The spirit of masonry in moral and elucidatory lectures: By Wm Hutchinson ...

LECTURE V. The Furniture of the Lodge.

IT is with pleasure I pursue the duty I have imposed upon myself, to give solutions of the MYSTERIES in MA∣SONRY; which to minds inattentive to the real import of the objects in their view, might remain undiscovered; and the pro∣fessor of masonry might pass on, without receiving a just sense of those dignities which he hath assumed.

I have defined what is intended to be represented by a LODGE, and its origin and nature; it is now my duty to disco∣ver to you the import of the FURNI∣TURE OF A LODGE.

As SOLOMON at JERUSALEM car∣ried into the Jewish temple all the vessels and instruments requisite for the service of JEHOVAH, according to the law of his people; so we MASONS, as workers in moral duties, and as servants of the GREAT ARCHITECT of the world, have placed in our view, those emblems which should constantly remind us of what we are, and what is required of us.

The third emanation of ABRAX, in the Gnostic hierarchy, was PHRONAE∣SIS, the emblem of PRUDENCE, which is the first and most exalted object that de∣mands our attention, in the lodge: — it is placed in the centre, ever to be present to the eye of the mason, that his heart may be attentive to her dictates, and stedfast in her laws; — for PRUDENCE is the rule of all VIRTUES; — pru∣dence is the path which leads to every degree of propriety; — prudence is the channel where self-approbation slows for ever; —she leads us forth to worthy ac∣tions, and as a BLAZING STAR, en∣lightneth

us through the dreary and darksome paths of this life.

VIRTUE by moralists is defined to be

that stedfast purpose and firm will of doing those things which nature hath dictated to us, as the best and most sa∣lutary;—a habit of the soul by which mankind are inclined to do the things which are upright and good, and to avoid those that are evil

—In short, virtue is moral honesty and good prin∣ciples.

Of the VIRTUES of which PRU∣DENCE is the rule, three are called Car∣dinal Virtues, of which, most properly, a Mason should be possessed, — FORTI∣TUDE, TEMPERANCE and JUSTICE; for without these, the name of MASON is an empty title, and but a painted bubble.

That FORTITUDE must be the cha∣racteristic of a mason, I need not argue; by which, in the midst of pressing evils, he is enabled always to do that which

is agreeable to the dictates of right rea∣son.

TEMPERANCE also must be one of his principles, being a moderating or re∣straining of our affections and passions, especially in SOBRIETY AND CHAS∣TITY.—We regard TEMPERANCE, under the various definitions of moralists, as constituting honesty, decency, and bash∣fulness; and in its potential parts, insti∣tuting meekness, clemency, and modesty.

We profess JUSTICE as dictating to us to do right to all, and to yield to every man what belongeth to him.

The CARDINAL VIRTUES, Pru∣dence, Fortitude, Temperance, and Jus∣tice, hold in their train the inferior powers of Peace, Concord, Quietness, Liberty, Safety, Honor, Felicity, Piety, and Cha∣rity, with many others which were a∣dored by the antients in those ages, when they confounded mythology with the worship of the Divinity.—Within the starry girdle of PRUDENCE all the vir∣tues are enfolded.

We may apply this EMBLEM to a still more religious import;—it may be said to represent the STAR which led the wise men to BETHLEHEM, pro∣claiming to mankind the nativity of THE SON OF GOD, and here conduct∣ing our spiritual progress to the author of REDEMPTION.

As the steps of man are trod in the va∣rious and uncertain incidents of life; as our days are chequered with a strange contrariety of events, and our passage through this existence, though sometimes attended with prosperous circumstances, is often beset by a multitude of evils; hence is the LODGE furnished with MOSAIC WORK, to remind us of the precariousness of our state on earth; — to-day our feet tread in prosperity, to∣morrow we totter on the uneven paths of WEAKNESS, TEMPTATION, and ADVERSITY.—Whilst this emblem is before us, we are instructed to boast of nothing;—to have compassion and give aid to those who are in adversity; — to walk uprightly, and with humility;—for

such is this existence, that there is no station in which pride can be stably founded:—all men in birth and in the grave are on the level.—Whilst we tread on this MOSAIC WORK, let our ideas return to the original which it copies; and let every mason act as the dictates of reason prompt him, TO LIVE IN BRO∣THERLY LOVE.

As more immediate guides for a FREE MASON, the lodge is furnished with un∣erring rules, whereby he shall form his conduct;—THE BOOK of his law is laid before him, that he may not say through ignorance he erred;—whatever the great ARCHITECT of the world hath dictated to mankind, as the mode in which he would be served, and the path in which he is to tread to obtain his approbation; —whatever precepts he hath administred, and with whatever laws he hath inspired the sages of old, the same are faithfully comprized in THE BOOK OF THE LAW of MASONRY. That book, which is never closed in any lodge, reveals the duties which the great MASTER of all exacts from us; — open to every eye,

comprehensible to every mind; then who shall say among us, that he knoweth not the acceptable service?

