As the Ancients did, Masonry styles Temperance, Fortitude, Prudence, and Justice, the
four cardinal virtues.
The people that would be Free and Independent, must possess Sagacity, Forethought, Foresight, and
careful Circumspection, all which are included in the meaning of the word Prudence.
She must, above all things, be just, not truckling to the strong and warring on or
plundering the weak; she must act on the square with all nations, and the feeblest tribes;
always keeping her faith, honest in her legislation, upright in all her dealings.
Whenever such a Republic exists, it will be immortal: for rashness, injustice, intemperance and
luxury in prosperity, and despair and disorder in adversity, are the causes of the decay
and dilapidation of nations.Whenever such a Republic exists, it will be immortal: for rashness, injustice, intemperance and luxury in prosperity, and despair and disorder in adversity, are the causes of the decay and dilapidation of nations.
Though Masonry is identical with the ancient Mysteries, it is so only in this qualified
sense: that it presents but an imperfect image of their brilliancy, the ruins only of their
grandeur, and a system that has experienced progressive alterations, the fruits of social
events, political circumstances, and the ambitious imbecility of its improvers. After
leaving Egypt, the Mysteries were modified by the habits of the different nations among
whom they were introduced, and especially by the religious systems of the countries into
which they were transplanted. To maintain the established government, laws, and
religion, was the obligation of the Initiate everywhere; and everywhere they were the
heritage of the priests, who were nowhere willing to make the common people coproprietors
with themselves of philosophical truth.
Christianity taught the doctrine of FRATERNITY; but repudiated that of political
EQUALITY, by continually inculcating obedience to Caesar, and to those lawfully in
authority. Masonry was the first apostle of EQUALITY. In the Monastery there is fraternity
and equality, but no liberty. Masonry added that also, and claimed for man the three-fold
heritage, LIBERTY, EQUALITY, and FRATERNITY.
Truths are the springs from which duties flow; and it is but a few hundred years since a
new Truth began to be distinctly seen; that MAN IS SUPREME OVER INSTITUTIONS,
AND NOT THEY OVER HIM. Man has natural empire over all institutions. They are for
him, aecording to his development; not he for them. This seems to us a very simple
statement, one to which all men, everywhere, ought to assent. But once it was a great
new Truth,--not revealed until governments had been in existence for at least five
thousand years. Once revealed, it imposed new duties on men. Man owed it to himself to
be free. He owed it to his country to seek to give her freedom, or maintain her in that
possession. It made Tyranny and Usurpation the enemies of the Human Race. It created
a general outlawry of Despots and Despotisms, temporal and spiritual. The sphere of
Duty was immensely enlarged. Patriotism had, henceforth, a new and wider meaning.
Free Government, Free Thought, Free Conscience, Free Speech! All these came to be
inalienable rights, which those who had parted with them or been robbed of them, or
whose ancestors had lost them, had the right summarily to retake. Unfortunately, as
Truths always become perverted into falsehoods, and are falsehoods when misapplied,
this Truth became the Gospel of Anarchy, soon after it was first preached.
And Masonry early recognized it as true, that to set
forth and develop a truth, or any human excellence of gift or growth, is to make greater
the spiritual glory of the race; that whosoever aids the march of a Truth, and makes the
thought a thing, writes in the same line with MOSES, and with Him who died upon the
cross; and has an intellectual sympathy with the Deity Himself.
"Listen to me," says GALEN, "as to the voice of the Eleusinian Hierophant,
and believe that the study of Nature is a mystery no less important than theirs, nor less
adapted to display the wisdom and power of the Great Creator. Their lessons and
demonstrations were obscure, but ours are clear and unmistakable."
We deem that to be the best knowledge we can obtain of the Soul of another man, which
is furnished by his actions and his life-long conduct. Evidence to the contrary, supplied by
what another man informs us that this Soul has said to his, would weigh little against the
former.
Knowledge is convertible into power, and axioms into rules of utility and duty. But
knowledge itself is not Power. Wisdom is Power; and her Prime Minister is JUSTICE,
which is the perfected law of TRUTH.
