Freemasonry > Free-masons pocket-companion

A CHARGE to MASONS. 191
remember that we are in duty bound to abftain
from another vice, which is too common in the
prefent age ; I mean the deteftable practice of
fwearing by, and invoking the folemn name of the
great and glorious God on the moft trifling oc-
cafions. This vice, my brethren, has not one
motive or inducement, that I know of, to fupport
the practice of it. Is it prattifed by the great
vulgar ? It is forbid by the pofitive command of
an almighty God, who is ever jealous of his ho¬
nour, and will not hold any guiltlefs who taketh
his holy name in vain. This vice is a fcandal to
fociety, and degrades the man below the level of
the brutal tribe, who all join with the feathered
choir in the praifes of their great Creator. Let
us therefore keep a conftant watch upon the door
of our lips. Let us, if it be poflible, live peace¬
ably with all men ; let us keep our paffions in
conftant fubjettion ; by this means we ftiall be
enabled to demonftrate to the world, that we are
good men and true, that we aim at no other cha¬
racter than that of piety towards God, and un¬
feigned love to one another. Love, my brethren,
is the bond of perfeftnefs ; it is this divine temper
which enables us to preferve the unity of the fpi-
rit in the bond of peace, and makes us like him,
who is the pure and inexhauftible fountain of it.
Stand faft in one fpirit, and be perfectly joined
together in the fame mind, and in the fame judg¬
ment ; let us conlider that this is a duty incum¬
bent