T., "can be greater, more evident, more comprehensive," &c. " than that which is taught in the first masonic lesson; that is, to discharge every incumbent duty to our God, our neighbour, and ourselves." (p. 34.)

Nothing can be more comprehensive than that which comprehends every thing.

“As men from brutes distinguished are,
"A Mason other men excels;

"For what's in knowledge choice and rare,
"Within his breast securely dwells."

Ahiman Rezon, p. 101.

No moral truth greater than that presented by Masonry! (36.) No moral character regarded by the Divine Being with greater complacence than that of a Mason! (35.) Masonry preach the eternal word manifested in the flesh! (30.) Masonry embrace the whole subject matter of divine economy! (24.) Masonry present to the mind the co-equal and co-eternal existence of the adorable Trinity! (10.) How astonishing that such things should be said; should be received; should be recommended; should be acknowledged and adopted, by the learned, by the pious, and by the wise! The moral precepts, also, of our order, may be equally sacred and equally precious with those of Christianity!! (34.)

Far be it from me to liken Mr. Town, and the grand officers, and the grand chapter, to any thing evil; but their design has been expressed by another:

62

"Great things resolved, which from the lowest depths

"Will once more raise us up, in spite of fate,

"Nearer our ancient seat. Perhaps in view

"Of those bright confines, whence with neighbouring arms
"And opportune excursions, we may chance

"Re-enter Heaven."-Paradise Lost, b. ii. 390.

By a full and fair exposition of our great leading princi

ples," says Mr. T., "we betray no masonic secrets; these are safely locked up in the heart of every Mason, and are NEVER to be imparted except in a constitutional manner; but our leading tenets are no secrets. (37.) It is no secret that Masonry is of divine origin. (38.) It is no secret that the system embraces and inculcates evangelical truth. (39.) It is no secret that there is no duty enjoined, nor a virtue required in the volume of inspiration, but what is found in and taught by Speculative Free Masonry. (40.) It is no secret that the appropriate name of God has been preserved in this institution in every country where Masonry existed, while the rest of the world was literally sunk in heathenism. (41.) And, above all, it is not, neither can it be, a secret, that a good Mason is, of necessity, truly and emphatically a Christian."

Herod the Great was 66 an excellent grand master."Vide New Mon. Ergo: Herod, of necessity, "was truly and emphatically a Christian." This is the easy way to convert the infidels; make them Free Masons.

Our author is grand chaplain of the grand chapter, and must know even more than he has told us. The grand chapter have unanimously recommended his book under the hand of their grand secretary, "as a most valuable production," and who can doubt it? Grand officers, and past grand officers, set their own hand to the work in the most unqualified terms of approbation, as " calculated to show the great importance of the institution," and "to redeem the sacred order at once from the ignorance, spleen, and mistaken dread of a too censorious world;" and who will not believe them? Add to this the words of the Honourable and Most Excellent General Grand High Priest, &c. of the United States of America, and the truly excellent Governor of New-York: "I have no hesitation in recommending it (Town's Speculative Masonry) to the patronage of the fraternity." Observe, too, the date of the most excellent general grand high priest's certificate. "Albany, 20th March, 5817."

The concluding sentence of our author's first address to his hearers is as follows: "Finally, my brethren, in view of this whole subject, we see what a great mystery is involved in Speculative Free Masonry."

So, à benighted philosopher, seeing a lantern attached to a kite tail:

"Bless us! quoth he, what dreadful wonder
"Is that appears in Heaven yonder?

"A comet, and without a beard?
"Or star that never before appeared!
"It must be supernatural."

CHAPTER XXX.

Containing Free Masonry's Parallel between her Excellent Self and Divine Revelation.

THE work of Mr. Town, now under consideration, has attached to it, besides the names of its sponsors, a list of subscribers' names, from Canada to Georgia: among them twelve M. E. Grand High Priests and M. E. Grand Deputies; ten M. E. Grand Kings; six M. E. Grand Scribes, &c.; twenty-five most excellent High Priests; twentythree Excellent Kings; and twenty-three Excellent Scribes; four gentlemen styled Reverend; one hundred and eleven

Most Worshipful Masters; one hundred and eight Worshipful Senior Wardens, and one hundred and seven Worshipful Junior Wardens. And so popular is the work with the subscribers, that seventy have set to their names from 10 to 20 copies; 18 from 20 to 30 copies; and seven above 40 copies each. And a note at the end of the subscription list informs, that "the whole number of copies subscribed for, as far as come to hand, is 4353."

This work, so far as I have means of judging, did not disappoint the subscribers; and now, after having been ten years before the public, remains in full credit, a book of appeal from the taunts of enemies; a triumphant exposition of the pure principles and tenets of Masonry.* It is a book for which Free Masonry is justly answerable; recommended by her highest authorities, supported by a numerous band of her officers, and appealed to by a multitude of her followers; she cannot separate herself from its common fate, with the Monitor, the Chart, Preston, and the Book of Constitutions. These books are much occupied with the details of ceremonies; Town's is purely didactic, and being excellently adapted to the overthrow of the institution it was intended to build up, I shall continue to give copious extracts, with concise remarks. It is fit that so foolish a quack as Free Masonry should die of her own drugs.

Town's Speculative Free Masonry. chap. iii. p. 45.-" The general nature and design of the Masonic Institution. Summary of Duties. Principles in the abstract.

"The way is now prepared to speak of the nature and design of the Masonic institution. Its real, as well as professed object is, to promote the highest possible good of rational intelligences. To inculcate the sound doctrines of morality and virtue, and deeply impress on the heart those

* In 1822, a second edition was published in New-York.

great and fundamental principles which constitute the beauty and divine excellency of the moral system."

It is worthy of remark, that no claim is made to science, or even to teach the sciences. The very orders of architecture are forgotten. Its real object is to inculcate the sound doctrines of morality and virtue, the principles which constitute the beauty and divine excellency of the moral system. While the Monitor, Chart, and Constitutions, unite to claim the sciences, Mr. Town honestly says not a word about them. They call Masonry a progressive science, the art of finding new arts, &c. &c. Mr. Town's Speculative Masonry calls it, in body and substance, the whole duty of man, as a moral being, and in its precepts equally sacred and equally precious with Christianity. An institution

Speculative Masonry, chap. iv. p. 49.-" Coincidence of Masonic Principles with Divine Revelation.

"After what has been said in relation to some of the leading principles embraced in the masonic system, it may not be improper briefly to show their coincidence with Divine Revelation. Masonic faith acknowledges the Holy Bible to be the word of God; that it was written by persons divinely inspired, and reveals the whole duty of man."

I must interrupt our author. It is well known to be the pride and the boast of Masonry, that it receives all men, of all countries, creeds, and religions, and binds them in one indissoluble bond of affection. With the Brahmin it believes the Shaster, with the Musselman it believes the Koran, with the Jew it believes only the Old Testament, and with the Christian it believes both the Old and the New, not to say, that with the Deist it believes neither.