DISCOURSE XI. 1 PETER II. 15, 16. "WITH WELL DOING YE MAY PUT TO SILENCE THE IGNORANCE OF FOOLISH MEN. AS FREE, AND NOT USING YOUR LIBERTY FOR A CLOAK OF MALICIOUSNESS, BUT AS THE SERVANTS OF GOD." I SHALL use these words, my brethren, as the motto to a discourse, wherein I propose, after adverting to the injustice of those imputations which are brought forward against Free Masonry, briefly to consider the way in which we can.best preserve it from misrepresentations, and best defend it against censures. WHILST We feel our minds enlarged by its discoveries, our hearts expanded by its charities, and our satisfactions increased by its influence, we cannot grow indifferent to its interests, nor hear the reproaches repeated against it with the coldness of unconcerned auditors, without emotion and without re ply. With honest zeal we come forward; not to contest the subject in "a war of words;" not to discuss, but to demonstrate ; not to defend opinions against those whom. no reasons will satisfy and no arguments convince; but to vindicate our principles by referring to their effects on our temper and our conduct. MODESTY, which retires from observation; diffidence, which always entertains an humble opinion of its own merit, and avoids ostentation as it does censure; have hitherto restrained us from such a plea: but our enemies impel us to this issue. 1. FREE MASONRY, you know, is, at the present day, viewed in an unfavourable light : and we are considered by some as covenanting on principles and associated for purposes destructive of civil subordination, and tending to dissoluteness and infidelity; to the disavowal of all that is venerable in virtue or sacred in religion. In vain have we repeatedly unfolded our sentiments to public examination, in the most honest, ingenuous, and explicit manner. Our protestations are disregarded and while every paltry pamphlet or paragraph written in opposition to us is eagerly read and implicitly believed: what we publish, particularly the BOOK OF CONSTITUTIONS, which contains our laws and ceremonies, is never inquired after, never consulted. My brethren, our inexorable accusers arraign us at the tribunal of the public, to defend ourselves, not against what they know, but what they suspect; to answer, not for what they have experienced, but what they fear. This is taking us at great disadvantage and the unfairness, as well as injustice, of such an allegation, will excuse our passing it by in silent contempt. We challenge them to point out the instances in which we have appeared the advocates or the abettors of immorality or rebellion! We submit our actions to their prying investigation; hoping, besure, some allowance for the frailties and imperfections incident to humanity; arrogating to ourselves no immaculate purity nor indefectible virtue; but neither needing nor asking apology for any thing that is peculiar to us as MASONS. ASSURED that whatever follies or imprudencies may have injured our credit as men, and that whatever vices have wounded our character as christians, it never justified the former nor allowed the latter, let us excul |