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Article CLASSICAL THEOLOGY.—LXI. ← Page 2 of 3 →
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Classical Theology.—Lxi.
GLAD TIDINGS . Tho following sermon was preached by the Eev . Bro . B . W . Sanderson , Prov . G . Chap . Suffolk , at the consecration of the Waveney Lodge , Bungay , ( No . 1231 ) , on tho 29 th ult . ( the proceedings at which were reported last week ) , from the following test : —
" The darhncss is past and the true light now shineth Se that saitli he is in the light and hateth Ms brother is in darlmcss even until now . Ha that loveth his brother abideth in the light . " —1 Joio * ii ., 8—10 ,
" Glad tidings of great joy ; glory to God in the highest , on earth peace , good will towards men , " was the message of the angels when , at this time , the Prince of Peace was born into the Avorld . Glad tidings , indeed ! for the darkness in which God had hidden himself from the eyes of men began to pass away , and the true right to shine and shoiv that God is love . And truly , my brethren , we who
have met here during this holy Christmas tide are doing a work well suited to the season in this our constituting and dedicating a temple of universal brotherhood and good will amongst men . The very time of the year itself seems to enforce that principle on which all Freemasonry rests , telling us to love God as our Father and all men as brethren . As the created of Almighty God , tho Groat
Architect of the Universe , the world of mankind is one family , one brotherhood . As the redeemed of Almighty God , the Saviour of the world , all are brethren and Christians ; the Eternal God is our Elder Brother , " the firstborn among many brethren . " He who , as at this time , took mortal flesh for us men and for our salvation , he is the head stone of tbe comerwhich the level of love
, has so placed as will one day unite and henceforth for ever support the whole building of the Father's cave in undivisible and eternal unity . But , beloved brethren , we have just cause to mourn that although , as the created and redeemed of theEternal God , all mankind are brethren , and ought to act as such , yet that this feeling is carried but too little into practice . Look into the worldand
, yon see , as with our kinsmen in the West at this hour , even those who speak the same tongue divided and shedding recklessly each other ' s blood . Look into society , and yon see neighbours distracted and estranged by dissensions ;
yea , and such is the decay of brotherly love , that even m the same family circle we often find three against two and two against three . These are sad truths , but does not the contemplation of them naturally lead us to consider how great must be the excellency of every bond of union and society which can in any way assist the gracious influence of godliness , in renewing , by Divine grace , our dying
love , and restoring it to vigour and to exercise . Hence , Avithout entering into its particular merits , I will take upon me to assert the excellency of the Masonic union , and fear not to say that this tie between man and man has its foundation in God , the Great Architect of the Qui verse , whoso name is Love ; and that when He who will one day lete the Temisle of his redeeming mercy shall
comp make up his jeivels he will place in his kingdom , with ornaments of his triumph , every real Mason ; and that whatever his station may have been in this world—Avhether as * a Master to devise , a "Warden to explain , a Steward to superinteud , a Secretary to transcribe , or a Avorkman to raise the fabric by his industry—all shall be accessories and assistants to this grand edifice
of love , and each shall be rewarded , not according to the perfection of his work or the greatness of his post , but according to the sincerity of his intentions and the zeal of bis endeavours . Having thus , my beloved brethren , briefly pointed out the necessity of your labour , and the certainty and excellency " of your intended rewardlot me nowin the lain language of a brother
, , p labourer , point out to you more particularly the nature of this your work in the rebuilding of the human heart , that temple of love Avhich sin and human frailty have too universally laid in ruins . For I would fain stir
up your pure minds by way of remembrance , and explain to others , without betraying any secret , the grand essential of onr union , brotherly love . It is our pride as Masons to call ourselves sons of the light , and unless we would be deservedly condemned as empty professors of good which we do not carry into practice , it behoves us to bear in mind that word of exhortation which bids them
that are in the light walk as children of the light . And Avhat is the test by which we are to prove ourselves ? We find it in the text . " He that loveth his brother abideth in the light , and there is none occasion of stumbling in him ; " whilst , on the contrary , " he that hateth bis brethren is in darkness even until now . " ' Now if there be any praise that weas Masonsespecially desirenext
, , , to the praise of God , I suppose it is the praise of being deemed an eminently practical body , not a mere sort of benevolent dreamers , imaging to ourselves a kind of Utopia of harmony and fraternity , but really and zealously labouring for the good of each other and of the world at large . I , therefore , already anticipate the question . " I know that working love is the test of our being in the
light ; but how is this love to be shown . ? If to be a working Mason means anything , it means no sickly sentimentalist , but one practically labouring in the erection of the Great Temple to the Glory of God , and to peace and good will among men . " Most true : and I answer that brotherly love must find its due expansion , just as does love to God . It must bo the love of thought , word ,
