A PLAIN TALK ABOUT MASONRY
THE MASONIC REVIEW - 1855
The principles of Freemasonry - what are
they? - do they not teach
men to do unto others as they would that
others should do unto
them ?
If the members of that fraternity,
individually, would faithfully
consider those principles, with a desire to
practice accordingly,
would they not exert an influence for good
that would be felt
sensibly by community; and if they were
zealous for the greatest
good of the institution, would they not do
it ?
With the vows which I suppose they have
taken upon themselves,
and the instructions given them, should
they not be faithful
brethren, moral and honorable citizens,
kind and sympathizing
husbands, and affectionate parents?
I may not be correct in my views of
Masonry, being one of those
that have always been excluded from the
rites and benefits of the
institution, but if I am correct, how very
important that every
member should be a good Mason, and exert
every faculty of mind
and body to promote the best interests of
the institution, by
exerting an influence in community which
could and would be felt
for good to all, and the honor of the
institution be thereby
preserved untarnished.
A man without good principles is a
detriment to any institution,
and a curse to himself. He may be zealous,
but not according to
knowledge; a desire to increase the numbers
and dimes, without
any regard to moral worth, certainly must
be not according to
knowledge.
Of what benefit can an individual be that
is void of every principle
required to make a man of a man; that seeks
no society but the low
and vicious; that will profane sacred
things; gamble, lie and cheat;
that will tamper with intoxicating drinks,
until he is a moral
pestilence in the community - going about,
not a man, but a
walking brandy-cask - his disposition
soured, his faculties
benumbed, poisoning the air with his
breath, and community with
his foul acts and conversation; and
destroying the happiness of all
the virtuous, noble and aspiring who are
compelled to associate
with him? Can such expect to be of benefit
in any way, or to fulfill
the object of their existence?
If individuals would close their eyes to
self and its gratification,
and, with the light they have received,
look at the subject as they
should, they would see the privileges,
benefits, and duties they are
trampling under their feet; they would also
see how far they were
wandering from the ancient landmarks of the
institution, and how
much injury and injustice they were doing,
and how they were
wounding the cause they have promised to
honor and maintain.
I do not expect that free and accepted
Masons build temples of
stone; but I do expect they should erect a
spiritual building in every
Lodge, and every member should feel
interested and take an active
part in the work, and show to the world by
a moral, honest, and up-
right life, that they have not wasted their
time and money for that
which profiteth not. In short, that they
live and deal on the square
of equal and exact justice.
A friend, a good Mason, said in my hearing,
he was really discour-
aged at the conduct of men. If, they seemed
to heed instruction and
advice, it was only to be more sly in their
workings of iniquity; and
if provoked to an act that in itself was
good, it was only from
sordid motives. But I think a person has no
right to be discouraged
or weary in well-doing. "In the morning sow
thy seed, and in the
evening withhold not thy hand."
Some probably will say I ought not to write
or think on the subject
of Masonry. I never saw a serpent writhe
with more energy than
when a foot was set upon his head. My
tongue and pen may be
controlled by others, but my mind never
can. I shall surely think.
O, that every one would think-think-think.
A DAUGHTER OF DAN.