Masonic Philosophy.
Bui few men fully understand the
moral system of Masonry. The masses
think it only a secret Order of brother
hood, a sort of fraternal association, got
ten up and perpetuated for the purposes
of social life, and of fraternal guardian^
ship.
They do not recognize the fact that it
is a broad system of liberal and philoso
phic principles, comprehending in its
moral outlines all that is just and true,
fraternal or charitable, in any of the
religions of the world. This is it, in
its spirit, obligations and moral purpos
es.
True, it has no creed of religious faith,
or standard of theological doctrines, but
it teaches the being of God, it believes in
the doctrine that man is - immortal.
Aside from these two piinciples it makes
no demand upon ihe credulity of its
membership of faith in anything belong
ing to speculative philosophy. Its aims
are practical and conservative, having
more particular reference to personal
duties and relative obligations, than to
any of the theological theories of ancient
or modern times. It knows no church
and ignores none. Its members are
gathered from all communions, from all
religious faiths, and from all grades of
men of good report. It constitutionally
declares in favor of the most liberal
forms of moral government, as well as
for the most libera! recognition of man’s
universal brotherhood.
What it is in faith it aims to be in
practice, a society of human reliance, of
brotherly, love, relief and truth. It
knows no nationality, claims no seotion-
ality, and never for a moment disdains
any man on account of his religious or
his theological notions.
And yet it always looks at the man,
and if he is honorable in life, guarding
his integrity, walking in the line of his
obligations, and useful among his fellow-
men, he is set down as being worthy of
:he brotherhood, and counted a true
Mason.
The fact that he is a Hebrew does not
unobristianize him, and the fact that he
:s a Christian does not in any sense mil
itate against his character. Once made
■a Mason by the mystic rites of Ids obli
gations he is ever afterward the vice
gerent of his own life, and the obligated
brother of every t rue Mason.
He then belongs to the family of man
in a sense he never did before.
A believer in God, he is man’s friend
as well as the obligated guardian of
himself. He knows no divisioas in the
Human family, and no good reasons why
he should prosoiibe any man for his
faith, his religion his politics or liis na
tionality.
He worships God by serving his fel
low men, and glorifies his maker by
being true to his creatures Honest in
life, gentle in spirit, faithful in his re
lationships, and full of the spirit of tol
eration and charity, he is the peer oi the
best, the full equal of all brothers, and
the true representative of the ancient
and lionorable body.
This, and all this, we say of him—-not
because he has been initiated info the
rites of the Fraternity in .some Lodge-
room—but because he is made acquaint
ed with the true theory of personal and
moral government.
That which is his duty he performs,
and that which the sectarian too often
condemns he tolerates; for he asks no
man his faith, or his
politics.
Trained in this school, man becomes
conservative, liberal and humane. They
fear God, as the son fears his father, and
they know that they can not do other
wise and be true to themselves or their
fellow-men.
Devotion to the Great Fatlier of All, is
manifested by them, not in creeds, or in
ceremonies, or relationships, but in the
exercise of true charity to their fellow-
men. They are too well educated to
believe that mere songs lor prayers or
Lodge ceremonies can answer the place
of liberality or charity, and they know
from the teachings of the simplest Ma
sonic lessons, tiiat G.id only is worship
ped in grace and truth, where man is
served in sympathy and love. This,
indeed, is the Orders of the divine gov
ernment, as is plainly made known in
the Holy Writings, and it is this that
gives to the craft the divine authority
to act as the conservators of suffering
humanity in every country and clime
under the whole heavens.
On this basis its philosophy is built
and on it rests its prestige, with all that
it proposes for the benefit and blessing
of men. It pretends to no moral mon-
opoiy, and lays no claims to any superi
ority over any other institution.
What it has done belongs to the his
tory of our race, and what it is, in its
genius, its labors, and humane influences,
it leaves without fear or favor to the
ultimate judgememt of the King of Kings
and Lord of Lords.
The divine government is the only
rule of its priiic pies, as it is also of its
appeals for the right.
With the.se broad and liberal views
it has erected its Lodges among the na
tions of the earth, and silently worked
its way alongside of all other organ
isms, without jealousy or the spirit of
competitiveness, or a single instance of
persecution of any ootemporary power.
Thus founded, and thus governed, it has
kept its march among the melancholy
ruins of ages—the grandest mystic body
the world has ever known.—Masonic
Advocate. h.
On the Square.
We clip the following from the Kew
York Square and give it our unqualified
endorsement. A few mouths ago we
published an article on the same subject,
wbioli then went the rounds of the press
and we are proud to see that our New
York brother has revived the important
subject in his valuabie paper;
We think that we will be sustained in
asserting that the text we select as the ti
tle of this article is full of significance.
We find that one feauire of the definition
of “Speculative Masonry” is that we
should “act on the square,” the meaning
of which is clear and explicit, and the ful
filment is demonstrated in the life of a
Mason who ever endeavors to act justly
toward all men, doing unto them as he
would wish they would do unto him.
