AMERICAN Masonic Register, AND Ladies' and Gentlemen's Magazine. BY LUTHER PRATT. "Whoso stoppeth his ear against the cry of the poor, shall cry himself, and shall not be heard." But "he that hath a bountiful eye, shall be blessed, for he giveth of his bread to the poor." [No. V.] FOR FEBRUARY, A. D. 1823. A. L. 5823. SOLOMON. [VOL. II.] NOTE.-No number was issued in January, owing to the impractability of procuring paper of a suitable quality, in season. MASONIC. FOR THE MASONIC REGISTer. CHRISTIAN MASON. NO. IX. BY COMPANION SAMUEL WOODWORTH. white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it.”* This white stone represents the fundamental truth on which the Christian church is founded, viz. the divinity of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, "in whom dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” When the master mason has This is the stone which the Jewish been duly prepared to pass from the builders rejected, but which has now outer to the inner court of the ma- become the head of the corner.‡ sonic temple, or to be elevated from This is the key-stone which supthe lodge to the chapter, he repre-ports the royal arch of Christianity; sents one who, in the process of re-without it, the spiritual temple in the generation, has sacrificed his sensual human heart will remain unfinished; affections on the altar of duty; one the work of regeneration will be who has died unto sin, and been incomplete. It is true that the imraised to a life of righteousness; one portance of this truth is not at first who has fought manfully in the hour perceived or acknowledged; but if of temptation, and obtained a deci- the industrious spiritual mas on persive victory over such spiritual ad-severe until he attain to the sixth versaries as were, in that state, per-day of his new creation, he will then mitted to assault him. In this his become sensible that this rejected representative character, he is now stone is the noblest in the edifice. about to realize the promise of our Lord, where he says, "To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a * Rev. ii, 17. Matt. xxi, 42-Mark xii 10-Luke xx, 17-Ps. cxvi'i 22. Until his elevation to the fourth, degree of spiritual masonry; until he enters the sanctuary of the temple; or, in other words, until this period or state of regeneration, man worships an "unknown God." It is true that he has discovered, among the materials preparing for his spiritual temple, a truth, or doctrine of incomparable beauty, namely, that "God was in Christ reconciling the world to himself."* On the first discovery of this white stone, or the first perception of this truth, the spiritual labourer too often appropriates it to himself, and is thus led to rest his hopes of salvation on a wrong basis. Fondly imagining that he has a talisman in his possession which will secure him the favour of God and eternal life; he pauses in his allotted duties, and expects a reward for labours not his own. But instead of submitting the question to the Master Builder of his spiritual temple, instead of testing and confirming the new doctrine by the word of God, he submits it to those subordinate principles of the mind, which, being carnal and sensual, are sure to reject, instead of illustrating it. He remains ignorant of the use and application of the treasure in his possession, and casts it out among the rubbish of the building, as useless or unworthy a place in the spiritual edifice; and the Great Architect of the universe still remains unmanifested to the soul, or else divided into a plurality of persons. It is soon perceived, however, that the spiritual house cannot stand without this rejected doctrine. A key-stone is wanted to complete the royal arch, and that which had been rejected by the pride of self-derived intelligence, and that alone, is now found to be the one intended for the head of the corner. "It is the Lord's doings, and is marvellous in our eyes." "Whosoever shall fall on this stone, shall be broken; but * ii. Cor. v, 19. on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder." There is danger in appropriating to ourselves the righteousness and merits of another, and attempting to pass them off as our own. There is equal danger in trusting to our own ability, and demanding the reward, without exhibiting the true mark. The hand which thus offends, should be cut off. As this white stone, therefore, is a type and figure of the grand fimdamental truth, doctrine, or faith of the Christian church, (individually as well as collectively) the new name which is written thereon, and "which no man knoweth saving he who receiveth it," must consequently signify the nature and quality of such faith; for a name is always intended to express the nature and quality of the subject to which it is applied; and the quality of a man's faith can only be known to the Lord, and to himself. By receiving a white stone, therefore, on which is written a new name, the spiritual mason understands faith of a new quality, viz. pure genuine faith in one God, of whom Jesus Christ is the external manifestation.