Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

OF FREE MASONRY. 333
universal, and that the lodges of Free Masonry had become
the place* for making proselytes to every strange, obnoxious
doctrine, Theurgy, Cosmogony, Cabala, and many
whimsical and mystical doctrines, which havebeten grafted
on the distinguishing tenets, and the pure morality of the
Jews and Christians, were subjects of ftequent discussion
in the lodges.
" These focts and observations fully accoubt for the zeal
with which all this patch-work addition to the simple Free
Masonry of England was prosecuted in France. It surprises
us Britons, who are accustomed to consider the whole
as a matter of amusement for us young men, who are glad of
any pretext fbr indulging in conviviality. We generally
consider a man, advanced in life, with less respect, if he
shows any serious attachment to such things. But, in France,
the civil and religious restraint on conversation, made these
secret assemblies very precious; and they were much frequented
by men of letters, who there found an opportunity
of expressing in safety their dissatisfaction with those restraints,
and with that inferiority of rank and condition to
which they were subjected, and which appeared to themselves
so inadequate to their own talents and merits.
" The Avocats do Parlement, the young men of no fortune;
the unbeneficed Abb&s, and the soi-disant philosophers,
formed a numerous band, frequented the lodges, and
there discussed every topic of religion and politics. Specimens
of this occupation appeared, from time to time, in
Collections of Discourses delivered by the brother orator.
I once bad in my possession two volumes of these discourses,
which I now regret that I left in a lodge on the
continent, whfen my relish for Free Masonry had forsaken
me. One of these is a discourse by Brother Robinet, delivered
in the Logedes Chevaliers Bienfaisants dela Sainte
Citi at Lyons, at a visitation by the Grand Master the Due
de Chartres, afterwards Orleans, and Egalite. In this
discourse we have the germ and substance of his noted
work, the Systeme dela Nature, ou VHomme moral etphy-