Free Masonry - The Masonic Trowel

PRETENSIONS Of FREE MASONRY. 41
the lodges, in its true light Masons I honour; far be it from
me to speak in reproachful terms of the gentlemen who
compose our lodges. I owe them nothing but kindness. I
bear them witness, so far as I have had opportunity to associate
with them, that they are candid and just men, incapable
of being concerned in any known imposition; men
liberal, social, charitable; many of them eminent in the
state, bold in the battle-field, pious in the ministry; men
amiable in private life, benefactors of their kind, my seniors
in age and in understanding. If I could not charge Masonry
without deeply implicating either their judgment, or
integrity, or understanding, I would be the last man to
speak evil of it If my present views of Masonry were
not consistent with a high regard for the brethren, I would
not pen them, I would not for a moment indulge them. I
would sooner distrust my clearest convictions of the shallowness
of Masonry, than doubt the sincerity, the purity,
and honesty of Masons. Indeed, they generally believe it
what it pretends to be ;* they, making allowance for all
earthly imperfections, honestly believe in the great excel*
lency of the institution.
They as honestly believe it as the Papist does the infallibility
of the Pope, or the Musselman the Koran; and, notwithstanding
my settled conviction of the infirmity of the
Pope, and the falsehood of Mahomet, I can entertain the
highest regard for the judgment, amiaUeness, and integrity
of Catholics and Musselmen.
Reader, can we not—do we not find it consistent with
the most enlightened understanding, and the highest order
of virtue and of talent, for individuals in dark ages, or under
the despotic power of government, education, or habit,
to live under strong delusion of faith, without sensible loss
of virtue or of light? I confess it would be vastly more
* A friend DM marked this with a doubt: than the writer is fighting the
air? For the honour of human nature, I could wish that it were so.
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