influence is on the fide of human felicity. And it is certain, that, the more christianity is known and followed, the more will men become improved, and the fewer will be their contentions, corruptions and crimes: The more mild will be their governments, the more equitable their laws, and the more fecure and lafting their national profperity.

In every country over which christianity has spread its peaceful and conciliating influence, it has meliorated the whole conftitution of fociety; rectified its general codes and inftitutions; mixed with the civil arrangements and focial habits of life; and displayed its effects in common tranfactions and private intercourse, in every scene of public engagement or domeftic enjoyment. "It has foften-ed the tyranny of kings and the rigor of the laws; and restrained the pride of ambition, the horrors of war, and the infolence of conqueft."* Thus has it been the cause of genuine and efficient benefit to mankind. And we may confidently affert, that, were the gofpel univerfally received, rightly understood, and confcientiously practifed, under its mild

*PORTEUS.

dominion, there would be no wars nor fightings; no tyranny, civil or religious; no injustice, envy, nor malice; no public or private wrongs: But peace and love, freedom and benevolence, would bless the whole world. What a change would take place in the condition of mankind, were christianity to obtain fuch an extensive influence, fuch a glorious triumph! How profperous and happy would all nations be in "the abundance of peace!"

SUCH is the peaceful genius and tendency of the chriftian difpenfation!

I WILL now close my difcourfe by obferving that the language of our text is also the expreffion of FREE MASONRY.

THIS inftitution inspires its members with the most exalted ideas of GOD, and leads to the exercise of the moft pure and fublime piety. A reverence for the fupreme Being, the grand architect of nature, is the elemental life, the primordial fource of all its principles, the very fpring and fountain of all its virtues.

D

Ir interefts us, alfo, in the duties and en gagements of humanity; produces an affectionate concern for the welfare of all around us; and, raising us fuperior to every selfish view, or party prejudice, fills the heart with an unlimited good will to man.

ALL its plans are pacific. It co-operates with our bleffed religion in regulating the tempers, restraining the paffions, fweetening the difpofitions, and harmonizing the difcordant interests of men; breathes a spirit of univerfal love and benevolence; adds one thread more to the filken cord of evangelical charity which binds man to man; and feeks to intwine the cardinal virtues and the chriftian graces in the web of the affections and the drapery of the conduct. In its bofom flows cheerily the milk of human kindness; and its heart expands with love and good will. It wears "the ornament of a meek and quiet fpirit." In one hand it holds out the olive branch of peace; and in the other the liberal donation of charity.

WHILE Masonry thus aids the cause of virtue by giving additional weight to moral obligations; it promotes public happiness, by

enjoining a ready fubmiffion to the wholefome laws and regulations of civil fociety.

In all countries, and in all ages "the true and accepted" have been found to conduct as peaceable citizens, and acknowledged to be the firm and decided fupporters of good order, government, and religion. How much, then, are we fupprized to find opposers to an affociation whofe whole law is peace, and whofe whole difpofition is love; which is known to difcourage by an express prohibition the introduction and difcuffion of political or religious topics in its affemblies; and which forbids in the most positive and folemn manner all plots, confpiracies, and rebellions. But, notwithstanding the ignorant mistake, and the prejudiced cenfure the fociety, we are perfuaded that its real character is too well known, and its credit too well supported, to be injured by their mifrepresentations, or deftroyed by their invectives. When they charge us with demoralizing principles, we will tell them that fome of the moft orthodox and refpectable Clergymen are of our order; and when they impute to us diforgan

izing attempts, we will remind them that WASHINGTON is our patron and friend.

"LITTLE fhould we deferve the name of the fons of peace, if we violated our allegiance as fubjects; much lefs fhould we merit the protection of the legislature, if we gave the flightest encouragement to machinations against the national tranquillity, or the poisonous breath of feditious calumny. To depart from evil and do good; uniformly to follow after the things that make for peace, and things whereby we may edify one another; and to promote, as far as we can, the general welfare of the community to which we belong, and of mankind at large; is at once our characteristic profeffion, our duty, our intereft, and our praise. while we thus feel and act, and are thus known to the world, we may be perfectly eafy about those unfriendly fuggeftions which have been propagated against the fociety; which, however, none will believe who read

And

* Dr. WATKINS' charge at the expulfion of a mafon in England, who had "perfifted in declaiming on state affairs, in a manner which was calculated to excite difaffection to Government,” 8vo. Lond. 1796.