachings point ? On what ground or foundation does Masonry rest tho truth , the reality , of her doctrines as a religion ? If you turn to tho Monitorial Charge to the newly made Master Mason wo read thus : "The Mason is suddenly revived by the evergreen and everliving sprig of Faith in the merits of tho Lion of tho tribe of Judah , " which strengthens him with confidence and composure to look forward to a blessed immortality , and doubts not , but that in tho glorious morn