New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-08-14
FAITH HOPE and CHARITY.

few wears ago the Rev. Henry Bellows pub
lished in "Appleton's Journal some very Ieao"O'e
reports Of conversations which he had he'u {"
Rome with the great sculptor, Hiram Powers. a
,assage +, ono NJ these conversations is peculiarly
interesting TO Free Masons because 1t refers 10 d
subject which has been considered OF so nuch i'
portance as to claim n prominent place III "'''''
symbolism Dr. Bellows says
Mr. Powers has two ideal busts or rain ana ha
An6sflo had named the Christian graces IN tn me
direct inverse order Of their dpsred IL great
est But did he mean to put Hope aiter ra az,
az being greater than Faith, and nearer 10 ma IVY
state than Faith. Faith was less complete man an
Love. They evidently own sisters a h a ar,
ranged he should venture to change the apqS,U,rhc
orderFaith Hope Charymand Pq it, h ths dover
Charity the fruit and so he had triel 10 mas ~,
heads-Hope cheerfully expectant put ,ot II, az
alted. having attained: Charity should be me an
fusion OF what Faith has acquired. ana her inquire
This is the idea OF an artist, but 1t Is not that OF
yo9os, In PROCESSING Ys, 9 the sshetc
tions Of the sculptor led him into graz, b one
OF all the scfRtsTai w sVnSosm or has he
made a mistake in its application Map Ps, po bnt
these metaphors were nearly an syn 'n,hc Ian
as ne was In the employment or synipo,mc , ,,
snnfv have not hesitated to follow his teLchlngs'
Hence In adopting for their own purposes 'o 81, The
Dol of the ladder-a symbol "nlSh PEI 49, - ina
ancient religions they accepted the order Oh NV h
Theological virtues which had been pres apd Char
itv or owe al the summit with Hope In me cent?
as consequential upon Faith ana prec.urm. ~ nor
II we analyze these virtues and compare tn ~,
relations TO each other shall be abun , a
sat SIZED that the aesthetic notions OF 'iS ,i
~ az Frcemasonry Hope" says NJ. Powers: vas
the bud Faith the flower Charity the fruit pnt
tr,er Is tho Apostolic and Masonic order OF PL.o-
cedure Here Faith is the foundation Hope In'
supcrstructurc and Charity the c,oWa',I, sonin ia
Such was the Apostolic Idea, ana inc '''9 "
In the Masonic ritual the candidate begins his
career OF initiation by expressing MS tIuse " .rh,s
as n prntecting and experimenting power. MS
Is the drs step of his ladder Of ascent, hi3 rall
,or as old Tvndall says: Faith Is the peHc'ue VI
c;od's nronlses and y sure trust IN the goodness
and truth ~ God This naturally brings nm C, 10
the second stc? or me eNpSctaGGm trmstnr fath
e., Him yyho is Lord OF the future as well as OF me
past and The present. there can an itonian tSough
we are refined by faith the second IRE ana
comes he crowning stcp-his Charity Love the
ovfgrovth and development OF faith In God ana
hope Of immortality without this faith IN A
Hiirher Power Who rewards the good and Furnishes
ihc without this nope OF future lf' me W
,, "rd would he bnt battlefield Of selfish strug-
sIes each one for himself AMI FOR himself alone:
ALA in cyerv hoart The race OF life would he
run only that each might r.a:n .h' h s' ha,oress
Of others and no Impress of tho social ancc,io''. -
The artists idea that these tnr.' " S. - +,
Tho Apostle sought 20 cNprcss-not inc one INA.
symbolism teaches Hope ~ the chllH OF 'l..l. .i''
Two snrlngs forth a. an absolutely cons'fu"ntl3l
creation The emotion OF Love or ohariy Anu,
Hposfollc teaching is we'll and justly preserved IN
tho symbolism ~ l,reerasgnry. .,,., an, CHARITY
Path I'm God Hope Of immortality anu nanny
Tho "ccnc u aesthetics. IN s search a,ter , TO
bsaHtiiu,.' n'1Ss ma So,sm modern fancy IL not
always better than an ancient thought