Another. O God, the author of every good and perfect gift; we, thy servants, approach thy Divine Majesty with the most exalted ideas of thy character, and the highest reverence for thy perfections; with gratitude for thy goodness, and submission to thine authority. We beseech thee to bless us: give our brother the spirit of wisdom to avoid the evil and choose the good; the spirit of meckness and forbearance, of brotherly love and charity; and grant that we may not abuse our freedom; but in all our thoughts, words, and actions, so live within the compass of thy commands, as to secure thy love.Amen. Another. "Vouchsafe thine aid, Almighty Father of the Universe, to this our present convention; and grant that this candidate. for masonry may dedicate and devote his life to thy service, and become a true and faithful brother among us! Endue him with a competency of thy divine wisdom, that, by the secrets of our art, he may be better enabled to display the beauties of virtuousness, to the honor of thy name!Amen." Another.-Composed for the use of the Morning Star Lodge. Great Architect in Heaven! Maker and Ruler of Worlds unnumbered! deign, from thy Celestial Temple, to look down on us, the work of thine hands. As we are now about to enlighten a fellow mortal in masonry, wilt thou enlighten us in the knowledge of divine truths. Enable us to live within the compass of thy commands, and to square our actions to thy divine will; and bless us, even us, Father Almighty! Thou hast planted reason in the human heart; may it expand, until it reaches the footstool of thy throne; and when our spirits shall be called to part from this Lodge of Clay, may we then be permitted to join the all-perfect Lodge in Heaven, there to receive never ending refreshment, in the regions of bliss and immortality.-Amen!-So mote it be!Amen! Another. Grand Architect! Behold us aspiring towards thee. Thy works fill us with rapture. Heaven's gates stand open to welcome thy sons to glory! Behold our friend, and soon to be our brother! entering upon the threshold, which is before this apartment in thy works. May love burst the silence around him, and salute him welcome at the first step. May joy triumph in his heart, and friendship guide him as he ascends. May his countenance be cheered by the light, and confidence increase as he passes on. May he behold the emblems of his labor, and his heart reply in ready obedience. May the cheerfulness inspired by the dawning light, attend him through the day: And when a long day is complete, may he find his lot with the faithful, in the immortal glory of the Temple, which is pure with the light of God, and eternal in the Heavens! Another.-Drawn from the Emblems of Light. O thou, whose temple we are! On the mountain of thy truth, let our sublime edifice display its glory. Let the eye of the master meet the son of light as he enters. Let the greater lights, by the help of the less, illuminate the whole scene of his duty and of his pleasure. Behold us with thy brightness, at this hour, leading a young son into thy temple. Like the temple, let him be beauteous without, and all-glorious within. Let his soul be capacious as thy truth, and his affections pure as the serene heavens, when the silent moon gives her light. Let him obey as the sun, who labors until perfect day, with increasing strength; and let all the purposes of his heart be as the stars which tell of worlds unknown, and are notices of boundless benevolence. Let him move like the heavenly orbs in harmony; and should he stretch across the Universe, may he disturb no soul in his course. Within this temple may he be sacred as the altar, sweet as the incense, and pure as the most holy place. Among thy ministering servants, may he be ready as an angel of God, and faithful as a beloved son. And when his service is finished, may his memory be celebrated by love, on the durable monuments of eternity; and his reward; in the silent solemn joy of Heaven, be sure from the hand of God, the grand master of us all. A selection from the following passages of Holy Writ, are in some Lodges very appropriately read at this time, by the W. Master, or by some Brother by him appointed: I will bring the blind by a way they know not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known; I will make the darkness light before them; and crooked things straight: These things will I do unto them, and will not forsake them. Let not mercy and truth forsake thee; bind them about thy neck; write them upon the tablet of thine heart. So shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and man. Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not to thine own understanding. In all thy ways, acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes; fear the Lord and depart from evil. Happy is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding. Length of days is in her right hand; and in her left hand riches and honor. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. The Lord by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath he established the heavens. By his knowledge the depths are broken up, and the clouds drop down the dew. My son, let not them depart from thine eyes: keep sound wisdom and discretion. So shall they be life unto thy soul, and grace to thy neck. Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble. For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honor, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened: and when thou runnest, thou shalt not stumble. Ponder the path of thy feet, and let all thy ways be established. Turn not to the right hand, nor to the left; remove thy foot from evil. For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired, are not to be compared to it. I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. Wisdom hath builded her house; she hath hewn out her seven pillars. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter. My son, gather instruction from thy youth up; so shalt thou find wisdom till thine old age. For there is a golden ornament upon her; and her bands are purple lace. Thou shalt put her on as a robe of honor: and shall put her about thee as a crown of joy. Be not faint hearted when thou makest thy prayer; and neglect not to give alms. And stretch thine hand unto the poor, that thy blessing may be perfected. Be not slow to visit the sick: for that shall make thee to be beloved. He that giveth his mind to the law of the Most High, and is occupied in the meditation thereof, will seek out the wisdom of all the ancients, and be occupied in prophecies. He will keep the sayings of the renowned men: and where subtile parables are, he will be there also. He will seek out the secrets of grave sentences, and be conversant in dark parables. He shall serve among great men, and appear before princes: he will travel through strange countries, for he hath tried the good and the evil among men. He shall direct his counsel, and knowledge; and in his secrets shall he meditate. He shall shew forth that which he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord. Many shall commend his understanding, and so long as the world endureth, it shall not be blotted out; his memorial shall not depart away, and his name shall live from generation to generation. Nations shall shew forth his wisdom; and the congregation shall declare his praise. If he die, he shall leave a greater name than a thousand: and if he live, he shall increase it. GENESIS, CHAP. I. VER. 1, 2, 3. In the beginning, God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, let there be light: and there was light. "When the world was under the hands of her great Architect, she remained dark, and without form; but the divine fiat was no sooner pronounced, than behold there was light;* creation was delivered from the darkness, and the sun shot forth instantaneous rays over the face of the earth-he gave that great constellation to the espousal of nature, and vegetation sprang from the embrace; the moon yielded her influence to the waters, and attraction begat the tides." "Silence, ye troubled waves, and thou deep peace, Uplifted, in paternal glory rode Far into chaos heard his voice; him all his train Then stay'd the fervent wheels, and in his hand "Let there be light, said God, and forthwith light "Thus was the first day ev'n and morn; Nor past uncelebrated nor unsung By the celestial choirs, when orient light, Exhaling first from darkness, they beheld Birth-day of heaven and earth; with joy and shout And touch'd their golden harps, and hymning prais'd Milton's Par. Lost. |