Free-born, No. III

Free-born, No. III. [No. 13]

He is not Free who is the slave of Sin,
Whatever his parentage; he can’t be Free
Whose soul is manacled in slavery
To odious Superstition. If in
His heart there be no love of God or Man 5
Call him not Free by Birth, or privilege
Of Manumission. He can give no pledge
That he is fit for Freedom: never can
The Cap of Liberty fit his vile brow.
Rome freed her Slaves who proved themselves to be 10
Worthy, and gave them civil rights; and we
Can ne’er in Justice unto Pagans bow.
With us, all worthy men are deem’d Born Free
Whose eyes can bear the Light of pure Freemasonry.

by George Markham Tweddell  1st published 1887