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. When the master mason has been duly prepared to pass from the outer to the inner court of the masonic temple, or to be elevated from the lodge to the chapter, he represents one who, in the process of regeneration, has sacrificed his sensual affections on the altar of duty; one who has died unto sin, and been raised to a life of righteousness; one who has fought manfully in the hour of temptation, and obtained a decisive victory over such spiritual adversaries as were, in that state, permitted to assault him. In this his representative character, he is now 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 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." This is the stone which the Jewish builders rejected, but which has now become the head of the corner.‡ This is the key-stone which supports the royal arch of Christianity; without it, the spiritual temple in the human heart will remain unfinished; the work of regeneration will be incomplete. It is true that the importance of this truth is not at first perceived or acknowledged; but if the industrious spiritual mason persevere until he attain to the sixth day of his new creation, he will then become sensible that this rejected stone is the noblest in the edifice. 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. Until his elevation to the fourth, on whomsoever it shall fall, it will 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 unmani fested 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. As this white stone, therefore, is a type and figure of the grand fundamental 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 whoreceiveth it," must consequently sig nify 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 in the hour of termptation, 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. 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. This 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 degrees of spiritual masonry, or during the three first states of regeneration, the human mind is compared to the building of a house, tabernacle, or 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 fruit, or it may yield fruit of a poisonous 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 iny Father's kingdom."* The nature and fruit of this spiritual vine must necessarily depend 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 call temple. But now, when the candi-ed 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.t But the reward is the same to each. Every one receives the stipulated penny; viz. every one is gifted with heavenly love and wisdom, (consequently with happiness), in exact proportion to his desire of those heavenly graces, and to the sincerity with which he labours to root out from his mind all the noxious weeds which oppose their growth. When we commence the work of regeneration, we become labourers in the spiritual vineyard, and our task is not an easy one. We find it "an un date 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 beauty and fitness of this comparison, where the prophet begins with saying, "Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved, touching his vineyard. My well-beloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill." And after describing several particulars concerning this vineyard. and especially concerning its unfruitfulness, he concludes his parable with these words, "The vine-weeded garden that grows to seed; yard of the Lord of hosts is the things rank and gross in nature poshouse of Israel, and the men of Ju- sess it merely." Self-love must be dah his pleasant plant; and he look-cut down, and not suffered to cumed for judgment, but behold oppres-ber the ground; sensuality must be sion; for righteousness, but behold destroyed, and all the unclean weeds a cry." The mind of every person is a garden, or vineyard, planted by the Lord, and it is our duty " to dress it, of iniquity torn up by the roots. * 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. Every man is capable of being regenerated, until evil habits have become so strongly confirmed as to render the divine influence unavailing. The Holy Spirit "will not always strive with man," for if he obstinately 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 eternal 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 proportion 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." 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 House holder, who says, "the last shall be first, and the first last." All mankind are called to work in the vineyard; a few only obey the callAll have the power to obey-and all might be chosen if they would. ELEGANT EXTRACT. at least, "The long, and uninterrupted existence of masonry in the world, is a circumstance which cannot escape the observation of the contemplative, nor fail to excite some de gree of wonder, in those who understand not its pure and well-formed system. It has stood the waste of time, through many revolving ages; amidst the successive revolutions of states and empires, of human laws, and customs, it has remained without any change in its principles, and without any material alteration in its original formPlaced on the immovable basis of the best natural principles of the human heart, its pillars have remained unshaken, amidst the rage of every varied storm, and to this hour, have suffered no decay." GRAND LODGE OF NEW. Extracts from the proceedings of December 5, 5821. The grand secretary communica But our limits compel us to defer ted, that, since the quarterly com a further consideration of this inter- munications in June last, the follow esting subject to another number; ing new warrants had been issued, when we shall attempt to show, viz. W. Henry Marsh, jun. J. G. D. On the 11th of June, A. L. 5821, W. Matthew L. Davis, S. G. D. 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. The grand secretary communicated, that since the last quarterly communication, the following new war warrants had been issued, viz. On the 5th of December, A. L. 5821, to Erastus Worthington, master, George W. Rodgers, senior warden, 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, Edward Hamilton, senior warden, and Robert Stewart, junior warden, to hold a lodge in the city of NewYork, in the county of New-York, Lodge, No. 339. It appearing by the minutes of by the name and style of Hibernia the Grand Stewards' Lodge, that a 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, and the same decided in the nega tive. It was then moved and carried, 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. W. James Lyons, jr. W. Abraham Rider, W. George B. Smith, W. William M. Price, j Grand Stewards. On the 7th of December, A. L. 5821, to Peter F. Thatcher, master, Samuel B. Bradley, senior warden, and Austin Spencer, junior 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. On the 8th of December, A. L. 5821, to Jacob Satterly, master, Isaac Crocker, senior warden, and Jacob I. Low, junior warden, to hold a lodge in the town of Manlius, in the county of Onondaga, by the 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 |