Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1833-06-27

were tested by laborious experiment.
The science of architecture was the
most noble, the most useful, the most
imposing and important, and depending
as it does upon Geometry these were
cultivated to an extent that after ages
have never reached except in theory.
It was in The days of operative mason
ry that the temples Of Memphis and
Thebcs reared their chaste columns as
if by magic. 1t was in the DAYS of
operative masonry that the Pyramids
IofEgypt rose toward the skies. The A.
thenian Parthcnon, the Ephesian Tenn
pie were the workmanship of operative
masons; and lastly the temple of Jeho-
yah, built by his express command,
was the work of masonry.
We have for our cdiGcation and in
struction manuscript of undoubted
authority written by Henry vi, king
of England in the year 1742.s 1t was
discovered in the Bodleian Library at
Oxford by the celebrated Philosopher
Locke and communicated by him to the
Earl Of Pembroke. 1t consists ola
series of questions propounded by that
monarch, and answered by a mason.
This curious and interesting document
presented to the mind of Locke the
beauty ofmasonry in snch manner as
to induce the determination upon his
first visit to London to seek initiation
into q Free. Mason's Lodge. BY this
Ipaper we are informed that Masonry
began in the east, that the learned Pyth-
agoras who in the quaint style Of the
writing is called Peter Gower, travel.
ed into Egypt and Syria and in every
land where the Venitians had planted
masonry, and being initiated into their
Lodg he afterwards returned and cs-
tablished great Lodge at Crotona in
Greece and made many masons, where
of some journeyed into France and in
process of time the art thence passed
over into England. This manuscript
also contains much useful matter in re-
gard to the principles and usefulness Of
the order of which time forbids fur
Their examination.
Masonry assumed the form and
name in which it now exists, in the
year 926, when q charter was granted
by King Athelstane of England to the
Grand Lodge of York. From this in
stitution all true masons of the present
day derive their masonic knowledge
and their masonic character-and
hence also we derive the title of An.
Gent York masons. From that day TO
the present it has been uninterruptedIy
transmitted, subject only to the versa
Utility of all created things. Centuries
ago it parted with its operative charac-
ter, but when the necessity for this
branch was discontinued, no motive
existed, either for the PRONUNCIATION to
| the world, or the consignment to obi.
Won, Of the admirable principles of the
institution, the social ties which bind
| together men Of every nation, Of every
tongue and Of every religion in peace,
harmony, ind love, of the mysterious
rites and ceremonies which teach the
only eXtant history Of the secret socic-
ties of early ages; of the signs and en-
blems by which masons recognize each
other in every land, whether in light or
darkness, in prosperity or in adversely,
or if the masonic obligations of breth-
rem to each other, which level all dis
functions save those which merit con-
ters, by which the interests and charac-
ter of each othera are guarded, by which
the distressed brother is relieved and
sent on his way rejoicing, by which
charities are disp ersed to the widow 81
the orphan, and the honor and the cha
ractcr of our fair countrywomen pro.
tectcd by hand which they cannot see
and Of whose influence they are uncon-
Iscious. These my brethren and my
fellow citizens are the landmarks of
our honorable institution, preserved in
the hearts of faithful masons, which
have triumphantly resisted the rayages
of time, the malice of cnmity and the
iron hand of despotism.
My Brethren: appeal to you, in
candor to lay your hands upon your
hearts, and say, ifl have falsly pictur-
cd masonry; say, ifI have concealed
aught that is dangerous to government,
aught that is injurious to public NOR
ais, or aught that is blasphemous to
Gods holy religion, for allthesc crimes
have been charged upon masonry
My Fellow Citizens: | ask your pa
Iticnt and attentive consideration of ma
sorry as | have depicted it and as its
history develops it, and say lift has
merited the reproaches that have been
cast upon it.
The prosecutions which our order
has encountered throughout its whole
ga ppr will claim, n SIiobt nOt;no o,,1