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Article TORTURED BY DEGREES. ← Page 2 of 2 Article THE COUNTRY. Page 1 of 1
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Tortured By Degrees.
These all men ( who can ) may take with benefit to themselves , and without detriment to their families ; but the hrge majority of the degrees beyond them grow"Fine by degrees and beautifully less . " The Scriptures appear to be uniform in their testimony on this point . Men of " high degree " are by no means commended , while men of " low degree " are often
praised . In Chronicles we read of " brethren of the second degree , " who chanted songs of praise when the Ark of the Covenant was carried up to Zion ; and St . Luke says : "He hath put down the mighty from their seats , and exalted them of low degree . " It is true David wrote , in the Psalms , that " men of low degree are vanity , " but then he added , " men of high degree are altogether lighter than vanity !" We do well to be faithful to our first love . Let no one ever " Look in the clouds , scorning the base degrees By which he did ascend . "
By base degrees he meant ( whatever Shakespeare meant ) the foundation degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry , on which all other Masonry , or alleged Masonry is built . There are in Masonry degrees useful and ornamental , and in mis-called Masonry degrees that are neither one nor the other . We should class the degrees of the Lodge ancl Chapter as useful , and those of the Commandery ancl Ancient ancl Accepted Rite as ornamental . Some Brethren of course will differ from us , but with the majority we are in accord .
As to what may be termed the Alphabet Rites , there is no Masonry in them but the name . What shall we say then of the mills and millers that grind out the multitudinous modern degrees , which promise to outnumber Abraham ' s seed ? The millers are doubtless Masons , ingenious men , ambitious men , presumptuous men , ancl sometimes successful men ; but they cannot make any of then- modern rites right . They are not
Masonry , ancl they overlay and tend to obscure Masonry . Think of anyone assuming to overtop King Solomon ! " Angels and ministers o £ grace defend ns !' .
The Country.
THE COUNTRY .
BY M . J . HUGHES . I IOVE its mountains towering high , And I love its blue azure sky ; I love its valleys ancl its rills , I love the country ancl its hills ;
I love to breathe its air so pure , Its gushing fountains I adore ; I love its streams , shaUow and deep . I love its harvests so rich to reap ; I love its fields ancl meadows green , Where the skipphig lamb can be seen ;
I love to gaze upon its lofty crest , Where in safety the eagle builds its nest . I love the country , its peacefid rest , What natiu-e hath so sweetly blessed ; I love simple nature , beautiful and grand , And the country , God ' s favoured land .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Tortured By Degrees.
These all men ( who can ) may take with benefit to themselves , and without detriment to their families ; but the hrge majority of the degrees beyond them grow"Fine by degrees and beautifully less . " The Scriptures appear to be uniform in their testimony on this point . Men of " high degree " are by no means commended , while men of " low degree " are often
praised . In Chronicles we read of " brethren of the second degree , " who chanted songs of praise when the Ark of the Covenant was carried up to Zion ; and St . Luke says : "He hath put down the mighty from their seats , and exalted them of low degree . " It is true David wrote , in the Psalms , that " men of low degree are vanity , " but then he added , " men of high degree are altogether lighter than vanity !" We do well to be faithful to our first love . Let no one ever " Look in the clouds , scorning the base degrees By which he did ascend . "
By base degrees he meant ( whatever Shakespeare meant ) the foundation degrees of Ancient Craft Masonry , on which all other Masonry , or alleged Masonry is built . There are in Masonry degrees useful and ornamental , and in mis-called Masonry degrees that are neither one nor the other . We should class the degrees of the Lodge ancl Chapter as useful , and those of the Commandery ancl Ancient ancl Accepted Rite as ornamental . Some Brethren of course will differ from us , but with the majority we are in accord .
As to what may be termed the Alphabet Rites , there is no Masonry in them but the name . What shall we say then of the mills and millers that grind out the multitudinous modern degrees , which promise to outnumber Abraham ' s seed ? The millers are doubtless Masons , ingenious men , ambitious men , presumptuous men , ancl sometimes successful men ; but they cannot make any of then- modern rites right . They are not
Masonry , ancl they overlay and tend to obscure Masonry . Think of anyone assuming to overtop King Solomon ! " Angels and ministers o £ grace defend ns !' .
The Country.
THE COUNTRY .
BY M . J . HUGHES . I IOVE its mountains towering high , And I love its blue azure sky ; I love its valleys ancl its rills , I love the country ancl its hills ;
I love to breathe its air so pure , Its gushing fountains I adore ; I love its streams , shaUow and deep . I love its harvests so rich to reap ; I love its fields ancl meadows green , Where the skipphig lamb can be seen ;
I love to gaze upon its lofty crest , Where in safety the eagle builds its nest . I love the country , its peacefid rest , What natiu-e hath so sweetly blessed ; I love simple nature , beautiful and grand , And the country , God ' s favoured land .