Scottish Rite Masonry Illustrated - The Masonic Trowel

330 GRAND INSPECTOR INQUISITOR COMMANDER.
everlasting letters upon the pages of the many leaved
book of nature. I said to them, desire not for your country
any other benefit than justice. The great law of duty
is to be looked for in humanity. Justice in equity;
to render to e~ery man that to which he is entitled. He
who would stand above the ordinary 1~vel of men, must
be exempt from prejudice, self-conceit and obstinacy,
and be governed by the mandates of justice alone.
Cultivate justice and piety, which great toward yoijr
parents and relations, should be greater toward your
country.
Hear much, reflect much and say nothing superfluous.
Let doubt of guilt be acquitted and presumption of innocence
solid proof. So I taught, and my influence
lived after me and was good and gave good fortune to
my country, and yet controlled its destinies. That is
the noblest recompense of human virtue. Do lhou
strive so to live and act, to obey and govern, and thou
too mayst live in the good opinion of men after thou
art dead and thy influences may make thee too a King
over the minds of men.
AT THE COLUMN OF~MINOS :—I was Minos, the law
giver of Crete, I t~.ught the Cretans that the laws which
I enacted were dictated by Zeus the father, for all true
and righteous laws and all human justice are but the developments
of that eternal and infinite justice, that is of
the essence of the Deity, he who assumes to judge his
brethren, clothes himself with a power like that of God.
To usurp a jurisdiction is to invade the territory of his
prerogative. Act so that men may praise thy moderation,
thy inflexibility, thy equity and thy integrity. And yet
regard not alone the opinion and the judgment of the
living, but seek the approval of those who shall live
hereafter, whose verdict will be more just, even if more
INITIATION. 331
severe. Woe unto thee, if being thyself vicious or criminal,
thou dost assume to judge others and still more if
thou givest corrupt judgment. For then will thy memory
be execrated, and in all time, it shall be the bitterest
reproach to an unjust judge to call him by thy name.
AT THE COLUMN OF ZOROASTER :—I was Zoroaster,
whose words became law to the Persians. I said, “He
is the best servant of God, whose heart is upright, who
is liberal, with due regard to what is just to all men;
who turns not his eyes towards riches and whose heart
wishes well to every thing that lives.” So act towards
all men that when they die, thou shalt not have to regret
their death, because thou hast done them wrong and
can no longer make reparation. He alone is just who is
charitable and merciful in his judgments and he alone
is wise who thinks well and not evil of other men.
Attempt not to break through the laws of providence,
nor impiously presume to correct the ways of God. Nor
measure the ocean of his wisdom with the tape-line of
thy little conceptions.
Neither cringe nor fawn, nor d~pend meanly; but
find thy happiness within thyself. Satisfy thine own
conscience and fear neither the outrages of fort une, nor
the injuries of enemies. Crime is not to be measured
by the issue of events, but by the bad intentions of the
doer. Study therefore the dominion of thyself and
quiet thine own commotions, and hold it the noblest
ovation, to triumph over thy passions. Let the long
train of thy trophies be within thee, and not without,
and when thou sittest in judgment on others, let malice
be manacled and envy fettered behind thy judgment seat.