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Article CORRESPONDENCE. ← Page 5 of 6 →
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Correspondence.
later date , containing the illustrations of " Faith , Hope , and Charity , " as used in the Lodges at that period . " Ashe ' s * Masonic Manual , " dedicated to the Grand Master , and "Browne ' s Master Key , " f in both of which tho definition of " Faith " is given in the language above quoted , without the omission of the latter sentence , & c . What , however , I have already mentioned is , I think , sufficient to convince your correspondent " Novitiate , " as to the genuine symbolical character of Masonry , and the generally received opinions amongst its professors in past ages .
The original invocation used by them was decidedly Christian . The means by which we gain admission to the Lodge , has a direct allusion to an exhortation of our Saviour , and when there , the most conspicuous object to which our attention is directed extending from earth to Heaven , and by which we are taught , as Masons , to hope to arrive at its summit , is acknowledged by all men who have studied tho sacred volume , to be a direct type of tho Saviour . I could assign many other reasons for the views weich I have ever entertained with respect to Freemasonry , but having already trespassed too long upon your
pages , will , for the present , merely allude to one other striking feature . The Cross is a figure which consists of all squares , level and perpendicular , figures for which Masons profess the greatest veneration , as being the true and proper significations by which genuine and true Brethren aro distinguished from the rest of the world . We have adopted the implements of operative Masons , only to conceal the mysteries which they convey , from the ' uninitiated in accordance with the plan adopted hy the ancient Egyptians , while yet their mysteries were unmixed with impurities , and it is not for their uses in an operative but a speculative sense that we are called upon to regard them . We have , as I have observed , a great veneration for the square , and if its symbolism were ri ghtly understood , that veneration would be still greater . I have in my
possession a Masonic M . S . in which the figure of the cross represents all the principal and assistant officers of the Lodge , and in which almost all the characters are square figures . Thus , the W . M . is represented by the whole cross , "f * the S . W . by the upper part , __ L the J . W . by the lower part , 1 the S . D . by the J the J . D . by the 1 __ the J . G . by the ~| the 0 . G . or Tyler by the T ; thus the figure of the cross represents the principal officers of the Lodge , and subdivided thus nr" the assistant officers . The cross is an emblem , and the only true emblem , of universality , it consists of four angles of ninety degrees , equal to
three hundred and sixty , the number of the universe or globe ; it extends in length from east to west , in breadth from north to south . The regal sceptre consists of the globe surmounted by the cross , which point out Christianity universal , that universal system which shall one day cover the earth as the waters cover the sea . In fact , we have no authority for any other universal system , for it is has been decreed hy the highest possible authority , that before tho consummation of all things , "the Gospel must first be preached to every creature . "
Among the vulgar errors of the day is a supposition that we are in possession of some great secret , but ours is a moral secret , one which the most accomplished Brother may spend a Efe time in attempting to discover , but which is conveyed iu the brief sentence " Gnothi Seauton . '" It is true our ancient Brethren , who constructed the many beautiful cathedrals , abbeys , and other religious edifices , part of which only " remain with us unto this day , " were in the exclusive possession of the knowledge of the principles of the true Gothic or sacred architecture , which appears to have been lost about the time of the
Eeformation , for our Grand Master , Sir Christopher Wren , admitted that , in his day , the principles of the true Gothic or sacred architecture , were lost , and he re-adopted the Pagan as a substitute , until time or circumstances should restore the genuine . Added to our grand moral secret , is thc correct eluci-
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
later date , containing the illustrations of " Faith , Hope , and Charity , " as used in the Lodges at that period . " Ashe ' s * Masonic Manual , " dedicated to the Grand Master , and "Browne ' s Master Key , " f in both of which tho definition of " Faith " is given in the language above quoted , without the omission of the latter sentence , & c . What , however , I have already mentioned is , I think , sufficient to convince your correspondent " Novitiate , " as to the genuine symbolical character of Masonry , and the generally received opinions amongst its professors in past ages .
The original invocation used by them was decidedly Christian . The means by which we gain admission to the Lodge , has a direct allusion to an exhortation of our Saviour , and when there , the most conspicuous object to which our attention is directed extending from earth to Heaven , and by which we are taught , as Masons , to hope to arrive at its summit , is acknowledged by all men who have studied tho sacred volume , to be a direct type of tho Saviour . I could assign many other reasons for the views weich I have ever entertained with respect to Freemasonry , but having already trespassed too long upon your
pages , will , for the present , merely allude to one other striking feature . The Cross is a figure which consists of all squares , level and perpendicular , figures for which Masons profess the greatest veneration , as being the true and proper significations by which genuine and true Brethren aro distinguished from the rest of the world . We have adopted the implements of operative Masons , only to conceal the mysteries which they convey , from the ' uninitiated in accordance with the plan adopted hy the ancient Egyptians , while yet their mysteries were unmixed with impurities , and it is not for their uses in an operative but a speculative sense that we are called upon to regard them . We have , as I have observed , a great veneration for the square , and if its symbolism were ri ghtly understood , that veneration would be still greater . I have in my
possession a Masonic M . S . in which the figure of the cross represents all the principal and assistant officers of the Lodge , and in which almost all the characters are square figures . Thus , the W . M . is represented by the whole cross , "f * the S . W . by the upper part , __ L the J . W . by the lower part , 1 the S . D . by the J the J . D . by the 1 __ the J . G . by the ~| the 0 . G . or Tyler by the T ; thus the figure of the cross represents the principal officers of the Lodge , and subdivided thus nr" the assistant officers . The cross is an emblem , and the only true emblem , of universality , it consists of four angles of ninety degrees , equal to
three hundred and sixty , the number of the universe or globe ; it extends in length from east to west , in breadth from north to south . The regal sceptre consists of the globe surmounted by the cross , which point out Christianity universal , that universal system which shall one day cover the earth as the waters cover the sea . In fact , we have no authority for any other universal system , for it is has been decreed hy the highest possible authority , that before tho consummation of all things , "the Gospel must first be preached to every creature . "
Among the vulgar errors of the day is a supposition that we are in possession of some great secret , but ours is a moral secret , one which the most accomplished Brother may spend a Efe time in attempting to discover , but which is conveyed iu the brief sentence " Gnothi Seauton . '" It is true our ancient Brethren , who constructed the many beautiful cathedrals , abbeys , and other religious edifices , part of which only " remain with us unto this day , " were in the exclusive possession of the knowledge of the principles of the true Gothic or sacred architecture , which appears to have been lost about the time of the
Eeformation , for our Grand Master , Sir Christopher Wren , admitted that , in his day , the principles of the true Gothic or sacred architecture , were lost , and he re-adopted the Pagan as a substitute , until time or circumstances should restore the genuine . Added to our grand moral secret , is thc correct eluci-