Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1831-10-20
MASONRY.


Since the spirit Of Anti Masonry has infu-
sed itself into political party, whose avow
cd objec; is the prescription and dsiranchise-
rpent Of every individual who belongs to the
Masonic fraternity, some persons may per-
hsps feel an interest to know what are the
precepb and principles inculcated by Masons
10 CRAFTY such persons, we will throw light
upon the subject, by publishing the follow
n extract from a lecture on comforting the
first degree in Masonry.
PREFACE.
no thou, whom we have initiated into the
doctrines of wisdom son Of virtue and friend
ehipl listen 10 US, and open thy heart 70 the
serious precepts of trath. We viii show thee
the path TO happiness OF HE; The way ID
which thou msyest please thy Creator, how
thou mayest sppoy with benign success Tor
the benefit Of mankind all the means which
Providence has entrusted thee with, and thus
procure myself the sacred pleasure Of bene-
violence.
Dutv to,cards God and Religion.
Thy first homage, thon owest TO the Deity
Adore tie Being Of all beings of which thy
heart is full, which, however, thy confined
inteliects can neither conceive nor describe
Look down with pity upon the deplorable
madness oil those that turn their eyes from
the light and wander aboutln the darkness OF
accidental events.
Deeply sensible of the parental benefac
iions of thy God, and with a heart full Of
gratitude, reject, with contempt, those shal
low differences, tina, prove nothing but how
III. IL GRADES when
wanders from IFS original source.
OFT elevate thy heart above subnnary
things, aud cast Thy eye towards those high
er spheres which are thy inheritance
OIer M in sacrifice to the Most High, thy
will and thy wishes; strive to deserve his an
imaiing influence, and obey the commands
lac has prescribed for thy terrestrial career.
Let it be thy only happiness TO please thy
God; let it be thy inceSsant endeayor, tbs
Indictment TO all thy actions, to effect an e
teTnal union with him
But as thon art fraii and sinful being.
that necessarily transgresses his commands,
aud incurs the dlsplcasnre of his sancify
how couldst thou endure to come into his
presence. il he had not sent thee a Divine
Saviour
Where shouldst thou discover the certain
ty of a beautiful aud blessed luturlty, vert
thou left in the labyrinth of thy reason? what
could protect thee against the justice OF God,
save Divine Mediator
Thank, therefore, the Saviour; bend Thy
knees and adore the incarnate Word aud
praise Providence, who caused thee to be
born in the bosom Of Christianity
Confess every where, the divine religion
OF Jesus, and do not blush to belong to him
The gospel is the foundation Of all thy du
h.lip in /
woudst cease to be Freemason.
Let every action be distinguished by an
enlightened and active piety without bIgotry
or enthusiasm.
Religion does not consist of speculative
truths.-exert thyself in fulfilling all those
moral duties it prescrihes, and then only
shalt thou be happy,-thy contemplation
will bless thee, and with serenity thon may
os, appear before the throne Of the Eternal
Particularly thou shouldst be penetrated
by the feeling of benevoeuce and brotheIly
love. the fundamental pillars OF this holy re
hgion
Pity him in error without hating or perse
cutting him. Leave the judgment TO God,-
but do thou LovE--and TOLERATE.
Masonsl Children of the same God Ye
who are already brethren through the uni
versal faith in our Divine Saviour, bind cIo-
ser the ties of brotherly love. and Danish for
ever all preiudices that might disturb our
brothelly union
The Immortality Of the So1d
Man! King of the earth! Masterpiece of
the creation; animated by the breath oil God;
be sensible of thy dgnihed distinction.
The whole animal creation is subdued I'M
der thy dominion. Ali that waves and moves
about thee ceases again TO be; but thy soul
survives all Perishable things, and is, by vir-
tue of its divine origin, incapable OF being
destroyed.
In this consists thy true nobility Feel thy
happiness without arrogance; Pride was the
cause OF the degradation of man. 1T certain
~ would plunge thee into the same abyss
Degenerate being! what art thou in the
presence of the Eternal, with all the dignity
originally appropriated to thee, and still dis
iinguished from other beings?
Adore him, the Lord on High, with the
utmost humility, and take care that the hea
vcny immortal essence, whc animates thee,
be not depraved.
This essence is thy soul; exert ttyself in
endowng tit is capabls Of infinite perlec-
tions
Make it susceptible; so open to virtuous
impressions, that after thy dissolution, it
may, without impeachment, return to the pure
and original source of virtue.
SO prepared, thou wilt be free even in fet-
terS; serene in ns(ortunes: the heaviest storm