and deed . Masonic work , then , my brethren , begins from the heart . That is the fountain , and from thence all its streams take their rise . Hence we are bidden in Holy Scripture to keep the heart with all diligence , for out of it are tbe issues of life . Now , the same fountain cannot send forth sweet Avater and bitter ; bnb if the fountain be sweet , the water will be sweet also . How good , then , and excellent is the command given us by tbo inspiration of the Apostle of Love : " Think not evil one of another , but bo kindly affectioned . " If , then , we
would live in the exercise of brotherly love , we must not only endeavour to keep the affections of the heart tintainted with hard thoughts and evil surmises , but endeavour , if I may so speak , to keep the ear of the heart uncorrupted by the tongue of evil report , and not only strive against suspicion ourselves , but when little words are spoken , consider how much exaggeration mostlj *
accompanies slander or tale-bearing , and , briefly , think well of a brother as long as we can , and when we cannot , still call to mind all that may extenuate his frailties . We are cautioned at our admission into the Order that we are not to come there seeking advantage to ourselves , save that of instruction , but rather seeking to obtain large means of promoting the welfare of others . But we
are only too prone to think too much of our privileges and too little of our duties . I ask of your own hearts , if any of you have ever been hurt by the conduct of a brother , was not the most painful sense of injury thisthat it came from a brother ' s band ? My beloved , let the thought bo far from you . Do not say " that was the last hand that should have dealt me so cruel a blow ;"
but rather " this is tbe man from whom I am bound to bear most , and most to try to forgive , and with God ' s help so I will . " Remember that we , as Masons , are taught as part of our charity not merely to forbear slandering our neighbour , and to refuse to believe a tale reported to bis prejudice , but to forgive tbe injuries of men , and to endeavour to blot them from our recollection .
Brotherly love is not a matter of barter and sale , but a sacred tribute due from man to God , to be paid to all for His sake , who died for all . But to the thoughts and affections of the heart , let me proceed to enforce the exercise cf brotherly love as regards the tongue . This may be called the trumpet of the heart ; for if the heart be pure it will send forth pure things . It is the pen of the heart ; and if the heart be embittered the tongue is like to be a bitter scribe . Bemember , then , that the character of a brother is a sacred deposit , lay it not out
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Classical Theology.—Lxi.
GLAD TIDINGS . Tho following sermon was preached by the Eev . Bro . B . W . Sanderson , Prov . G . Chap . Suffolk , at the consecration of the Waveney Lodge , Bungay , ( No . 1231 ) , on tho 29 th ult . ( the proceedings at which were reported last week ) , from the following test : —
" The darhncss is past and the true light now shineth Se that saitli he is in the light and hateth Ms brother is in darlmcss even until now . Ha that loveth his brother abideth in the light . " —1 Joio * ii ., 8—10 ,
" Glad tidings of great joy ; glory to God in the highest , on earth peace , good will towards men , " was the message of the angels when , at this time , the Prince of Peace was born into the Avorld . Glad tidings , indeed ! for the darkness in which God had hidden himself from the eyes of men began to pass away , and the true right to shine and shoiv that God is love . And truly , my brethren , we who
have met here during this holy Christmas tide are doing a work well suited to the season in this our constituting and dedicating a temple of universal brotherhood and good will amongst men . The very time of the year itself seems to enforce that principle on which all Freemasonry rests , telling us to love God as our Father and all men as brethren . As the created of Almighty God , tho Groat
Architect of the Universe , the world of mankind is one family , one brotherhood . As the redeemed of Almighty God , the Saviour of the world , all are brethren and Christians ; the Eternal God is our Elder Brother , " the firstborn among many brethren . " He who , as at this time , took mortal flesh for us men and for our salvation , he is the head stone of tbe comerwhich the level of love
, has so placed as will one day unite and henceforth for ever support the whole building of the Father's cave in undivisible and eternal unity . But , beloved brethren , we have just cause to mourn that although , as the created and redeemed of theEternal God , all mankind are brethren , and ought to act as such , yet that this feeling is carried but too little into practice . Look into the worldand
, yon see , as with our kinsmen in the West at this hour , even those who speak the same tongue divided and shedding recklessly each other ' s blood . Look into society , and yon see neighbours distracted and estranged by dissensions ;
yea , and such is the decay of brotherly love , that even m the same family circle we often find three against two and two against three . These are sad truths , but does not the contemplation of them naturally lead us to consider how great must be the excellency of every bond of union and society which can in any way assist the gracious influence of godliness , in renewing , by Divine grace , our dying
