Mystic masonry, or, The symbols of freemasonry and the greater ...

50 Mystic Masonry.
so-called learned professions; but in the ordinary
walks of life more often fall into disuse, and seldom
serve the purpose of opening the higher avenues of
knowledge, or putting the individual in possession
of a real knowledge of himself.
Herbert Spencer mentions five objects to be attained
in the education of children : That education
which prepares for direct self-preservation; that
which prepares for indirect self-preservation; that
which prepares for parenthood; that which prepares
for citizenship; and that which prepares for the
miscellaneous refinements of Hfe. These objects
set forth by one of the most profound writers of the
present time, may be seen to pertain to self-preservation
and "getting on" in life, the last object may,
by implication, have a Social bearing; but any
higher knowledge, designed to put man in possession
of his real powers and to promote the evolution
of the soul, are not even mentioned.
In all our religious instruction, from childhood,
and through all the ministrations of religion in after
life, we are taught to look very sharp after the
salvation of our own souls ; and this in the face of
the statement that a very large proportion of the
human race will eventually be utterly lost, or
damned, for all eternity ! Science completes the pic-