* The establishment of this glorious truth in the mind of a regenerate person, is represented, in the first chapter of Genesis, by the creation of the sun and moon in the firmament of heaven, to give light upon the earth. The humble penitent now, for the first time, clearly perceives, and is convinced, that it was the Lord who fought for him ia the hour of temptation, although it was then permitted to appear as if he had gained the victory by his own strength. This perception and conviction light up a flame of love in his will, which warms, vivifies, and invigorates every thought and action. This is faith in the heart; or what is * No man hath seen God at any time.-John i, 18. He who hath seen me, hath seen. the Father.-John xiv, 9. and to keep it," and to make it fruitful. The Heavenly vine, or divine truth, is implanted in all who hear the word of God. But this vine may be wholly barren, and without sonous and noxious quality, which are the wild and sour grapes spoken of by the prophet, and the grapes of gall described by Moses. In other cases, it may yield good grapes, from whence is produced that Heavenly wine of which the Lord speaks to his disciples, when he says, "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."* The nature and fruit of this spir truly called saving faith. In the second state or degree, he had faith in the memory only; in the third state or degree, he had faith in the understanding; but now, for the first time, he has faith in the heart.fruit, or it may yield fruit of a poiThis is pure genuine faith, derived from love, and working by love, as the moon derives her light from the sun, and shines by his influence. May this sun never be darkened, nor this moon withold her light; for it is this sun which opens and enlightens the lodge of every Christian's mind; sets the craft to work, or puts his spiritual faculties into operation; and rules, governs, and directs them, in such a manner as to glorify God, and edify man. During the three preceeding de-itual vine must necessarily depend grees of spiritual masonry, or during the three first states of regeneration, the human mind is compared to the building of a house, tabernacle, or temple. But now, when the candidate is so far advanced as to produce the first fruits of righteousness, he may, with equal propriety, be compared to a vineyard, planted by the great householder, Jesus Christ. In reading the 5th chapter of the prophet Isaiah, the enlightened mason is instantly struck with the beau-heavenly love and wisdom, (consety and fitness of this comparison, quently with happiness), in exact where the prophet begins with say- proportion to his desire of those ing, "Now will I sing to my well- heavenly graces, and to the sinceribeloved a song of my beloved, touch-ty with which he labours to root out ing his vineyard. My well-beloved from his mind all the noxious weeds hath a vineyard in a very fruitful which oppose their growth. When hill." And after describing several we commence the work of regeneraparticulars concerning this vineyard. tion, we become labourers in the and especially concerning its un-spiritual vineyard, and our task is fruitfulness, he concludes his para- not an easy one. We find it "an unble with these words, "The vine-weeded garden that grows to seed; yard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant; and he looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold upon the degree of culture it receives from the husbandman who has the care of it. Every human being, at some period of life, is called and hired to work in the spiritual vineyard. Some are called early in the morning, some at the third hour, some at the sixth, some at the ninth, and others not until the eleventh. But the reward is the same to each. Every one receives the stipulated penny; viz. every one is gifted with things rank and gross in nature pos- * Matt. xxvi, 29. Then, by applying to the granary of God's holy word, we shall be furnished with the seeds of goodness and truth to plant in their place. ELEGANT EXTRACT. "The long, and uninterrupted existence of masonry in the world, is a circumstance which cannot escape the observation of the contem among other things, that those who are the last, or lowest, in their own estimation, are the first, or highest, in the estimation of the great HouseEvery man is capable of being re- holder, who says, "the last shall be generated, until evil habits have be-first, and the first last." All mancome so strongly confirmed as to kind are called to work in the vinerender the divine influence unavail-yard; a few only obey the call.