I. CONCERNING GOD AND EELIGION.

A Mason is obliged, by his tenure, to obey the moral law ;f and if he rightly understands the art, he will never be a stupid atheist, nor an irreligious libertine. But though in ancient times Masons were charged in every country to be of the religion of that country or nation, whatever it was, yet 'tis now thought more expedient only to oblige them to
* Laurence Deeiiott, the Deputy Grand Master of the Grand Lodge of Ancient Masons, or Athol Grand Lodge, as it has been of late very usually called, published a very distorted copy of these Charges in the Ahiman Rezon,or Book of Constitutions, which he compiled for the use of the illegal Grand Lodge with which he was connected. This incorrect version of Der- rnott was subsequently copied by Smith, in his Ahiman Rezon of Pennsyl- vania ; by Dalcho, in that of South Carolina ; by Cole, in his Freemason's Library, and by several other American writers; and many of the wordy, but unnecessary, controversies on subjects of Masonic law, which a few years age were becoming the reproach of American Masonry, (although by the investi- gations which they have promoted, they have been of ultimate benefit,) arose from the fact that Dermott's copy of the Charges was repeatedly copied as good law, which, of course, it was not ; because the Grand Lodge to which he was attached was irregular, and because his edition of the Charges was altered from the original. It is a subject of curious speculation, whether Derinott did not derive his Charges from those published by Anderson in 1733. The alterations made by Anderson in that year were never re- peated in subsequent editions.
f Deriiott adds, " as a true Noachida," and he subsequently interpolates that Masons " all agree in the three great articles of Noah," which is incorrect, since the Precepts of Noah were seven.
56 THE WRITTEN LAW.
that religion in which all men agree, leaving their particular opinions to themselves ; that is, to be good men and true, or men of honour and honesty, by whatever denominations 01 persuasions they may be distinguished ; whereby Masonry becomes the centre of union, and the means of conciliating true friendship among persons that must have remained at a perpetual distance.