Abhandlung über die allgemeine Zusammenkunft der Freymaurer, bei den Gesundbrunnen in Wilhelmsbad

that this society must beware of admitting false, evil, stormy, domineering, and especially such men into its bosom who abandon themselves to the shameful excess of degrading vices. And should the forecourt of the temple have been opened to seekers of this kind, then let them stand in this forecourt if it should not be possible to completely deny them entry (which is not so difficult after all, if one knows the means by which a petitioner can be deterred by the holiness of the Masonic labors). If, on the contrary, these applicants have certain dominant inclinations and passions against which Reason is too weak, but these inclinations and passions do not destroy the feeling of benevolence and philanthropy (these high virtues so appropriate to human nature), then one must use these inclinations, these passions, both for the general good of the world and especially for the society of Freemasons. In this way, many united weaknesses reach a degree of strength that they would never have attained separately.

The purpose of Freemasonry is hidden on all sides in parables and Sinnbildern emblems or symbols. These symbols, these allusions, significant as they are, have the fault of such a mysterious genre, namely that they are not so apt

at expressing a specific thing that they could not also serve to designate another thing, which is often diametrically opposed to the former. Also, among those who sought to fathom the true purpose of Masonry, some believed they had discovered this purpose, others that one. The greatest part, it is true, follows the same footsteps, the footsteps of virtue, and sees the same general purpose before them: to promote the greatest happiness of mankind. But this general purpose, even if it does not lose itself on the different paths that are taken, can nevertheless be viewed from several sides, and that depends on the physical construction which, as I have said before, works so powerfully on the moral state. Of twelve systems, eleven are certainly in error; but if this error does not impair the welfare of men, if it does not plug the source of benevolence, if it does not inhibit the active and powerful efforts of philanthropy, should one then destroy those eleven interesting systems because their followers do not have the degree of insight, the fine judgment, that is necessary to feel the value and exclusive preference of the twelfth system? insert: "That is excellently said! Yes! what is more, this fermentation of different opinions has until now worked for the best in philosophical, moral, religious, political, and mystical matters, etc. Unite all Freemasonry systems, and you will soon have no more Freemasonry. R. v. S." Could then not these

Beyerlé discusses the screening of new members and the inherent ambiguity of Masonic symbols. He argues for tolerance toward different Masonic "systems" or interpretations, provided they all aim for the happiness of mankind and do not harm society.