Some Objections To Masonry Considered.

august rank in the outer world , achieved a grand stroke of policy , and that modern Masons have exhibited much wisdom in imitating the example set them by their predecessors . The charge is not made against other societies which may number His Royal Highness among their

members or patrons , and there are grounds for presuming that it is urged against Mascniy by those who detest us without reason , and find it incumbent on them to offer some sort of apology for their hatred . Nor must we overlook the inconsistency of this

charge with the more serious one referred to at the outset , that we are the enemies of religion and of order . It is very unlikely that a body , professedly irreligious , and opposed to any and every form of government , would exhibit any respect or deference for one of princely rank ,

simply because he was a prince . There is no religion with the teaching of which we have any acquaintance which does not inculcate loyalty to those in high places , and how we can be the enemies of order , and at the same time exhibit an undue regard for men of rank is an anomaly we shall

not try to explain . But , say a good many people , you Masons believe in liberty , equality and fraternity . We not only believe in , but strive earnestly to practise , this triad of virtues , bnt not in the cant sense which too many ascribe to them . We believe in the right of every man to follow

the dictates of his own conscience , in matters religious and political . He may be , as regards the former , a Christian , Jew , Mohammedan , or what not ; as regards the latter , a Monarchist or a Republican . It is immaterial to Masonry

what his views are , the one restriction we impose being that he shall believe in some one religion , and act obediently to the laws of the country , whatever form they may assume . As to our fraternity , we need say little . We regard each other as brethren , and seek to behave one towards another

in a spirit of brotherly love . As to our equality , the second in order of the triad , but which wo have purposely reserved till last , how , it is sometimes asked , can there be any real equality when there are in Masonry as many well defined gradations of rank as in the different empires and kingdoms

of the earth ? We think we shall fairly illustrate the Masonic idea of equality by giving a brief sketch of a capital story , culled from one of the best known and most popular novels of the late Captain Marryat . In his Midshipman Easy , the hero is son of a crack-brained

enthusiast , who doubtless regarded himself as a philosopher . This enthusiast " goes in" for equality , and the rights of man , and young Jack Easy is nothing loath to follow his father ' s teachings . Of the many scrapes he gets into in his boyhood in attempting to carry this ridiculous theory

into practice we say nothing . He is continually in hot water with his neighbours , and at length comes to the conclusion , that he will go to sea , as the only place where he is ever likely to find perfect equality . He is accordingly entered as a midshipman on board one of His Majesty ' s

ships , commanded by a Captain Wilson , a friend or distant relation of his father ' s . He has hardly got on board ere he begins to " ventilate " his novel theory . He does this even in the sacred precincts of the Captain ' s state cabin , and at dinner , before all the officers , who are , of course , struck

dumb with astonishment at his effrontery . Captain Wilson , however , takes Jack ' s remarks very good naturedly , at the same time he is careful to point out at an early opportunity the only kind of equality which is to be found on board of ship . Thus argues Captain Wilson : —the captain , the

officers and the crew , are all equally bound by the articles of war . The Captain , though supreme in his own ship , must obey the admiral or chief officer of the squadron . The latter carries out the instructions of the Admiralty the Admiralty is responsible to the King . Then the first

lieutenant , who is responsible for the ship , and the master , who is responsible for its navigation , take their orders from the Captain , the other officers from these , while the men must obey implicitly their officers . In this respect all on board ship , from the captain to the powder monkey , enjoy

a perfect equality . Ihe exposition pleases Jack , who grows into a fine fellow , becomes a great favorite with officers and men , and has the sense to see the difference between the equality which is possible and the absurd kind of equality preached by his father . To apply the parable to

Masonry . Every member of the Fraternit y , from the Grand Master himself down to the very last initiate , is bound to observe the landmarks . Strict obedience to the law , both written and unwritten , is required equally of all Masons . Grand Lodge lays down the law in accordance with the Constitutions . Private Lodges are subordinate to Grand

Some Objections To Masonry Considered.

Lodge . The W . M . is absolute in his own Lodge , but he must obey the Constitutions . The Wardens take their instructions from him . The members obey the Master . Thus , as Captain Wi ] BOn , his officers and crew , were all equally bound by the arttiAoa nt ? war , so Grand Lodge , Private Lodges , and the W . M . ' s , widens , and members

composing them , are equally bound "bv + , Constitutions . In other respects , too , Masons enjoy perfect , equality . They must all be members of some religious persuasion ; they must all obey the civil authorities ; they must all lead moral lives and practise those virtues which Masonry

enjoins . All , too , are on the same footing as brothers . But the false equality which silly theorists propound , the equality which recognises no gradation of rank , no difference of station , which would have all men do exactly as they like , without reference to the common good , such

equality exists no more in Masonry than elsewhere . As Masons , the prince and the peasant are on one and the same footing , but Masonry does not ignore the difference in station between the two . The prince as G . M . and the peasant as M . M . are equally Masons , but the latter obeys

the former , and were their relative positions in Masonry reversed , the former would obey the latter , because the law prescribes obedience to the Master as ruler of the Craft . Thus the government of our Order by a prince of the blood is no more destructive of our equality than is the

government of the United Kingdom , by Queen Victoria destructive of the equality of British citizens , or than that of the United States by President Grant is destructive of the equal rights of American citizens . In the sense we have indicated , our motto is assuredly " Liberty , Equality ,

Fraternity . " We have shown , too , there is nothing inconsistent with this in having men of rank to rule over us , while the charge of flunkeyism in electing a Prince to guide tho destinies of the Craft has no basis whatever , and could only have been brought against us by persons

determined to attack , regardless of decency and consistency . We think we have said enough to prove the unreality of certain objections to Freemasonry . We may express our views on these and other points in later issues , but for the present we have gone as far as is necessary in defence of onr Order .

Masonic Portraits (No. 9.) The Knight Errant.

MASONIC PORTRAITS ( No . 9 . ) THE KNIGHT ERRANT .

HE who imagines that the spirit of chivalry has disappeared from society must be but a poor observer of men and manners . Men do not , indeed , in these days , don armour and roam over the world in search of adventures ; no enthusiast in pursuance of a rash vow insists upon breaking a lance with every equal that chance throws in

his way , nor do staid beings of the masculine gender make it their especial business to fight for the weak and the helpless . Yet the spirit of chivalry remains in the midst of us . Many a man who does not wear golden spurs or knightly armour is fully entitled to take rank with the

glorious heroes of the past . The kuight errant of these clays perhaps might compare unfavourably with his ancient prototype in mere appearance . A suit of plate or mail , covered with a white surcoat , forms a costume beside which the black frock of these modern days looks

positively prosaic , if not barbarous . But , if we forget the mere paraphernalia of the knights of the past , and regard only the essentials of knighthood , we shall be inclined to think that many of the men around us would , in earlier

and more warlike times , have shone in the lists and in the tented field . Courage , gentleness , simplicity , devotion to duty , unselfishness and perseverance are attributes which are not so uncommon that we have to search far to find

them united in the person of some plain , unpretending son of Adam . Modern society , with its complex relations , affords a man who is inclined to be chivalrous ample scope to indulge his tastes and fancies . Although there

are no giants to encounter , or dragons to be siam , nor indeed any necessity for the modern knight errant to carry a butchering tool on his thigh , there are yet evils to be

remedied and wrongs to be righted—in short , work enough to engage the attention of a legion possessed of the calm courage of Amadis de Gaul , or the enthusiasm of Bayard . Let us grant , indeed , at once , that society in its blind