love , and restoring it to vigour and to exercise . Hence , Avithout entering into its particular merits , I will take upon me to assert the excellency of the Masonic union , and fear not to say that this tie between man and man has its foundation in God , the Great Architect of the Qui verse , whoso name is Love ; and that when He who will one day lete the Temisle of his redeeming mercy shall
comp make up his jeivels he will place in his kingdom , with ornaments of his triumph , every real Mason ; and that whatever his station may have been in this world—Avhether as * a Master to devise , a "Warden to explain , a Steward to superinteud , a Secretary to transcribe , or a Avorkman to raise the fabric by his industry—all shall be accessories and assistants to this grand edifice
of love , and each shall be rewarded , not according to the perfection of his work or the greatness of his post , but according to the sincerity of his intentions and the zeal of bis endeavours . Having thus , my beloved brethren , briefly pointed out the necessity of your labour , and the certainty and excellency " of your intended rewardlot me nowin the lain language of a brother
, , p labourer , point out to you more particularly the nature of this your work in the rebuilding of the human heart , that temple of love Avhich sin and human frailty have too universally laid in ruins . For I would fain stir
up your pure minds by way of remembrance , and explain to others , without betraying any secret , the grand essential of onr union , brotherly love . It is our pride as Masons to call ourselves sons of the light , and unless we would be deservedly condemned as empty professors of good which we do not carry into practice , it behoves us to bear in mind that word of exhortation which bids them
that are in the light walk as children of the light . And Avhat is the test by which we are to prove ourselves ? We find it in the text . " He that loveth his brother abideth in the light , and there is none occasion of stumbling in him ; " whilst , on the contrary , " he that hateth bis brethren is in darkness even until now . " ' Now if there be any praise that weas Masonsespecially desirenext
, , , to the praise of God , I suppose it is the praise of being deemed an eminently practical body , not a mere sort of benevolent dreamers , imaging to ourselves a kind of Utopia of harmony and fraternity , but really and zealously labouring for the good of each other and of the world at large . I , therefore , already anticipate the question . " I know that working love is the test of our being in the
light ; but how is this love to be shown . ? If to be a working Mason means anything , it means no sickly sentimentalist , but one practically labouring in the erection of the Great Temple to the Glory of God , and to peace and good will among men . " Most true : and I answer that brotherly love must find its due expansion , just as does love to God . It must bo the love of thought , word ,
and deed . Masonic work , then , my brethren , begins from the heart . That is the fountain , and from thence all its streams take their rise . Hence we are bidden in Holy Scripture to keep the heart with all diligence , for out of it are tbe issues of life . Now , the same fountain cannot send forth sweet Avater and bitter ; bnb if the fountain be sweet , the water will be sweet also . How good , then , and excellent is the command given us by tbo inspiration of the Apostle of Love : " Think not evil one of another , but bo kindly affectioned . " If , then , we
would live in the exercise of brotherly love , we must not only endeavour to keep the affections of the heart tintainted with hard thoughts and evil surmises , but endeavour , if I may so speak , to keep the ear of the heart uncorrupted by the tongue of evil report , and not only strive against suspicion ourselves , but when little words are spoken , consider how much exaggeration mostlj *
accompanies slander or tale-bearing , and , briefly , think well of a brother as long as we can , and when we cannot , still call to mind all that may extenuate his frailties . We are cautioned at our admission into the Order that we are not to come there seeking advantage to ourselves , save that of instruction , but rather seeking to obtain large means of promoting the welfare of others . But we
are only too prone to think too much of our privileges and too little of our duties . I ask of your own hearts , if any of you have ever been hurt by the conduct of a brother , was not the most painful sense of injury thisthat it came from a brother ' s band ? My beloved , let the thought bo far from you . Do not say " that was the last hand that should have dealt me so cruel a blow ;"
but rather " this is tbe man from whom I am bound to bear most , and most to try to forgive , and with God ' s help so I will . " Remember that we , as Masons , are taught as part of our charity not merely to forbear slandering our neighbour , and to refuse to believe a tale reported to bis prejudice , but to forgive tbe injuries of men , and to endeavour to blot them from our recollection .
Brotherly love is not a matter of barter and sale , but a sacred tribute due from man to God , to be paid to all for His sake , who died for all . But to the thoughts and affections of the heart , let me proceed to enforce the exercise cf brotherly love as regards the tongue . This may be called the trumpet of the heart ; for if the heart be pure it will send forth pure things . It is the pen of the heart ; and if the heart be embittered the tongue is like to be a bitter scribe . Bemember , then , that the character of a brother is a sacred deposit , lay it not out