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On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions. *
ral tracing-boards , that they might be distributed amongst the workmen , according to their several stations , when they returned from refreshment to labour . Few were admitted to the highest grade of the order , and those after a long and severe probation under the Master's eye ., and on the establishment of unexceptionable proofs of moral , as well as scientific excellence . To these the Master's Lodge was at length open , and all the abstruse secrets of the order fully unveiled .
By such means a succession of Rulers was provided , who brought down Operative Masonry , improved in beauty and magnificence , to a time when public prejudice was overcome , and the brethren were honoured by the noble , the wealthy , and the wise . From this period regularly-formed Lodges were universally adopted ; the meetings on hills and
in valleys ceased ; and the Masons of the present clay are unacquainted with the custom , except as it is viewed through the long vista of forgotten ages ; or its inconveniences contemplated through the medium of Masonic tradition .
I shall conclude this paper with a few observations on the symbol | Ij , which some consider to mean Templum HierosolymaB , others refer it to the Phallus , and others to the Nilometre , or key of the river Nile . I consider it to be an emblem of Christian Freemasonry . The signs or marks of our sublime science are generally explained on a princile
p which is evident and satisfactory , and not liable to misapprehension . Whether these symbols have been constructed from instruments of manual labour , —from geometrical figures , —from the works of nature , —or the sublime vaults of Heaven ,- —there can be no doubt in the well-instructed Mason's mindrespecting their general reference and
li-, app cation . The design of their adoption was to embody valuable moral and religious truths , that the view of a sensible object might raise before the contemplative brother ' s mental eye , some intellectual maxim , by which he might become wiser and better . This is , indeed , a noble design . It allures to the pursuit of virtueand inspires a love for investigations
, whose aim and end are the perfection of our mental faculties . And thus , science is applied to the practice of moral virtue and religious duty . The fraternity do not appear to bo agreed respecting the Masonic mark , or emblem , to which 1 have just alluded .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
On Freemasonry. Evidences, Doctrines, And Traditions. *
ral tracing-boards , that they might be distributed amongst the workmen , according to their several stations , when they returned from refreshment to labour . Few were admitted to the highest grade of the order , and those after a long and severe probation under the Master's eye ., and on the establishment of unexceptionable proofs of moral , as well as scientific excellence . To these the Master's Lodge was at length open , and all the abstruse secrets of the order fully unveiled .
By such means a succession of Rulers was provided , who brought down Operative Masonry , improved in beauty and magnificence , to a time when public prejudice was overcome , and the brethren were honoured by the noble , the wealthy , and the wise . From this period regularly-formed Lodges were universally adopted ; the meetings on hills and
in valleys ceased ; and the Masons of the present clay are unacquainted with the custom , except as it is viewed through the long vista of forgotten ages ; or its inconveniences contemplated through the medium of Masonic tradition .
I shall conclude this paper with a few observations on the symbol | Ij , which some consider to mean Templum HierosolymaB , others refer it to the Phallus , and others to the Nilometre , or key of the river Nile . I consider it to be an emblem of Christian Freemasonry . The signs or marks of our sublime science are generally explained on a princile
p which is evident and satisfactory , and not liable to misapprehension . Whether these symbols have been constructed from instruments of manual labour , —from geometrical figures , —from the works of nature , —or the sublime vaults of Heaven ,- —there can be no doubt in the well-instructed Mason's mindrespecting their general reference and
li-, app cation . The design of their adoption was to embody valuable moral and religious truths , that the view of a sensible object might raise before the contemplative brother ' s mental eye , some intellectual maxim , by which he might become wiser and better . This is , indeed , a noble design . It allures to the pursuit of virtueand inspires a love for investigations
, whose aim and end are the perfection of our mental faculties . And thus , science is applied to the practice of moral virtue and religious duty . The fraternity do not appear to bo agreed respecting the Masonic mark , or emblem , to which 1 have just alluded .