necessity of a strict adherence to them, as your own experience must have established their value. Our laws and regulations you are strenuously to support, and be always ready to assist in seeing them duly executed. You are not to palliate, or aggravate, the offences of your brethren; but in the decision of every tresspass against our rules, you are to judge with candour, admonish with friendship, and reprehend with justice. The study of the liberal arts, that valuable branch of education, which tends so effectually to polish and adorn the mind, is earnestly recommended to your consideration; especially the science of geometry, which is established as the basis of our art. Geometry, or masonry, originally synonymous terms, being of a divine and moral nature, is enriched with the most useful knowledge: while it proves the wonderful properties of nature, it demonstrates the more important truths of morality. Your past behaviour and regular deportment have merited the honour which we have now conferred; and in your new character it is expected that you will conform to the principles of the order, by steadily persevering in the practice of every commendable virtue. Such is the nature of your engagements as a fellow craft, and to these duties you are bound by the most sacred ties. FELLOW CRAFT'S SONG. WHEN Sol with grave motion, had plung'd in the ocean, A splendid reflection, with downward direction, My thoughts were suspended, and darkness descended, I saw in each feauture a beautiful creature, As far as I view'd him, or fancy pursu'd him, His soul like an ocean of pleasing devotion, I saw the blest image that mortal can wear. 1 thought he said to me, in vain you pursue me, 'There're no combinations so firm as Freemasons, For kingdoms have quarrels, for conquest and laurels, Through Time's ancient measure, with freedom and pleas ure, The sons of fair Science immoveable stand Through all the commotion, by land or by ocean, In triumph has pass'd the harmonious band. Old Time may keep beating, his numbers completing, Let madmen invade us, and scribblers degrade us, While each in his station, with sweet admiration, The wide arch of heaven reflecting the blaze, The scene is before us, we'll join in the chorus, But when armies terrestrial, and squadrons celestial, And silence expressive shall move on the scene. SCIENCE. Composed for this work by companion S. Brown. WHEN SCIENCE first came to enlighten mankind, She landed, at first, on the banks of the Nile; At length, half resolved to remount on her wing, King Solomon saw her reclin'd on the cliff, She taught him the use of the compass and square, She led him by threes, and by fives and by sevens, CHAPTER VII. MASTER MASON'S DEGREE. GENERAL REMARKS. FROM this class the rulers of regular bodies of Masons, in the first three degrees, are selected. The lecture is divided into three sections. SECTION FIRST. The ceremony of raising a brother to this degree is here particularly specified, and much important instruction is communicated in this section. The following passage of scripture is employed during the ceremonies. "Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them. "While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain : "In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened. "And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of music shall be brought low. "Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond-tree shall flourish, and the grasshoppes shall be a burden, and desire shall fail; because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets. "Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel be broken at the cistern. "Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was; and the spirit shal return to God who gave it." |