Though Masonry teaches and inculcate
this beautiful lesson yet it is thoroughly
applicable to every man’s life, whether he
be a Mason or profane; and it would cer ■
tainly prove a difEcult task for any man
to gain admission among Masons, if it
were clearly developed that his life had
been antgonistio to- the course as above i
prescribed. But there is another phase
pertinent to tke deoiaration of “on the
square,” to which we fraternally invite
the attention of our readers. The use of
the phase “on the square” is not by any
manner of means confiiied solely to Ma
cons ; for we shall find it used very ex
tensively (though perhaps borrowed from
our institution) by mei who are not now
and perhaps never will be .Masons. We
natura.ly enquire as to what practical
use the adoption of such an exprea.siori—
so thoroughly applicable to Masonry —
can be to men who know nothing of Ma
sonry and therefore are in utter ignorance
as to the Torce and import of “on the
square,” Musonically considered, Tliey
use the expression as the highest means
of obtaining confidence between man and
man, and it is safe to say that that confi
dence is less frequer-itiy betrayed than
among Masons themselves, wlioknow, or
at least should know, why the expression
“on the square,” when applied to the em
ployment of strict confidence between
brother and brother, has a Masonic mean
ing pure and noble in itself, a violation
of the oonfidenc reposed suljecting an of
fender to serious punishment. But we
may well a.sk the question is this confi.-
deuce ever betrayed f aiiu the answer
comes back to us with terrible force, that
said tietrayal is an every day occurreiiee ;
but it might be a difEcult task to prove
that confidence had been illy bestowed,
for as a genet al rule but two parties are
concerned, and one would be just as like
ly-to deny that information was impart
ed “on the square” as the other would be
to assert that it was; »but should the con
fidence be reposed in the presence of a
third party and then betrayal should, an
important witness could be produced to
establish the coiisumate meanness of the
tattler. To oiir mind a Mason can com
mit no greater offence than to divulge
matter communicated to him “on the
square.”
A brother Mason perliaps'bowed down
by adversity, reduced to the lowest
depths of poverty and distress, makes, as
he supposes, a confidant of a brother, to
whom he pours out his trouble and Lis
sorrow. He goes to him for solace and
comfort and -si'ords of cheer. He has a
natural pride that prohibits him from
telling his misfortune to every brother he
meets. The one he has selected, instead
of fulfilling his pledge as a Master Mason,
reveals the subject matter of the inter
view not only to one, but perchance to a
score of Masons, until much to the poor
brother’s surprise, be finds that his im
poverished condition is a subject of com
mon comment among the Craft. We hold
then that any Mason who receives intelli
gence upon any subject at the hands of a
worthy brother, and “on the square,” and
afterw’ards violates his covenant, is un-
worthy the name of man or Mason and
should be hurled from tlie fraternity as
an unfit associate. Perhaps there is lit
tle doubt that this confidence is often be“
trayed unthinkingly; but Masons are
bound to think ; justice to a deserving
brother commands them to think; every
Mason knows—and if he don't know it is
certainly his own fault—as to what pled
gee he voluntarily assumed, and he cer
tainly would not be willing to admit his
ignorance of the Masonic application of
the oft times repeated and oft times abus
ed declaration of “on the square.” It is
a theme full of thought and meaning, and
we direct the attention of the craft to it
in the most fraternal spirit.
It is seldom that God sends such calam
ities upon man as men bring upon them
selves and suffer willingly.
Gbeeksboko (.'oraciL No. 3, R. & S. M...
GrCf.uist)oro N. C,—Tlios. J. Sloan, T, 1 31.,
S. E. Alien, Recorder.
Time of meeting: 4th Wednesday iiiglit of
each raontli.
Chouazjn Chapter, No. 13, Greensboro-,
N. C.—Thos. J. Sloan, IJigh Priest, J. N.
Nelson, ISeirtiury.
'I'inic of meeting: 3rd Friday night of eaeli
montli.
Giii-:ensi5oho, Lodge. 76, Greensboro, N.
C.— S C. Dod-on. M. J. W. Dick, Secre-
l.iry. Time of Regular (.'ommunication, Fir.-^t
Saturday iu .lanuarj, ilarcli, May, July,
Se2i'embcr and No\-einber, at 10 o’clock a. m.,
and on Firt Saturday in each other month at
iiiglif.
Elmwood Lodge, No. 346, Greensboro.
N. ('.—.1. A. Odell, IF. J/., ,Tno. Cliamberlaiii,
c^errdary.
Time of Regular Commuiiicatious: second
Saturday night of each inoiith.
EUGENE ECKEL,
Druggist and Pharmacist,
Greensboro,N. C.
Personal attention to compounding I’re-
scrijitions at all liours—day or night. 2—3
JOHN CHAMBERLAIN
GREENSBORO, N. C.
DEALER IN
Fine Watches, Jewelry,
STERLING SILVER, & PLATED-WARE,
Fine Spectacles,
And everything else iu my line.
Special attention given to repairing
and timing of Fine Wateties ami Regulators.
All work done and all goods sold hy me is
guaranteed to he as represented.
HAIIICIIAIXS, HAIR JEWEHiY, 1)1 AMOM)S
AM) ALL KINDS OF FIXE .lEDELKY,
HOLD AND SILVER H A l ClI
OASES, etc., etc.
THE MANUFACTURE OF 18 CARAT
ENGAGEMENT & WEDDING
KINGS A SPECIALTY.
My machinery and otlier appliances for
making tlie different parts of tVatches, is per
haps tile most extensive iu tlie State, cousc-
qiiently I can guarantee that any laart of a
watcli or clock can be ixiplacecl with tlie ut
most facility.
g®“I GUAR.ANTEE tliat my work will com
pare favorably in effleiencj^ and finish wUli
any in the land.
JOHN CHAMBERLAIN,
City Jeweler,
28- Greensboro, N. C.
MRS. S. M. SMITH’S
EOAEDING HOUSE,
Jliddle Street, one door below Patterson’s
Grocery Store,
NEW BERNE, N C.
1-
SAM WILEY.
FASHIONABLE EAEEEIU
HAIR DRESSER,
6i-eetisboi-o, N. C,
Y/ ADIES .auci GENTI.EMEN waited on a’
tlieir liomes wlien desired, and all worli
Ai(j in ins line -n ill lie j-ierfoi'med in tlie iiigli-
cst style of the Art.
S®" Sho]) on Soutli Elm Street, nearly oji-
posite the Marble Yard. ’ ’l2—
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