Francis Bacon and his secret society - Grand Lodge of Colorado

AND HIS SECRET SOCIETY. 275
which Freemasons evidently take in the numerous charitable
works which they have inaugurated and liberally supported.
Yet it is much to be doubted if the lower orders of Masons
either guess at their own origin, or perceive that the true aim
of thesoeietyistoraise the level of patriotism and morality until
the former may fulfil Heaven's first law of universal order and
harmonious obedience to earthly authority, and the latter shall
lift man above the flats of mere worldly wisdom and morality
to the sublime heights of divinity or religion, to heights, indeed,
to which probably many Freemasons do not aspire, but are
content to live in the valley.
" The attentive ear," says the Masonic Manual, " receives the
soul from the instructive tongue, and the sacred mysteries are
safely lodged in the repository of faithful breasts. Tools and
implements the most expressive! [sic] are selected by the fraternity,
to imprint on the memory serious truths ; and thus the
excellent tenets of the institution are transmitted unimpaired,
under circumstances precarious and adverse, through a succession
of ages."
The fraternity is said to consist of three classes, each with
distinct privileges. Honour and probity are recommendations
to the first class. Diligence, assiduity, and application are
qualifications for the second class, in which is given an accurate
elucidation of science, both in theory and practice. The third
class is restricted to a selected few, whom truth and fidelity have
distinguished, whom years and experience have improved, and
whom merit and abilities have entitled to preferment. We
should expect this class to be initiated into some of the mysteries
of the printing-house, and of the collating-room, and the
ciphers, for, in the next section, the author enters into a discussion
of the objections raised to the secrets of Masonry, which,
he says, are not mere trivialities, but " the keys to our treasure.
He exhorts his readers not to regard the mysteries or the ceremonials
of the order as nominal and frivolous. Those who
hurry 'through the degrees or stages, without considering the
steps which they pursue, or without possessing a single qualification
for the duties which they undertake, are doing a positive