Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1880-02-16
lFoR TIE ALEXANDRIA GAZETTE.
The Masonic AprOn.

/ why seek yo the living among the dead ?"
This institution Of Froemasonry is moral, not
matolisl-theolcgical, not osophic-Divine.
and not human. Its whole aim is to impress
| upon the heart tho great truths Of tho existence
| of an Omnipotcnt, Omniscient and Omnipre.
sent God-of His having created man in state
| OF moral purity and physical pcrfection--of
mans iall through unbellcf from that state of
purlty-hls ruin, demcrt, Inability to save
himself, and bis redemption through tho vica-
| rlous sscrihec OF the Son of God (styled in 3D.
cient craft Masonry, tho Sion of The tribe of
Judah.l Of bis dependence upon aud debt of
gratitude to his Creator for oil tho blessings of
! this life aud tho hope OF better hereafter; and
the obligations ho is under to love that Creator
supremclY and his nciehbor as himself
This ls pure and ubaiuterated Freemasenry,
| and thcrc is aot a single genuine degree iu it.
rom tho EQtered Apprentice to tho Royal
| Arch. whose ~h0Io tcGchnes arc nct essentials
lg (ena almost liters2) theological. Whilst
operative Masonry has been moro OF less coh-
n9ceG Tln true or speculative FreenasoDry,
nod It's lmrlomc1tR madu uso 81 10 Rorue extent
as neral symbols, or monitors; yet o careful
study OF tho whole system will convince auy VI:
nrejudIcsd mind that FrcemasoDry neuGr could
hurr originated from mere mechanical nuteni's
anv t'idics, DO matter how oIevatadln IN the fc.l2
ri AGch!tH0Ilral tc!CEca, nnr from any c3TCora-
;i4n ~ ruiid OF operative MaaOns, ,tnleSs Il he
mpon he rioicRt assumption that tho opcra.;yc
iriasons Of the early ages rf the world were uci
Goiy lc70utIy piOua men, but also well voraed
II the only truo theology. mention these dcI
Rfecs alone because they alOne 8ppcrtaiu TO
genuine sncleat Frcamasonry, land arc inhorautly
AND essentially fypicui decraes, whilst tho Temp.
ier degrees euHraitod upon them since tha
Ehr'Suan era arc moro properly denGmi-
mated Commemorative degrees. The 33 degrees
OF tho Scottish Rite aud oi the "Eito Franoaise;
! tho 90 degrees cf the Egyptian Rite mot to
neniicn Home 1900 more claiming 10 be Mason
,ci ara not true integers of aDc!eEt Frcema6cnry,
| and whilst some Of them, especially those nt
Christian teachings and pIeeiviiies, ara very
beautiful and instructive, many Of them arc
! only NhiIoScphIo aud some are absolutely aihos
! !silcaE. II, thGn, genuine Fr,emasonry bo the
symbolism oil Gods relations to man and mans
| Teslel,to his Creator. and also witness tc The
truths oil tho Bible, it ls simply seeking tho
living among tho dead to search for its eyi-
ioaccs in tho idclatrous practices and srchitcc
tu7al ruins Of Babylon, Egypt, Grscca and
Rome, instead ct turning to tho pages Of Divine
| Revelation and tho authentic records of tho
! rites ard ceremonies OF tho jewish people. 1t
! is true that there ere many striking analog!es
between tho ancent hcatnen mysteries and
those OF treoma9onry; but thosn anaogics, to
use Tho language Of the Rev. George Oliver,
| DID,. cf tho Church of England simply provo
that Tine hcathon mysteries originated from tho
Same primitive and pure source with tho Ma.
sonic, but have been SO utterly perverted and
dc6aSei 10 suit tho passions aud vices of the
ldolaters who prac:icod them as 70 bo totally
untrustwcrthy In the eluoidation of the scieucs
aud principles Of Ffeemasonry. | am induced
to make these remarks from the opinions adj
vaucod in the Nav York World and other pub,
lie prints. by many prominent Masons in refer.
euce to the discovery of Masonic enblemB at
tho base Of tho Egyptian obcIsk, and their ap.
parent willingness to submit the claims of Ma
sonic antiquity to tho revelations of idolatrous
structures and observances. Our Masonic text
books inform US that the lamb skin or Masonic
apron is IAN emblem Of innocence, more ancient
than the Goldon Fleece or Roman Eagle and
more honorable than tho Star and Garter, or
any other order that can ever be conferred by
king, prince or potcntatc." Now. if this be
true-and il Masonry bo not fraud it IS true
then it is equally true that tho Masonic apron
was IN use over ). 100 years ago-1 100 years
before the roputed erection of the obclisk and
| 800 years before tho building of Solomon g
Temple for it is evident that the allusion in
tho text books is not to tho chivario order of
the Fleece. established by Philip, Duke of Bur.
gundY, 10 1929, or it would not be 80 strangely
associated with tho Roman Eagle. or standard
of Rome, which has never been knightIy order
in any country, aud i! would, besides, bo more
appropriate, ln Haunting spurious antiquity,
to compare it with the Order Of the Garter,
which antcdatos that Of the Golden Fleece by
S. years. The date referred to, then, is that
of the Arsonatio expedition and if the con-
lectures Of some of tho learne 4 be true, that
Jason perious sea voyage is but figure Of
Noah and tho ark floating over tho world oi
waters, then the Masonic apron is antediluvisn
If it is antediluvian then We must seok for its
analogue in some antediluViau observance, and
as the Bible is tho only authentic history of thu
world before the flood. we must find it there OF
not End it at all. Let us try it and see what j!
the result.
. The Psslnist says, "Blessed isho e. whose
, sin is covered :. . unto whom the Lord i'm
puteth not iuiquity." When Adam sinned he
tried to coyer his nakedness and guilt by or
apron Of fig ieayee. The effort. however. wa
: vain; and wc arc told (GeD. l. 2ll that Got
covered his nakedaess and guilt With the skim
Of heasts, which (theolosians aud commen
: ta!ors inform us), wero taken from those ami
mails which God had commanded ADAM to offs
az q typical rropitatory sacrifice. Now if "
ere to Judge of the kind Of animals sacrifed fron
= the first acceptable and accepted sacrifice re
G corded in the Bible, THAT of Able the animal
slain we're aniJs, and Adam was clothed in to
lamb skin as an emblem of imputed innoesncs
and has sin ras covered. Here, then, ne have To
: true origin of the Masonic Apron, to which i
after ages lho blus border was added Number
Is. 37-39) az warning against idolatry. !
: seems to &c true that among all nations. to
: lamb has been considered ed emblem OF innt
ceoee; bat thia cannot arise from any NANTES