Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

196 TO PROVE ANT GREAT MAN A FREE MASOX.
ciples of geometry, which was anciently synonymous with
Masonry, to the erection of some building ; and if he did—
call him a Mason; and if he be a great man whose character
is sought, suppose he applied the principles of geometry
to the building a city, or temple, or fort, and call him a Mason
at hazard; the risk is nothing. In this way the memory
is not burdened, at the same time a good degree of correctness
is secured, and almost all the great men of antiquity
will appear to have been Free Masons, to the glory
of the nocturnal society.
Pardon, brethren, and hear Mr, Town, p. 63. " Modern
Masonry is not operative," says Mr. Town," but speculative
and religious." To learn what is Speculative Free Masonry,
we turn to chap. 7., which is headed " Speculative Free
Masonry unfolds the outlines of the history of several great
and leading events, both in the natural and moral world."
p. 67. " The first, both in the order of nature and of time,
was creation, when by the voice of omnipotence, the first
flood of light burst upon the astonished world. A manifest
allusion to this event, appears in the first degree of Masonry.
An audible voice is heard by the candidate, which is followed
by scenes new, mysterious, beautiful and sublime. [Four
adjectives to express what is better expressed by one, viz.
ridiculous.] Was it admissible to enumerate the ceremonies
of initiation, every person would at once discover a
manifest reference to the creation of this material world."
It is truly said, u all do not see alike;" and who would
have thought so'sublime an event as creation was represented
by lively symbols at the first stair of Masonry! Can
one believe that a fear of betraying the secret debars our
author from pursuing the detail of the ceremonies of initiation
with their wonderful likeness to the events of creation ?
Not at all: any thing which tells to the honour of the society,
is free to be blazoned, and every other thing must be
hid, must be the secret. When he had named that audible
voice, why did he not add the fact which follows it in initiation
? one just as like to the bursting of the first flood of
light upon the astonished world, as the removal of a blinder