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Article ON THE BEAUTIES OF MASONRY. ← Page 4 of 5 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Beauties Of Masonry.
tution—he who would , with impious hand , dare wrest it from the unfortunate Brother , would be dragging the crutches from the hand of age , and robbing the bereaved of the only solace of their woes . My Brothers—it is religion that incites us to the love of true wisdom . The wisest king that ever swayed the destinies of Israel , enforced , in all his inspired writings , the supremacy of that inestimable treasure . " Happy" says he"is the man that findeth wisdomand the man that
, , , getteth understanding—the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of silver , and the gain thereof than fine gold . She is more precious than rubies , and all things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her . " And I ask you , my Brethren , where can you find a wider field for the attainment of this knowledge than in that RECORD which unfolds every step of Masonry , in that book which rules and governs your faith ; wherewhere elsewill you meet with the attributes
, , of that GOD , which can never be pondered on without gratitude—whose beneficence , power , and majesty , fills heaven and earth with wonder , love , and praise ? In the unfathomable researches of nature—in the wonders of the mighty deep—in the towering oak , or the bending twigin the dashing cataract , or the placid stream—in the mighty river , or
the tranquil lake—these , and many other beauties , are enough , and more than enough , for the contemplative mind ; and these are richly disclosed , as we rise in emblematical science , and trace out the hidden treasures of Masonry . Last , though not least , beams forth , radiant as the sun , bright-beaming CHARITY 1 This virtue , possessing , as it does , such a wide field , has ever furnished new beauties to descant on . If there be one tear more hallowed than anotherit is the tear that falls from the eye of the
unfor-, tunate , whose griefs you have assuaged , whose misfortunes you have relieved . If there be one " ' smile that lights up the countenance with more lustre than another , it is the smile which plays on the lip of the woe-worn , pallid sufferer , whose pressing wants you have supplied , whose sorrows you have alleviated . If there be one prayer that ascends with a purer incense to the skies , it is the prayer of the bereaved widow—the fatherless child—the unfortunate man—in behalf of their
benefactor . A wise and philanthropic father of old observed , that " the most beautiful sight in the universe was to see a good , but a poor , man struggling with adversity ; " yet , he continued , there was one still more beautiful—the good man who came to relieve him . Yes , my Brothers , the good man who comes to relieve him ! Ancl who can tell what groans he hears as he takes his walks through the abodes of wretchedness and misery—where disappointment feeds on hope—where pallid guiltworn
, out , leans on the triple head of want , remorse , ancl despair;—where cruelty reaches forth a cup of wormwood to the lips of sorrow , that to deeper sorrow wails ; where mockery , ancl disease , ancl poverty meet miserable age—where the arrowy wind of heaven pierces the naked orphan babe , and chills the mother ' s heart that has no home ; and where , alas ! at mid-time of his clay , the honest man , robbed by some villain ' s hand , or with long sickness pale , and paler yet with want and
hunger , oft drank bitter draughts of his own tears , and had no bread to eat . Oh , who can tell what sights he saw—what shapes of wretchedness ! or who describe what smiles of gratitude illumined the face of woe , whilst from his hand was beneficently given the dispensation of his
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On The Beauties Of Masonry.
tution—he who would , with impious hand , dare wrest it from the unfortunate Brother , would be dragging the crutches from the hand of age , and robbing the bereaved of the only solace of their woes . My Brothers—it is religion that incites us to the love of true wisdom . The wisest king that ever swayed the destinies of Israel , enforced , in all his inspired writings , the supremacy of that inestimable treasure . " Happy" says he"is the man that findeth wisdomand the man that
, , , getteth understanding—the merchandize of it is better than the merchandize of silver , and the gain thereof than fine gold . She is more precious than rubies , and all things thou canst desire are not to be compared to her . " And I ask you , my Brethren , where can you find a wider field for the attainment of this knowledge than in that RECORD which unfolds every step of Masonry , in that book which rules and governs your faith ; wherewhere elsewill you meet with the attributes
, , of that GOD , which can never be pondered on without gratitude—whose beneficence , power , and majesty , fills heaven and earth with wonder , love , and praise ? In the unfathomable researches of nature—in the wonders of the mighty deep—in the towering oak , or the bending twigin the dashing cataract , or the placid stream—in the mighty river , or
the tranquil lake—these , and many other beauties , are enough , and more than enough , for the contemplative mind ; and these are richly disclosed , as we rise in emblematical science , and trace out the hidden treasures of Masonry . Last , though not least , beams forth , radiant as the sun , bright-beaming CHARITY 1 This virtue , possessing , as it does , such a wide field , has ever furnished new beauties to descant on . If there be one tear more hallowed than anotherit is the tear that falls from the eye of the
unfor-, tunate , whose griefs you have assuaged , whose misfortunes you have relieved . If there be one " ' smile that lights up the countenance with more lustre than another , it is the smile which plays on the lip of the woe-worn , pallid sufferer , whose pressing wants you have supplied , whose sorrows you have alleviated . If there be one prayer that ascends with a purer incense to the skies , it is the prayer of the bereaved widow—the fatherless child—the unfortunate man—in behalf of their
benefactor . A wise and philanthropic father of old observed , that " the most beautiful sight in the universe was to see a good , but a poor , man struggling with adversity ; " yet , he continued , there was one still more beautiful—the good man who came to relieve him . Yes , my Brothers , the good man who comes to relieve him ! Ancl who can tell what groans he hears as he takes his walks through the abodes of wretchedness and misery—where disappointment feeds on hope—where pallid guiltworn
, out , leans on the triple head of want , remorse , ancl despair;—where cruelty reaches forth a cup of wormwood to the lips of sorrow , that to deeper sorrow wails ; where mockery , ancl disease , ancl poverty meet miserable age—where the arrowy wind of heaven pierces the naked orphan babe , and chills the mother ' s heart that has no home ; and where , alas ! at mid-time of his clay , the honest man , robbed by some villain ' s hand , or with long sickness pale , and paler yet with want and
hunger , oft drank bitter draughts of his own tears , and had no bread to eat . Oh , who can tell what sights he saw—what shapes of wretchedness ! or who describe what smiles of gratitude illumined the face of woe , whilst from his hand was beneficently given the dispensation of his