Tag: Morals and Dogma

Self-conceit

“…It asks itself whether man is not the sport of a blind, merciless Fate: whether all philosophies are not delusions, and all religions the fantastic creations of human vanity and self-conceit; …”

“Then the shadows of a horrible doubt fall upon the soul that would fain love, trust and believe; a darkness, of which this that surrounded you was a symbol.

It doubts the truth of Revelation, its own spirituality, the very existence of a beneficent God.

It asks itself if it is not idle to hope for any great progress of Humanity toward perfection, and whether, when it advances in one respect, it does not retrogress in some other, by way of com-pensation: whether advance in civilization is not increase of self-ishness: whether freedom does not necessarily lead to license and anarchy: whether the destitution and debasement of the masses does not inevitably follow increase of population and commercial and manufacturing prosperity.

It asks itself whether man is not the sport of a blind, merciless Fate: whether all philosophies are not delusions, and all religions the fantastic creations of human vanity and self-conceit; and, above all, whether, when Reason is abandoned as a guide, the faith of Buddhist and Brahmin has not the same claims to sovereignty and implicit, unreasoning credence, as any other.”
Morals and Dogma (page 299)

The EssENEs

“…The EssENEs were of the Eclectic Sect of Philosophers, and held PLATO in the highest esteem; they believed that true philos-ophy, the greatest and most salutary gift of God to mortals, was scattered, in various portions, through all the different Sects; and that it was, consequently, the duty of every wise man to gather it from the several quarters where it lay dispersed, and to employ it, thus reunited, in destroying the dominion of impiety and vice.”

Morals and Dogma (page 265)

Manifestations

“These personified attributes of Deity, in the theory of Basilides, were the Il ewtoyovos or First-born, Nos [Nous or Mind] : from it emanates Aoyos [Legos, or THE WorD] from it Poovnơis :

[Phronesis, Intellect]: from it Zogia [Sophia, Wisdom] : from it Aúvaus [Dunamis, Fower]: and from it Axalooúvn [Dikaiosune,

Righteousness] : to which latter the Jews gave the name of Elenn [Eirene, Peace, or Calm], the essential characteristics of Divinity, and harmonious effect of all His perfections. The whole number of successive emanations vas 365, expressed by the Gnostics, in Greek letters, by the mystic word ABPAEAS [Abraxas] ; designating God as manifested, or the aggregate of his manifestations; but not the Supreme and Secret God Himself. These three hundred and sixty-five Intelligences compose altogether the Fullness or Plenitude [I\necua] of the Divine Emanations.”

Morals and Dogma (page 271)

Reason, the Life and Motion

“God says Pythagoras, “is neither the object of sense, nor subject to passion, but invisible, only intelligible, and supremely intelligent. In His body He is like the light, and in His soul He resembles truth. He is the universal spirit that pervades and dif-fuseth itself over all nature.
All beings receive their life from Him.
There is but one only God, who is not, as some are apt to imagine, seated above the world, beyond the orb of the Universe; but being Himself all in all,
He sees all the beings that fill His immensity; the only Principle, the Light of Heaven, the Father of all. He produces everything; He orders aná disposes every-thing; He is the REASON, the LIFE, and the MoTION of all being.”  “

Morals and Dogma (page 285)

Reason as a Guide

“Then the shadows of a horrible doubt fall upon the soul that would fain love, trust and believe; a darkness, of which this that surrounded you was a symbol. It doubts the truth of Revelation, its own spirituality, the very existence of a beneficent God. It asks itself if it is not idle to hope for any great progress of Humanity toward perfection, and whether, when it advances in one respect, it does not retrogress in some other, by way of compensation: whether advance in civilization is not increase of self-ishness: whether freedom does not necessarily lead to license and anarchy: whether the destitution and debasement of the masses does not inevitably follow increase of population and commercial and manufacturing prosperity. It asks itself whether man is not the sport of a blind, merciless Fate: whether all philosophies are not delusions, and all religions the fantastic creations of human vanity and self-conceit; and, above all, whether, when Reason is abandoned as a guide, the faith of Buddhist and Brahmin has not the same claims to sovereignty and implicit, unreasoning credence, as any other.”

Morals and Dogma (page 299)

Charmed Life

“…There is a secret in the simplest things, a wonder in the plainest, a charm in the dullest. …”

The Inspired

“We all vaguely deem it to be so; but he only lives a charmed life, like that of genius and poetic inspiration, who communes with the spiritual scene around him, hears the voice of the spirit in every sound, sees its signs in every passing form of things, and feels its impulse in all action, passion, and being.

Very near to us lies the mines of wisdom; unsuspected they lie all around us. There is a secret In the simplest things, a wonder in the plainest, a charm in the dullest.”

SOURCE

Humanity’s Problem

“A human heart throbs beneath the beggar’s gabardine; and that and no more stirs with its beating the Prince’s mantle. “

Treasures

“The great problem of Humanity is wrought out in the humblest abodes; no more than this is done in the highest.

