Shared by W Bro Ian Alexander Pace ADGM KwazuluNatal -AUTHOR UNKNOWN
My Brother, as a representative of this Lodge, it is my privilege to present you with a copy of the Holy Bible which, as you have been instructed, is the Great Light in Freemasonry. We have been accustomed to think of the Holy Bible as one book because it is bound between two covers. It is not one book; it is a large library, sometimes called the Divine Library, and rightly so. It is composed of sixty six separate volumes, thirty nine of which comprise the Old Testament and twenty seven the New Testament.
It was over fifteen hundred years in the making, and a period of almost four hundred years passed between the history of the last book of the Old Testament and the first book of the New Testament. Another period of four hundred years passed before they were translated by St Jerome into a common language – Latin – and assembled into one collection. This was known as the Latin Vulgate. Another ten centuries passed before the first crude and partial translation into English appeared, which resulted in our first authorised version under King James in Anno Domini 1611.
The Holy Bible contains law, history, poetry, prophesy, letters, morals, ethics, philosophy, medicine, and a revelation of Divine Light and truth. Its authorship is no less varied. Its contributors were lawyers, historians, poets, prophets, preachers, mystics, kings, collectors of inland revenue, tentmakers and fishermen.
Diverse as are its subject matter and authorship, remote as are its types, figures, legends, myths and allegories, and unique styles of expression, the intelligent reader discerns running through it all for an ever-increasing purpose; a progressive revelation of truth. As silver threads run though a dark fabric, appearing here and there prominently upon the surface, so flashes of light arise from its pages, revealing the mind and character of God and His unfailing love towards mankind.
Everything that could be done has been done in the ages of intolerance to destroy it. Men have been imprisoned, tortured and burnt at the stake for confessing and defending its teachings. When Latimer and Ridley were burned in front of Old Balliol College, Oxford, for defending what they believed to be its teachings, Latimer cried out as the flames licked his feet “fear not, Ridley, our blood will this day light a torch that will never go out”. And so it was,
because in it there was an unyielding principle of survival, a spirit and power not of man, but of God. And today the American and British Bible society and printing and putting into circulation over fifteen million copies per annum in over one thousand different languages.
Its pages have been moistened these hundreds of years by tears of joy and tears of sorrow. They have been thumbed and soiled by the fingers of kings in their palaces and prisoners in their cells. Monarchs and peasants, strong men and penitent sinners, have found it a source of strength, courage, hope and consolation.
Sir Walter Scott on his deathbed called to Lockhart “bring me the Book” to which Lockhart replied “which book ?”. Sir Walter responded “there is only one Book”, and the great Bard passed away with his hand resting upon the Holy Bible.
In presenting this to you, your Lodge bids you read it not with your eyes alone but also with your heart devoutly, and it will be to you an ever-increasing source of guidance and a light in your efforts to a better man and a better Mason. As you increase your knowledge of it, it will become a lamp unto your feet, a light unto your path.
Author unknown