But as the frailty of human nature wageth war with truth, and man's infir∣mities struggle with his virtues; to aid the conduct of every mason, the master holdeth the COMPASS, limiting the dis∣tance, progress, and circumference of the work: he dictateth the manners, he giveth the direction of the design, and delineateth each portion and part of the labour; assigning to each his province and his order. And such is his master∣ship, that each part, when asunder, seem∣eth irregular and without form; yet when put together, like the building of the TEMPLE at JERUSALEM, is connected and framed in true symmetry, beauty, and order.

The moral implication of which is, that the MASTER in his lodge fits dictating those salutary laws, for the regulation thereof, as his prudence directs; assigning to each brother his proper province; limiting the rashness of some, and cir∣cumscribing

the imprudence of others; restraining all licentiousness and drunken∣ness, discord and malice, envy and re∣proach: and promoting brotherly love, morality, charity, benevolence, cordiality, and innocent mirth; that the assembly of the brethren may be with order, har∣mony, and love.

To try the works of every mason, the SQUARE is presented, as the probation of his life,—proving, whether his manners are regular and uniform; — for masons should be of one principle and one rank, without the distinctions of pride and pageantry: intimating, that from high to low, the minds of masons should be inclined to good works, above which no man stands exalted by his fortune.

But superior to all, the LODGE is furnished with three LUMINARIES* 1.1;

as the golden candlestick in the taber∣nacle of Moses was at once emblematical of the spirit of God, whereby his chosen people were enlightned, and prophetical of the churches; or otherwise, as Jose∣phus says, representative of the planets and the powerful works of God: so our

three LIGHTS shew to us the three great stages of masonry, the knowledge and worship of the God of nature in the purity of Eden — the service under the Mosaic law, when divested of idolatry— and the christian revelation: or otherwise our lights are typical of the holy Trinity.

Such is the furnitures of the lodge; such are the principles dictated to us as masons; let us rejoice in the exercise of those excellencies, which should set us above the rank of other men: and prove that we are brought out of darkness into light.—And let us shew our good works unto the world, that thro' our LIGHT so shining unto men, they may glorify the GREAT MASTER OF THE UNI∣VERSE; and therefore

do JUSTICE —love MERCY—and WALK HUM∣BLY with their GOD.

[figure]

Mus: Brit: Tab. 6.

W^m Hutchinson del: 1769

Notes

• * 1.1

  The particular attention paid by the antients to the Element of Fire is in no wise to be won∣dered at, when we consider, that when ever the Deity deigned to reveal himself to the human sen∣es it was under this element.

  Exodus iii. 2. And the angel of the Lord ap∣peared unto him in a flame of fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and behold the bush burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.

  Ver. 4. God called unto him out of the midst of the bush, and said, Moses, Moses.

  Chap. xiii. 21. And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light: to go by day and night.

  Chap. xix. 16. There were thunders and light∣nings, and a thick cloud upon the mount.

  Ver. 18 And Mount Sinai was altogether on a smoke, because the LORD descended upon it in fire.

  Chap. xviv. 17. And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like devouring fire on the top of the mount, in the eyes of the children of Israel.

  Chap. xxix. 43. And there I will meet with the children of Israel, and the tabernacle shall be sanctified by my glory.

  Numb. ix. 16. That thou goest before them, by day time in a pillar of a cloud, and in a pil∣lar of fire by night.

  Deuteronomy v. 4. The Lord talked with you face to face in the mount, out of the midst of the fire.

  Ver. 5. For ye were afraid by reason of the fire, and went not up into the mount.

  Ver. 22. These words the Lord spake unto all your assembly in the mount out of the midst of the fire.

  Ver. 23. For the mountain did burn with fire.

  Ver 24. And we have heard his voice out of the midst of the fire.

  Ver. 26. For who is there of all flesh that hath heard the voice of the living God, speaking out of the midst of the fire (as we have) and lived.

  To these may be added the shachina in the temple.

  It would from a kind of parity in circumstances naturally follow, that men would look up to the Sun, as the throne of the Divinity, from whence his ministring spirits dispensed his will to the dis∣tant quarters of the universe.—Fire became the general emblem of the Divinity in the eastern na∣tions—was in great esteem with the Chaldeans and Persians. The Persians used consecrated fire as the emblem of the Supreme Being: to whom they would not build temples, or confine the Divinity to space. The etherial fire was preserved in the temple of the Jews, and in the tabernacle, with great reverence. The druid priests in their wor∣ship looked towards the Sun:—they retained many of the Ammonian rites:—they are said to have made mystical processions round their consecrated fires sunwise, before they proceeded to sacrifice.