A human heart throbs beneath the beggar’s gabardine; and that and no more stirs with its beating the Prince’s mantle.

The beauty of Love, the charm of friendship, the sacredness of Sorrow, the heroism of Patience, the noble Self-sacrifice, these and their like, alone, make life to be life indeed, and are its grandeur and its power.

They are the priceless treasures and glory of humanity; and they are not things of condition. All places and all scenes are alike clothed with the grandeur and charm of virtues such as these.”

SOURCE

Those Who Cleared Paths Before Us

Not Just Dogma

“A general lassitude inclined the minds of all toward the quietude of that amalgamation of doctrines for which the expedition of Alexander and the more peaceful occurrences that followed, with the establishment in Asia and Africa of many Grecian dynasties and a great number of Grecian colonies, and prepared the way.”

SOURCE

Reading List:

“ …The religion taught by Moses, which, like the laws of Egypt, enunciated the principle of exclusion, borrowed, at every period of its existence, from all the creeds with which it came in contact. … “

Knight of the East and West

“THIS is the first of the Philosophical Degrees of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite; and the beginning of a course of instruction which will fully unveil to you the heart and inner mysteries of Masonry.”

Morals and Dogma

Read More

Quote

“…we may restrain our passions, subdue our hearts to gentleness and patience, …”

“… the Book of Great Account…”

“The million occasions will come to us all, in the ordinary paths of our life, in our homes, and by our firesides, wherein we may act as nobly, as if, all our life long, we led armies, sat in senates, or visited beds of sickness and pain. Varying every hour, the million occasions will come in which we may restrain our passions, subdue our hearts to gentleness and patience, resign our own interest for another’s advantage, speak words of kindness and wisdom, raise the fallen, cheer the fainting and sick in spirit, and soften and assuage the weariness and bitterness of their mortal lot. To every Mason there will be opportunity enough for these. They cannot be written on his tomb; but they will be written deep in the hearts of men, of friends, of children, of kindred all around him, in the book of the great account, and, in their eternal influences, on the great pages of the Universe.”

Morals And Dogma Today

Today’s Chapter to Read is:

“Execute true judgment; and show mercy and compassion every man to his brother. Oppress not the widow nor the fatherless, the stranger nor the poor; and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in his heart. Speak ye every man the truth
to his neighbor; execute the judgment of Truth and Peace in your gates; and love no false oath”

Morals And Dogma
Continue reading “Morals And Dogma Today”

We ARE The Instrument

“There is no care or cross of our daily labor,
but was especially ordained to nurture in us patience,
calmness,
resolution,
perseverance,
gentleness,
disinterestedness,
magnanimity.

Nor is there any tool or implement of toil,
but is a part of the great spiritual instrumentality.”

Albert Pike

The World Around Us

“…There is a secret In the simplest things, 
a wonder in the plainest…”


“A world of spiritual objects, influences,
and relations lies around us all.
We all vaguely deem it to be so;
but he only lives a charmed life,
like that of genius and poetic inspiration,
who communes with the spiritual scene around him,
hears the voice of the spirit in every sound,
sees its signs in every passing form of things,
and feels its impulse
in all action,
passion,
and being.

Very near to us lies the mines of wisdom;
unsuspected they lie all around us.
There is a secret In the simplest things,
a wonder in the plainest,
a charm in the dullest.”

Albert Pike

The Occasion Always Comes to Us

“The hour of proving one’s self is always afoot!”
-Chip Van Hassel

“The million occasions
will come to us all,
in the ordinary paths of our life,
in our homes,
and by our firesides,
wherein we may act as nobly,
as if, all our life long,
we led armies,
sat in senates,
or visited beds of sickness and pain.
Varying every hour,
the million occasions will come
in which we may

restrain our passions,
subdue our hearts to gentleness
and patience,
resign our own interest for another’s advantage,
speak words of kindness and wisdom,
raise the fallen,
cheer the fainting and sick in spirit,
and soften and assuage the weariness and bitterness
of their mortal lot.”

Albert Pike

PRINCE OF JERUSALEM.

XVI.

PRINCE OF JERUSALEM.

We no longer expect to rebuild the Temple at Jerusalem. To us it has become but a symbol. To us the whole world is God’s Temple, as is every upright heart. To establish all over the world the New Law and Reign of Love, Peace, Charity, and Toleration, is to build that Temple, most acceptable to God, in erecting which Masonry is now engaged. No longer needing to repair to Jerusalem to worship, nor to offer up sacrifices and shed blood to propitiate the Deity, man may make the woods and mountains his Churches and Temples, and worship God with a devout gratitude, and with works of charity and beneficence to his fellow-men. Wherever the humble and contrite heart silently offers up its adoration, under the overarching trees, in the open, level meadows, on the hill-side, in the glen, or in the city’s swarming streets; there is God’s House and the New Jerusalem.

Continue reading “PRINCE OF JERUSALEM.”