Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

240 ANCIENT FREE MASONRV IS DElfcM.
is solely a teacher of Deism, in the two thousand lodges of
this country, and whether her Deus be the Being of whom
eath individual's heart is full, or the stock of atree\ is no
matter of concern to her.
Mark ; it is no matter of concern to her ; to the seventy
er one hundred thousand Masons ofoiir country, it is a matter
of concern; and they will prove it so, by forsaking her
assemblies. They are as little conscious of her character,
as was the writer, before being provoked to study it. They
are the judges of the proofs and of the authorities he brings;
and time for reflection will unite them in abhorrence of a
dark scheme, which on the face of it is deism, and in its spirit,
is the being of whom each heart is full—A. e. no deity:
Atheism.
Many writers in the English language have been quoted,
to show that Free Masonry inculcates pure Deism; (whatever
her pupils may learn;) and the grand chapter have
freely told us, how Masonry arid Christianity are one; and
this, too, in the face of truth, and the day. Now we will
hear what" Esprit du dogme de la Franche Maconrie" has
to say upon the subject. The work is not sanctioned by
any grand chapter or grand officers. Whether that fashion
is unknown upon the Contihent of Europe, or whether the
book is too barefaced to require letters of credit, does not
appear. The reader cannot suppose, after what has been
presented in this volume, that Free Masonry would hesitate
to sanction any thing, for absurdity or impiety.
" Esprit du Dogme^ was published at Brussels, in the
Netherlands, A. D. 1&25. 350 pp. 8vo. with many cuts.
It professes to be, " Researches upon the origin and the
afferent rites of Free Masonry:" the very thing we want,
my reader; but it comes too late to tell us the origin of
Free Masonry, and can only help us to understand its doctrines
: not that we should find it irksome to stop while
Esprit might tell the origin, if he could; but, having finished
his story, that part of it is only fog, while upon the doctrines
he is commendably explicit.