freemasonry - an institution of practical virtues
the masonic review - 1851
The following beautiful article we take from an address
delivered before Western Star Lodge, No. 2, at Little Rock,
Ark,, on St. John's day, in June last, by Bro. E. H. English. In
its description of the practical virtues of Masonry, and in the
argument raised on that feature in our Order, it meets our
most cordial approval; and we transfer it to our pages, that
others may have the benefit of its perusal.
Masonry is an institution of practical virtues, taught by
pleasing ceremonies, and impressed upon the mind by
beautiful and appropriate emblems; and to the fact that it is
an institution of practical virtues, and not of mere abstract or
speculative faith, it owes the preservation of its unity for so
many centuries. - About matters of faith which lie far beyond
the visual ken - which appertain to another and an unseen
world - men are prone to speculate and conjecture, and must
necessarily differ; and this difference of opinion becoming
animated, as it always does, leads first to disputation, then to
strife, and finally to separation. Hence the cause of the
numerous and distinct organizations of religious bodies. Men
readily agree upon cardinal virtues, but are prone to differ
and disunite upon questions of speculative faith: far
example:
Suppose we summon all the reverend Bishops, Fathers,
Elders, and Doctors of Divinity from every tribe, kindred and
association of men into one great conclave: Suppose a
Mason to propound the following questions to the august
Assembly: Most reverend Sirs, should man offer up his daily
devotions to the true and ever living God, and pursue with
industry the designs marked out upon the moral trestle-
board? Should he act upon the square and keep a tongue of
good report? Should he be just, merciful, prudent, frugal,
discreet and temperate in all things? Should he do no wrong
to the person, the property or the reputation of his neighbor?
Should he wipe the tear from the eye of sorrow, and fill the
hungering mouth with bread? Should he minister like a
guardian Angel at the bed-side of an afflicted brother, and if
the cold hand of death is laid upon him, follow him to the
silent resting place of the dead, see that he is decently
interred, and take care that his widow and his orphan are not
reduced to penury and want? - The whole Assembly would
respond, with one voice and one heart: - Yea, verily! all
these things should men do and perform, and in no wise
omit!
But suppose the Mason to be a little curious, and to ask
further: But tell me reverend fathers, does God exist in
"Trinity" or "Unity"? - What are the "eternal decrees" of
Heaven, and how far do they affect the individual destinies of
men? In the kingdom of Satan, are the lost really punished
by material fire, brimstone and molten lead, or does the dark
pall of a guilty conscience torment them in their dreary and
hopeless abode? Is there a Purgatory? To whom did Peter
bequeath the keys of the celestial kingdom on his demise,
through what succession have they been transmitted, and
who has them now? Did Philip plunge the Treasurer of the
Ethiopian queen head and ears into the water, or dip up the
emblematical element in a ram's horn and pour it on his
head, or sprinkle the sparkling spray in his face, and thereby
cause the rainbow of immortal hope to arch his brow? Tell
me of Heaven. Where is it? How many Angels are there?
When, and of what were they made? Do they eat and drink,
or merely live upon the air of Heaven? Were all the souls of
men made at one, or at different times?
Are they sparks from the Divine Essence, or of what were
they formed? These questions would fall like so many fire-
brands into the grave Assembly; a war of words would ensue
among contending Doctors, the conference would adjourn,
sine die, in confusion, and each man would betake himself to
his peculiar organization, and cling more closely to his own
faith.
Think not that I design by this illustration to disparage
Christianity - the purest and best of all institutions - far
from
it. If these divisions of men in reference to matters of
Speculative faith are wrong - if they were not designed by
Providence for wise and useful purposes - then the fault is in
man and not in Christianity. Prompted by an overreaching
curiosity peculiar to our nature, we are not content to believe
and follow that which is clearly revealed to us, but are prone
to launch out upon an unknown sea, and attempt to fathom
unrevealed mysteries, which the mind of man can never
comprehend until the clouds of mortality are rifted from its
vision, and the soul makes a nearer approach to the
illuminating fountain of Divine Wisdom!
I repeat, therefore, that masonry owes the preservation of its
unity to the fact that it is an Institution of practical
virtues,
and not of abstract or speculative faith.
But it is by no means to be inferred that Masonry is destitute
of faith. She believes in a sublime Lodge above, where the
Supreme Architect of the Universe presides; and where all
good Masons hope to arrive at last by the aid of the
theological ladder which Jacob in his vision saw, ascending
from earth to Heaven, the three principal rounds of which are
faith, hope and charity - that is to say, faith in God, hope in
immortality, and charity toward all mankind. And in this faith,
the fraternity, of every people and religion, harmoniously
agree. Masonry is not designed, however, to stand in the
place of Christianity, but merely to serve as a beautiful hand-
maiden to her.
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