the habits of disinterested beneficence; and prompting "the capacious wish that pants for universal good.' Not that I would, by any means, be understood to intimate that those who are not of the sodality may not be as conspicuous in all these amiable regards as those that are: but only that our institution adds to the law of our natures and the requisitions of our most excellent religion, another and prevailing inducement to their observance. So that to say "an uncharitable or unkind Freemason" implies a gross contradiction: and if such an one there be, he has done violence to his profession, and is an odious excrescence on our society. Here indulge me the freedom of one remark. Inasmuch as Masonry is professed in those nations which have not yet been converted to the Christian faith, and as it enkindles benevolence and excites virtue so accordant with the genius of the Gospel, it may eventually have no inconsiderable tendency towards introducing and propagating among them that most glorious system of revealed truth; at least by humanizing the disposition, softening the manners, and removing the prejudices, may prepare the way for that most desirable event. I hazard this observation, with more confidence from knowing that the sublime grades, to which all the initiated with so much eagerness aspire, do in fact imply the knowledge and cannot be attained but through the acknowledgment of Christianity.10 Finally; with consistent views of our Society even the prejudiced will forego their dislike. They must acknowledge that the blunders of its ignorant or the vices of its degenerate members do not indicate defect nor prove baseness in the institution itself. As we do not know the heart, we may be deceived, and unhappily adopt the unworthy. As we cannot alter the nature nor control the passions of men, there may be some among us whom our persuasions have been ineffectual to meliorate or our injunctions to reform; who "remember not the brotherly covenant," or disregard its bonds. We So St. John the Baptist, the first Christian Mason, was commissioned to prepare the way of the Lord; to smooth the way and remove the obstructions to the introduction of his truth. 10 Particularly the "Companions of the Holy Sepulchre" and the "Knights of St. John of Jerusalem." 11 Amos i., 9. lament these unfortunate circumstances. We pity our weak, and reprobate our corrupt brethren. We are sorry, too, that the world is so disposed to treat us contemptuously on their account. Still we comfort ourselves with the hope that the candid will see where the error lies, and not withhold honor from those to whom it is due: while we are assured that every friend of enlightened reason and rectified humanity will approve and patronize our social plan. Herein we this day indulge a livelier joy, and felicitate the members of the newly erected lodge on the happy occasion. Right Worshipful MASTER, Worshipful WARDENS, Respected OFFICERS, and Beloved BRETHREN of Fellowship Lodge, Your joy is the joy of us all. Pure be the pleasures of your union, increasing the prosperity of your lodge! Ever may you exhibit for each other, and for every member of the masonic family, that constancy of affection which signalizes the friend who loveth at all times, and that tenderness of sympathy which designates the brother who is born for adversity. In all that is affectionate and all that is noble may you excel! And let your conspicuous virtues diffuse beauty and lustre over your own characters and that of the Society to which you belong! The appearance of two Grand Lodges on this occasion is a happy exemplification of masonic union and harmony, and an additional source of pleasure to us all.12 Let me be honored as the organ of fraternal congratulation on the pleasing circumstance. The very large collection of respectable brethren gives a dignified aspect to the day. I salute them all with fraternal affection.18 May the honour our institution derives from their patronage, and our festival from their presence, be repaid in all those acts and expressions of 12 The Grand Lodge of Massachusetts, under M. W. PAUL REVERE, Esq., Grand Master, was joined by the M. W. JABEZ BOWEN, Esq., Chancellor of the College, and late Governor of the State of Rhode Island, at the head, with several members, of the Grand Lodge of that State. 18 "Quos ego dilexi fraterno more sodales." respect with which we delight to venerate the worthy, the wise, the eminent, and the good! May we all love fervently as Christians and as Brethren, walk as children of the light, keep the unity of the spirit in the bonds of peace, and by active, graceful, and exemplary virtue be trained up for, and hereafter admitted to, the Society of the Perfect in the Temple not made with hands eternal in the heavens! DISCOURSE II. "Jam orator aderat-veniamque rogavit, VIRGIL, En. "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good will towards men."-LUKE ii,, 14. THE angelic hosts, bringing "good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people," descended to earth from their spheres of celestial glory to announce the arrival of the long expected Messiah; "the desire of all nations." They came as the retinue of the Heavenly Prince, to honor his mission, and congratulate mankind on his advent. Transported with the happy prospects which were now opening to the view of the world, they pronounced "peace on earth and good will towards men" to be the design and legitimate fruits of this new dispensation. The words of our text form the choral song with which they celebrated an event so glorious to God, so auspicious to man; express the matter, as well as ground and reason of their acclamations of joy; and supply a fit topic of discourse before an institution which breathes the same sentiment, and co-operates with the same plans of benevolence and peace. In commenting upon them, we shall consider how they are indicative of the design and effect of the Christian religion; and then apply them to the purposes of the present assembling, by shewing how expressive they are of the pacific and benevolent disposition of Freemasonry. 1 Delivered at Oxford, September 13, 1798, at the consecration of the Olive Branch Lodge. Let us, first, examine the peaceful genius and tendency of the Christian religion. The many prophecies, in the Old Testament, which relate to the Messiah, and intimate the design and foretel the effect of his mission, uniformly speak of him as coming to restore peace on earth, and to promote the best temporal and spiritual interests of mankind. They give him the title of "the Prince of peace." They declare, that "of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end." They describe the genius. and auspicious influence of that dominion which he will exercise (after the oriental manner), by a beautiful assemblage of exquisite and expressive imagery; comparing its effects in reconciling the most hostile, and reforming and taming the most savage dispositions, to a softening of brutal natures; to "the wolf and the leopard, no longer fierce, lying down with the lamb and the kid; the calf and the young lion led in the same peaceful band, and that by a little child; the heifer and the she bear feeding together, and lodging their young, of whom they used to be so jealous, in the same place; and all the serpent kind becoming so harmless that the sucking child may safely put his hand on the basilisk's den, and play on the hole of the aspic." Finally, it was promised that the Messiah should come to publish peace, and to establish with mankind "the covenant of peace.' Concurring with these predictions, his religion is styled, in the New Testament, "the Gospel of peace." He, indeed, came and "spake peace to the people." He consoled his disciples by assuring them that in him they should have peace. And he left them a legacy in the same strain.9 So remarkable a frequency and agreement, in the use and application of this word and sentiment, naturally excites our curiosity to know in what sense he brought * Isaiah ix., 6. 3 Ibid. ix., 7. Ibid. xi. 6-9. "The Greek and Latin Poets have painted their Golden Age in very beautiful colors, but the exquisite imagery of Isaiah stands unequalled and inimitable."-SMITH's Summary View of the Prophets. 7 Ibid. lii., 7. Nahum i., 15. Rom. X., 15. • Ibid. xiv., 27. Ibid. liv., 10. Ezek. xxxiv., 10. |