ANDREW MICHAEL RAMSA Y.
339
Society was at the outset established to revive and spread these essential maxims borrowed
from the nature of man. We desire to reunite all men of enlightened minds, gentle man-
ners, and agreeable wit, not only by a love for the fine arts, but much more by the grand
principles of virtue, science, and religion, where the interests of the Fraternity shall become
those of the whole human race, whence all nations shall be enabled to draw useful knowl-
edge, and where the subjects of all kingdoms shall learn to cherish one another without
renouncing their own country. Our ancestors, the Crusaders, gathered together from all
parts of Christendom in the Holy Land, desired thus to reunite into one sole Fraternity the
individuals of all nations. What obligations do we not owe to these superior men who,
without gross selfish interests, without even listening to the inborn tendency to dominate,
imagined such an institution, the sole aim of wliicli is to unite minds and hearts in order
to make them better, and form in the course of ages a spiritual empire where, without
derogating from the various duties which different States exact, a new people shall be
created, which, composed of many nations, shall in some sort cement them all into one by
the tie of virtue and science.
The second requisite of our Society is sound morals. The religious orders were estab-
lished to make perfect Christians, military orders to inspire a love of true glory, and the
Order of Freemasons, to make men lovable men, good citizens, good subjects, inviolable in
their promises, faithful adorers of the God of Love, lovers rather of virtue than of reward.
Polliciti servare fldem, sanctumque vereri
Numen amiciti(E, mores, non munera amare.
Nevertheless, we do not confine ourselves to purely civic virtues. We have amongst us
three kinds of brothers: Novices or Apprentices, Fellows or Professed Brothers, Masters
or Perfected Brothers. To the first are explained the moral virtues; to the second the
heroic virtues; to the last the Christian virtues; so that our institution embraces the whole
philosophy of sentiment and the complete theology of the heart This is why one of our
worshipful brothers has said—
Freemason, illustrious Grand Master,
Receive my first transports,
In my heart the Order has given them birth,
Happy I, if noble efforts
Cause me to merit your esteem
By elevating' me to the sublime,
The primaeval Truth,
To the Essence pure and divine,
The celestial Origin of the soul,
The Source of life and love.
Because a sad, savage, and misanthropic philosophy disgusts virtuous men, our ancestors,
the Crusaders, wished to render it lovable by the attractions of innocent pleasures, agreeable
music, pure joy, and moderate gaiety. Our festivals are not what the profane world and
the ignorant vulgar imagine. All the vices of heart and soul are banished there, and irre-
ligion, libertinage, incredulity, and debauch are proscribed. Our banquets resemble those
virtuous symposia of Horace where the conversation only touched what could enlighten the
soul, discipline the heart, and inspire a taste for the true, the good, and the beautiful.