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Printed for the PROPRIETOR, by T. BURTON and Co.
(No. 28, LITTLE QUEEN-STREET, Holborn.)

Sold by SCATCHERD and WHITAKER, Ave Maria-Lane; and may be had of all
the Booksellers and Newscarriers in Town and Country.

[Entered at Statiouers-Hall.]

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

THE kind contributors of "Coustos's Narrative," and of "Memoirs of the Free-. masons of Naples," are requested to favour the Editor with further continuations,, or the conclusions, as soon as convenient.

If 7. B. will have the goodness to transmit another copy of the Song to which he alludes, it shall be inserted..

The derangement of the affairs of the late Proprietor has, no doubt, occasioned the loss of many Letters, and other Favours of Correspondents. Where that hap-. pens to have been the case, it is requested that such Contributors will be kind enough to send fresh Copies-the receipt of which shall be duly acknowledged. For the very liberal contributions of Brother J. SOMERVILLE, of Edinburgh, the Proprietor returns his most fincere thanks,

Dr. W's request shall be cheerfully complied with, and every attention paid to his future Communications.

It is not a little remarkable, that the obtaining a sanction from the Grand Lodge, for publishing from time to time, Select Proceedings of the Quarterly Communications and Committees of Charity, should have been recommended by several Correspondents in the course of the last month. The Proprietor will certainly adopt some respectful mode of applying for such essential sanction.

As the Lodges are now for the most part re-assembled throughout the kingdom for the Winter season, the Printer hopes to be favoured with the communication of any Occurrences therein that may be considered as honourable, or useful to such Lodges in particular, or to the Craft in general.

ERRAT A.

Vol. I. p. 411. 1. 3. from the bottom, for free-duty, read feu-duty.

412. middle of the page, read Edward II. fancifully gave, &c.

THE

FREEMASONS' MAGAZINE;

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BROTHER,

As

S the following Discourse, which I have copied, verbatim, from a volume of the American Museum in my possession, and printed at Philadelphia in 1790, contains, in my opinion, some excellent sentiments on Free Masonry, and as it may be in the possession of very few people in this country, I think the publishing of it in your Magazine would be very agreeable to many of your readers, and would very much oblige

Edinburgh,

Dec. 12, 1793.

Your well-wisher,

JAMES SOMERVILLE.

P.S. I have taken the liberty of adding some notes, that it might be the better understood by those unacquainted with the great persons

mentioned by the worthy author.

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VOL. II..

A

J. S..

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ST. JOHN'S LODGE, No. II. OF NEWBERN, IN AMERICA,

ON

The FESTIVAL of ST. JOHN the BAPTIST,
JUNE 24, 1789.

BY FRANCOIS XAVIER MARTIN.

Sermo oritur, non de villis, domibusve alienis ;

------sed quod magis ad nos

Pertinent, et nescire malum est.

HORACE.

M

ASONRY is a select Association of Men, professing to live in BROTHERLY-LOVE, to smooth to each other the rugged paths of adversity, and to keep a most inviolable SECRECY on certain parts of their Institution.

I have said "A SELECT ASSOCIATION."

In any auditory, but the one I address, the epithet might excite a smile. It behoves to enquire, whether this ridicule would be grounded? That, if any deficiency on our part authorize it, the effect may be more easily prevented from a better knowledge of the cause.

If this selection be not perfect, as the purity of the Institution requires, the imperfections can only proceed from two causes: the admission of unworthy persons, and the degeneracy of the Members. Each has been foreseen, and guarded against, by the framers of our

constitution.

With regard to admission. A strict enquiry into the moral character of the candidate is an indispensible prelude; the opinion of every Member is appealed to; and their unanimous approbation being the condition without which none can ever obtain admission, measures have been adopted to prevent the suffrages from being controuled, biassed, or embarrassed; and lastly, the trials which precede the initiation are to evince, that the future Member is possessed of that courage and fortitude of mind, which are necessary to keep a secret, and practise the characteristic virtues of this Divine Institution. examining how careful our predecessors have been, in framing and handing down to us, this mode of admission, let us be filled with a salutary anxiety, to prevent any unjustifiable neglect on our part from overturning the work of their prudence. Finally, it may be a conso

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ling reflexion, that if the selection be not as perfect as the purity of the Institution would demand, it will be found as much so as the universality of its plan can admit of; if the necessary allowance be made for the imperfection of all mundane establishments.

With regard to the degeneracy of the members-They are men-and as such, liable to err. But a more intimate intercourse with persons of virtuous principles-their being constantly employed in the same work with such-frequent lessons of morality-the anxiety of preserving their reputation-which they must feel in a more exquisite degree, as on it depends that of a society of worthy persons-wil retain them within the bounds of their duty-and proper admonitions, from their brothers or superiors, bring them back, should they happen to recede. When those lenient means prove ineffectual, suitable correction is recurred to then if the delinquent continue refractory, expulsion puts it out of his power to injure any longer the character of the craft.

Masons profess" to live in BROTHERLY LOVE, and to smooth to each other the rugged paths of adversity."

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To live in BROTHERLY LOVE." In this, Masonry only requires stricter observance of what natural and revealed religion prescribe.

"To smooth to each other the rugged paths of adversity," is but a natu ral consequence of brotherly love. If there be a period in man's life, wherein he is more entitled, than in any other, to demand from his fellow creatures, the observance of that command of GoD, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself," it is in the hour of distress. Our predecessors at first united principally the better to afford to the dis tressed that relief which aggregate bodies can procure more amply than individuals. Seldom (perhaps I ought to say, sever) was the assistance of a Lodge unsuccessfully implored, when the applicant had not ren dered himself unworthy of it.

Lastly. Masons profess

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"to keep the most INVIOLABLE SECRECY on certain parts of their institution." Taciturnity has always been their characteristic virtue. In the early ages of the world, the professors of all sciences required it from their disciples, and SOLOMON forbade the workmen he employed to impart the secrets of their art to their apprentices, until, by a long probation, they had proved themselves worthy of being further advanced.

The ignorant, whose jealousy generally reviles what they do not un derstand, have vainly endeavoured to make this Fraternity the object of their ridicule. But malice and envy must be silent, when, on the list of the votaries of MASONRY, appear the names of the greatest and best of men in all countries."

In Europe: over the Masons in that part of the world presided a Frederick,

Frederick, King of Prussia,

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