Scottish Rite Masonry Illustrated - The Masonic Trowel

292
GRAND ELECT KNIGHT KADOSH.
proper point, whence our work may go hand in hand
with our principles.
The second will treat of the instructions to be given
to candidates concerning our doctrines and precepts.
And the thikd, of the encouragement and recompense
which await those, who, by their zeal and labors, shall
prove themselves worthy.
Truth, Light and Liberty are the nahiral heritage of
man. But many who admit the correctness of this
axiom, in a general sense, exclaim that all cannot understand
the truth, appreciate the light, or make a
proper use of the liberty which we assert is their birthright.
A large portion of mankind arrogate to themselves
the right to maintain in ignorance and slavish dependence,
millions of their rellow creatures, the children
of the same great parent, created in his own image the
masterpiece of his handiwork. If those who possessed
the capaeity and power had employed as much talent
and ingenuity, and expended as much treasure in the
cultivation of the minds and faculties or their species
as they have in blinding, deceiving and debasing them,
the noble family of man could at this day present a
spectaele of so mueh happiness, peace and contentment
as to be worthy the regard of their creator, who being
good and just, certainly never intended that they should
exist in a state of ignorance and misery. The truth of
this you eannot but acknowledge, since it is the principle
whieh gave birth to Masonry. No, we are not born
to remain in ignorance and misery. Masonry then is
destined to repair the injuries which society has sustained
from the machinations of its enemies and to
make out the means whereby man may be restored to
his natural rights and dignity, as an intelligent being.
INITIATION 293
The degree of Knight Kadosh; that is to say, Sacred or
Holy Knight, which is one of the most elevated in our
order, presents peat facilities for the accomplishment
we have in view.
Va explain this end, we must direct our attention
rather to the eansideration of what Masonry should be
in our day, than to what it has been heretofore. We
must, in a manner, draw a veil over the past that our
glimpse of the future may not be prejudiced.
We will not diseuss further the origin or the history
of Masonry. Each one has liberty to adopt the opinions
that seem to him most reasonable. To suppose that its
source was in Egypt or India; that it sprang from such
a war; or such a sect; that it was the offspring of such a
revolution, or such a system of astronomy or religion.
The Knights Kadosh will abandon for the present
the charms of erudition, for considerations of more immediate
importance. I mean the application of the
principles of Masonry to the accomplishment of our designs,
8nd it is precisely for this purpose that they
established such bodies as that whieh is now convened.
Already we have decreed our laws and regulations,
and we are now about to commence our labors. We
feel the neeessity of putting into operation our lofty
conceptions, but at the outset the fear that our zeal may
overrun our prudenee calls up in our minds the question
how are we to take part effectively in these labors?
‘Who will be our guide, our teaeher? Strange position
which reveals in an instant, and notwithstanding our
willingness, the obstacles and embarrassments which we
must eneoLinter. What shall we teach our disciples?
What dogmas, what principles? In one word, how shall
we most judieiously co-operate with each other for the