— ing. The Holy Spirit "will not al- All have the power to obey—and all ways strive with man," for if he ob- might be chosen if they would. stinately refuse to co-operate until after the eleventh hour, no further call is afforded him. The period of his capability is called by our Lord a day; but "the night cometh in which no man can work." The Almighty is, at all times, desirous to communicate to man his own eter-plative, nor fail to excite some deual truth for the purpose of reformation and regeneration; but different persons are called (or rather, attend to the call) at different periods of their lives; some, therefore, enter upon this great work at an early period, and some at a later; but the recompense promised to all is the same-viz. in exact propor-principles, and without any material tion to our capacity of reception; not to the length of time we have been employed in the work, but to the zeal and faithfulness with which we have performed it. Our Lord says, "are there not twelve hours in the day?" But the householder invited no one to work in the vineyard after the eleventh hour. Hence we are taught how dangerous it is to trust to a deathbed repentance. Many may say, in that hour, "Lord, we repent that we have not wrought an hour in thy vineyard," but will he say, "well done thou good and faithful servant," and give them the recompense to which the faithful labourers are entitled? Alas! no. The God of Justice will say, "I know you not; depart from me, ye workers of iniquity." who understand not its pure and gree of wonder, in those at least, well-formed system. It has stood the waste of time, through many revolving ages; amidst the successive human laws, and customs, it has rerevolutions of states and empires, of mained without any change in its alteration in its original form.Placed on the immovable basis of the best natural principles of the human heart, its pillars have reof every varied storm, and to this mained unshaken, amidst the rage hour, have suffered no decay." GRAND LODGE OF NEW- Extracts from the proceedings of December 5, 5821. The grand secretary communicated, that, since the quarterly com munications in June last, the follow But our limits compel us to defer a further consideration of this interesting subject to another number;ing new warrants had been issued, when we shall attempt to show, viz. On the 11th of June, A. L. 5821, to John Baptiste Du Mondt, master, James M'Ginnis, senior warden, and Isaac I. Hasbrouck, junior warden, to hold a lodge in the town of Marbletown, in the county of Ulster, by the name and style of Rising Sun Lodge, No. 336. On the 5th of September, A. L. 5821, to John Mullett, master, John Farrar, senior warden, and Jeremiah Moors, junior warden, to hold a lodge in the city of Detroit, in the Michigan territory, United States of America, by the name and style of Detroit Lodge, No. 337. March 6, 5822. The minutes of the last quarterly communication, and of the last Grand Stewards' Lodge, were severally read and confirmed. a W. Matthew L. Davis, S. G. D. The grand secretary communicated, that since the last quarterly communication, the following new warrants had been issued, viz. On the 5th of December, A. L. ter, George W. Rodgers, senior 5821, to Erastus Worthington, maswarden, and Ralph Malbone, junior warden, to hold a lodge in the village of Brooklyn, in the town of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings, by the name and style of Hohenlinden Lodge, No. 338. On the 6th of December, A. L. 5821, to James Jenkinson, master, and Robert Stewart, junior warden, Edward Hamilton, senior warden, to hold a lodge in the city of NewYork, in the county of New-York, by the name and style of Hibernia Lodge, No. 339. On the 7th of December, A. L. 5821, to Peter F. Thatcher, master, and Austin Spencer, junior warden, Samuel B. Bradley, senior warden, to hold a lodge in the town of Parma, in the county of Monroe, by the name and style of Parma Lodge, No. 340. It appearing by the minutes of the Grand Stewards' Lodge, that demand had been made by the W. Caleb Bacon, to be paid for the use of his room, &c., while occupied by the committee of charity, of which he is a member, and that the same had, by order of that body, been submitted to this grand lodge for their opinion and decision, a motion was made that the said bill be paid, 5821, to Jacob Satterly, master, On the 8th of December, A. L. and the same decided in the nega- Isaac Crocker, senior warden, and tive. It was then moved and car-Jacob I. Low, junior warden, to hold ried, that a donation of dollars be granted to Br. Bacon; and upon filling the blank, the sum of ten dollars was agreed to. The question was then taken upon the resolution as filled up, and decided in the negative. The following appointments, by the most worshipful grand master, were announced, and ordered to be entered on the minutes, viz. R. W. George Hodgson, G. S. B. R. W. Samuel Montgomery, G. M. R. W. John G. Tardy, G. Std. B. W. James Lyons, jr. W. Abraham Rider, W. George B. Smith, W. William M. Price, Grand the county of Onondaga, by the a lodge in the town of Manlius, in name and style of Jamesville Lodge, No. 341. Reports of the constituting of Rising Sun Lodge, No. 336, on the 1st January last; of Detroit Lodge, No. 337, on the 26th December last; of Hohenlinden Lodge, No. 338, on the 10th December last; of Hibernia Lodge, No. 339, on the 28th December last; and of Jamesville Lodge, No. 341, on the 22d January last, and of the installation of their respective officers, were received, and ordered to be filed. On motion of the W. Br. Marsh, of No. 142, it was |